Figs 72–79

Heliophanus aberdarensis: Wesołowska 1986: 224, figs 793, 794.

Diagnosis: The species resembles other members of the subgenus Heliocapensis. The male is distinguished by the shape of the tibial apophysis, which is forked, somewhat like that in Heliophanus portentosus Wesołowska, 1986 from the Western Cape, but clearly smaller; H. portentosus also has an additional long retrolateral apophysis, which is absent in H. aberdarensis. The female is distinctive in having a large square deep epigynal depression, which is unlike the epigyne of any other species in the genus.

Redescription:

Measurements (♂ / ♀). Cephalothorax: length 1.7–1.8/1.2, width 1.2–1.3/1.3, height 0.6/0.7. Abdomen: length 1.9–2.0/2.5, width 1.2–1.3/1.3. Eye field: length 0.7/0.7, anterior width 0.9–1.0/1.0, posterior width 1.0–1.1/1.1.

Male.

Small, darkly coloured spider. Carapace dark brown with metallic lustre, eye field black, pitted; delicate brown hairs present on carapace dorsum, with some longer bristles near anterior eyes. Mouthparts and sternum brown, only endites slightly paler. Abdomen brown, clothed in sparse delicate brown hairs, with some white scales near anterior edge; venter faint brown. Legs and pedipalps brown, pedipalps ornamented with white scales along median line dorsally (Fig. 76). Palpal tibial apophysis forked, embolus short and curved (Figs 72–75); femur with small process on ventral surface (Fig. 77).

Female.

Similar to male, colouration darker, almost black. Whole body clothed in short dense light grey hairs. Abdomen with two whitish rounded spots ventrally at base of spinnerets. Legs and pedipalps brownish orange. Epigyne with large square depression, plugged with waxy secretion (Fig. 78). Internal structure as in Fig. 79.

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng: 2♂ 1♀ Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, near Heidelberg, 26°30'S 28°15'E, sweeping in grass, 23.iii.1979, A. Leroy & A. Jordan (NCA, 79/206).

Distribution: A species previously known only from the type locality in Kenya, recorded for the first time from South Africa (Fig. 86).

Habitat and biology: Collected by sweep-netting in grassland.

Remarks: The male is described here for the first time. Discovery of this sex and study of the palpal structure makes it possible to include the species in the subgenus Heliocapensis.