Suffrica chawia, Henrard, Arnaud & Jocqué, Rudy, 2015

Suffrica chawia View in CoL sp. nov.

Figs 1 – 24 View FIGURES 1 – 5 View FIGURES 6 – 9 View FIGURES 10 – 14 View FIGURES 15 – 20 View FIGURES 21 – 24 , 96 View FIGURE 96

Type material. Holotype. KENYA: ♂: Taita Hills, Chawia Forest, 3°29’S 38° 20’E, 1550m, 22.II.2004, pitfalls, Spanhove T. & Chovu M. ( MRAC 221964).

Paratypes. 3♂: KENYA, Taita Hills, Chawia Forest, 3°29’S 38°20’E, 1550m, 22.II.2004, pitfall traps, Spanhove T. & Chovu M. ( MRAC 221946); 5♂: as previous, ( MRAC 221959); 1♂: as previous ( MRAC 221972); 2♂: as previous, 24. II.2004 ( MRAC 221975); 3♂: as previous, 22.II.2004 ( MRAC 221982); 3♂: as previous ( MRAC 222000); 1♂: as previous, 24.V.2004 ( MRAC 233025); 1♂: as previous ( MRAC 233020).

Diagnosis. The male of this species is recognized by the finely reticulate carapace, the leg spination, the abdomen with a deep furrow and a reduced glandular outlet ( Figs 6, 8, 9 View FIGURES 6 – 9 ) and details of the palp such as the smooth conductor with blunt tip ( Figs 11 View FIGURES 10 – 14 , 15 View FIGURES 15 – 20 ).

Etymology. The species name is a noun in apposition taken from the only forest in the Taita Hills where the species was collected.

Description. Male ( Holotype). Total length 2.92, carapace 1.37 long, 0.90 wide and 0.64 high. Carapace ( Figs 1–3 View FIGURES 1 – 5 , 6, 7 View FIGURES 6 – 9 ) finely reticulated, medium brown, darker along margin and with very faint radiating striae; chelicerae and chilum pale brown; sternum brownish orange; legs: coxae and femora brown, remainder yellow. Clypeus 0.25 high. Eyes AME: 0.05: ALE: 0.05; PME: 0.07; PLE: 0.06; AME – AME: 0.02; AME – ALE: 0.07; PME – PME: 0.04; PME – PLE: 0.12. MOQ: width 0.13 in front, 0.18 at the back; 0.21 long.

Chilum 0.10 high, 0.13 wide; trapezoidal, inferior margin concave.

Sternum: 0.74 long, 0.57 wide.

Legs: spination: Fe: I d 1 II d 1 III d 1 IV d2; T (all spines at distal extremity): III pl 1 v2 IV pl 1 v 2; Mt (all spines at distal extremity): I v(pl) 1 II v(pl) 2 III dw 4 IV dw4. All femora with prolateral and retrolateral femoral organs ( Figs 17 – 20 View FIGURES 15 – 20 ).

Leg measurements:

Abdomen: dorsum with brown scutum in front of deep central longitudinal dorsal furrow provided anteriorly with faint gland outlet with few small needle like setae and tiny pores ( Figs 6, 8, 9 View FIGURES 6 – 9 ); on both sides with grey, smooth ridge; sides sepia; venter pale. Spinnerets ( Figs 21 – 24 View FIGURES 21 – 24 ) white.

Palp. ( Figs 4, 5 View FIGURES 1 – 5 , 10 – 16 View FIGURES 10 – 14 View FIGURES 15 – 20 ). Patella almost twice as high as long; tibia with conical DTA, its extremity slightly bent forward, and RTA with anterior blade-shaped extension and posterior, simple, roughly rectangular retrolateral apophysis separated from anterior extension by deep groove; ventrally with conspicuous long, straight seta; cymbium strongly domed, with distal ventral groove accommodating the conductor and deep basal, retrolateral concavity accommodating the anterior tibial extension of the RTA; embolus with small tooth halfway near the flat and obliquely truncated tip, enveloped in basal part of conductor; the latter large, with flat, slightly curved distal part and blunt tip; MA large, with sharp, straight, ridged prolateral prong and two short retrolateral lobes, posterior one rounded, anterior one truncated and stout; distal tegular apophysis (TA) with long, slender, serrated prong.

Female. Unknown.

Variation. Total length of males (n=16) varies between 2.5 and 3.0. The pale area along the ridges on the abdominal dorsum varies from a narrow longitudinal patch to a broad reniform spot.

Distribution. Only known from Chawia Forest in the Taita Hills, Kenya ( Fig. 96 View FIGURE 96 ).