On some new and poorly-known Chrysillini from arid western South Africa (Araneae, Salticidae)

 

On some new and poorly-known Chrysillini from arid western South Africa (Araneae, Salticidae)

Abstract

Following a rapid biodiversity assessment of spiders in the arid western interior of South Africa, we report on the occurrence of some poorly known and new species of chrysilline jumping spiders. Helafricanus patellaris (Simon, 1901), Heliocapensis capensis (Wesołowska, 1986), H. mirabilis (Wesołowska, 1986) and Menemerus lesserti Lawrence, 1927 are recorded from the Northern Cape Province for the first time, and Heliocapensis maluti (Wesołowska & Haddad, 2014) (Lesotho) and Heliophanus deformis Wesołowska, 1986 (Angola) are recorded from South Africa for the first time, both also from the Northern Cape. The hitherto unknown females of Heliocapensis mirabilis (Wesołowska, 1986) and Icius pulchellus Haddad & Wesołowska, 2011 and the male of M. lesserti are described for the first time. Three new species are described: Icius jacksoni sp. nov. (♂), Menemerus foordi sp. nov. (♂) and Natta triguttata sp. nov. (♂♀). One new combination, Afraflacilla matabelensis (Wesołowska, 2011), comb. nov. (ex Pseudicius Simon, 1885), is proposed. We present the first comprehensive molecular analysis of South Africa Chrysillini jumping spiders, based on the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene, which supports the monophyly of all but two genera (Helafricanus Wesołowska, 1986 and Heliophanus C.L. Koch, 1833), which we briefly discuss.

A warm thank you to Dr. Charles Haddad for kindly sharing this recent paper with me.

Haddad CR, Wesołowska W (2024) On some new and poorly-known Chrysillini from arid western South Africa (Araneae, Salticidae). African Invertebrates 65(2): 127-159. https://doi.org/10.3897/AfrInvertebr.65.136083