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Some morphological characters of Pachyballus and Peplometus1Pach. flavipes (specimen from Gabon), male, ventral abdominal scuta 2Pach. ornatus (specimen from Tanzania), female, ventral abdominal scuta 3Pach. flavipes (specimen from Congo), embolus 4Pepl. biscutellatus (specimen from Ivory Coast), palpal organ in ventral view 5Pach. flavipes (specimen from Zimbabwe), epigyne with broken embolus in copulatory opening 6Pach. castaneus, pitted integument of abdomen.
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Two genera from the tribe Ballini (Araneae, Salticidae), Pachyballus Simon, 1900 and Peplometus Simon, 1900, are remarkable for their resemblance to beetles. Their biology is, however, poorly known and taxonomy has hitherto been rarely analysed. Thirteen species are included in this taxonomic revision of the two genera. Six of them are new to the s...
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Thiratoscirtina is an African endemic subtribe of aelurilline jumping spiders. Among the 18 genera belonging here, the genus Pochyta Simon, 1901 and its ten currently recognized species is yet to be revised, and the described species have been not studied from a taxonomical perspective. We examined all the species thought to belong here based on th...
Citations
... Additionally, large revisions have also included the description of many new species from the subregion (e.g. Wesołowska 1986Wesołowska , 1999Azarkina & Foord 2014;Wesołowska et al. , 2020Azarkina 2020;Azarkina & Haddad 2020). However, the fauna of Botswana, Eswatini and Mozambique remains relatively poorly known. ...
... Hyllus brevitarsis Simon, 1902Bacelar (1953 Wesołowska ( (Peckham & Peckham, 1903) Lessert (1936) MN: Vila Pery, 19°07'S, 33°30'E Hyllus treleaveni Peckham & Peckham, 1902Bacelar (1953 Lessert ( (Dufour, 1831) Lessert (1936) SO: Chiramba, 16°53'S, 34°39'E Menemerus lesnei Lessert, 1936Lessert (1936 SO: Bas Sangadze, Komp'hala, 17°26'S, 34°56'E Myrmarachne laurentina Bacelar, 1953Bacelar (1953 MC: Maputo [Lourenço Marques], 25°58'S, 32°34'E Natta horizontalis Karsch, 1879Lessert (1936 MN: Vila Pery, 19°07'S, 33°30'E Pachyballus transversus Simon, 1900Wesołowska et al. (2020 TE: Tete prov. ...
Only 26 species of jumping spiders have been recorded from Mozambique to date. The present study is based on materials from four museum collections. Fourteen species are described as new to science: Habrocestum mozambicum sp. nov. (♂ ♀), Hyllus bisulcus sp. nov. (♂), H. ornatus sp. nov. (♂ ♀), H. simplex sp. nov. (♂), H. tetensis sp. nov. (♀), Langelurillus alius sp. nov. (♂), L. pusillus sp. nov. (♂), Langona spiralis sp. nov. (♀), Phintella elegans sp. nov. (♀), Rhene plumata sp. nov. (♂ ♀), Thiratoscirtus clarus sp. nov. (♀), T. gimoi sp. nov. (♀), Thyene roeweri sp. nov. (♂) and Vicirionessa spinosa sp. nov. (♂ ♀). Four new combinations are proposed: Afraflacilla sengwaensis (Wesołowska & Cumming, 2011) comb. nov., Psenuc dentatus (Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013) comb. nov. and P. squamatus (Haddad & Wesołowska, 2013) comb. nov. (all from Pseudicius Simon, 1885), and Evarcha soricina (Thorell, 1899) comb. nov. (from Marpissa C.L. Koch, 1846). The previously unknown sexes of two species, Asemonea clara Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013 (♂) and Thyene leighi Peckham & Peckham, 1903 (♀), are described for the first time. The updated list of salticids from Mozambique contains 118 species, of which 78 are recorded from the country for the first time.
... The type locality was only given as Natal (South Africa). In a revision of Pachyballus by Wesołowska et al. (2020), they were unable to locate the type and they designated a neotype from the Ophathe Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, to stabilise the nomenclature. They redescribed the female and described the male as the original species description was lacking detail. ...
Information on the rare red beetle jumping spider Pachyballus castaneus Simon, 1900 is provided. As part of the South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA), the species was recollected and photographed. The general morphology, behaviour, conservation status and distribution of the species are discussed along with images of live specimens.
... For both sexes see Wesołowska et al. (2020). ...
... Genus Pochytoides Wesołowska, 2020 Pochytoides mirabilis sp. nov. ...
This paper contains the results of research on a large assemblage of jumping spiders collected by J.-C. Ledoux from Ivory Coast in 1974–75. In total, 105 species are included. Three new genera are erected Pulcherula gen. nov., Sphericula gen. nov. and Vicirionessa gen. nov. Two generic names are synonymized, Polemus Simon, 1902 with Baryphas Simon, 1902 and Brancus Simon, 1902 with Thyene Simon, 1885. Twenty eight new species are described: Afraflacilla albopunctata sp. nov. (♀), Ansienulina lamottei sp. nov. (♂), Asemonaea pusilla sp. nov. (♀), Detalik cavally sp. nov. (♀), Evarcha zougoussi sp. nov. (♀), Heliophanus (Heliophanus) minimus sp. nov. (♂♀), Hyllus ignotus sp. nov. (♀), Hyllus solus sp. nov. (♀), Hyllus unicolor sp. nov. (♀), Icius bandama sp. nov. (♂♀), Langona recta sp. nov. (♂), Malizna zabkai sp. nov. (♀), Menemerus niangbo sp. nov. (♀), Myrmarachne galea sp. nov. (♀), Phintella brevis sp. nov. (♂), Phintella globosa sp. nov. (♀), Phintella occidentalis sp. nov. (♂), Phintella transversa sp. nov. (♂), Pochytoides mirabilis sp. nov. (♂♀), Pochytoides tonkoui sp. nov. (♀), Pochytoides tournieri sp. nov. (♂), Pulcherula magna gen. et sp. nov. (♂), Rhene ferkensis sp. nov. (♀), Sonoita ledouxi sp. nov. (♂♀), Sphericula globulifera gen. et sp. nov. (♀), Thiratoscirtus silvestris sp. nov. (♂♀), Tusitala bandama sp. nov. (♀) and Tusitala cornuta sp. nov. (♂). Five specific names are synonymized: Polemus chrysochirus Simon, 1902 with Baryphas jullieni Simon, 1902, Viciria mondoni Berland & Millot, 1941with Malloneta guineensis Simon, 1902, Brancus lacrimosus Wesołowska & Edwards 2008 with Vicirionessa fuscimana (Simon, 1903), Viciria monodi Berland & Millot, 1941 and Viciria equestris pallida Berland & Millot, 1941 with Vicirionessa equestris (Simon, 1903). Hyllus natali peckhamorum Berland & Millot, 1941 is removed from synonymy of Hyllus brevitarsis Simon, 1902, revalidated and its rank is raised as Hyllus peckhamorum Berland & Millot, 1941 stat. nov. Also rank of Telamonia aequipes minor Lessert, 1925 is elevated as Phintella minor (Lessert, 1925) stat. nov. Menemerus dubius Berland & Millot, 1941 is removed from nomina dubia. This species is considered valid and is redescribed. A lectotype is designated for it. The male of Mexcala torquata Wesołowska, 2009 and females of Hyllus tuberculatus Wanless & Clark, 1975, Iranattus principalis (Wesołowska, 2000), Myrmarachne eidmanni Roewer, 1942 and Thiratoscirtus tentativus (Szűts & Jocqué, 2001) are described for the first time. Many new combinations are proposed. Twenty ex Brancus are recombined: Hyllus nigeriensis (Wesołowska & Edwards, 2012) comb. nov., Thyene blaisei (Simon, 1902) comb. nov., Thyene calebi (Kanesharatnam & Benjamin, 2018) comb. nov., Thyene mutica (Simon, 1902) comb. nov., Thyene verdieri (Berland & Millot, 1941) comb. nov., Vicirionessa besanconi (Berland & Millot, 1941) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa fuscimana (Simon, 1903) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa mustela (Simon, 1902) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa niveimana (Simon, 1902) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa occidentalis (Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa peckhamorum (Lessert, 1927) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa signata (Dawidowicz & Wesołowska, 2016) gen. et comb. nov. Four ex Viciria are recombined: Vicirionessa chabanaudi (Fage, 1923) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa equestris (Simon, 1903) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa prenanti (Berland & Millot, 1941) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa tergina (Simon, 1903) gen. et comb. nov. and one species ex Hyllus: Vicirionessa albocincta (Thorell, 1899) gen. et comb. nov. Furthermore, the following two new combinations are proposed: Thiratoscirtus tentativus (Szűts & Jocqué, 2001) comb. nov. (ex Bacelarella) and Baryphas galeatus (Simon, 1902) comb. nov. (ex Polemus). For 11 species known so far from single records new data are presented: Heliophanus butemboensis Wesołowska, 1986, Hyllus lwoffi Berland & Millot, 1941, Hyllus tuberculatus Wanless & Clark, 1975, Menemerus dubius Berland & Millot, 1941, Mexcala torquata Wesołowska, 2009, Neaetha maxima Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011, Pachyballus miniscutulus Wesołowska, Azarkina & Wiśniewski 2020, Phintella paludosa Wesołowska & Edwards, 2012, Thiratoscirtus gambari Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011, Tusitala guineensis Berland & Millot, 1941 and Tusitala lutzi Lessert, 1927.
... The Old World tribe Ballini Banks, 1892 includes 15 genera and 90 species (sensu Maddison 2015), of which nine genera and 51 species occur in Afrotropical Region (sensu Dippenaar-Schoeman & Jocqué 1997): Afromarengo Benjamin, 2004 with four species, Colaxes Simon, 1900with two species, Copocrossa Simon, 1901 with one species, Cynapes Simon, 1900 with four species, Goleta Peckham & Peckham, 1894 with two species, Pachyballus Simon, 1900 with eight species, Padilla Peckham & Peckham, 1894 with nineteen species, Peplometus Simon, 1900 with five species, and Sadies Wanless, 1984 with five species (World Spider Catalog 2020). Six genera were described, reviewed or revised (Andriamalala 2007;Benjamin 2004;Wanless 1978aWanless , 1979Wanless , 1984Wesołowska et al. 2020). ...
... The Ballini is peculiar for the evolution of a variety of mimetic body forms that have evolved in such a small group, including proposed ant-or pseudoscorpion-mimicking Afromarengo, Leikung Benjamin, 2004and Marengo Peckham & Peckham, 1892(Benjamin 2004Figs 1-6), and beetle-mimicking Pachyballus and Peplometus (Wesołowska et al. 2020;Figs 13-15). ...
... Moreover, somatic characters are better suited to diagnose genera. For instance, the shape and structure of the first legs, cheliceral armament (but this can vary, see Andriamalala 2007 andWesołowska et al. 2020), body shape and leg setation are the most prominent generic diagnostic characters in the Ballini. The body and leg colouration (including coxae and trochanters) are sometimes very useful for distinguishing species belonging to the same genus, but cannot be treated as characters to distinguish genera or used as synapomorphies (contra Benjamin 2004), because similar environmental conditions can result in convergence in a number of features that enhance crypsis in many unrelated species and genera (Oxford & Gillespie 1998). ...
The jumping spider tribe Ballini is reviewed in the Afrotropical Region. The genera Afromarengo Benjamin, 2004 and Goleta Peckham & Peckham, 1894 are redefined. In Afromarengo, A. coriacea (Simon, 1900) is illustrated and A. ghanaensis sp. nov. (♀, from Ghana) and A. ugandensis sp. nov. (♂♀, from Uganda and D.R. Congo) are newly described. For Goleta, the type species, Goleta workmani (Peckham & Peckham, 1885), is redescribed from both sexes. Seven new genera and twelve new species are described, including three monotypic genera, Ballagascar gen. nov., with B. insularis (Peckham & Peckham, 1885) comb. nov. (ex Colaxes Simon, 1900) from Madagascar (♂♀) as the type species; Mondeku gen. nov., with M. albopilosum sp. nov. (♂♀, from Kenya) as the type species; and Oviballus gen. nov., with O. vidae sp. nov. (♂♀, from South Africa) as the type species. We also describe Planamarengo gen. nov., with P. bimaculata (Peckham & Peckham, 1903) comb. nov. (ex Afromarengo) from South Africa (♂♀) as the type species, as well as P. gatamaiyu sp. nov. (♂, from Kenya) and P. kenyaensis sp. nov. (♂♀, from Kenya); Propiomarengo gen. nov., with P. plana (Haddad & Wesołowska, 2013) comb. nov. (ex Afromarengo) from South Africa (♀) as the type species, as well as P. foordi sp. nov. (♂, from South Africa); Tenuiballus gen. nov., with T. minor sp. nov. (♂, from South Africa) as the type species, and also including T. coronatus sp. nov. (♂, from South Africa); and Wandawe gen. nov., with W. benjamini (Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013) comb. n. (ex Colaxes) from South Africa (♂♀) as the type species, and also including W. australe sp. nov. (♂♀, from South Africa) and W. tigrinа sp. nov. (♂♀, from Kenya and Uganda). A new combination for Copocrossa albozonata Caporiacco, 1949, Afromarengo albozonata comb. nov. is provided, and the name A. albozonata is treated as a nomen dubium. A new species of Padilla Peckham & Peckham, 1894, a genus only known from the Afrotropical Indian Ocean islands, P. wandae sp. nov. (♂♀, from Madagascar), is described. New data and illustrations for Sadies Wanless, 1984, as well as two Asian species of Colaxes, are provided. The recently revised Pachyballus Simon, 1900 and Peplometus Simon, 1900 are not treated further. A key to the genera of Afrotropical Ballinae is presented, as well as new data on their natural history, biogeography, and a discussion of the evolution of mimicry of various arthropod groups by balline jumping spiders. A putative synapomorphy and the new composition of Ballini sensu novo are proposed.
While historic efforts to document the arachnofauna of the Gulf of Guinea islands have primarily been the result of fortuitous collecting by non-specialists, recent efforts have been made to provide a more thorough documentation using systematic, targeted collecting methods. Results from those preliminary efforts indicate that the current formal scientific knowledge of the fauna is significantly underreported. Here, we present the first checklist of all arachnid species, excluding mites and ticks, for the Gulf of Guinea islands. We hope that this will serve as a guide to begin the immense work of documenting the true diversity represented in this unique archipelago.
Professor Wanda Wesołowska (maiden name Nowysz)—an internationally recognised expert in the taxonomy of jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae)—was born in Włocławek (Central Poland) on 11 August 1950. Wanda spent her youth and received her primary and secondary education in Szczecin (NW Poland). After finishing school in 1968, she entered the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, where she studied biology. Wanda graduated with a MSc degree in 1973. Her thesis was devoted to birds and was titled “Observations on the water and marsh birds on the storage-reservoir on the Vistula river near Włocławek during migration seasons”. This research was published as a scientific paper (Nowysz-Wesołowska 1976). Thus, Wanda began her scientific career with research on birds, an interest that is not uncommon among arachnologists (e.g., Pontus Palmgren, Michael I. Saaristo and Eugène Simon). This passion was shared with her future husband Tomasz Wesołowski. While still a student, Wanda undertook several regional field trips and published four papers on birds, with most of them being co-authored with Tomasz (Nowysz & Wesołowski 1972, 1973a,b; Nowysz 1973). Recently, Wanda and Tomasz celebrated the 40th anniversary of their marriage with another joint paper devoted to the ecology of the fluke Leucochloridium and its effect on the behaviour of the snail Succinea putris (Wesołowska & Wesołowski 2014). Wanda and Tomasz have one daughter, Olga, who currently works at the Department of Biophysics and Neurobiology at the Wrocław Medical Unversity (Poland), and a grandson, Mikołaj.
