Falcaranea gladius Haddad & Lyle 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Haddad, Charles R.
name: Lyle, Robin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Trachelidae
Falcaranea
Falcaranea gladius

description: Falcaranea gladius sp. nov.
Figs 95–116, 129–146, 152, 153, 160–164
Etymology. This species name is the Latin gladius, meaning sword, referring to the shape of the male embolus; noun in apposition.
Diagnosis. The male palp has a tapering, slightly curved sword-like embolus, a short, broad RTA, and a blunt rounded retrobasal cymbial process (Figs 160, 161), while in F. maputensis sp. nov. the embolus has a sharp bend near the middle, an RTA comprising a rounded lobe and tooth-like dorsal apophysis, and a long digitiform retrocymbial process (Figs 165, 166). The female can be recognised by the sharply curved, small copulatory openings directed laterally, with obliquely orientated ST I (Figs 162–164), while in F. maputensis sp. nov. the copulatory openings are directed anteriorly and the ST I are transversely orientated (Figs 167, 168).
Male (holotype, Ndumo Game Reserve, NCA 2006/1517). Measurements: CL 1.70, CW 1.35, AL 1.90, AW 1.23, TL 3.65, FL 0.20, SL 0.98, SW 0.80, AME-AME 0.05, AME-ALE 0.03, ALE-ALE 0.28, PME-PME 0.10, PME-PLE 0.13, PLE-PLE 0.50. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 1.38 + 0.68 + 1.00 + 1.00 + 0.48 = 4.54; II 1.15 + 0.63 + 0.90 + 0.83 + 0.45 = 3.96; III 0.90 + 0.43 + 0.61 + 0.78 + 0.33 = 3.05; IV 1.28 + 0.53 + 1.03 + 1.08 + 0.38 = 4.30.
Carapace brown to reddish brown (Fig. 152); first three quarters of carapace rounded, with steep decline in last quarter; surface texture moderately granular, covered with short, fine setae; fovea long, distinct, at two thirds CL. Eye region brown with black rings around eyes; AER slightly recurved, almost straight; clypeus height equal to approximately ½ AME diameter; AME and ALE equal in size; AME separated by distance equal to approximately ½ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance equal to ¼ AME diameter; PER recurved, PME and PLE equal in size; PME separated by distance equal to their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance equal to PME diameter. Chelicerae brown; labium and endites yellow-brown. Sternum pale brown to brown, darker towards border; slightly elongated shield-shaped; surface with slightly grainy texture; short, fine setae scattered throughout sternum.Abdomen subpentagonal; pale grey dorsally with grey median stripe, expanding to cover abdomen posterior to midpoint (Fig. 152); two pairs of sigilla, first pair very pale brown, at ¼ AL, second pair darker, just posterior to midpoint. Legs I to IV pale yellow to pale brown; anterior legs darker than posteriors. Palp with cymbium tapering distally, with rounded retrobasal process; embolus originating medially on tegulum, basal section straight, slightly curved, sword-like, tapering to sharp point distally; RTA short, broad (Figs 141–143, 160, 161).
Female (paratype, Ndumo Game Reserve, NCA 2006/1517). Measurements: CL 1.40, CW 1.18, AL 2.30, AW 1.43, TL 3.80, FL 0.18, SL 0.88, SW 0.70, AME-AME 0.03, AME-ALE 0.01, ALE-ALE 0.20, PME-PME 0.08, PME-PLE 0.08, PLE-PLE 0.40. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 0.95 + 0.53 + 0.73 + 0.40 + 0.40 = 3.01; II 0.88 + 0.50 + 0.70 + 0.53 + 0.40 = 3.01; III 0.78 + 0.35 + 0.53 + 0.58 + 0.30 = 2.53; IV 1.05 + 0.48 + 0.85 + 0.90 + 0.28 = 3.56.
Carapace orange-brown (Fig. 153); surface texture moderately granular, covered with short, fine setae; fovea short, relatively distinct, at ⅔ CL. AER slightly procurved; clypeus height approximately equal to ¾ AME diameter; AME larger than ALE; AME separated by distance equal to ¾ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance equal to approximately ⅖ AME diameter; PER recurved, PLE slightly larger than PME; PME separated by distance equal to slightly more their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance equal to ⅖ PME diameter. Chelicerae orange-brown; endites and labium yellow-brown. Sternum yellow-brown, darker towards border. Abdomen oval, dorsum mottled grey; grey median line extending to midpoint of abdomen, covering abdomen posteriorly (Fig. 153); sigilla not always distinct; two pairs of sigilla, first pair pale brown, near ¼ AL, second pair darker, posterior to midpoint. Legs I to IV pale yellow to pale brown; anterior legs slightly darker than posteriors. Epigyne with hook-like copulatory openings posterior to ST II; ST II long, elongated, almost ⅔ epigyne length; thin fertilization ducts, at 45º angle to epigastric fold, leading to small, kidney-shaped ST I; epigynal scape usually tongue-like, often smaller or broken off (Figs 144, 145, 162–164).
Type material. Holotype ♁ and paratype ♀: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Ndumo Game Reserve, Pongola River floodplain, 26°53'21.7''S, 32°19'53.5''E, 8.VII.2004, leg. C. Haddad (fever tree bark) (NCA 2006 /1517).
Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: False Bay Park [27°58'S, 32°25'E], 28.I.2004, leg. J. Esterhuizen (tsetse fly survey), 1♀ (NCA 2004 /778); Mtunzini, Twin Streams Farm (I.F. Garland), 28°57'S, 31°46'E, 19–29.I.1984, leg. T. & C. Griswold, P. Croeser & P. Reavell, 2♀ (NMSA); Ndumo Game Reserve, W shore of Nyamiti Pan, 26°53.722'S, 32°16.745'E, 7.VII.2002, leg. C. Haddad (fever tree bark), 1♁ (NCA 2002 /413); Same locality, Southern boundary fence, 26°55.664'S, 32°19.038'E, 9.II.2005, leg. C. Haddad (sand forest, Commiphora harveyi bark), 1♁ (NCA 2005 /1); Same locality, Southern boundary fence, 26°55.6'S, 32°19.0'E, 13.VI.2005, leg. C. Haddad (C. harveyi bark), 1♁ 2♀ (NCA 2006 /1340). Mpumalanga: Badplaas, Embuleni Nature Reserve, 25°57'12''S, 30°33'15''E, 1100 m a.s.l., 28.III.2001, leg. D. & S. Ubick (grassveld savannah, in wooded areas), 1♁ (CAS); Same locality, 28.III.2001, leg. M. Ramirez, 1♀, with 1 non-type imm. (MACN-Ar 30346); Same locality, 28.III.2001, leg. A. Russell-Smith, 1♁ (BMNH). Limpopo: Phalaborwa [23°57'S, 31°08'E], 13.VIII.2001, leg. S. Neser (from old pods of Dichrostachys cinerea), 1♀ (NCA 2002 /162).
Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: iSimangaliso Wetlands Park, St Lucia, 28°23'03.9''S, 32°24'25.4''E, 24 m a.s.l., 13.V.2012, leg. J. Neethling & C. Luwes (canopy fogging 3, coastal forest, Trichilia dregeana), 1♁ (MACN-Ar 31225); Same locality, St Lucia, 28°23'04.3''S, 32°24'24.0''E, 22 m a.s.l., 13.V.2012, leg. J. Neethling & C. Luwes (canopy fogging 5, coastal forest, Trichilia emetica), 1♁ 5♀ (NCA 2012 /3984); Same locality, Meersig, 28°14'07.5''S, 32°29'21.0''E, 14 m a.s.l., 14.V.2012, leg. J. Neethling & C. Luwes (canopy fogging 6, coastal forest, Syzigium cordatum), 3♀ (NCA 2021 /1314); Ithala Game Reserve, Ntshodwe Camp, 27°32.699'S, 31°16.911'E, 27.I.2004, leg. C. Haddad (night collecting), 1♀ (NCA 2013 /4962); Mkuze, Banghoek Lodge, 27°46'03.3"S, 32°08'22.3"E, 131 m a.s.l., 17.V.2012, leg. J.A. Neethling & C. Luwes (canopy fogging 9, bushveld, Berchemia zeyheri), 1♀ (NCA 2012 /4270); Ndumo Game Reserve, Banzi Pan, 26°53.066'S, 32°17.218'E, 35 m a.s.l., 7.XII.2018, leg. C. Haddad, R. Booysen & J. Neethling (canopy fogging, Spirostachys africana), 1♁ 1♀ (NCA 2019 /593), 4♁ 5♀ (NCA 2019 /256); Same locality, Nyamiti Pan, 26°53.409'S, 32°17.576'E, 35 m a.s.l., 3.XII.2019, leg. C. Haddad & V. Swart (canopy fogging, Pappea capensis), 11♁ 13♀ (NCA 2020 /308); Same locality, Pongola River, Pump station, 26°54.309'S, 32°19.444'E, 36 m a.s.l., 2.VII.2009, leg. C. Haddad, R. Lyle & V. Butler (canopy fogging, Breonadia salicina, riverine forest), 1♁ 3♀ (NCA 2013 /947); Same locality, Road to Shokwe Pan, 26°52.550'S, 32°12.695'E, 30.I.2014, leg. C. Haddad & Z. Mbo (canopy fogging, Albizia versicolor), 1♁ (MACN-Ar 32945), 1♁ 1♀ (MACN-Ar 32946), 1♀ (MACN-Ar 32947); Same locality, Shokwe Pan, 26°52.502'S, 32°12.637'E, 30.I.2014, leg. C. Haddad (Vachellia xanthophloea bark), 1♁ (MACN-Ar 32953); Same locality, Southern boundary, 26°53.276'S, 32°11.025'E, 30.I.2014, leg. C. Haddad & Z. Mbo (canopy fogging, Senegalia nigrescens), 2♁ (NCA 2013 /5239); Ophathe Game Reserve, Ophathe River bed, 28°23.727'S, 31°23.643'E, 455 m a.s.l., 2.X.2008, leg. C. Haddad (active searching), 1♁ (NCA 2008 /2884); Same locality, Overgrazed savanna, 28°22.135'S, 31°23.363'E, 560 m a.s.l., 28.IX.2008, leg. C. Haddad (night collecting), 2♀ 1 juv. (NCA 2008 /2881); Same locality, Overgrazed savanna, 28°22.135'S, 31°23.363'E, 560 m a.s.l., 28.IX.2008, leg. C. Haddad (active searching), 1♀ (NCA 2008 /4133); Same locality, Rocky mountainside, 28°23.202'S, 31°23.077'E, 505 m a.s.l., 1.X.2008, leg. C. Haddad (active searching), 1♀ (NCA 2008 /2875); Pongolapoort Nature Reserve, N 2 roadside, 27°27'21.6''S, 31°54'37.7''E, 207 m a.s.l., 20.V.2012, leg. J. Neethling & C. Luwes (canopy fogging, Vachellia karroo, bushveld), 2♁ 1♀ (NCA 2012 /3985).
Distribution. Recorded from subtropical eastern South Africa (Fig. 169).
description: Published as part of Haddad, Charles R. & Lyle, Robin, 2024, Three new genera of arboreal dark sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Trachelidae), pp. 451-504 in Zootaxa 5399 (5) on pages 481-483, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5399.5.1, http://zenodo.org/record/10517393