Stasimopus teras 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 teras

description: Stasimopus teras sp. nov.
(Figs 7A, 17C, 22I, 31, 32, 33)
Type material: Holotype ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape Province, Victoria West (-31.4965, 23.5597), 22.v.2018, S. Brandt, C. Sole, E. Engelbrecht and E. Brand, (NCA 2019/643).
Etymology: The specific epithet is a Greek noun ‘teras’ taken in apposition meaning monster or marvel. This is in reference to the extreme eye deformity of the type specimen. It is also a homage to the field of teratology which is the “study of marvels and monstrosities”.
Diagnosis: The authors acknowledge that the type specimen being used to describe the species is deformed, but despite this we believe this to be a valid species. The other characters and the genetic evidence (clear genetic distance from all other species) are overwhelming to support this deduction. The females of S. teras sp. nov. are distinguishable from other members of the genus occurring in the Karoo based on the following combination of characters. The preening comb on metatarsus IV has 8 or more spines in a transverse row, only shared or exceeded by S. artifex, S. theaei sp. nov. and S. ignis sp. nov. The species can be differentiated from S. artifex (<1/10 segment) and S. theaei sp. nov. (>1/2 segment) by the extent of spination on metatarsus I, extending less than 1/6 the segment. Can be separated from S. ignis sp. nov. by the extent of spination on the tarsus of the pedipalp (S. teras sp. nov. is less spinose).
Description: Based on the holotype ♀ (NCA 2019/643).
Remarks: ♀: Severe eye deformity present, thus many eye measurements were not taken. For more information, please see Mitchell et al. (2020). Ô: Known only from the type female.
General: ♀: (Fig 7A) Medium bodied spider, 23.20 total length.
Carapace: ♀: Carapace length 9.16; width 9.27. Reddish orange colouration, smooth texture, with pleats in thoracic region. Fovea strongly procurved, 2.29 in length.
Ocelli: ♀: (Fig 17C) AME diameter 0.29, PME diameter 0.42; AME-AME 0.55, AME-ALE 0.52, ALE-ALE 2.11, PME-PME 2.19, PME-PLE 0.40, PLE-PLE 3.59. AER procurved, PER strongly recurved.
Chelicerae: ♀: (Fig 31C) Two teeth rows present, 4 teeth in proventral row, 5 teeth in retroventral row; 11–12 cuspules in between which vary in sizes.
Sternum, labium and maxillae: ♀: (Fig 31A) Sternum length 5.70; sternum width 5.44. Sigilla indistinct. Labium (Fig 31B) with 5 cuspules present, maxillae with 12–15 cuspules present.
Abdomen: ♀: Abdomen length 14.04; width 9.57. Greyish brown colouration, with long vertical band marking along the ventral surface, less apparent towards the spinnerets.
Pedipalps: ♀: Total length 12.38; Segment lengths 4.10, 2.67, 2.68, -, 2.94. Spination: spines absent on femur, with sparse setae. Patella pl - 2–3 long thin spines. Tibia pl - 3 tibial spurs, do - small patch of spinules distally extend onto tarsus with 3–4 spines, rl - 8–10 spinules along segment. Tarsus pl - 10–11 long spines, do - patch of 12–13 spinules, less dense distally, extend ¼–⅕ of segment, rl - covered in dense spines (22–25), difficult to see distally due to dense setae.
Legs: ♀: Length order: IV, I, II, III. I Total length 16.67; Segment lengths 4.74, 3.39, 3.39, 3.62, 1.52; Spination: spines absent on femur and patella, with sparse setae. Tibia pl & rl - spinules extend entire segment, less dense proximally, do (Fig 31D)- distal dense patch of spines, reach ⅕ of segment length, continued on metatarsus. Metatarsus pl & rl - dense spinules along entire segment, do (Fig 31D)- patch of dense spines proximally, covering approx. ⅙ of segment, v - scopulate. Tarsus pl & rl - dense spinules along entire segment, v - scopulate. II Total length 16.07; Segment lengths 4.98, 3.24, 2.96, 3.45, 1.44; Spination: spines absent on femur and patella, with sparse setae. Tibia pl & rl - spinules extend entire segment, less dense proximally, do - distally dense patch of spines, reach ¼ of segment, continues on metatarsus. Metatarsus and tarsus have same spination as leg I. III Total length 15.99; Segment lengths 4.52, 3.89, 1.39, 4.07, 2.12; Spination: spines absent on femur, with sparse setae. Patella pl - 8 spinules interspersed with thick setae, do - 5 spinules. Tibia do (Fig 31E)- stout red spines dense distally, covered in long setae (extending pl & rl), rl - 3 spinules proximally. Metatarsus do (Fig 31E)- 2 rows of stout red spines, 17–21 in each, with small red spinules between. Tarsus pl - 11–12 large red spines extend from distal tip to half segment. IV Total length 19.54; Segment lengths 5.05, 3.79, 3.82, 4.88, 1.99; 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 - many spines extending under the dorsal setae, do - very dense setae cover randomly scattered spinules. Metatarsus pl (Fig 32A)- 9–13 spines denser distally, v - 9–10 spines in a transverse row (preening comb) (Fig 32B). Tarsus pl (Fig 32A)- 15 short spines, denser distally, rl - 4–5 spines distally.
Spermathecae: (Fig 22I) Entire, with terminus gradually curving inwards, spermathecae equal width entire length.
Distribution and environment notes:
The species is found in the localities indicated in Figure 33. The species is only known from the type locality near Victoria West in the Northern Cape province. The site where the specimen was found was under powerlines on a flat plain. The vegetation was dominated by typical Karoo low to medium shrubs with some grass patches. The soil was grey with a russet-coloured surface layer which was slightly cracked. The burrow lid was clearly visible.
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 44-47, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5341.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8323744