Trachelas russellsmithi, Haddad & Lyle, 2025

Trachelas russellsmithi sp. nov.

Figs 7C View FIGURE 7 , 17A, B View FIGURE 17

Etymology. This species is named after Tony Russell-Smith, who collected the type series, in recognition of his contributions to African arachnology.

Diagnosis. This species closely resembles T. leggi sp. nov. in genitalic morphology, particularly in the size of the curved ridges surrounding the copulatory openings of the epigyne, but can be distinguished by the dark abdomen with a narrow pale median stripe in the anterior half of the abdomen (cf. Figs 7C View FIGURE 7 and 6L View FIGURE 6 ) and by the more anterior position of the secondary spermathecae, in the same plane as the copulatory openings ( Fig. 17A View FIGURE 17 ) vs near the centre of the epigyne ( Fig. 14C View FIGURE 14 ). Male unknown.

Female. Measurements: CL 0.99–1.10, CW 0.87–0.97, AL 1.40–1.52, AW 0.97–1.13, TL 2.53–2.72, FL 0.05– 0.06, SL 0.62–0.66, SW 0.54–0.61, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.21, PME–PME 0.08, PME– PLE 0.04, PLE–PLE 0.34. Length of leg segments: I 2.51 (0.76, 0.35, 0.56, 0.48, 0.36); II 2.38 (0.71, 0.33, 0.52, 0.47, 0.35); III 1.95 (0.59, 0.27, 0.38, 0.44, 0.27); IV 2.95 (0.87, 0.31, 0.68, 0.76, 0.33).

Carapace bright yellow-orange ( Fig. 7C View FIGURE 7 ), paler on posterior slope behind fovea; eye region slightly darker, with black rings around eyes; ALE very slightly larger than AME; clypeus height equal to 1.44× AME diameter; AME separated by 0.65× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.1× AME diameter, almost touching; PME slightly larger than PLE; PME separated by slightly less than their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 0.5× PME diameter. Chelicerae yellow-orange, endites and labium slightly lighter; three promarginal teeth, proximal tooth smallest, distal tooth largest; two subequal retromarginal teeth on common base; endites creamy-yellow; labium yellow-brown proximally, creamy-yellow distally. Sternum bright yellow-orange, borders orange-brown. Abdomen mottled dark grey dorsally, with narrow cream stripe in anterior half and eight fine recurved transverse chevrons in posterior half ( Fig. 7C View FIGURE 7 ); venter cream, with faint grey mottling. Legs pale yellow-brown, distal ends of femora and entire patellae creamy-yellow. Epigyne with strongly curved, mesally directed ridges near anterior edge of epigynal plate; CD short, forming incomplete coil, initially directed mesally, then anteriorly, folding back laterally before entering round anterolateral ST II, separated by ther diameter; Cd narrow, curving anteromesally before running along midline of epigyne, thickened posteriorly, folding back and looping laterally before entering transverse oval ST I on their anterior margin; ST I separated by 1.2× their diameter ( Fig. 17A, B View FIGURE 17 ).

Type material. Holotype ♀ and 2♀ paratypes: ETHIOPIA: 51 km E of Addis Ababa [ca. 09°00'N, 39°20'E], 18.VI.1988, leg. A. Russell-Smith (under stones, dry hillside) ( BMNH). GoogleMaps

Other material examined. None.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality ( Fig. 16 View FIGURE 16 )