Trachelas humus, Haddad & Lyle, 2025

Trachelas humus sp. nov.

Figs 6I, J View FIGURE 6 , 13 View FIGURE 13

Etymology. This species name is derived from Latin for “ground”, which refers to the habitat of this species. Noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The male of this species shares with T. canariensis the slender distal section of the embolus but can be distinguished by it curving towards the prodistal side, with the tip directed at 11 o’clock ( Fig. 13A View FIGURE 13 ), whereas that of T. canariensis curves towards the retrodistal side, with the tip directed at 1 o’clock ( Fig. 8A View FIGURE 8 ). The female is distinctive among Afrotropical Trachelas by the broad, transverse primary spermathecae, which are twice as wide as long ( Fig. 13C View FIGURE 13 ).

Male. Measurements: CL 1.08, CW 0.93, AL 1.30, AW 0.95, TL 2.20, FL 0.08, SL 0.65, SW 0.60, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.24, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.05, PLE–PLE 0.35. Length of leg segments: I 3.63 (1.05, 0.40, 0.98, 0.70, 0.50); II 2.84 (0.83, 0.33, 0.73, 0.55, 0.40); III 2.17 (0.63, 0.30, 0.33, 0.63, 0.28); IV 3.28 (1.00, 0.33, 0.85, 0.75, 0.35).

Carapace bright orange-brown ( Fig. 6I View FIGURE 6 ); eye region brown, with dark brown rings around eyes; AME and ALE equal in size; clypeus height 1.7× AME diameter; AME separated by their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.2× AME diameter; PME slightly larger than PLE; PME separated by slightly more than their diameter; PME separated from PLE by about 0.5× PME diameter. Chelicerae brown, endites and labium slightly lighter; two promarginal teeth, proximal tooth largest; two retromarginal teeth, distal tooth largest. Sternum pale brown, darker towards borders. Abdomen creamy-yellow dorsally, with faint grey mottled patch in posterior half; dorsal scutum pale yellow; first pair of sigilla very pale, anterior to midpoint; second pair darker, posterior to midpoint. Legs pale yellow-brown, femora of legs I and II dark yellow-brown. Palp yellow-brown, with PA finger-like, slightly curved towards proximal side; CY conical in distal half, gradually narrowed distally; TE oval, slightly more than 1/2 CY length; EM with proximal section nearly as broad as TE, curving clockwise, distal section slender, elongate, curving towards prodistal side, with tip directed at 11 o’clock ( Fig. 13A, B View FIGURE 13 ).

Female. Measurements: CL 1.00–1.13, CW 0.93–0.95, AL 1.25–1.78, AW 0.85–1.35, TL 2.23–2.70, FL 0.05– 0.08, SL 0.63–0.70, SW 0.53–0.63, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.23, PME–PME 0.10, PME– PLE 0.05, PLE–PLE 0.38. Length of leg segments: I 3.18 (0.95, 0.40, 0.75, 0.63, 0.45); II 2.75 (0.85, 0.35, 0.65, 0.53, 0.37); III 2.31 (0.63, 0.45, 0.43, 0.50, 0.30); IV 3.51 (1.00, 0.38, 0.85, 0.88, 0.40).

Carapace orange-brown; eye region brown, with dark brown rings around eyes ( Fig. 6J View FIGURE 6 ); ALE slightly larger than AME; clypeus height slightly more than AME diameter;AME separated by their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.2× AME diameter; PME slightly larger than PLE; PME separated by slightly more than their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 0.7× PME diameter. Chelicerae, endites and labium orange; three promarginal teeth, distal tooth largest, proximal tooth smallest; three retromarginal teeth, median tooth largest, distal tooth smallest. Sternum pale brown, darker towards borders. Abdomen with dorsum pale yellow, with pale grey mottling ( Fig. 6J View FIGURE 6 ); first pair of sigilla very pale brown, anterior to midpoint; second pair darker, posterior to midpoint. Legs uniform pale brown; legs I and II slightly more robust and darker than legs III and IV. CO situated posteriorly in oval AT next to midline, their long axes converging anteriorly; CD initially as broad as CO, tapering rapidly while curving laterally and anteriorly, forming complete spiral terminating in small lollipop-shaped ST II anterolaterally; ST II separated by almost 10× their diameter; Cd converging anteromesally, bending backwards, running along midline before entering broad, transversely oval ST I posterolaterally; ST I twice as broad as long, separated by approximately 1/6 their width ( Fig. 13C, D View FIGURE 13 ).

Type material: Holotype ♂ and 6♀ paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores Nature Reserve , 29°05.726'S, 26°09.435'E, 3.VII.2007, leg. C. Haddad (leaf litter) ( NCA 2007 /2896). GoogleMaps

Paratypes: NAMIBIA: Caprivi Strip, Kwando [17°41'S, 23°28'E], 24. III.1976, leg. F. Wanless & A. Russell-Smith (river Phragmites and Papyrus ), 1♀ ( BMNH). SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Drakensberg Mountains, Royal Natal National Park, 40.6 km W of Bergville, 28°41.369'S, 28°56.243'E, 1480 m a.s.l., 21.I.2011, leg. H. Wood et al. (general collecting, montane grassland and plantation), 1♀ ( CAS, CASENT 9043415); Same locality, Thendele Camp, 28°42.701'S, 28°56.052'E, 1600 m a.s.l., 17.X.2015, leg. C. Haddad (grass tussocks, alpine grassland), 5♂ 1♀ ( NCA 2015/2078); Drakensberg Mountains, Cathedral Peak Hotel, 28°56.806'S, 29°12.683'E, 1430 m a.s.l., 4.X.2020, leg. R. Booysen & R. Steenkamp (hand collecting, at hotel gate), 1♂ ( NCA 2021/1105); iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores Nature Reserve, 29°05.726'S, 26°09.435'E, 3.VII.2007, leg. C. Haddad (leaf litter), 1♂ (MACN-Ar 12922, CJG-03050), 1♀ (MACN-Ar 12924, CJG-03051). Mpumalanga: Badplaas, Embuleni Nature Reserve, 26°02'S, 30°34'E, 28. III.2001, leg. Y.M. Marusik, 1♀, together with 2 non-type imm. ( ZMUM).

Other material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Drakensberg Mountains, Monk’s Cowl [29°04'S, 29°20'E], 16.XI.2014, leg. A. Russell-Smith (grass tussock in Protea savanna), 1♂ ( BMNH); Drakensberg Mountains , Royal Natal National Park , Cascade Falls pathway, 28°41.373'S, 28°56.246'E, 1485 m a.s.l., 21.I.2011, leg. C. Haddad (base of grass tussocks), 2♀ ( TMSA 23982 View Materials ); Ndumo Game Reserve , Nyamiti Pan, 26°53.350'S, 32°17.717'E, 53 m a.s.l., 17.X.2020, leg. R GoogleMaps . Booysen & R . Steenkamp (hand collecting), 1♀ ( NCA 2021 /1301) .

Distribution. Known from several localities in eastern South Africa and northeastern Namibia (Fig. 154).