Cheiracanthium kakumense Lotz, 2015, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Lotz, L. N.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Miturgidae
Cheiracanthium
Cheiracanthium kakumense

description: Cheiracanthium kakumense sp. nov.
Figs 22–27
Type material. Holotype ♀ and paratype ♂: GHANA: Kakum forest, 05º20’N, 01º23’W, 23.XI.2005, R. Jocqué, D. de Bakker & L. Baert (MRAC 217300); Additional paratypes: 7♂ 5♀, same locality and collectors as holotype, 8 to 25.XI.2005 (MRAC 217162, 218321, 218322, 218323, 218324, 218328, 218330); 1♂, IVORY COAST: Appouesso, FC Bossematié, 06º35’N, 03º28’W, 16.XI.1995, R. Jocqué (MRAC 202672); 2♂, Taï forest, Ecological Research Station, 05º50’N, 07º21’W, various collectors, 20.II.2010 (MRAC 230297, 230303); 2♂, Taï forest, 05º52’N, 07º52’W, D. vanden Spiegel & A. Kablan, 1.IX & 12.X.2010 (MRAC 233433, 233451); 6♂ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Mayombe, Lower Congo, Luki Forest Reserve, 05º38’S, 13º04’E, various collectors, various dates (XI.2006, X–XI.2007) (MRAC 220849, 222162, 223025, 223656, 223764, 223822).
Etymology. The species name is taken from the type locality.
Diagnosis. C. kakumense sp. nov. females are similar to C. halophilum Schmidt & Piepho, 1994 (see Lotz, 2007a: figs 47–48), C. ghanaense sp. nov. (Fig. 12) and C. mayombense sp. nov. (Fig. 33) in the long spiralled copulatory ducts, but differs from these species by the anterior proceeding part of the copulatory ducts being without a spiral (Fig. 24). Males are similar to C. falcis sp. nov. (Figs 5–6) in the hooked shape of the TA, but are differentiated by the more beak-like shape of the TA apex and the shorter, thicker, shape of the ventral RTA (Figs 26–27).
Description. Female: (n = 6): TL = 6.25 (5.1–7.2); CL = 2.65 (2.0–2.9); CW = 1.97 (1.6–2.1); OAL = 0.47 (0.4–0.5); OAW = 1.17 (0.9–1.3); CLL = 0.10 (0.08–0.10). Chelicerae: robust with long fangs; fang furrow with six teeth of unequal size, PMT:RMT = 3:3 (Fig. 22). Measurements: AME–AME 0.20; AME–ALE 0.20; AME diameter 0.15; PME–PME 0.25; PME–PLE 0.30; PME diameter 0.15; MOQAW 0.50; MOQPW 0.55; CI (CL/ CW) 1.35; LL:CL 5.78; STL 1.3; STW 1.1. Leg measurements: I—3.9+1.2+4.0+4.6+1.9 = 15.6; II— 2.5+1.0+2.1+2.5+1.0 = 9.1; III—1.8+0.8+1.3+1.9+0.8 = 6.6; IV—2.7+1.0+2.1+3.0+1.0 = 9.8; Palp— 1.2+0.5+0.7+1.1 = 3.5. Leg spines: I 0-1p-1p, 0- 2 v-0, 2v- 0- 1 v; II 0-1p-1p1r, 0- 2 v-1p, 2v- 0- 1 v; III 0-1p1r-1p1r, 0- 0-1p1r, 2v 1p1r- 1v 1p1r- 3v 1p1r; IV 0-0-1p1r, 0-0-1r, 2v 1p1r- 2v 1p1r- 3v 1p1r. Abdomen: creamy-yellow with a faint heartmark. Epigynum (Figs 23–24): depression wider than long, circular; copulatory openings situated in posterior sides of depression; internally, copulatory ducts extend laterally, then anteriorly and then loop posteriorly to end anterio-laterally in spermathecae; fertilization tubes enter spermathecae posterior-medially.
Male: (n = 10): TL = 8.09 (5.8–10.7); CL = 3.62 (2.7–4.7); CW = 2.62 (1.9–3.4); OAL = 0.58 (0.50–0.65); OAW = 1.48 (1.0–1.9); CLL = 0.07 (0.05–0.10). Chelicerae: similar to female, with PMT:RMT = 3:3 (Fig. 25). Measurements: AME–AME 0.20; AME–ALE 0.15; AME diameter 0.20; PME–PME 0.25; PME–PLE 0.25; PME diameter 0.20; MOQAW 0.60; MOQPW 0.65; CI (CL/CW) 1.28; LL:CL 8.22; STL 1.6; STW 1.3. Leg measurements: I—6.6+1.5+7.4+7.9+2.9 = 26.3; II—4.4+1.3+4.4+4.9+1.4 = 16.4; III—3.1+1.2+2.6+3.8+1.0 = 11.7; IV—4.7+1.3+4.3+5.6+1.4 = 17.3; Palp—1.8+0.6+0.9+1.8 = 5.1. Leg spines: I 0-1p1r-1p1r, 2v-8v- 0, 2v- 2v- 1v; II 0-1p1r-1p1r, 2v-4 v2 p-0, 2v 1p- 2v 1p1r- 1v; III 0-1p1r-1p1r, 2v 1p1r-1p1r-0, 2v 1p1r- 3v 1p1r- 3v 1p1r; IV 1 r- 1p1r-1p1r, 2v-1 v1 p1r-0, 2v 1p1r- 2v 1p1r- 3v 1p1r. Abdomen: similar to female, but more elongate. Palp (Figs 26– 27): cymbium elongate, twice tibia length (without RTA), with a straight proximally directed apophysis with sharp apex; tibia with DTA and RTA; DTA thin, RTA broad with double apex; TA sclerotized, long, with beak-like apex; EM long, almost encircling tegulum, ending at CON apex; CON not sclerotized but distinct.
Distribution. Known from several localities in Ghana, Ivory Coast and D.R. Congo (Fig. 53).
Habitat. Forest.
description: Published as part of Lotz, L. N., 2015, New Species of the Spider Genus Cheiracanthium from Continental Africa (Araneae: Eutichuridae), pp. 321-336 in Zootaxa 3973 (2) on pages 327-328, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3973.2.7, http://zenodo.org/record/236698