Latest Articles from African Invertebrates Latest 17 Articles from African Invertebrates https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/ Fri, 29 Mar 2024 06:42:44 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from African Invertebrates https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/ A survey of Gnaphosidae (Arachnida, Araneae) from Ascension Island with description of a new species of Australoechemus Schmidt & Piepho, 1994 https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/113946/ African Invertebrates 64(3): 291-302

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.64.113946

Authors: Danniella Sherwood, Yuri M. Marusik, Adam Sharp, Philip Ashmole

Abstract: An updated checklist of the gnaphosid spiders of Ascension Island – comprising five species, in five genera – is presented, based on examination of historical and new specimens from across Ascension, including its islet Boatswain Bird Island. The continued presence of the non-native Marinarozelotes jaxartensis (Kroneberg, 1875), Urozelotes rusticus (L. Koch, 1842), and Zelotes laetus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872), previously recorded by prior workers, is confirmed. Two species are newly recorded from the island: Synaphosus syntheticus (Chamberlin, 1924) from the mainland and Australoechemus vickyae sp. nov. (♂♀) from both Boatswain Bird Island and the mainland.

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Research Article Wed, 15 Nov 2023 17:44:23 +0200
Checklist of the spiders (Araneae) of South Africa https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/111047/ African Invertebrates 64(3): 221-289

DOI: 10.3897/AfrInvertebr.64.111047

Authors: Ansie S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, Charles R. Haddad, Leon N. Lotz, Ruan Booysen, Rudolph C. Steenkamp, Stefan H. Foord

Abstract: A checklist of 2265 spider species and subspecies, 495 genera and 71 families is provided. Data were extracted from the South African National Survey of Arachnida database and over 200 taxonomic revisions, ending December 2022. Global distributions, endemicity and conservation assessment using IUCN Criteria are provided for each species. A total of 1325 spp. are endemic to South Africa (58.5%), 126 spp. (5.6%) are of special concern and 693 spp. (30.6%) are Data Deficient (DD), while 15 species were described without exact locality data. Most species (1444 spp., 63.8%) are widely distributed with no known threats and are of Least Concern. A total of 1316 spp. (57.6%) are known from both sexes and 23 spp. (1.0%) were described from juveniles. Salticidae is the most species-rich family (354 spp.), followed by Gnaphosidae (195 spp.), Thomisidae (143 spp.) and Araneidae (100 spp.) and ten families are represented by a single species.

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Checklist Tue, 14 Nov 2023 20:13:43 +0200
Ekapa, a new genus of mygalomorph spiders (Araneae, Entypesidae) from South Africa https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/97018/ African Invertebrates 64(1): 1-12

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.64.97018

Authors: Duniesky Ríos-Tamayo, Robin Lyle, Catherine L. Sole

Abstract: A new genus of mygalomorph spider Ekapa gen. nov., is described from South Africa. The new genus was formed to include the species Hermacha curvipes Purcell, 1902 and Hermacha nigra Tucker, 1917. These species are synonymized based on their somatic similarities, such as fovea shape, cheliceral teeth distribution, ocular pattern, presence of preening combs, and their close geographic distribution. The new genus proposed is distinguished by the presence of a projection in the retroventral side of the palpal tibia in males, together with a distinctive copulatory bulb shape; and in females by the shape of their spermathecae, with a high base and apical stalks that open into oval apical receptacles.

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Research Article Fri, 27 Jan 2023 18:34:24 +0200
Redescription of the poorly known genus Ikuma Lawrence, with synonymy and description of a new species from Namibia (Araneae, Palpimanidae) https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/90530/ African Invertebrates 63(2): 105-119

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.63.90530

Authors: Sergei Zonstein, Yuri M. Marusik

Abstract: The spider genus Ikuma Lawrence, 1938, endemic to Namibia, is rediagnosed and redescribed based on the characters both species originally included in the genus and of the newly described I. larseni sp. nov. A new synonymy is proposed: I. squamata Lawrence, 1938, described from a sole female is recognized a junior synonym of the type species I. spiculosa (Lawrence, 1927), based on a single juvenile. The currently described I. larseni sp. nov. differs from the generotype in the eye arrangement, structure of the abdominal scuta, and details of the colouration. The copulatory organs of both males and females belonging to Ikuma are studied, described and depicted for the first time. The previously known genus range confined to the far north of Namibia extends to the mid-western part of this country.

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Research Article Tue, 4 Oct 2022 10:14:47 +0300
Three new species of the genus Toxoniella (Araneae, Liocranidae) from Mount Kenya National Park, Kenya https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/62963/ African Invertebrates 62(1): 273-286

DOI: 10.3897/AfrInvertebr.62.62963

Authors: Dancun A. Oketch, Esther N. Kioko, Shuqiang Li

Abstract: Three new species of the genus Toxoniella Warui & Jocqué, 2002 of the family Liocranidae Simon, 1897 are described from Kenya: T. tharaka Oketch & Li, sp. nov., T. waruii Oketch & Li, sp. nov., and T. nyeri Oketch & Li, sp. nov. Types are deposited in the National Museums of Kenya (NMK), Nairobi, Kenya.

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Research Article Fri, 26 Feb 2021 11:18:33 +0200
Checklist of the spiders (Araneae) of Kenya https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/58776/ African Invertebrates 62(1): 47-229

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.62.58776

Authors: Grace M. Kioko, Yuri M. Marusik, Shuqiang Li, Esther N. Kioko, Liqiang Ji

Abstract: A checklist of 805 spider species and subspecies belonging to 57 families described and/or reported from Kenya up to 31 December 2018 is provided. Species distribution within Kenya is given according to counties and specific localities. A historical survey is provided and each record is presented in its original combination. The list is dominated by members of the families Salticidae and Linyphiidae (160 and 110 species, respectively). Eighteen families are represented by a single species. About 300 species are known exclusively from Kenya and 158 species are sub-endemics. Two hundred and forty two species are described from a single sex (159 females and 83 males) and 24 from juveniles. Nairobi County has the greatest number of records, five counties had a frequency of one, while nine counties had no collection records. There are two fossil spiders known from Kenya belonging to the family Oonopidae. One new combination is proposed: Hypsosinga holzapfelae (Lessert, 1936), comb. nov. (ex. Araneus Clerck, 1757).

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Checklist Tue, 19 Jan 2021 11:52:42 +0200
Description of a new genus and three new species of the family Palpimanidae (Arachnida, Araneae) from Kenya https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/54004/ African Invertebrates 61(2): 93-106

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.61.54004

Authors: Ambata D. Oketch, Sergei Zonstein, Esther N. Kioko, Shuqiang Li

Abstract: A new genus and three new species of the spider family Palpimanidae Thorell, 1870 from Kenya are described. Sceliscelis Oketch & Li, gen. nov. is close to Sarascelis Simon, 1887 and Scelidocteus Simon, 1907 but differs in the structure of the male palp. The new species reported are Sceliscelis marshi Oketch & Li, sp. nov., Scelidocteus taitave Oketch & Li, sp. nov., and Hybosida machondogo Oketch & Li, sp. nov. Sceliscelis marshi sp. nov. is described from males and females collected from Tsavo in south Kenya. Scelidocteus taitave sp. nov. can be distinguished from other congeners, as well as from the morphologically similar Scelidomachus socotranus Pocock, 1899, by the shape of the palpal “conductor”. Hybosida machondogo sp. nov. differs from other six-eyed Hybosida spp. by possessing rudimentary posterior median eyes.

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Research Article Tue, 28 Jul 2020 13:25:35 +0300
Two new species of Diaphorocellus Simon, 1893 from Madagascar (Araneae, Palpimanidae) https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/47048/ African Invertebrates 61(1): 1-15

DOI: 10.3897/AfrInvertebr.61.47048

Authors: Sergei L. Zonstein, Yuri M. Marusik

Abstract: Two new species of the palpimanid genus Diaphorocellus Simon, 1893, D. isalo sp. nov. (♂♀), and D. jocquei sp. nov. (♂♀), are described from central and eastern parts of Madagascar, respectively. Along with D. rufus (Tullgren, 1910), these new species can be distinguished from other congeners by possessing a finely and densely spotted colouration of the abdomen. They differ from one another, as well from D. rufus, by the eye group configuration and by the structure of the male and female copulatory organs. Diagnoses and illustrations presenting the diagnostic characters of D. isalo sp. nov. and D. jocquei sp. nov. are provided. The genus now includes six African species.

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Research Article Thu, 6 Feb 2020 11:46:49 +0200
Taxonomic studies on seven species of the genus Opopaea (Araneae, Oonopidae) from Kenya https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/39146/ African Invertebrates 60(2): 255-289

DOI: 10.3897/AfrInvertebr.60.39146

Authors: Yanfeng Tong, Shijia Liu, Esther N. Kioko, Grace M. Kioko, Shuqiang Li

Abstract: Seven species of the genus Opopaea Simon, 1892 from Kenya are recognized, including five new species: O. berlandi (Simon & Fage, 1922), O. kulczynskii (Berland, 1914), O. makadara Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂), O. ngangao Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂), O. ngulia Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂), O. sheldrick Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂), and O. wundanyi Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀♂). Morphological descriptions and illustrations of all the species are given. All types are preserved in the National Museums of Kenya in Nairobi, Kenya (NMK).

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Research Article Mon, 28 Oct 2019 10:51:33 +0200
Four new species of the sac spider genus Planochelas Lyle & Haddad, 2009 (Araneae, Trachelidae) from central and southern Africa https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/35269/ African Invertebrates 60(2): 147-164

DOI: 10.3897/AfrInvertebr.60.35269

Authors: Thembile T. Khoza, Robin Lyle

Abstract: The genus Planochelas Lyle & Haddad, 2009 is endemic to the Afrotropical region. Members of the genus are very small, arboreal sac spiders. They are mainly collected by canopy fogging in tropical forest and savanna. In this study, four new species of Planochelas are described: P. brevis sp. nov., P. jocquei sp. nov. (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and P. haddadi sp. nov., P. neethlingi sp. nov. (South Africa). An updated key to the genus is provided, and the new species are illustrated by photographs and drawings. A distribution map for the genus is provided. This paper increases the number of species in the genus to seven.

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Research Article Wed, 24 Jul 2019 10:50:43 +0300
On the species of the genus Mistaria Lehtinen, 1967 studied by Roewer (1955) from Africa (Araneae, Agelenidae) https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/34359/ African Invertebrates 60(1): 109-132

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.60.34359

Authors: Grace M. Kioko, Peter Jäger, Esther N. Kioko, Li-Qiang Ji, Shuqiang Li

Abstract: Eleven species of the spider family Agelenidae Koch, 1837 are reviewed based on the type material and transferred from the genus Agelena Walckenaer, 1805 to Mistaria Lehtinen 1967. These species occur in various African countries as indicated and include: M. jaundea (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♂, Cameroon), M. jumbo (Strand, 1913), comb. nov. (♂♀, Central & East Africa), M. kiboschensis (Lessert, 1915), comb. nov. (♂♀, Central & East Africa), M. keniana (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Kenya), M. lawrencei (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Zimbabwe), M. longimamillata (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Mozambique), M. moschiensis (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Tanzania), M. mossambica (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Mozambique), M. nyassana (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, Malawi), M. teteana (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♂, Mozambique) and M. zuluana (Roewer, 1955), comb. nov. (♀, South Africa).

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Research Article Wed, 19 Jun 2019 15:05:43 +0300
On the revisited types of four poorly known African species of Palpimanus (Araneae, Palpimanidae) https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/34229/ African Invertebrates 60(1): 83-95

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.60.34229

Authors: Sergei L. Zonstein, Yuri M. Marusik

Abstract: Based on the types deposited in the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (Germany), the following African species of Palpimanus Dufour, 1820 are re-examined and redescribed in details: P. namaquensis Simon, 1910 (South Africa, Namibia), P. nubilus Simon, 1910 (Namibia), P. paroculus Simon, 1910 (South Africa, Namibia) and P. processiger Strand, 1913 (Rwanda). The distribution of the considered species is specified and the erroneously interpreted geographical data, previously presented in the World Spider Catalog (2019), are corrected.

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Research Article Fri, 17 May 2019 12:20:16 +0300
New collection records for Theraphosidae (Araneae, Mygalomorphae) in Angola, with the description of a remarkable new species of Ceratogyrus https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/32141/ African Invertebrates 60(1): 1-13

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.60.32141

Authors: John M. Midgley, Ian Engelbrecht

Abstract: During 2015 and 2016 several baboon spider specimens (Araneae: Theraphosidae) were collected in central Angola during surveys undertaken for the Okavango Wilderness Project. These collections represent range and habitat extensions for Pterinochilus Pocock, 1897, Ceratogyrus Pocock, 1897 and Phoneyusa Karsch, 1884. The new species Ceratogyrus attonitifer sp. n. is described from female specimens and the distribution of genera mapped. Central and eastern Angola is severely under sampled for theraphosid spiders, with every species collected during the survey either being potentially new to science or representing a significant range extension for the genus.

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Research Article Wed, 6 Feb 2019 13:38:07 +0200
On four species of the genus Mistaria Lehtinen, 1967 (Araneae, Agelenidae) from Kenya https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/26617/ African Invertebrates 59(2): 111-126

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.59.26617

Authors: Grace M. Kioko, Esther N. Kioko, Shuqiang Li, Liqiang Ji

Abstract: In the current study, three species reported from Kenya are transferred from Agelena Walckenaer, 1805 to Mistaria Lehtinen, 1967, i.e. M. fagei (Caporiacco, 1949), comb. n., M. nairobii (Caporiacco, 1949), comb. n. and M. zorica (Strand, 1913), comb. n. One new species M. nyeupenyeusi G.M. Kioko & S. Li, sp. n. is described.

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Research Article Mon, 6 Aug 2018 16:28:17 +0300
A new species of the spider genus Cangoderces (Araneae, Telemidae) from South Africa https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/24190/ African Invertebrates 59(1): 37-46

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.59.24190

Authors: Chunxia Wang, Shuqiang Li, Charles R. Haddad

Abstract: A new species of the spider family Telemidae from South Africa, Cangoderces globosa sp. n., is diagnosed, described and illustrated. This is the second species of the family to be recorded from the country. Consistent with the habits of most Afrotropical telemids, C. globosa sp. n. was collected by sifting leaf litter in forests.

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Research Article Wed, 21 Mar 2018 14:41:55 +0200
Descriptions of the two-eyed African spider genera Chedimanops gen. n. and Hybosidella gen. n. (Araneae, Palpimanidae, Chediminae) https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/11448/ African Invertebrates 58(1): 23-47

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.58.11448

Authors: Sergei L. Zonstein, Yuri M. Marusik

Abstract: Two new genera of chedimine palpimanids are described. Chedimanops gen. n. includes the type species, C. eskovi sp. n. (♂♀), and C. rwenzorensis sp. n. (♂♀), both from the far eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Rwenzori Mts.). The monotypic Hybosidella gen. n. is based on H. etinde sp. n. (♂) from Cameroon. The new genera differ from all other Palpimanidae by possessing only the anterior median eyes (all other eyes are lost). These new genera can be distinguished from one another by the shape of the thoracic fovea (a narrow bracket-shaped pit vs. a longitudinal groove, respectively), as well as by the structure of the abdominal scuta and the male copulatory organ, peculiarities of coloration, amongst other characters. The taxonomic position and relationships of the newly described taxa are briefly discussed. The distinctive characters and a key to both species of Chedimanops gen. n. are also provided.

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Research Article Mon, 27 Feb 2017 10:42:25 +0200
Redescription of the type species of Diaphorocellus Simon, 1893 (Araneae, Palpimanidae, Chediminae) https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/9988/ African Invertebrates 57(2): 93-103

DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.57.9988

Authors: Sergei L. Zonstein, Yuri M. Marusik, Mikhail M. Omelko

Abstract: The type species of Diaphorocellus Simon, 1893, the South African D. biplagiatus Simon, 1893, is redescribed, and the male is described for the first time. The species is diagnosed and figured in detail, including the copulatory organs of both sexes, previously undescribed for any species of the genus. New distributional data of D. biplagiatus are provided.

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Research Article Wed, 31 Aug 2016 12:34:52 +0300