Thyenula aurantiaca

Thyenula aurantiaca (Simon, 1902)

Figs 176–183

Hyllus aurantiacus Simon 1902: 392.

Tularosa ogdeni Peckham & Peckham 1903: 246, pl. 28, figs 4–4d.

Tularosa aurantiacus Clark 1974: 17.

Thyenula ogdeni Wesołowska 1993: 34, figs 1–10.

Material. SOUTH AFRICA, KwaZulu-Natal Province, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Cape Vidal coastal forest, 28°08'S: 32°33'E, leaf litter, 1 male, 12 May 2012, leg. J.A. Neethling & C. Luwes (NCA 2013 /592); Ndumo Game Reserve, Pongola River, 26°54'S: 32°19'E, riverine forest, canopy fogging Breonardia salicina, 1 male, 2 July 2009, leg. C. Haddad, R. Lyle & V. Butler (NMSA 26477); Durban, Bluff, 29°53′S: 31°03′E, coastal dune scrub, 1 male, 17 April 1976, leg. A. Russell-Smith (NHM); Pietermaritzburg, 29°36'S: 30°22'E, pitfall trap, 1 female, 31 January 1983, leg. C. Schultz (NCA 83 /306); Pietermaritzburg, Clarendon garden, 29°37′S: 30°23′E, 1 male, 1 female, 19 April 1976, leg. A. Russell-Smith (NHM); same locality, 1 male, 1 female, 10 October 1985 (NMSA 26442); Jozini, 27°25'S: 32°04'E, pitfall trap, 24 January 1983, 3 females, leg. C. Schultz (NCA 83 /302); Tembe Elephant Park, 27°01'S: 32°25'E, sweep net in grass, 1 male, 1 female, 15 April 2003, leg. A. Honiball (NCA 2007 /1758); Hluhluwe, Zulu Nyala Game Reserve, 28°01'S: 32°16'E, under rocks in grass, 1 female, 13 November 1976, leg. P. Reavell (NCA 84 /647); Hluhluwe Sanctuary, 28°02'S: 32°17'E, 3.IV.2001, forest, 1 female, leg. C.L. Deeleman- Reinhold (ISEA 001.3800); Margate, 30°51'S: 30°21'E, sweep net in grass, 1 female, 17 October 1979, leg. C.J. Cilliers (NCA 2012 /2489); Vryheid, Ngome State Forest, 27°46'S, 31°27'E, pitfall trap, 1 female, 28 January 1983, leg. C. Schultz (NCA 83 /296); Pinetown, 29°48'S: 30°51'E, active search, under stones, 1 female, 6 June 1986, leg. C.J. Smit (NCA 87 /370); Eastern Cape Province, Grahamstown, Whitnall Street, 33°18'S: 26°31'E, on car, 1 female, 16 September 1978, leg. P. Croeser (NCA 83 /516); Grahamstown, 33°18′S: 26°32′E, in damp grass, stream valley, 2 males, 1 female, 32 April 1976, leg. A. Russell-Smith (NHM); 21 km NW of Grahamstown, Farm Thursford, 33°18'S: 26°31'E, on Opuntia aurantiaca, 6 females, 1 January 1974, leg. J. Hoffmann (NCA 78 /20); Fort Grey, 33°01'S: 27°48'E, sweep net in mixed herbs, 1 male, 2 December 1977, leg. A.S. Dippenaar (NCA 77 / 1150); Balfour, Mpofu Nature Reserve, 32°36'S: 26°36'E, in grassland, 1 female, 29 January 2009, leg. S.L. Peink (NCA 2011 /825); East London, Pineapple Research Station, 33°00'S: 27°54'E, pitfall trap, 1 female, 15 May 1985, leg. D.P. Keetch (NCA 95 /326); Port Elizabeth, 33°57'S: 25°36'E, 1 female, 5 January 1981, leg. W. Branch (NCA 83 /423); Northern Cape Province, 30 km SW of Prieska, Farm Good Hope, 29°48'S: 22°30'E, pitfall trap, 1 male, 18 January 2006, leg. V. Burger (NCA 2010 /3974); Western Cape Province, Cederberg Wilderness Area, Wupperthal, 32°28'S: 19°22'E, pitfall trap, 1 male, October, 2008, leg. E. Nortje & S. Kritzinger-Klopper (NCA 2012 /2488); Gauteng Province, Pretoria, Tshwane, 25°44'S: 28°11'E, in silk webbing in hollow weed, 1 female, 20 May 1999, leg. R. Urban (NCA 2010 /3591); Limpopo Province, Vaalwater, 12 km N of Vaalwater, Suikerbosplaat Private Game Farm, 24°17'S: 28°06'E, sweep net in grass, 1 female, 5 December 1996, leg. J. Leeming (NCA 97 / 687).

Diagnosis. This species is related to several other Thyenula species, especially to T. alotoma described above and T. fidelis Wesołowska & Haddad, 2009. It is easily distinguished from T. alotoma by the coloration of the carapace (lack of light stripes) and the lack of small denticles on the tibial apophysis of the male palp, as well as the larger spermathecae in female. The male differs from T. fidelis by the larger diameter of the embolic spiral, the female by the longer seminal ducts.

Description. Measurements (male/female). Cephalothorax: length 2.3–2.5/2.6–2.8, width1.7–1.9/1.9–2.2, height 1.2–1.4/1.2–1.4. Abdomen: length 2.0/2.5–3.0, width 1.4–1.6/2.1–2.5. Eye field: length 1.0–1.2/1.2, anterior and posterior width 1.7–1.8/2.0.

Male. General appearance as in Fig. 176. Carapace oval, very high, black with lighter (brownish) area at fovea. Dorsal surface and slopes with white hairs, some similar hairs on eye field anteriorly. Fawn scales between and below anterior row of eyes. Clypeus low, black, sometimes with white hair. Chelicerae blackish, with two promarginal teeth and single wide tooth on retromargin (Fig. 178), in some specimens bicuspid (Fig. 177). Mouth parts and sternum brown. Abdomen dark (dorsum clothed in mosaic of small dark patches on pale background) with light band on anterior margin spreading to sides, large yellowish patch in posterior half of abdomen and thin dark transverse lines on the patch posteriorly. Venter brownish with four lines composed of light dots. Scarce brown hairs on abdominal dorsum. Spinnerets yellowish grey. Legs I and II black, only tarsi yellow. Legs III and IV lighter, brownish, but basal two thirds of femora and entire metatarsi and tarsi yellow. Coxae of all legs light yellow. Leg hairs brown and whitish, spines dark. Pedipalps light, whitish, only palpal tibia and bulb light brown. Palpal tibia short. Palpal organ as in Figs 179, 180, tibial apophysis thin, embolic coil great.

Female. General appearance as in Fig. 181. Similar to male, semicircular lighter area on thoracic part anteriorly. Venter of abdomen yellow with numerous brownish marks. Legs dark yellowish to light brown. Epigyne with small oval depressions and copulatory openings placed anteriorly (Fig. 182). Seminal ducts short, spermathecae relatively large (Fig. 183).

Distribution. A common species in South Africa.