Trachelas leggi, Haddad & Lyle, 2025

Trachelas leggi sp. nov.

Figs 6K, L View FIGURE 6 , 14A–D View FIGURE 14

Etymology. This species is named after Robert Legg, who collected the holotype.

Diagnosis. Males of this species share with T. falsus sp. nov. the short, transversely coiled embolus with a short, stout, distally directed tip, but can be distinguished from it by the broad proximal bend of the sperm duct (vs with closed proximal loop), the retrodistally directed proximal section of the embolus (vs retroproximally) and the medial position of the small patellar apophysis (vs distal). Females are most similar to T. russellsmithi sp. nov., as they have similarly sized copulatory openings directed mesally, but can be distinguished by the copulatory openings being separated by two diameters (vs equal to their diameter), the secondary spermathecae being positioned near the middle of the epigyne (vs anteriorly) and the abdomen being uniformly grey (vs with a narrow pale anterior stripe in T. russellsmithi sp. nov.).

Male. Measurements: CL 0.88, CW 0.70, AL 1.00, AW 0.65, TL 1.90, FL 0.03, SL 0.53, SW 0.50, AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.15, PME–PME 0.05, PME–PLE 0.05, PLE–PLE 0.25. Length of leg segments: I 2.39 (0.68, 0.25, 0.55, 0.48, 0.43); II 1.86 (0.55, 0.20, 0.40, 0.38, 0.33); III 1.47 (0.43, 0.18, 0.28, 0.35, 0.23); IV 1.92 (0.55, 0.23, 0.43, 0.43, 0.28).

Carapace yellow-orange, with dark brown mottling ( Fig. 6K View FIGURE 6 ); eye region brown, with dark brown rings around eyes; ALE larger than AME; clypeus height equal to AME diameter; AME separated by 0.5× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.2× AME diameter; PME and PLE equal in size; PME separated by their diameter; PME separated from PLE by PME diameter. Chelicerae brown, paler towards fang base, endites and labium yellow-brown; two promarginal teeth, distal tooth largest; two retromarginal teeth, distal tooth largest. Sternum brown, darker towards borders. Abdominal dorsum mottled grey, with dark brown undertones; scutum distinct, covering most of abdomen ( Fig. 6K View FIGURE 6 ). Legs uniform pale brown; legs I and II slightly more robust and darker than III and IV. Palp pale yellow-brown; PA small, rounded, medially situated; CY elongate-oval; TE oval, more than 1/2 CY length; SP with broad, U-shaped proximal bend; EM short, originating prodistally, with narrow, retrodistally directed proximal section in clockwise coil and short, distally directed tip ( Fig. 14A, B View FIGURE 14 ).

Female. Measurements: CL 1.03, CW 0.92, AL 1.40, AW 1.11, TL 2.45, FL 0.06, SL 0.62, SW 0.59, AME– AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.20, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.05, PLE–PLE 0.33. Length of leg segments: I 2.37 (0.70, 0.37, 0.54, 0.43, 0.33); II 2.19 (0.62, 0.32, 0.49, 0.44, 0.32); III 1.79 (0.52, 0.29, 0.32, 0.42, 0.24); IV 2.59 (0.76, 0.31, 0.60, 0.63, 0.29).

Specimen slightly faded; carapace yellow-orange, cream on posterior slope behind fovea; ocular region slightly darker, with black rings around eyes ( Fig. 6L View FIGURE 6 ); AME and ALE subequal; clypeus height 1.25× AME diameter; AME separated by 1.2× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.17× AME diameter; PLE very slightly larger than PME; PME separated by their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 0.6× PME diameter. Chelicerae yellow-orange, endites and labium slightly lighter; three promarginal teeth, proximal tooth smallest, median and distal teeth subequal; two retromarginal teeth on common base, proximal tooth slightly larger. Sternum pale yellow, with darker border. Abdomen pale creamy-grey dorsally and ventrally, with faint grey mottling ( Fig. 6L View FIGURE 6 ). Legs uniform creamy-yellow. Epigyne with strongly curved, mesally directed ridges separated by twice their diameter; CD initially directed mesally and anteriorly, forming complete coil, narrowing terminally, with narrow channel leading to round ST II, separated by 1.2× their diameter; Cd very narrow, looping laterally then mesally and posteriorly along midline, thickened posteriorly before looping back and forming narrow channel that enters round posterolateral ST I, separated by 1.3× their diameter ( Fig. 14C, D View FIGURE 14 ).

Type material: Holotype: ♂: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Cape Peninsula, dunes north of Muizenberg , 34°06'S, 18°27'E, 21.IV–5.V.1991, leg. R. Legg ( MRAC 173691 View Materials ). GoogleMaps

Paratype: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Cape Town, Signal Hill [33°55'S, 18°24'E], 13.VIII.1978, leg. A. Russell-Smith (under stones), 1♀ ( BMNH) GoogleMaps .

Other material examined. None.

Distribution. Only known from the vicinity of Cape Town, South Africa ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 ).