Eusparassus jaegeri Moradmand 2013, spec. nov

Eusparassus jaegeri spec. nov. Figs 29–30, 54a, 64a, d Type material. Holotype: male, SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng Province: 20 km NE of Pretoria, S 25˚36.321', E 28˚19.450', under stone in retreat, collected at night, 8 September 2004, D. Kunz leg. (SMF, SD295, MM52). Paratypes (7♂, 5♀♀): SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng Province : 1♀, Pretoria, Baviaanspoort, under stones, 22 October 1988, M. Filmer leg. (PPRI 90 /387); 1♀, Western Transvaal, 4 April 1987, H. Uys leg. (PPRI 88 /354); Limpopo Province: 1♀, Roodeplaat, S 25˚36.052', E 28˚19.731', 1226 m, under stone in retreat, 13 July 2004, D. Kunz leg. (SMF, SD34, MM51); 1♀, Klein Kariba, S 24º50'59'', E 28º20'20'', 26 November 1996, A.V.D Berg leg. (PPRI 97 /163). North West Province: 1♂, Borakalalo Nature Reserve, label: “ Buphuthatswana”, S 25˚, E 27˚, October 1986, M. Filmer leg. (PPRI 87 /720); 1♂, same data as previous (PPRI 87 /75); 1♂, same data as previous, April 1986 (PPRI 87 /131); 1♂, same data as previous, 20 November 1986 (PPRI 87 /120); 1♂, Magaliesberg, May 1990, L. Prendini leg. (PPRI 91 /1435); 1♂, Farms Elandsfontein / Buffelshoek, 37 km W of Thabazimbi, under stone in cocoon, area covered with dry leaves, 3 November 1979, M. Stiller leg. (PPRI 80 /174), 1♂, Buffelspoort dam, Rustenburg District, under dry bark of protea stump, 14 October 1979, M. Stiller leg. (PPRI 80 /185); BOTSWANA: 1♀, Rooikop, 15 January 1994, A. Harington leg. (PPRI 2001 /96). Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo Province: 2♀♀, 6 juveniles, Makapan, S 23º 10' 60'', E 28º 36' 0'', (MNHN 16.851); 1♀, Northen Cape Province: Kimberley (MNHN 13.037). Etymology. The species is named in honour of Dr Peter Jäger (SMF) in recognition of his scientific support of this project and also his invaluable help, motivation and encouragement; noun in genitive. Diagnosis. Males differing from congeners by slender and curving ET pointing smoothly distad at its distal end (Fig. 29c) and dRTA with a ventral bulge (Figs 29a, b); epigyne with two large triangular processes at posterior margine of lateral lobes (LL) (Fig. 30a) [see also diagnosis for jaegeri species group above]. Description. Male (ranges: n=8, single measurement: holotype): Measurements. Males medium sized; total length 13.5, prosoma length 5.7–6.3, prosoma width 4.7–5.8, anterior width of prosoma 2.5–3.1, opisthosoma length 7.8–8.0, opisthosoma width 4.0–4.7. Eye diameters: AME 0.40, ALE 0.30, PME 0.25, PLE 0.27; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.20, AME-ALE 0.06, PME-PME 0.38, PME-PLE 0.44, AME-PME 0.28, ALE-PLE 0.24, clypeus height at AME 0.23, clypeus height at ALE 0.31. AME largest (>1.5 times larger than PME) (Fig. 29d). Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 4 or 5 posterior teeth (3 or 4 larger teeth followed by smaller ones), cheliceral furrow with median line of 3 to 5 intermarginal denticles (Fig. 29e). Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 6.9 [2.2, 1.1, 1.1, 2.5], I 24.2 [6.5, 2.1, 6.0, 6.5, 2.1], II 28.2 [7.8, 2.7, 7.3, 8.2, 2.2], III 22.5 [6.5, 2.3, 5.5, 6.2, 2.0], IV 25.0 [7.0, 2.3, 6.2, 7.4, 2.1]. Spination. Palp 131, 000/001, 1111; Legs: Femur I – III 323 (423), IV 322; Patella I – IV 101; Tibia I–IV 2224; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036. Palp. As in diagnosis with cymbium more than twice as long as tibia (Fig. 29b), dRTA beak-like and vRTA wide and triangular in ventral view (Fig. 29a); ET retrolaterad with distal tip bent at right angle (Fig. 29c). Female (ranges: n=8, single measurement: paratype MM51): Measurements. Medium sized; total length: 13.4–19.2, prosoma length 5.3–7.2, prosoma width 4.8–6.3, anterior width of prosoma 3.0–3.8, opisthosoma length 8.1–12.0, opisthosoma width 5.2–7.6. Eye diameters: AME 0.45, ALE 0.34, PME 0.31, PLE 0.35; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.31, AME-ALE 0.10, PME-PME 0.51, PME-PLE 0.52, AME-PME 0.32, ALE-PLE 0.25, clypeus height at AME 0.34, clypeus height at ALE 0.40. Chelicerae. Chelicerae dentition as in males. AME largest. Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 7.4 [2.3, 1.2, 1.5, 2.4], I 24.7 [6.6, 3.3, 5.9, 6.8, 2.1], II 27.3 [7.5, 3.5, 6.6, 7.5, 2.2], III 22.9 [6.7, 2.8, 5.4, 6.0, 2.0], IV 25.1 [7.0, 2.8, 6.0, 7.2, 2.1]. Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111, 1013; Legs: Femur I–III 323, IV 321/322; Patella I–IV000/101; Tibia I–IV 2024; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036. Epigyne/vulva. As in diagnosis with MS enlarged, roundish and bulged outward ventrally (Fig. 30a), CD massive and dark in colour and fully to partially sclerotized (Fig. 30b), GP reduced in size and situated close to TL (Figs 30c, d). Colouration. Body uniformly coloured with pale brownish gray hairs and a longitudinal darker strip on dorsal opisthosoma (Fig. 54a) Known geographical distribution and habitat. South Africa: central region and Botswana collected from retreats under stones covered by bushes. One specimen sampled with an Euprosthenops sp. (Pisauridae).
Published as part of Moradmand, Majid, 2013, The stone huntsman spider genus Eusparassus (Araneae: Sparassidae): systematics and zoogeography with revision of the African and Arabian species, pp. 1-108 in Zootaxa 3675 (1) on pages 50-53, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3675.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6422593