Echinax
Creators: name: Haddad, Charles R.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Corinnidae
Echinax

description: Key to the Afrotropical species of Echinax
1. Females............................................................................................. 2
– Male................................................................................................ 8
2 Epigyne with large 6-shaped epigynal ridges and large copulatory openings (Fig. 69); copulatory ducts long, entering ST II anteriorly (Fig. 70)...................................................................... E. scharffi sp. nov.
– Epigyne with curved copulatory ridges and small lateral copulatory openings; copulatory openings shorter, entering ST II posteriorly........................................................................................... 3
3 Epigynal ridges small, separated by distance greater than their width (Fig. 52); copulatory ducts nearly transverse, with sharp bend medially before entering ST II.......................................................... E. clara sp. nov.
– Epigynal ridges broader, separated by distance clearly less than their width; copulatory ducts variable in structure, rarely transverse with sharp bend..............................................................................4
4 Labium and sternum without black markings................................................ .. E. hesperis sp. nov.
– Labium with spots or transverse markings along proximal margin; sternum usually without markings, but sometimes with black spots........................................................................................... 5
5 Sternum with distinct small lateral spots at each coxa; epigyne larger than congeners, clearly longer than broad (Fig. 77), with gently curving copulatory ducts (Fig. 78).................................................. .. E. spatulata sp. nov.
– Sternum without markings at coxae; epigyne smaller, similar in length and breadth, copulatory ducts with distinct bend along their course.......................................................................................... 6
6 Epigynal ridges meeting medially in epigyne (Figs 41, 64); copulatory ducts with distinct perpendicular bend medially, anterior and lateral sections of duct similar in length (Fig. 65).................................. E. natalensis sp. nov.
– Epigynal ridges clearly separated and not meeting medially (Figs 43, 60, 73); copulatory ducts with bend anteriorly, anterior section of duct much shorter than lateral section (Figs 61, 74)................................................... 7
7 Epigynal ridges strongly curved, with large copulatory openings (Figs 43, 73); clypeus height 1½ times AME diameter; PME separated by distance slightly larger than their diameter (South Africa).............................. E. similis sp. nov.
– Epigynal ridges slightly curved, with small copulatory openings (Fig. 60); clypeus height nearly 2 times AME diameter; PME separated by distance % their diameter (Tropical Africa)............................................. E. longespina
8 Palpal embolus with distal section of coil nearly straight (Fig. 47).................................... E. longespina
– Palpal embolus with distal section of coil slightly to strongly curved (e.g. Figs 48–51)...............................9
9 Sternum with distinct small lateral spots at each coxa; palpal embolus with very narrow base (Fig. 51); cymbium with several flat thickened spatulate setae in distal third.................................................. E. spatulata sp. nov.
– Sternum without markings at coxae; palpal embolus with moderate to broad base; cymbium only with straight thickened spatulate setae in distal third............................................................................ 10
10 Labium without markings; basal coil of embolus very strongly oblique, approximately 75° off transverse palpal axis (Fig. 46).................................................................................... .. E. hesperis sp. nov.
– Labium with proximal transverse marking or lateral spots; basal coil of embolus less oblique, between 45° and 60° off transverse palpal axis................................................................................. 11
11 Distal section of embolus strongly curved, nearly semi-circular (Figs 45, 49)..................................... 12
– Distal section of embolus slightly curved (Figs 48, 50)....................................................... 13
12 Chelicerae with black spots on anterior surface of paturon; embolus with very sharp prolateral bend; longitudinal distance from retrolateral bend to prolateral bend equal to ¼ the distance from prolateral bend to tip (Fig. 49) (Tanzania)...................................................................................................... E. scharffi sp. nov.
– Chelicerae without markings on anterior surface of paturon; embolus with gentle prolateral bend; longitudinal distance from retrolateral bend to prolateral bend approximately ½ the distance from prolateral bend to tip (Fig. 45) (Central and West Africa)................................................................................. E. clara sp. nov.
13 Embolus somewhat thickened along its entire length, especially in prolateral bend of coil; longitudinal distance from retrolateral bend to prolateral bend approximately ¼ the distance from prolateral bend to tip (Fig. 50); tibiae III and IV with a single rlv spine......................................................................... E. similis sp. nov.
– Embolus fine along its entire length, including prolateral bend of coil (Fig. 48); longitudinal distance from retrolateral bend to prolateral bend approximately 2⁄ 5 the distance from prolateral bend to tip (Fig. 48); tibiae III and IV with two rlv spines.......................................................................................... E. natalensis sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Haddad, Charles R., 2012, A revision of the spider genus Echinax Deeleman-Reinhold, 2001 (Araneae: Corinnidae) in the Afrotropical Region, pp. 33-61 in Zootaxa 3450 on page 40, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.209739