Macroctenus, Henrard & Jocqué, 2017

MACROCTENUS View in CoL View at ENA GEN. NOV.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2DF702AE-19C7-42BD-AACB-D2F183B60983

Type species

Macroctenus kingsleyi (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898) . Designated here. Detailed description in Steyn et al. (2003). See also Figures S6A – H View Figure 6 .

Etymology

The generic name is a combination of ‘Macro’ (large) and ‘ Ctenus ’. Representatives of this genus are among the largest Araneomorphae. The gender of the genus is masculine.

Diagnosis

Macroctenus species can be distinguished from the remaining Ctenidae by the male palp with the short subdistal RTA and the MA rounded or elongate; the MS of the epigyne is wider or as wide as long and has three sections, the LS have a short LP, and the spermathecae are small and oval.

Description

Ecribellate ctenids. Very large, body length (males and females) 20 – 34. Carapace piriform ( Figs 11A, C View Figure 11 , 16A – D View Figure 16 , 17A, B; S View Figure 17 6A, S View Figure 6 7A View Figure 7 ), dark background with contrasting pale pattern; covered with short setae; thoracic groove longitudinal, located in the posterior third of the carapace. Chilum divided. Clypeus with long erect black bristles. Ctenid eyes pattern 2 – 4 – 2, with the anterior and posterior row recurved in dorsal view. Eyes round, except oval anterior lateral eyes. Chelicerae dark brown, with long erect hairs, with three promarginal teeth, median larger; four retromarginal teeth, proximal distant from the remaining three, basal smallest; intermarginal denticles present. Endites brown with lighter apical area, external lateral margin excavated, distally bearing dense apical scopulae and subapical serrula. Labium brown, distally rounded bearing dense apical scopula. Sternum medium to dark brown, shield-shaped, not extending between coxae IV. Legs brown. Male legs more elongate and slender than female legs; with dense scopulae on t, Mt and T. Trochanters notched. Abdomen oval ( Figs 16A, B View Figure 16 , 17A, B; S View Figure 17 6A, S View Figure 6 7A View Figure 7 ), with dispersed short setae. Male palp ( Figs 12A, B, 13A, B View Figure 13 , 18A, B View Figure 18 , 19A – D, 21A, B, 22A – E; S View Figure 22 6F – H View Figure 6 ): tibia with dorsal and ventral processes on distal margin; RTA short, subdistal, rarely surpassing distal margin of tibia; cymbium with elongate tip, without horns or swellings; subtegulum prolateral; tegulum oval; MA with dorsal concavity, narrow at base, oval or subcircular; embolus with wide, short and curved apex; locking lobes present; conductor short, hyaline, c-shaped. Epigyne ( Figs 12C, 14A, B View Figure 14 , 18C View Figure 18 , 20A, D, G View Figure 20 , 21C, 23C; S View Figure 23 6B, E, S View Figure 6 7B, C, D, G View Figure 7 ): divided into MS and two LS; MS composed of three parts: frontal oval densely hairy, central wide with sclerotized margins, short posterior densely hairy, constriction between the latter two shows short straight LP. Vulva ( Figs 14C, D View Figure 14 , 18D View Figure 18 , 20B, C, E, F, H, I View Figure 20 , 23D, E; S View Figure 23 6C, D, S View Figure 6 7E, F, H, I View Figure 7 ) with small, oval spermathecae.

Composition

Five species: Macroctenus herbicola sp. nov., M. kingsleyi ( Fig. S6A – H View Figure 6 ), M. nimba sp. nov., M. occidentalis (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898) comb. nov. ( Fig. S7A – I View Figure 7 ), M. vandenspiegeli sp. nov.

Distribution

Rainforest of Central and West Africa.