Stasimopus hamartia Brandt & Sole & Lyle 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Brandt, Shannon
name: Sole, Catherine
name: Lyle, Robin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Stasimopidae
Stasimopus
Stasimopus hamartia

description: Stasimopus hamartia sp. nov.
(Figures 2C, 5C&D, 16, 17A, 19, 20, 21, 22A&B)
Type material: Holotype ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape Province, Beaufort West (-31.9265, 22.9042), 20.iv.2017, S. Brandt, C. Sole, E. Engelbrecht and T. Majelantle, (NCA 2017/1852). Allotype Ô Eastern Cape Province, Willowmore (-32.5015, 23.5935), 14.iv.2017, S. Brandt, C. Sole, E. Engelbrecht and T. Majelantle, (NCA 2017/1891). Paratypes. Western Cape Province, Beaufort West (-32.2535,23.0939), 20.iv.2017, S. Brandt, C. Sole, E. Engelbrecht and T. Majelantle, (1♀ NCA 2017/1849, 1♀ juv. NCA 2017/1850); same data, 20.iv.2017, 1♀ juv. (NCA 2017/1854); same data, 14.iv.2017, 2♀♀ (NCA 2017/1888, NCA 2017/1889), 2♀♀ juv. (NCA 2017/1890, NCA 2017/1892); Western Cape Province, Farm Tulpleegte (-32.6422, 22.6914), 15.v.2018, S. Brandt, C. Sole, E. Engelbrecht and E. Brand, 1♀ (NCA 2019/660), 1♀ juv. (NCA 2019/661).
Etymology: The specific epithet is a Greek noun ‘hamartia’ meaning fatal error or flaw. It is so because the allotype specimen when collected was being eaten by an Idiopidae species found in her burrow.
Diagnosis: The females of S. hamartia sp. nov. are distinguishable from other members of the genus occurring in the Karoo based on the following combination of characters. It is differentiated from S. astutus, S. leipoldti, S. maraisi, S. patersonae, S. schrieneri, S. theaei sp. nov., S. ignis sp. nov. and S. teras sp. nov. by the presence of an apical tuft being present on metatarsus III. Further differentiation can be made based on the extent of the spination present on the dorsal surface of metatarsus I. Only S. hamartia sp. nov., S. erythrognathus and S. unispinosus have spines extending half or more of the segment. This species can then be differentiated from S. erythrognathus and S. unispinosus as these species have less than 15 cheliceral denticles, whereas S. hamartia sp. nov. has over 20 denticles present. The male of this species is difficult to diagnose due to the state of the allotype, which was found half-eaten by a female idiopid.
Description: Based on the holotype ♀ (NCA 2017/1852) and paratypes 4♀ (NCA 2017/1849, NCA 2017/1888, NCA 2017/1889, NCA 2019/660) and the allotype Ô (NCA 2017/1891).
Remarks: Ô: The allotype is in poor condition as it was found half-eaten in a female idiopid burrow (Fig 5D). For this reason, many measurements and characters could not be determined.
General: ♀: (Fig 5C) Large bodied spiders, ranging between 20.10–31.30 (27.30) total length. Ô: (Fig 5D) Length could not be determined.
Carapace: ♀: Carapace length 8.62–14.01 (12.07); width 7.45–12.06 (10.88). Reddish orange colouration. Smooth texture, with some pleats in thoracic region. Fovea strongly procurved, between 1.36–2.82 (2.09) in length. Ô: Length and width undetermined. Reddish orange colouration, thoracic region with rugose texture. Fovea length undetermined.
Ocelli: ♀: (Fig 2C, 17A) AME diameter 0.25–0.36 (0.30), PME diameter 0.27–0.30 (0.28), MOQ anterior width 1.81–2.92 (2.62), MOQ posterior width 3.05–4.80 (4.16); AME-AME 0.72, AME-ALE 0.51, ALE-ALE 2.39, PME-PME 2.51, PME-PLE 0.39, PLE-PLE 3.83. AER slightly procurved, PER almost straight. Ô: Eye measurements could not be taken.
Chelicerae: ♀: (Fig 19C) Two teeth rows present, 3–4 teeth in proventral row, 4 teeth in retroventral row; 16 cuspules in between.
Sternum, labium and maxillae: ♀: (Fig 19A) Sternum length 5.20–7.74 (6.78); sternum width 4.25–6.99 (6.20). Longitudinally elongated sigilla, distal end 0.47–0.95 (0.70) apart, proximal end 1.75–3.14 (2.27) apart; labium with 6–11 cuspules present (Fig 19B); maxillae with 8–14 cuspules present. Ô: (Fig 21C) Sternum length 2.73; sternum width undetermined. Sternum shape has shallow impressions of where the coxa are situated. Longitudinally elongated sigilla, distal end 0.43 apart, proximal end 0.93 apart; cuspules on labium absent; maxilla absent.
Abdomen: ♀: Abdomen length 11.48–17.29 (15.13); width 7.62–12.18 (11.56). Grey colour, two black spots posteriorly situated, closer towards spinnerets, some specimens with larger darker patch connecting the two dots and extending further towards the spinnerets. Ô: Length and width are undetermined. Dark brown in colour.
Pedipalps: ♀: Total length 16.79; Segment lengths 5.78, 3.75, 3.49, -,3.79. Spination: spines absent in femur and patella, with sparse setae. Tibia pl - 2 tibial spurs, 1 proximal, 1 distal, do- small patch of spinules distally extend onto the tarsus. Rl - 20–21 spinules along the segment. Tarsus pl - 5 large spines on the distal end, do - patch of 15–17 spinules, less dense distally, extend ¼–⅕ of segment, rl - covered in dense spines (20–24). Ô: (Fig 21A, B) Total length not determined; Segment lengths damaged, 6.38, 4.83, -,5.89. Spines absent. Bulb compact, embolus elongated tapering into sharp point, perpendicular to tibia.
Legs: ♀: Length order: IV, I, III, II. I Total length 24.43; Segment lengths 7.58, 4.75, 4.68, 5.56, 1.86; Spination: spines absent on femur and patella, with sparse setae. Tibia pl & rl —dense spines extend entire segment, less dense proximally, do (Fig 20A)- patch of dense spines distally, extend onto metatarsus, reaches ⅛ of segment. Metatarsus pl & rl - dense spines extend entire segment, do (Fig 20A)—patch of dense spines extending ½ segment from proximal end, v - highly scopulate. Tarsus pl & rl - dense spines extend entire segment, v - highly scopulate. II Total length 21.30; Segment lengths 6.58, 4.49, 3.77, 4.89, 1.58; Spination: spines absent on femur and patella, with sparse setae. Tibia pl - dense spines extend ⅙ of segment from distal end, 2–3 spines proximally, do (Fig 20B)- patch of dense spines distally reaching ⅛ of segment length. Rl - dense spines extend entire segment, less dense proximally. Metatarsus and tarsus same as in I (Fig 20B). III Total length 22.63; Segment lengths 6.36, 6.02, 2.09, 5.17, 3.03; Spination: spines absent on femur with sparse setae. Patella do / rl with 2–3 short spines. Tibia do (Fig 20C)—stout red spines dense patch distally, hidden by long setae. Metatarsus do (Fig 20C)- 2 rows of stout red spines (14–18 in each), between smaller red spinules, v - Terminally 8–9 long spines present (Fig 20E). Tarsus pl - dense patch of red spines on the distal ⅓ of the segment. IV Total length 28.04; Segment lengths 7.14, 5.73, 5.42, 6.87, 2.88; Spination: spines absent on femur with sparse setae. Patella do - short dense red spines proximally, less dense distally, interspersed with short black setae. Tibia (Fig 20D) pl - 12–13 spines along segment, do - dense setae. Metatarsus (Fig 20D) pl - 9–10 spines along segment, denser distally, v - 5–6 randomly scattered spinules, six spines in a transverse row in the preening comb (Fig 20F). Tarsus pl - dense patch of red spines extending distally. Ô: Length order undetermined. I Total length undetermined; Segment lengths -, -, -, 4.63, 1.96; Spination: Metatarsus v (Fig 21D)—25 spines segment. Tarsus v - scopulate. II Total length 14.41; Segment lengths 4.35, 2.18, 3.54, 2.9, 1.45; Spination: spines absent on femur. Patella v - 4 small thickened setae distally. Tibia v - 11 long spines along segment, 2 most distal are thicker. Metatarsus v - 23 spines along segment. Tarsus do - dense patch of spinules (7–8) distally, v - scopulate. III Total length 12.21; Segment lengths 3.41, 2.05, 1.37, 3.36, 2.02; Spination: spines absent on femur. Patella pl - 2–3 spines distally. Tibia do - dense patch of spinules (9–10 each) on distal end more pl & rl. Metatarsus pl - 1 spine, do - 9–10 spines along segment, v - 4 spines scattered. Tarsus pl - 1 spine distally, v - scopulate. IV Length order undetermined. I Total length undetermined; Segment lengths -, 2.14, 3.46, 5.01, 2.6; Spination: Patella do - dense red spines proximally (extends rl). Tibia pl - 1 small spine. Metatarsus v (Fig 21E)- 5 spines, distal 3 are larger. Tarsus pl & rl - 12 small spines along surface, denser distally, v - scopulate.
Spermathecae: (Fig 22A, B) Entire, with inflated terminus, similar to a giraffe’s ossicones.
Distribution and environment notes:
The species is found in the localities indicated in Figure 16. The species occurs on the border of the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. All the sample locations were flat pans near drainage lines, with typical low to medium height Karoo shrubs. All the soil was hard and compact, except for at site 21 where the soil was softer (this was the most specimen rich site). The burrow trapdoor lids were visible on the surface only at sites 6 and 7. At site 39 several empty Stasimopus burrows were excavated, and a pompilid wasp was found in one. One burrow which had a live female specimen in was deep (Approx. 30cm).
description: Published as part of Brandt, Shannon, Sole, Catherine & Lyle, Robin, 2023, An integrative taxonomy of the genus Stasimopus Simon 1892 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) of the Karoo with the description of nine new species and a Stasimopus maraisi Hewitt 1914 male, pp. 1-60 in Zootaxa 5341 (1) on pages 27-29, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5341.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8323744