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

description: Cheiracanthium shilabira sp. nov.
Figs 43–48
Type material. Holotype ♀, KENYA: Kakamega Forest, Ileo, 00º13’N, 34º54’E, 31.VIII.2002, D. Shilabira Smith (MRAC 220234); Paratypes: ♂, Kakamega Forest, 00º13’N, 34º54’E, 20.IV.2000, D. Shilabira Smith (MRAC 220506); 1♂, 1♀, Kakamega Forest, 00º13’N, 34º54’E, 3–10.II.2002, D. Shilabira Smith (MRAC 212628); 1♂, Kakamega Forest, near Guarry, 00º13’N, 34º54’E, 3.I.2001, D. Shilabira Smith (MRAC 212716); 1♀, Kakamega Forest, Lirhanda hills, 00º13’N, 34º54’E, 3.VIII.2002, D. Shilabira Smith (MRAC 220490); 1♀, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Mongbwalu, 01º57’N, 30º02’E, VIII.1937, Mme. Scheitz (MRAC 22941); 1♀, Mboa, Beni-Irumu-Bunia road, Mutembo plains, 00º38’S, 29º30’E, XII.1973 – I.1974, M. Lejeune (MRAC 158778).
Etymology. The species is a noun in apposition for the collector of the holotype, D. Shilabira Smith.
Diagnosis. C. shilabira sp. nov. females are most similar to those of C. boendense sp. nov. (Fig. 3) and C. peregrinum Thorell, 1899 (see Lotz 2007a: fig. 96) in having two pockets in the anterior edge of the epigynal depression, but differ from these species by the bend in the copulatory ducts before they enter the spermathecae (Figs 45); Males differ from other Afrotropical species of Cheiracanthium by the thumb’s-up shape of the TA (Fig. 47).
Description. Female: (n = 5): TL = 8.22 (7.5–8.8); CL = 3.40 (3.0–3.6); CW = 2.50 (2.2–2.7); OAL = 0.53 (0.45–0.60); OAW = 1.42 (1.3–1.5); CLL = 0.09 (0.08–0.10). Chelicerae: robust with long fangs; fang furrow with six teeth of unequal size, PMT:RMT = 3:3 (Fig. 43). Measurements: AME–AME 0.20; AME–ALE 0.30; AME diameter 0.20; PME–PME 0.35; PME–PLE 0.35; PME diameter 0.15; MOQAW 0.60; MOQPW 0.65; CI (CL/ CW) 1.26; LL:CL 4.15; STL 1.7; STW 1.5. Leg measurements: I—3.8+1.4+3.5+3.9+1.5 = 14.1; II— 3.1+1.3+2.6+3.0+1.1 = 11.1; III—2.4+1.0+1.7+1.9+0.9 = 7.9; IV—3.2+1.3+2.6+3.6+1.1 = 11.8; Palp— 1.4+0.6+0.9+1.4 = 4.3. Leg spines: I 0-0-1p, 0, 2v- 0- 1 v; II 0-0-1p, 0, 2v- 0- 1 v; III 0-1p1r-1p1r, 0-0-1p1r, 1v- 1p1r- 3v 1p1r; IV 0-0-1r, 0-0-1r, 2v-1 v1 p1r- 3v 1p1r. Abdomen: creamy-yellow with faint heartmark. Epigynum (Figs 44– 45): wider than long, with broad central depression; copulatory openings posterio-medially in depression; internally, copulatory tubes proceed laterally, then anteriorly, curving medially before turning posteriorly, then medially after a small bend, to end laterally in spermathecae; fertilization tubes enter spermathecae anteriomedially.
Male: (n = 3): TL = 7.33 (7.2–7.5); CL = 3.27 (3.1–3.5); CW = 2.57 (2.5–2.7); OAL = 0.52 (0.50–0.55); OAW = 1.23 (1.2–1.3); CLL = 0.10 (0.1–0.1). Chelicerae: similar to female, except longer, with PMT:RMT = 3:3 (Fig. 46). Measurements: AME–AME 0.15; AME–ALE 0.20; AME diameter 0.20; PME–PME 0.20; PME–PLE 0.25; PME diameter 0.20; MOQAW 0.55; MOQPW 0.60; CI (CL/CW) 1.24; LL:CL 6.00; STL 1.5; STW 1.3. Leg measurements: I—4.7+1.4+5.1+5.4+2.0 = 18.6; II—3.6+1.2+3.5+4.0+1.4 = 13.7; III —2.7+1.1+2.2+3.2+1.1 = 10.3; IV—3.8+1.2+3.4+4.5+1.3 = 14.2; Palp—1.6+0.6+0.9+1.5 = 4.6. Leg spines: I 0-1p-1p1r, 1v-6v- 0, 2v- 0- 1 v; II 0-1p1r-1p1r, 1v- 0-1p, 2v- 0- 1 v; III 0-1p1r-1p1r, 0-0-1p1r, 2v-1 v1 p1r- 3v 1p1r; IV 0-1p1r-1p1r, 0-1r-1p1r, 2v 1r- 7v 1p1r- 3v 1p1r. Abdomen: slightly more elongate than female. Palp (Figs 47–48): cymbium elongate, equal to tibia plus patella length, with apophysis that points proximally, with single point at apex; RTA ending with two points at apex, one sharp and one rounded, the sharp apex is not seen from the retro-lateral side; TA sclerotized, shaped like a “thumb’s-up” sign; EM long, almost encircling tegulum, ending at CON apex; CON not sclerotized but distinct.
Distribution. Found in the central part of equatorial Africa (Fig. 57).
Habitat. Collected by Malaise and pitfall traps in forests.
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 332-333, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3973.2.7, http://zenodo.org/record/236698