Anansi Benavides and Hormiga 1881, new genus
Creators: name: Benavides, Ligia R.
name: Giribet, Gonzalo
name: Hormiga, Gustavo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Mimetidae
Anansi
Anansi luki

description: <i>Anansi</i> Benavides and Hormiga new genus Figures 1 A, 9-17, 18A <i>–</i> B <i>Type species</i> <i>Anansi luki</i> Benavides and Hormiga new species. <i>Etymology.</i> The genus is named after <i>Anansi</i>, a West African folktale character, originally from the Ashanti people (present day Ghana). <i>Anansi</i> takes the shape of a spider and is considered to be the keeper of stories and knowledge. <i>Anansi</i> is masculine in gender. <i>Diagnosis. Anansi</i> differs from the rest of mimetids in having four abdominal dorsal humps with macrosetae on its tip (Figs. 9 A <i>–</i> B, 12A <i>–</i> B, 14A <i>–</i> B, 16A <i>–</i> B), chelicerae twice as long as the clypeus width (Figs 9 D, 12D, 14D, 16C), conductor with a flagellum (Figs. 10 A <i>–</i> C, 11 A <i>–</i> B, 15G <i>–</i> H), and epigynum projected posteriorly (Figs. 12 B <i>–</i> C, 13A <i>–</i> C, 16 B, 17A). <i>Composition.</i> <i>Anansi insidiator</i> (Thorell, 1899) new combination, <i>Anansi natalensis</i> (Lawrence, 1938) new combination, <i>Anansi luki</i> Benavides and Hormiga new species and an undescribed <i>Anansi</i> species from Congo. Here we describe the type species, <i>A. luki</i> n. sp., and re-describe <i>A. insidiator</i> n. comb. Additional species will be described or re-described in a forthcoming paper. <i>Phylogenetics.</i> The monophyly of <i>Anansi</i> is supported by the following putative morphological synapomorphies: piriform cephalothorax (Figs. 9 A, 12A, 14A, 16A), chelicerae longer than clypeus width (Figs 9 D, 12D, 14D, 16 C), four abdominal dorsal humps that carry macrosetae on its tip (Figs. 9 A <i>–</i> B, 12A <i>–</i> B, 14 A <i>–</i> B, 16A <i>–</i> B), palpal tibiae with two long macrosetae (Figs. 9 D, 1 0 B, 11B, 14G); conductor with a flagellum that can be up to 1.5 times the maximum width of the cymbium (Figs. 10 A <i>–</i> C, 11A <i>–</i> B, 1 5G <i>–</i> H), paracymbium spoon shaped (Figs. 10 E <i>–</i> F, 11B, 15 B <i>–</i> C), and epigynum projected posteriorly, as long as wide (<i>A. natalensis</i> n. comb.) or twice as long as wide (<i>A. luki</i> n. sp. and <i>A. insidiator</i> n. comb.). As documented in this paper, nucleotide sequence data also provide robust support to the monophyly of this new genus. <i>Description.</i> Total length 5.34 <i>–</i> 6.68 in males and 4.74 <i>–</i> 5.26 in females. Carapace longer than wide, 2.49 <i>–</i> 3.41 long in males and 2.18 <i>–</i> 2.49 in females; cephalothorax piriform; pars cephalica as long as pars thoracica (<i>A. natalensis</i>) or longer (<i>A. luki</i> and <i>A. insidiator</i>); fovea as two longitudinal slits whose ends meet posteriorly (Fig. 17 A). Carapace light yellow with dark medial longitudinal band, wide and forming a triangular shape from top of fovea to ocular area (Figs. 9 A, 12A, 14A, 16 A). Sternum longer than wide, prolonged between coxae IV light yellow to brownish (Figs. 9 C, 12C, 14C); AME larger, in a tubercle; lateral eyes juxtaposed (Figs. 9 D, 12D, 14D, 16 C). Clypeus height 0.16 <i>–</i> 0.24; paturon straight (Figs. 9 D, 12D, 14D, 16C), 0.97 <i>–</i> 1.57 long, with peg teeth, yellowish to dark brown, longer than clypeus width, ca. 1.4 times longer in <i>A. natalensis</i>, ca. 2.1 times longer in <i>A. luki</i> and <i>A. insidiator.</i> Legs slender, yellowish with dark spots, with macrosetae; retrolateral side of femur I and prolateral side of femur II with a longitudinal row of short setae. Abdomen light yellow, longer than wide (<i>A. luki</i> and <i>A. insidiator</i>) or dark brown and approximately as longer as wide (<i>A. natalensis</i>); dorsal abdomen with four humps, two anterior located about one third of the anterior abdominal margin and two larger humps about one half of the anterior abdominal margin. ALS with ca. 65 piriform spigots and several tartipores (Figs. 1 0E, 14E, 16I, 17 F). PMS with 4 <i>–</i> 5 aciniform spigots (Figs. 9 F, 13F, 15 J, 17G). A single and peripheral PLS cylindrical spigot present (<i>A. natalensis</i>) or absent (<i>A. luki</i> and <i>A. insidiator</i>); when present, cylindrical spigot base and shaft longer than wide. Epiandrous fusules in two clusters, each of ca. 10 fusules (Fig. 10 G). Male pedipalpal patellae with two dorsal macrosetae, projecting toward the cymbium (Fig. 9 D). In <i>A. luki</i> and <i>A. insidiator</i> one of these macrosetae 1.5 times longer than the cymbium, the other half the size of the cymbium. In <i>A. natalensis</i> both macrosetae are approximately half the size of the cymbium. Cymbium twice as long as wide (Fig. 10 B, E, 14 G, 15E); ectobasal margin of the cymbium with (<i>A. luki</i>, Fig. 10 E; <i>A. insidiator</i>, Fig. 15 C) or without an apophysis that is longer than wide, right above the concave paracymbium. Subtegulum displaced ectally, tegulum discoid (Figs. 10 F, 15F). Embolus inserting basally relative to tegulum (in ventral view), flagelliform and running parallel to tegulum (Figs. 10 C, 14H, 15G). Conductor projecting ventrally and with a flagelliform apophysis that runs parallel to embolus (Figs. 10 C, D, F; 15B, D, G <i>–</i> H). Epigynum projecting posteriorly (Figs. 12 B <i>–</i> C, 13A <i>–</i> C, 16 B, 17B), as long as wide (<i>A. natalensis</i>) or twice as long as wide (<i>A. luki</i> and <i>A. insidiator</i>). Copulatory ducts parallel to fertilization ducts (Fig. 12 F); spermathecae spherical (<i>A. natalensis</i>) or oval (<i>A. luki</i> and <i>A. insidiator</i>). <i>Distribution.</i> Known from Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, and South Africa.
description: Published as part of <i>Ligia R. Benavides, Gonzalo Giribet &amp; Gustavo Hormiga, 2016, Gonzalo Giribet, pp. 1-31 in Cladistics 32 (6)</i> on pages 25-26, DOI: 10.1111/cla.12174, http://zenodo.org/record/192098
description: {"references": ["Thorell, T., 1899. Araneae Camerunenses (Africae occidentalis) quas anno 1891 collegerunt Cel. Dr Y. Sjostedt aliique. Bihang Kung. Sv. Vetensk. - Akad. Handl. 25, 1 - 105.", "Lawrence, R. F., 1938. A collection of spiders from Natal and Zululand. Ann. Natal Mus. 8, 55 - 524."]}