Heriaeus foordi Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman 2013, sp. n.

Figs 6, 30–33, 58

Etymology: Named for Stefan Foord of the University of Venda, who collected the holotype. He is recognized for his contribution in recording spider diversity in the African savannah.

Diagnosis: The species is recognized by a combination of long, dark brown, spiniform abdominal setae (Fig. 6), the small dome-shaped hood of the female epigyne (Fig. 32) and the long embolus with straight tip in the male (Fig. 30). The RTA is long, with a prolaterally curved distal tooth and a basal lobe (Fig. 31).

Description:

Female (allotype).

Size: TL 4.61, CL 2.25, CW 2.18. Colour: Carapace yellow-brown, with two broad irregularly shaped longitudinal dark brown stripes; setae dark brown; sternum with white markings; clypeus brown; chelicerae yellow-brown, with brown marks proximally and white marks distally and laterally; eye region white between anterior eyes, brown between posterior eyes; eye tubercles white or greyish white.Abdomen brown dorsally, mottled with white, with dark brown circular marks usually forming a distinct pattern; venter lined with white; laterally with white striae with brown spots. Legs yellow-brown, with white marks on all segments except metatarsi and tarsi. Palp segments all with white markings except tibia with brown markings. Carapace: Eye measurements: AME–AME 0.25, ALE–AME 0.14, PME–PME 0.19, PLE–PME 0.30, AME–PME 0.27, MOQL AME–PME 0.34, MOQAW AME–AME 0.31, MOQPW PME–PME 0.27. Leg measurements: leg I Fe 1.76, Pat 0.91, Tib 1.75, Mt 1.66, Ta 0.95, total 7.03; leg II Fe 1.41, Pat 0.74, Tib 1.27, Mt 1.25, Ta 0.83, total 5.50; leg III Fe 1.06, Pat 0.53, Tib 1.00, Mt 0.67, Ta 0.66, total 3.92; leg IV Fe 1.15, Pat 0.65, Tib 1.02, Mt 0.75, Ta 0.62, total 4.19. Abdomen: Round, truncated anteriorly; setae long and dark brown or short and transparent. Epigyne: With small dome­shaped hood; internal organs visible as two indistinct bean-shaped structures lying diagonally below hood (Fig. 32); four small dark posterior spots indicate position of fertilization ducts; copulatory ducts two tubes lying diagonally below hood (Fig. 33).

Male (holotype).

Size: TL 3.18, CL 1.66, CW 1.74. Colour: Carapace yellow-brown, with two broad irregularly shaped longitudinal dark brown stripes; setae dark brown; clypeus brown; chelicerae with brown marks; eye region white between anterior eyes, brown between posterior eyes; eye tubercles white or greyish white. Abdomen yellow-brown, mottled with brown; some males with faint circular pattern similar to that of female; setae dark brown. Legs with white markings on coxae I–IV; leg I (patella to tarsus) much darker than legs II–IV. Carapace: Eye measurements: AME–AME 0.16, ALE–AME 0.09, PME–PME 0.12, PLE–PME 0.21, AME–PME 0.22, MOQL AME–PME 0.27, MOQAW AME–AME 0.22, MOQPW PME–PME 0.20. Leg measurements: leg I Fe 1.96, Pat 0.78, Tib 1.54, Mt 1.61, Ta 0.94, total 5.83; leg II Fe 1.67, Pat 0.69 Tib 1.34, Mt 1.25, Ta 0.68, total 5.63; leg III Fe 0.91, Pat 0.46, Tib 0.82, Mt 0.66, Ta 0.47, total 3.32; leg IV Fe 1.08, Pat 0.47, Tib 0.85, Mt 0.57, Ta 0.39, total 3.36. Abdomen: Round, truncated anteriorly; dorsum with scattered long spiniform, acute setae. Legs: Very hairy with numerous long setae. Male palp: Embolus long, winding once around tegulum, tip slender and straight; VTA large and two-lobed; RTA with prolaterally curved distal tooth and basal lobe; cymbial apophysis present (Figs 30, 31).

Juveniles. Immature males can usually be recognized by brown dorsum, mottled with white, with dark brown circular markings forming a characteristic pattern.

Holotype: ♂ SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo: Atherstone Nat. Res. (26.75°S 24.42°E), 11.ix.2009, S. Foord, sweeping grass (NCA 2011 /2044).

Allotype: 1♀ same data as holotype (NCA 2011 /2045a).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu­Natal: 1♀ Umkhuze Game Reserve (27.63°S 32.25°E), 26.xi.2003, M. Hamer, beating tree layer (NCA 2004 /884); 1♀ same locality, 1.ii.2003, S. Lovell, yellow pan trap in Terminalia sericea field (NCA 2004 /122); 1♀ Ndumo Game Reserve, Crocodile farm (26.87°S 32.24°E), 12.i.2007, C. Haddad, rocky area (NCA 2007 /4526). Limpopo: 4♂ same data as holotype (NCA 2011 /2045b).

Other material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu­Natal: 1 imm. Umkhuze Game Reserve (27.63°S 32.25E), 3.viii.2008, X. Combrink, pitfall traps (NCA 2011 /2048). Mpumalanga: 3 imm. ♂ Kruger National Park, Makhuthwanini (25.38°S 31.60°E), 16.vi.2007, pitfall traps, G. Ellis (NCA 2008 /68, 2008/69).

Distribution: South Africa (KwaZulu­Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga) (Fig. 58).

Natural history: Collected from yellow pan traps and pitfall traps as well as sweeping of vegetation. Adult females collected during October, males during September and October, and juveniles during June and August.