A Revision of the Tracheline Sac Spider GenusCetonanaStrand, 1929 in the Afrotropical Region, with Descriptions of Two New Genera (Araneae: Corinnidae)

Robin Lyle,Charles R Haddad

doi:10.5733/afin.051.0206

Abstract

The dark sac spiders of the genus Cetonana Strand, 1929 (Corinnidae: Trachelinae) of the Afrotropical Region are revised. Following a detailed comparison of the somatic and genitalic morphology of the Afrotropical C. martini (Simon, 1897) with the European type species, C. laticeps (Canestrini, 1868), Afroceto gen. n. is established to include the transfer of two Afrotropical species previously described in Cetonana, namely A. martini (Simon, 1897) comb. n. (type species) and A. coenosa (Simon, 1897) comb. n. Three species are proposed as junior synonyms of A. martini, namely C. curvipes (Tucker, 1920) syn. n., C. tridentata (Lessert, 1923) syn. n. and C. simoni (Lawrence, 1942) syn. n. The type of C. aculifera (Strand, 1916) from Madagascar is presumed destroyed and this species is considered nomen dubium. Additionally, 12 new Afroceto gen. n. species are described from southern Africa, namely A. arca sp. n., A. bulla sp. n., A. bisulca sp. n., A. capensis sp. n., A. corcula sp. n., A. croeseri sp. n., A. flabella sp. n., A. gracilis sp. n., A. plana sp. n., A. porrecta sp. n., A. rotunda sp. n. and A. spicula sp. n. Afroceto gen. n. species display variable ecological preferences, occurring in tree canopies, lower foliage strata, bark, and on the ground in contrasting habitats (forests, savannah, grassland, karoo and fynbos) in southern Africa, with single records from Malawi and Tanzania. Patelloceto gen. n., closely resembling Afroceto gen. n. but distinguished by the reduced leg spination and distinctive genitalic morphology, is also described, with three new species, P. secutor sp. n. (type species), P. denticulata sp. n. and P. media sp. n. from southern, central and east Africa. Patelloceto gen. n. species are primarily arboreal, occurring in tree canopies, lower foliage strata or on bark in forests and savannahs.

Highlights

INTRODUCTIONRecent and ongoing revisions of Afrotropical tracheline sac spiders (Araneae: Corinnidae) have increased our knowledge of regional generic and species diversity
Recent and ongoing revisions of Afrotropical tracheline sac spiders (Araneae: Corinnidae) have increased our knowledge of regional generic and species diversity (Haddad2006; Lyle & Haddad 2006, 2009; Haddad & Lyle 2008; Lyle 2008, in press)
Three genera formerly listed under Trachelinae by Dippenaar-Schoeman & Jocqué (1997) were misplaced: Austrachelas Lawrence, 1938 was recently transferred to Gallieniellidae; Brachyphaea Simon, 1895 belongs to Corinninae; and Pronophaea Simon, 1897 can be considered Corinnidae incertae sedis (Haddad et al 2009; Haddad & Bosselaers 2010; Jocqué & Bosselaers in press)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Recent and ongoing revisions of Afrotropical tracheline sac spiders (Araneae: Corinnidae) have increased our knowledge of regional generic and species diversity WKH¿UVWLQGLFDWLRQVWKDWWKHJHQXVZDVSRO\SK\OHWLFDQGPD\QHHGWREHVHSDUDWHGLQWR different genera (Haddad et al 2009) In evaluating their morphology, several distinctive differences between C. laticeps and C. martini were found (Table 1), which necessitated the establishment of the new genus Afroceto gen. To evaluate the relationships of the Afrotropical Cetonana with the European type species, C. laticeps, we compared the somatic and genitalic morphology of the latter species with two Afrotropical species that were considered as the type species of the two new genera proposed here, i.e. Afroceto martini (Simon, 1897) comb. N. species are presently known from limited records in savannah and forest habitats in the east of the continent (e.g. Haddad et al 2006, 2010 as Cetonana sp.) These spiders are primarily arboreal and have been collected by beating, under bark or by canopy fogging. Both genera have been collected frequently by canopy fogging in South Africa, they are not very abundant, while Patelloceto gen. n. was occasionally collected by canopy fogging in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania

MATERIAL AND METHODS

DISCUSSION