Trichothyse hortensis Tucker, 1923

Trichothyse hortensis Tucker, 1923 View in CoL

Figs 10, 16 View FIGURES 9–20 , 34–41 View FIGURES 34–41

Trichothyse hortensis Tucker, 1923: 332 View in CoL , plate IX, fig. 53; Murphy, 2007: 50, figs 382–383; Dippenaar-Schoeman et al., 2021: 28, figs 1–7

( lectotype ♀, here designated GoogleMaps , and paralectotype ♀: NAMIBIA: Waterberg [ca. 20°25’S, 17°15’E], leg. R.W. Tucker, II.1920, SAMC B5072—examined) GoogleMaps .

Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Free State: Kalkfontein Dam Nature Reserve , 29°31’04’’S, 25°16’05’’E, 28.I.2014, leg. N. Josling (in garden amongst plants), 1♀ ( NCA 2015 /1903) GoogleMaps .

Remark. The holotype female’s colouration is faded ( Fig. 34 View FIGURES 34–41 ), so the redescription is based on the recently collected specimen.

Diagnosis. The females of T. hortensis share with T. subtropica the convex shape of the primary spermathecae but can be distinguished from it by the far stronger curvature of the same structure, being separated by at least 1.5 times their width (cf. Fig. 16 View FIGURES 9–20 and Fig. 18 View FIGURES 9–20 ). Male unknown.

Description. Female (Kalkfontein, NCA 2015/1903, Figs 35–41 View FIGURES 34–41 ). Carapace, clypeus, chelicerae, labium, endites, sternum, scutum and legs yellow-brown, eye field slightly darker than carapace, carapace with faint black mottling ( Fig. 35 View FIGURES 34–41 ). Abdomen dark grey, mottled creamy-grey dorsally in anterior half ( Fig. 35 View FIGURES 34–41 ), spinnerets yellowgrey; carapace with faintly darker striae radiating from fovea, densely covered with grey appressed hairs; cephalic part, midline and posterior slope with numerous stiff erect brown setae ( Fig. 35 View FIGURES 34–41 ). Fovea narrow, longitudinal, straight, brown. Anterior surface of cheliceral paturon with long brown setae, with low serrated keel ending in distinct denticle, and additional sharp denticle beyond it ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 34–41 ; arrow); retromargin without keel, with two weakly developed, indistinct denticles. Abdomen oval, hirsute, dorsum with three pairs of distinct oval sigilla, first two pairs at ¼ abdomen length and third pair at midpoint ( Fig. 35 View FIGURES 34–41 ). Metatarsi I–II and all tarsi with well-developed scopulae ( Figs 40–41 View FIGURES 34–41 ), scopulae on metatarsi I and II complete while that on metatarsi III and IV restricted distally. Spinnerets hirsute ( Fig. 39 View FIGURES 34–41 ). Body length 5.90. Carapace 2.55 long, 1.38 wide. Abdomen 3.42 long, 2.23 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances:ALE 0.15, AME 0.17, PLE 0.13, PME 0.12; ALE–PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.05, AME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.10, PME–PME 0.12. AME and ALE nearly contiguous. Clypeus height at AMEs 0.13, at ALEs 0.11. Chelicerae 0.84 long. Length of palp and legs: palp 2.21 [0.78, 0.38, 0.35, 0.70], I 5.59 [1.59, 1.05, 1.15, 1.08, 0.72], II 5.53 [1.54, 1.01, 1.16, 1.10, 0.72], III 5.33 [1.52, 0.90, 1.07, 1.06, 0.78], IV 6.10 [1.82, 1.05, 1.43, 1.08, 0.72]. Leg formula: 4123. Spination of palp: femur pl 1 do 2, patella pl 1 do 2, tibia pl 2 rl 2 plv 1, tarsus pl 1 rl 1 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; legs: femur I–II pl 1 do 3, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV pl 1 do 3 rl 1; patella I–II spineless, III–IV pl 1 rl 1; tibia I vt 1, II plv 1 vt 1, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 vt 2, IV pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2; metatarsus I plv 1, II plv 1 rlv 1, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 1 rlv 1 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3; tarsus I–IV spineless.

Genitalia ( Figs 10, 16 View FIGURES 9–20 ): epigyne originally hirsute, hairs lost during cleaning, with paired S-shaped lobes posteriorly, forming posterior border and broad shallow atrium ( Fig. 10 View FIGURES 9–20 ; arrow). Copulatory openings indistinct, probably at anterior edge of posterior lobes. Copulatory ducts very short, partly obscured by primary spermathecae ( Fig. 16 View FIGURES 9–20 ). Primary spermathecae strongly convex, forming diamond-shaped space between them, at least 1.5 times their width. Paired secondary spermathecae short, globular, partly obscured by primary spermathecae. Fertilization ducts narrow, finger-like, diverging.

Variation. The holotype female is 9.02 mm in length.

Distribution. Known only from northern Namibia and the Free State Province of South Africa ( Fig. 120 View FIGURE 120 ).