Trichothyse ’ africana ( Tucker, 1923 )

‘ Trichothyse ’ africana ( Tucker, 1923) View in CoL

Figs 14, 20 View FIGURES 9–20 , 76–89 View FIGURES 76–83 View FIGURES 84–89

Latonigena africana Tucker, 1923: 383 , plate XI, fig. 83 (holotype ♀: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Ceres [33°24’S, 19°17’E], I.1917, leg. R.W. Tucker, SAMC B3448—not examined).

‘ Latonigena View in CoL ’ africanus Murphy, 2007: 52, figs 358–359.

Trichothyse africana Ott et al., 2012: 238 View in CoL ; Lissner & Chatzaki, 2016: 17, figs 2D, 4F; Dippenaar-Schoeman et al., 2021: 27, figs 1–4.

Material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Free State: Fouriesburg district, Wyndford Guest Farm, 28°41’17’’S, 28°13’44’’E, 1826 m a.s.l., 7.VI.2014, leg. P. Webb (hand collecting), 1♂ ( NCA 2016 /1194); Wepener district   GoogleMaps , Farm Dereham, 29°52’45’’S, 27°04’47’’E, 1515 m a.s.l., 2.I.2021, leg. C. Haddad (in grass tussocks, grazed grassland), 1♀ ( NCA 2021 /1602). Northern Cape: Rooipoort Nature Reserve   GoogleMaps , 28°40’40’’S, 24°18’14’’E, 18–23.III.2013, leg. R. Lyle, P. Lyle, P. Webb & M. Stiller (night collecting), 1♀ ( NCA 2016 /1210).

Remarks. A widespread species recorded from seven of the nine South African provinces, as well as Mozambique ( Dippenaar-Schoeman et al. 2021), T. africana was originally described from the Matroosberg Mountains near Ceres in the Western Cape ( Tucker 1923). The relationships of the species remain obscure as the male has not yet been described, although we provide images of it ( Figs 76–83 View FIGURES 76–83 ). Even though the species shares a variety of characters with other members of Trichothyse , including a male dorsal abdominal scutum ( Fig. 76 View FIGURES 76–83 ), the scopulated anterior parts of metatarsi and tarsi ( Figs 80 View FIGURES 76–83 , 88 View FIGURES 84–89 ), and females with a keel on the cheliceral promargin ( Fig. 87 View FIGURES 84–89 ), males differ in several respects: 1) cheliceral promargin with distinct teeth and not a keel ( Fig. 79 View FIGURES 76–83 ); 2) absence of a curved distal membranous conductor ( Figs 82–83 View FIGURES 76–83 ); 3) palp with a simple RTA without an additional protuberance on its dorsal surface ( Figs 82–83 View FIGURES 76–83 ); 4) clearly different embolus shape, with sharp and angular sclerotisations terminating apically ( Figs 82–83 View FIGURES 76–83 ); 5) presence of a distinct hooked median apophysis, positioned close to the embolus ( Figs 82–83 View FIGURES 76–83 ); 6) lack of a tooth on the cheliceral retromargin in females ( Fig. 87 View FIGURES 84–89 ), although present in males ( Fig. 79 View FIGURES 76–83 ); 7) narrow sperm duct in the male palp ( Figs 82–83 View FIGURES 76–83 ); and 8) habitus of yellow-brown colouration ( Figs 76 View FIGURES 76–83 , 84 View FIGURES 84–89 ).

Considering the groupings proposed by Murphy (2007), T. africana clearly belongs to the “ Echemus group” of genera, but its affinities and possible placement remain unclear. If it represents a new genus, such a description would wait pending further taxonomic investigation, including related undescribed species, and stronger support, including molecular data.