A revision of the genus Hermacha Simon, 1889 (Mygalomorphae: Entypesidae), in southern Africa with revalidation of Hermachola Hewitt, 1915, and Brachytheliscus Pocock, 1902

Title Variants

Alternative: Hermacha revision

Related Titles

Series: American Museum novitates, number 3977

By

Ríos-Tamayo, Duniesky. , author

Engelbrecht, Ian , author
Goloboff, Pablo A. , author

Type

Book

Material

Published material

Publication info

New York, NY, American Museum of Natural History, [2021]

Notes

Caption title.

"September 2, 2021."

The southern African species of the mygalomorph spider genus Hermacha Simon, 1889, are revised. Eight species are redescribed: H. brevicauda Purcell, 1903; H. caudata Simon, 1889; H. evanescens Purcell, 1903; H. fulva Tucker, 1917; H. lanata Purcell, 1902; H. nigrispinosa Tucker, 1917; H. sericea Purcell, 1902; and H. tuckeri Raven, 1985. The female of H. sericea and the male of H. evanescens are described for the first time. Three new species are described: H. septemtrionalis, sp. nov., H. maraisae, sp. nov., and H. montana, sp. nov. On the basis of their genital morphology H. curvipes Purcell, 1902, and H. nigra Tucker, 1917, are considered incertae sedis. Pionothele capensis Zonstein, 2016, was found to be conspecific with H. brevicauda and is synonymized. The genera Brachytheliscus Pocock, 1902, and Hermachola Hewitt, 1915, are revalidated and redescribed. Hermacha capensis (Ausserer, 1871) and H. crudeni Hewitt, 1913, are transferred to Hermachola. Hermachola crudeni (Hewitt, 1913), originally described from a female, and Hermachola grahami Hewitt, 1915, originally described from a male, were found to be conspecific and synonymized. A new species, Hermachola lyleae, sp. nov., is also described. New morphological characters for the diagnoses of these genera and a dichotomous key for all species considered here are provided. Known distributions are mapped and, where available, ecological data are included. With the exception of H. caudata and H. mazoena Hewitt, 1915, all species are endemic to South Africa, but further survey work in neighboring countries is needed. This work substantially improves the taxonomy of this group of spiders and provides a foundation for further investigation of the diversity and relationships of species within the region.

Subjects

Classification , Hermacha maraisae , Hermacha montana , Hermacha septemtrionalis , Hermachola lyleae , Morphology , Mygalomorphae , South Africa , Spiders

Call Number

QL1 .A436 no. 3977 2021

Language

English

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1206/3977.1
OCLC: 1266385408