Stasimopus theaei Brandt & Sole & Lyle 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Brandt, Shannon
name: Sole, Catherine
name: Lyle, Robin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Stasimopidae
Stasimopus
Stasimopus theaei

description: Stasimopus theaei sp. nov.
(Figures 2H, 7B, 17D, 22E & F, 34, 35, 36)
Type material: Holotype ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape Province, Somerset East (-32.9386, 25.6612), 14.v.2018, S. Brandt, C. Sole, E. Engelbrecht and E. Brand, (NCA 2019/606).
Etymology: The specific epithet is a patronym in homage to Thea Lyle Subramoney the daughter of the second author.
Diagnosis: The females of S. theaei sp. nov. are distinguishable from other members of the genus occurring in the Karoo based on the following combination of characters. Easily distinguished by the highly dense denticles on the chelicera (>50), all other species but S. spinosus have less than 30. Distinguishable from S. spinosus by the extent of spines on metatarsus 1 extending more than half the segment (only matched or exceeded by S. unispinosus, S. hamartia sp. nov. and S. erythrognathus).
Description: Based on the holotype ♀ (NCA 2019/606).
Remarks: Ô: Known only from the type female.
General: ♀: (Fig 7B) Medium bodied spider, 21.66 total length.
Carapace: ♀: Carapace length 10.29; width 9.61. Reddish colour, smooth texture, with some pleats in the thoracic region. The fovea strongly procurved, 2.20 in length.
Ocelli: ♀: (Fig 2H, 17D) AME diameter 0.25, PME diameter 0.26, MOQ anterior width 2.57, MOQ posterior width 3.89; AME-AME 0.58, AME-ALE 0.34, ALE-ALE 1.83, PME-PME 1.86, PME-PLE 0.48, PLE-PLE 3.10. AER fairly straight, PER slightly recurved.
Chelicerae: ♀: (Fig 34C) Two teeth rows present, 4 teeth in proventral row, 5 in retroventral row; 48–50 cuspules in between which vary in sizes.
Sternum, labium and maxillae: ♀: (Fig 34A) Sternum length 5.51; sternum width 5.75. Longitudinally elongated sigilla, distal end 0.72 apart, proximal end 1.66 apart. Labium (Fig 34B) 14 cuspules present, maxillae 13–14 cuspules present.
Abdomen: ♀: Abdomen length 11.37; width 8.41. Greyish yellow colouration, end of abdomen towards the spinnerets darker grey than the rest of abdomen.
Pedipalps: ♀: Total length 11.49; Segment lengths 3.58, 2.41, 2.62, -, 2.89. Spination: spines absent on femur, with sparse setae. Patella pl - 2–3 long thin spines. Tibia pl - 2 tibial spurs, 1 proximal and 1 distal, do - small patch of spinules distally extend onto tarsus. rl - 22 spinules along segment. Tarsus pl - 12–14 large spines, do - patch of 17–19 spinules, less dense distally, extend ⅓–¼ of segment, rl - covered in dense spines (25–30).
Legs: ♀: Length order: IV, III, I, II. I Total length 17.76; Segment lengths 5.97, 3.56, 3.81, 3.98, 1.40; Spination: spines absent on femur and patella, with sparse setae. Tibia pl - small spines extending ½–⅓ from the distal end, do (Fig 35A)- distally dense patch of spines, extend to ⅐ of segment, continues on metatarsus, rl - spinules extend entire segment less dense proximally. Metatarsus pl & rl - very dense spinules along the entire segment, do (Fig 35A)- patch of dense spines proximally, cover approx. ⅔ of segment, v - scopulate. Tarsus pl & rl - dense spinules along entire segment, v - scopulate. II Total length 15.38; Segment lengths 4.59, 3.05, 2.95, 3.53, 1.26; Spination: spines absent on femur and patella, with sparse setae. Tibia pl - small spines extending ½ of section from distal end, do (Fig 35B)- distally dense patch of spines, extend ⅕ of segment, continues on metatarsus, rl - spinules extend entire segment, less dense proximally. Metatarsus pl & rl - dense spinules along the entire segment, do (Fig 35B)- patch of dense spines proximally, covering approx. ⅓ of segment, v - scopulate. Tarsus pl & rl - dense spinules along the entire segment, v - scopulate. III Total length 17.85; segment lengths 4.80, 4.21, 2.10, 4.12, 2.62; Spination: spines absent on femur, with sparse setae. Patella pl - 12 red spinules, has rows of black setae. Tibia do (Fig 35C)- stout red spines very dense distally, covered in long setae. Metatarsus do (Fig 35C)- 2 rows of stout red spines (18–22 in each), between small red spinules. Tarsus pl - dense patch of red spines extend distally and covered in dense setae, pl & rl - 3–5 stout black spines along both surfaces, denser distally, v - scopulate. IV Total length 20.93; Segment lengths 5.05, 4.52, 4.17, 5.03, 2.17; Spination: spines absent on femur, with sparse setae. Patella do - short dense red spines proximally, less dense distally, interspersed with stout black setae. Tibia pl (Fig 35D)- many spines extending under the dorsal setae, do - dense setae covering randomly scattered spinules. Metatarsus pl (Fig 35D)- 17–20 spines extending ventrally, v - 7–8 spines in a transverse row (preening comb) (Fig 35E). Tarsus pl (Fig 35D)- very dense setae covering randomly scattered spinules.
Spermathecae: (Fig 22E, F) Entire, with short inflated terminus, one appears 2/3 length of other spermathecae.
Distribution and environment notes:
The species known from the type locality indicated in Figure 36. It has been collected near Somerset East in the Eastern Cape province. The location was a flat between small hills. The vegetation was dominated by low shrubs and aloe plants. The soil was very hard, chalky and pale. The specimen was found in a deep vertical burrow (approx. 30 cm deep), which angled slightly near the bottom.
FIGURE 36. Map of the locality where the Stasimopus theaei sp. nov. specimen was collected. Numbers match the site numbers in Figure 1. Map created in QGIS version 3.4.8-Madeira (2019), available at: http://qgis.osgeo.org.
description: Published as part of Brandt, Shannon, Sole, Catherine & Lyle, Robin, 2023, An integrative taxonomy of the genus Stasimopus Simon 1892 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) of the Karoo with the description of nine new species and a Stasimopus maraisi Hewitt 1914 male, pp. 1-60 in Zootaxa 5341 (1) on pages 47-50, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5341.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8323744