Copuetta lotzi Haddad, 2013, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Haddad, Charles R.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Corinnidae
Copuetta
Copuetta lotzi

description: Copuetta lotzi sp. nov.
Figs 10, 52, 53, 94, 104, 133 –136
Etymology: This species is named after Leon Lotz, who collected several paratypes, in recognition of his contributions to the taxonomy of Afrotropical spiders.
Diagnosis: Males are easily recognised by the very broad embolus base with a short, curved transverse embolus, the tip of which is directed prolaterally (Fig. 104). Females have characteristic small, sharply procurved lateral epigynal ridges with copulatory openings that enter directly into ST II (Fig. 135).
Male (holotype, Bloemfontein, NCA 2008/267). Measurements: CL 4.42, CW 3.20, AL 4.28, AW 2.60, TL 8.45 (7.40–8.50), FL 0.48, SL 1.89, SW 1.79, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.56, PME–PME 0.17, PME–PLE 0.08, PLE–PLE 0.71, PERW 1.05, MOQAW 0.57, MOQPW 0.62, MOQL 0.68.
Length of leg segments: I 3.75 + 1.70 + 3.20 + 3.23 + 1.81 = 13.69; II 3.60 + 1.67 + 3.20 + 3.25 + 1.72 = 13.44; III 3.44 + 1.63 + 2.60 + 3.20 + 1.55 = 12.42; IV 4.48 + 1.85 + 3.70 + 4.80 + 1.80 = 16.63.
General appearance as in Figs 10 and 52. Carapace creamy-yellow, cephalic region bright yellow, eye region mottled dark grey; paired mottled black mediolateral markings from between PME and PLE to posterior slope; pale along midline from between PME to posterior of carapace, with narrow mottled black marking in front of fovea; striae orange, radiating from fovea, directed between coxae, covered in dense black mottling within mediolateral markings; lateral margins with narrow black fringe, with triangular expansions at palpal coxae and at anterior and posterior margins of leg coxae I, II and III; markings covered with black feathery setae, areas between them covered in white feathery and short straight setae. AME separated by distance slightly less than ¼ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance less than 1⁄10 AME diameter; clypeus height slightly less than 1½ AME diameter; PLE slightly larger than PME; PME separated by distance equal to ¾ their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance slightly larger than ½ PME diameter; CW: PERW = 3.05:1. Chelicerae dark orange-brown with black mottling on prolateral and retrolateral sides of paturon; promargin with two teeth separated by the basal width of proximal tooth, distal tooth much larger; retromargin with two teeth separated by slightly less than their basal width, distal tooth slightly smaller than proximal tooth, close to fang base. Endites deep yellow-brown with faint black mottling, cream prolaterally distally; labium orange-brown with faint black mottling, creamy-orange distally; sternum creamy-yellow, darker around borders, edge brown, with mottled black spots at border between palpal coxae and coxae I, and between all coxal pairs. Legs with faint black mottling and black spots at spine bases; markings densely covered in black feathery setae, with yellowish feathery setae between them; femora I–IV cream, proximal and distal ends with prolateral and retrolateral spots dorsally and ventral band distally, ventrally with many small black spots at bases of erect setae; patellae I–IV yellow with black mottling laterally; tibiae I and II yellow-brown with faint black mottling laterally, III yellow-brown and IV orange-brown, both with broad median black bands; metatarsi I and II yellow-brown with black lateral mottling; metatarsi III and IV orange-brown with proximal, median and distal black bands at each dorsal spine pair; tarsi yellow-brown. Leg spination: femora: I pl 3 do 3 rl 1, II pl 2 do 3 rl 1, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 1; all femora with scattered erect ventral setae; patellae: I and II with fine proximal and distal do setae, III and IV with proximal seta and distal spine dorsally; tibiae: I plv 2 rlv 2, II pl 1 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2, with rlv 5 erect setae; patellae: pl 1 spine, do 2 fine setae; tibiae: pl 1 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 plv 2. Abdomen with narrow orange anterior dorsal scutum extending just past ½ abdomen length; dorsum with paired black lateral stripes, separated by broad cream median stripe, with narrow black stripe along midline to half abdomen length and six fine black chevrons in posterior half of abdomen; markings covered in black feathery and short straight setae, areas between them with white feathery setae and scattered short straight setae, with several patches of yellow feathery setae in posterior half between chevrons; spinnerets surrounded by narrow black ring dorsally and laterally, absent ventrally; sides of abdomen with black and cream patches of feathery setae; venter cream, densely covered in white feathery setae; epigastric scutum yellow; ventral sclerite absent, with two paired rows of tiny yellow sclerites between epigastric furrow and spinnerets; inframamillary sclerite yellow-orange. Male palp creamy-yellow, cymbium yellow; tegulum yellow, with yellow-brown ducts; embolus with broad base, transverse and tapering distally; initially directed retrolaterally, curving dorsally and then prolaterally, tip slightly bent (Figs 94, 104, 133, 134).
Female (paratype, Tussen-die-Riviere, NMBA 16179). Measurements: CL 3.52, CW 2.66, AL 3.65, AW 2.28, TL 7.25 (7.25–9.10), FL 0.38, SL 1.63, SW 1.59, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.45, PME– PME 0.14, PME–PLE 0.08, PLE–PLE 0.63, PERW 0.92, MOQAW 0.48, MOQPW 0.53, MOQL 0.60.
Length of leg segments: I 2.90 + 1.45 + 2.60 + 2.55 + 1.55 = 11.05; II 2.85 + 1.40 + 2.35 + 2.50 + 1.42 = 10.52; III 2.65 + 1.30 + 2.17 + 2.62 + 1.28 = 10.02; IV 3.70 + 1.40 + 3.00 + 4.05 + 1.55 = 13.70.
General appearance as in Fig. 53, female more robustly built than male. Carapace pale creamy-yellow, markings and setae as for male. AME separated by distance slightly larger than ¼ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance less than 1⁄10 AME diameter; clypeus height slightly larger than 4⁄5 AME diameter; PLE very slightly larger than PME; PME separated by distance equal to ¾ their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance slightly larger than 2⁄5 PME diameter; CW: PERW = 2.89:1. Chelicerae pale yellow-brown with black mottling; promargin with two teeth separated by ½ the basal width of proximal tooth, distal tooth much larger; retromargin with two subequal teeth separated by ½ their basal width, distal tooth close to fang base. Endites creamy-yellow, white prolaterally distally; labium yellow, cream distally; sternum cream, with small faint black mottled markings between palpal coxae and leg coxae I, and between coxal pairs. Legs with faint black mottling and black spots at spine bases; markings densely covered in black feathery setae, with yellowish feathery setae between them; femora I–IV cream, proximal and distal ends with prolateral and retrolateral spots dorsally and ventral band distally, ventrally with many small black spots at bases of erect setae; femora III and IV also with black distal band; patellae creamy-yellow with black mottling laterally, I and II with proximal and distal lateral black spots, III and IV with large proximal lateral spots and complete distal band; tibiae I and II creamy-yellow with faint black mottling laterally, III and IV creamy yellow, both with broad median black bands; metatarsi I and II yellow-brown with black lateral mottling; metatarsi III and IV creamy-yellow with proximal, median and distal black bands at each dorsal spine pair; tarsi cream. Leg spination: femora: I pl 2 do 3 rl 1, II pl 2 do 3 rl 1, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 1; all femora with scattered erect ventral setae; patellae: I and II with fine proximal and distal do setae, III and IV with proximal seta and distal spine dorsally; tibiae: I plv 2 rlv 2, II pl 1 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2, with rlv 5 erect setae; patellae: pl 1 do 2; tibiae: pl 1 do 2 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 rl 1 plv 3 rlv 1. Abdomen with weakly sclerotised cream dorsal scutum extending ½ abdomen length, markings and setae as for male; venter cream, densely covered in white feathery setae; epigastric scutum cream; inframamillary sclerite pale creamy-brown; ventral sclerite absent, two paired rows of indistinct sclerites between epigastric furrow and spinnerets. Epigyne with small, strongly recurved lateral epigynal ridges, copulatory openings entering directly into ST II posterolaterally (Fig. 135); ST II large and nearly round, broadly connected to broad kidney-shaped posterior ST I; both ST with many folds on their surface; ST I clearly narrower than ST II (Fig. 136).
Type material: Holotype 3: SOUTH AFRICA: Free State: Bloemfontein, Langenhoven Park, 29°05.719'S, 26°09.427'E, leg. C. Haddad, 6.I.2008 (under window sill) (NCA 2008/267).
Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Free State: Bloemfontein, National Botanical Gardens, 29°08'S, 26°10'E, leg. L. Lotz, X.2006 (pitfall traps, NE slope of koppie), 1Ƥ (NMBA 10905); same locality, leg. L. Lotz, XI.2006 (pittrap 7, against NE slope of koppie), 1Ƥ (NMBA 10943); Bloemfontein, Naval Hill, Eastern Plateau, 29°06'S, 26°14'E, leg. L. Lotz, XI.1991 (pitfall traps), 13 (NMBA 7548); Bloemfontein district, Deelhoek Farm, 28°50'S, 26°06'E, leg. C. Haddad, 17.XI.2001 (under Eucalyptus bark), 1imm. 13 (NCA 2008/266); Brandfort district, Florisbad Research Station, 28°46'S, 26°05'E, 1250m a.s.l., leg. Museum Staff, XI.1984 (pitfall traps), 13 (NMBA 559); Erfenis Dam Nature Reserve, Site 5, 28°29.605'S, 26°47.974'E, leg. R. Fourie & A. Grobler, 30.IX– 28.X.2009 (pitfall traps, overgrazed grassland), 13 (NCA 2009/3594); same locality, near koppie, 28°29.888'S, 26°48.488'E, leg. C. Haddad, 28.VIII.2007 (inside abandoned Trinervitermes trinervoides termite mound), 13 (NCA 2007/3831); Tussen-die-Riviere Nature Reserve, 30°28'S, 26°07'E, leg. C. Haddad & L. Lotz, 14.X.2008 (active searching, grassland), 13 3Ƥ (NMBA 16179). Gauteng: Balmoral, 25°49.013'S, 28°51.970'E, leg. R. Koko, 11.VII.2006 (pitfall traps), 13 (NCA 2008/2786); Randburg, Glen Austin Pan, Randjesfontein Farm, 25°58.432'S, 28°10.010'E, leg. H. Roux, 25.I.2003 (pitfall traps), 13 1Ƥ (NCA 2008/2785). Mpumulanga: Lydenburg [25°05'S, 30°27'E], leg. Colson, XII.1903, 1 Ƥ (SAMC 13406). Western Cape: Anysberg Nature Reserve, Landsekloof, 33°29.493'S, 20°34.078'E, leg. C. Haddad & R. Lyle, 24.IX.2007 (under rocks), 1Ƥ (NCA 2007/3770).
Additional material examined: None.
Distribution: Endemic to South Africa (Fig. 153), where it occurs sympatrically with C. lacustris (Fig. 132). Biology: Based on collecting data, this species appears to be predominantly ground-dwelling, which contrasts from the others in the genus that are primarily arboreal. Apart from C. lacustris, this is the only species occurring in the more arid Grassland and Nama Karoo Biomes of South Africa. Its absence from the Savanna and Forest Biomes, where most Copuetta occur, is also of considerable ecological significance.
description: Published as part of Haddad, Charles R., 2013, Taxonomic notes on the spider genus Messapus Simon, 1898 (Araneae, Corinnidae), with the description of the new genera Copuetta and Wasaka and the first cladistic analysis of Afrotropical Castianeirinae, pp. 1-79 in Zootaxa 3688 (1) on pages 46-50, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3688.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/284201