Trachelas chubbi Lessert, 1921

Trachelas chubbi Lessert, 1921 View in CoL

Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 , 6E, F View FIGURE 6 , 10 View FIGURE 10

Trachelas chubbi Lessert, 1921: 435 View in CoL , figs 74–76 (Holotype ♂ and allotype ♀: TANZANIA: Kilimanjaro Region: Kibonoto [ Kibongoto   GoogleMaps , 03°11'S, 37°06'E], zone des cultures, IX, MNHG—examined).

Diagnosis. This species is most similar to T. sylvae , as males of both species share an embolus that is inverted 6- shaped in lateral view and a small distal patellar apophysis, but it can be recognised by the narrow profile of the embolus in ventral view (broad in T. sylvae ) and the broader proximal bend of the spermophor (vs narrow) (cf. Figs 10A, B View FIGURE 10 and 19A, B View FIGURE 19 ). The female of this species can be recognised by the almost round atria that are as broad as long (larger and distinctly oval in T. sylvae ) and the small subtriangular secondary spermathecae, vs oval (cf. Figs 10C, D View FIGURE 10 and 19C, D View FIGURE 19 ).

Male. Measurements: CL 1.44–2.24, CW 1.20–1.76, AL 1.65–2.40, AW 1.10–1.92, TL 2.60–4.72, FL 0.08– 0.12, SL 0.86–1.10, SW 0.80–1.04, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.04, ALE–ALE 0.37, PME–PME 0.18, PME– PLE 0.12, PLE–PLE 0.65. Length of leg segments: I 5.30 (1.69, 0.73, 1.31, 0.94, 0.63); II 4.71 (1.43, 0.65, 1.12, 0.86, 0.65); III 3.70 (1.12, 0.45, 0.78, 0.94, 0.41); IV 4.92 (1.41, 0.59, 1.10, 1.31, 0.51).

Carapace reddish-brown ( Fig. 6E View FIGURE 6 ); eye region reddish-brown, with darkened, almost black rings around eyes; AME and ALE approximately equal; clypeus height equal to 1.2× AME diameter; AME separated by half their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.2× AME diameter; PME and PLE equal in size; PME separated by approximately 1.2× their diameter; PME separated from PLE by PLE diameter. Chelicerae reddish-brown, endites and labium brown; three promarginal teeth, proximal tooth largest, distal tooth smallest; two retromarginal teeth, distal tooth largest. Sternum orange, brown towards borders. Abdomen uniform grey dorsally ( Fig. 6E View FIGURE 6 ), rarely with traces of faint grey chevron marking; scutum covering entire dorsum; paired sigilla indistinct; surface covered with fine setae. Legs I to IV pale brown, with incomplete bands; anterior legs more robust, slightly darker than posteriors; femora I and II with distal incomplete band, patellae with none, tibiae with two incomplete bands, one distal and one proximal, metatarsi with one incomplete proximal band, tarsi with none. Palp pale brown to brown in colour; PA small, distal, curved proximally, with sharply pointed tip; CY roughly pear-shaped, distal end subtriangular; TE oval, about 3/5 CY length; SP S-shaped, with strong proximal and distal bends; EM originating prolaterally, proximal section looping behind TA, distal section short, twisting with rounded tip; inverted 6-shaped in lateral view, somewhat laterally compressed in ventral view ( Fig. 10A, B View FIGURE 10 ).

Female. Measurements: CL 1.18–1.92, CW 0.98–1.16, AL 1.84–3.04, AW 1.41–2.08, TL 2.70–4.88, FL 0.01– 0.06, SL 0.76–1.08, SW 0.69–1.02, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.04, ALE–ALE 0.37, PME–PME 0.14, PME– PLE 0.12, PLE–PLE 0.65. Length of leg segments: I 4.59 (1.41, 0.71, 1.02, 0.86, 0.59); II 4.59 (1.37, 0.67, 1.10, 0.90, 0.55); III 3.76 (0.94, 0.59, 0.90, 0.86, 0.47); IV 4.60 (1.49, 0.63, 1.10, 1.06, 0.32).

Carapace surface reddish-brown; eye region brown, with black rings around eyes ( Fig. 6F View FIGURE 6 ); AME larger than ALE; clypeus height equal to twice AME diameter; AME separated by approximately 0.5 their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance equal to 0.25 ALE diameter; PME slightly larger than PLE; PME separated by distance equal to 1.4 their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance equal to PME diameter. Chelicerae brown, endites and labium yellow-brown; three promarginal teeth, median tooth largest, distal tooth smallest; two retromarginal teeth, distal tooth largest. Sternum orange, brown towards border. Abdomen with mottled grey dorsum, with faint traces of chevron marking; paired sigilla indistinct. Legs I to IV pale yellow to pale brown, with incomplete bands; anterior legs pairs more robust, slightly darker than posteriors; femora I and II with incomplete distal band, patellae without bands, tibiae with two incomplete bands, one distal and one proximal, metatarsi with one incomplete proximal band, tarsi with none. Genital area relatively strongly sclerotised, brown to dark brown; AT almost circular, as long as wide, with CO at anterior margin; CD looping anteriorly, then mesally and posteriorly before entering adjoining transverse oval ST II near centre of epigyne; Cd very short, entering small subtriangular ST II on their anteromesal margin; ST I separated by less than 1/2 their width ( Fig. 10C, D View FIGURE 10 ).

Other material examined: BURUNDI: Forêt de Rwegura , 02°55'S, 29°31'E, 2200 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 10. IV .2002 , leg. B. Nzigidahera (versant est, by hand), 1♀ ( MRAC 214149 View Materials ). CAMEROON: Northwest Province: Menchum Division, Near Lake Oku , 06°12'N, 10°27'E, ca. 2150 m a.s.l., leg. C. Griswold et al GoogleMaps ., 7–13.II.1992 (litter, forest), 1♀ ( ZMUC). D. R . CONGO: Bikara, 18 km S of Lubéro, Lubéro-Goma Road , 00°15'S, 29°12'E, 2100 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , XII.1976, leg. M. Lejeune (feuilles sèches de lobélies), 1♂ ( MRAC 159934 View Materials ); Same locality , XII.1976, leg. M. Lejeune (dans vieilles tiges de lobélies), 1♀ ( MRAC 221588 View Materials ); Same locality, 1200 m a.s.l , XII.1976, leg. M. Lejeune (littière), 1♂ ( MRAC 159810 View Materials ); Kivu, Mt. Lubwe , S.E. de Butembo, 00°02'N, 29°18'E, 2400 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 13. IV .1971 GoogleMaps , leg. M. Lejeune (dans mousse), 1♂ ( MRAC 138905 View Materials ); Kivu, volcan Karisimbi Rweru   GoogleMaps [01°30'S, 29°26'E], 2700 m a.s.l., leg. R. P.M. Lejeune (dans bambusetum), 1♀ ( MRAC 138498 View Materials ) ; 9.VIII.1970, Rutshuru, 01°11'S, 29°27'E, V GoogleMaps .1937, leg. J. Ghesquière, 1♀ ( MRAC 174313 View Materials ) . KENYA: 1.5 km S of Castle Forest Lodge , 00°23'S, 37°18'E, 1985 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 21. IV.2004, leg. R. Jocqué et al. (mountain forest, beating), 2♂ 2♀ 2 imm. ( MRAC 215131 View Materials ), 1♂ 1♀ ( MRAC 215136 View Materials ); Kakamega Forest, Ileho , 00°13'N, 34°54'E GoogleMaps , 22. IX .2002 , leg. D. Shilabira Smith (Malaise trap), 1♀ ( MRAC 220199 View Materials ); Same data but 14. IX .2002 , 1♀ ( MRAC 220239 View Materials ); Same data but 28. IX .2002 , 1♀ ( MRAC 220255 View Materials ); Same data but 22. VI .2002 , 1♀ ( MRAC 220261 View Materials ); Same data but 29. VI .2002 , 1♀ ( MRAC 220483 View Materials ); Same data but 20. VI .2002 GoogleMaps , 1♀ ( MRAC 220502 View Materials ); Nairobi, Karura Forest   GoogleMaps , 01°14'S, 36°49'E, 8.XII.1979, leg. P. Reavell (dense edge trees and climbers), 1♀ ( NMSA 13405 About NMSA ) . TANZANIA: Arusha Region: Hanang Mountain , south slope, 04°26'S, 35°24'E, 2200–2300 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 24–25. V .1957 GoogleMaps , leg. P. Basilewsky & N. Leleup (forêt avec Cupressus, gorge du Himit), 1♀ ( MRAC 111723 View Materials ). Iringa Region: Uzungwa Mountains, Mufindi, Kigogo Forest Reserve   GoogleMaps [08°35'S, 35°17'E], 1700 m a.s.l., 8–10.X.1984, leg. N. Scharff (pitfall traps, montane rain forest), 1♂ ( ZMUC); Uzungwa Mountains, Uzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve, 11 km SE of Masisiwe, Kihanga Stream , 08°22'05.7"S, 35°58'41.6"E, 1800 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 17–27. V.1997, leg. ZMUC & USNM expedition (understory), 5♀ ( ZMUC); Same data but canopy, 4♂ 3♀ ( ZMUC). Kilimanjaro Region: Kilimanjaro: Marangu , 03°17'S, 37°31'E, 1550 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 27.II.1956, leg. N. Leleup & J. Leleup, 1♀ ( MRAC 112233 View Materials ); Mkomazi Game Reserve , 03°58'S, 37°48'E GoogleMaps , 1.II.1996, leg. A. Russell-Smith (roadside, in grass litter), 2♀ ( BMNH); Same locality, top of Ibaya Hill , 04°00'S, 38°00'E GoogleMaps , 29.I.1996, leg. A. Russell-Smith (dry Spirostachys forest), 2♂ ( MRAC 211322 View Materials ). Morogoro Region: Uluguru Mountains, Lupanga, West [06°52'S, 37°42'E], 1900 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 1.VII.1981, leg. M. Stoltze & N. Scharff, 1♀ ( ZMUC); Same data but I–VII.1981 (pitfall trap), 1♂ ( ZMUC). Tanga Region: East Usambara Mountains, Amani , 05°05'S, 38°37'E, 1000 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 20.VII.1980, leg. M. Scholtze & N. Scharff, 1♂ 4♀ ( ZMUC); East Usambara Mountains, Amani Forest , 05°05.7'S, 38°38.0'E, 950 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 27.X–9.XI.1995, leg. C.E. Griswold et al., 8 imm. 2♂ 4♀ ( CAS); East Usambara Mountains, Amani, Mbomole Hill , 05°05.7'S, 38°37.0'E, 1000 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 5–8.XI.1995, leg. C.E. Griswold et al., 28 imm. 10♀ ( CAS); East Usambara Mountains, Dodwe Stream [05°05.3'S, 38°36.3'E], 900 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 10.VII.1980, leg. M. Stoltze & N. Scharff, 1♂ ( ZMUC); East Usambara Mountains, Sangarawe Forest , 05°06.5'S, 38°35.7'E, 990 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 5–6.XI.1995, leg. C.E. Griswold et al., 2 imm. 1♂ ( CAS); West Usambara Mountains, Lushoto District, Mazumbai Forest Reserve , 04°49'S, 38°31'E, 1370–1435 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 4.XII.1995, leg. S. McKamey et al. (fog 31), 4♂ ( ZMUC); Same locality, 04°49'S, 38°30'E, 1400–1800 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 10–20.XI.1995, leg. C.E. Griswold et al., 24 imm. 4♂ 5♀ ( CAS); Same locality, 04°49'S, 38°29'E, 1800–1900 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 10–20.XI.1995, leg. C.E. Griswold, N. Scharff & D. Ubick, 12 imm. 1♂ 2♀ ( CAS); West Usambara Mountains, Mazumbai , 04°49'S, 38°31'E, 1600 m a.s.l. GoogleMaps , 1.VIII.1980, leg. M. Stoltze & N. Scharff, 1♂ ( ZMUC) .

Distribution. Widely distributed in equatorial Africa, as far west as Cameroon ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 ).