New species and records of Phlegra from Africa (Araneae, Salticidae)

New species and records of Phlegra from Africa (Araneae, Salticidae). ­ SIX poorly known species of Phlegra from Africa are diagnosed, figured and redescribed: P lugubris Berland & Millot, )941; P nuda Pr6chniewicz & Herciak, 1994: P pusilla Wesolowska & van Harten, 1994; P soudanica Berland & Millot, 1941; P trifoveolata Lessert, 1927; and P tristis Lessert, 1927. New records from the Mediterranean and Africa, and taxonomic comments on Phlegra bresnieri (Lucas, 1846) are provided. Phlegra lugubris var. senegalensis Berland & Millot, 1941 and P tuzetae Berland & Millot, 1941 are synonymized with Phlegra lugubris Berland & Millot, 1941. The <? lectotype is designated for Phlegra tristis Lessert, 1927. Three new species are desclibed: Phlegra etosha sp. n. (0'; Namibia); P 15agnoa sp. n. (0'; Ivory Coast); and P touba sp. n. (0' '2 ; Ivory Coast).


INTRODUCTION
The genus Phlegra Simon, 1876 comprises 70 described species, mostly dis tributed in the Palaearctic and Afrotropical Regions (Platnlck, 2006). Although the Palaearctic species of Phleg ra have been studied reasonably well (see Logunov, 1996: Azarkina, 2003, except for the bresnieri species group and some species from the W. Mediterranean, those of Africa remain poorly known. Many of the African species are only known fro m old descriptions of single sexes. Taxonomic data on the AfrotropicaI Phlegra species can be found in Lessert (1927), Berland & Millot (1941), Pr6chniewicz & Herciak (1994). Wesolowska & van Harten (1994), Wesotowska & Russell-Smith (2000), and a few other works.
The aims of the present work are (1) to re-examine type material of Phlegra from some museums and (2) to describe newly collected species from the private collection of Dr A. Russell-Smith. In total, ten species are treated in this paper. Manuscript accepteu 03.06.2006 MATERIAL AND METHODS Specimens for this study were borrowed from the following museums and Abbreviation used in the text: AME = anterior median eye, ap = apical, D = description of, Fm =femur, Mt =metatarsus, nr. = near, PLE =posterior lateral eye, pr =prolateral, Pt = patella, rt =retrolateral, Tb = tibia, v = ventral. For the leg spination the system adopted is that used by Ono (1988). The term 'fossa(e)' is adopted from Davies & Zabka (1989) and means the single or paired epigynal indentation(s) within which the copulatory openings are situated. The sequence of leg segments in measu rement data is as follows: femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus. In all cases, the described colouration refers to the specimens preserved in alcohol. All measurements are in mm.

Figs 1-7
A complete set of references is given in Platnick (2006 speaking, the bresnieri species group contains species of two types: those with males having the clypeus densely covered with white hairs (P. bresnieri, P. lineata, P. pisarskii, etc .), and those with males having a 'naked' clypeus (P albostriata , P parti ceps, etc.). Unfortunately, the entire bresnieri species group needs a thorough critical revision before any of its species can be reliably identified. According to Metzner (1999), P. bresnieri is closely related to P lineata (C. L. Koch, 1848) and can be separated from it by the male coloration, viz. by the absence of two longitudinal stripes on the eye field, and by tiny differences in the arrangement of spermathecal loops in females. It remains uncertain though , how the latter author identified both species. as he did not re-examine any type material. However, most authors agree with Metzner 's diagnosis, which is therefore followed in the present work.
The 'Material examined' given above includes only those record s that certainly belong tv P bresnieri (sensu Metzner, 1999). Thus , the male from Ivory Coast, figured and descri bed below, is certainly conspecific with specimens from the Mediterranean and seems to represent the most south-western locality for this species. P bresnieri has once been recorded from N.E. Tanzania (Wesolowska & Russell-Smith, 2000), but the description of the male by these authors contains no reference to the white haired c1ypeus. Therefore, we suspect that Wesolowska & Russell-Smith (2000) actually dealt with P albostriata Simon, 1901 , known from E and S Africa (see Lesselt, 1936). We have re-examined Lessert'::; specimens (l 6 1 <?; kept in the MHNG) and found that the <3 has a brownish, 'naked' clypeus.
Phlegra etosha sp. n. ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is used as a nuun in apposition referring to the type locality, viz. Etosha National Park in Namibia.
DISTRIB UTION: Known fro m the type locality only.
Phlegra gagnoa sp. n. ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is used as a noun in apposition referring to the ty pe locality, Gagnoa in Ivory Coast.
DIAGNOSIS: This species is easily separable from all described Phlegm species known to us in having a long thin, S-shaped embolus (Fig. 18). This conformation has never been observed in other Phlegm species.
Carapace dark brown, with black eye field and two longitudinal stripes of white scales and hairs. Clypeus and 'cheeks' brown, chelicerae yellow-brown . Sternum brown. Abdomen yellow-grey. Dorsum dark brown, with grey-brown median stripe and two yellow stripes on abdomen sides (Fig. 40). Book-lung covers yellow-grey, spinne1'ets dark brown. Legs brownish yellow, but all femora of all legs dark brown; patellae and tibiae I brown. Palps yellow, covered with white hairs. Epigyne and spermathecae as in DIAGNOSIS: This is a very small species of Phlegra, which can be distinguished by the characteristic colour pattern of the carapace (with two narrow white lines, Fig.  52) and the dark brown, shiny scutum of the abdomen in males, as well as by the struc ture of the copulatory organs. The male has the embolus with a thin, slightly twisted tip and a wide base (Figs 43-46) and the female has rounded/ovoid and shallow fossae situated close to the epigastric furrow (Figs 47, 48). The clypeus of males also has a peculiar colour pattern of transverse brownish lines (Fig. SO), but this pattern is not always clearly marked. COMMP';TS: P pusilla was described from a single male from Yemen (Wesotowska & van Harten , 1994) and has not been recorded elsewhere so far. It is very likely that some (or all) of the records of P nuda from N.E . Tanzania (Mkomazi Game Reserve) by Wesolowska & Russell-Smith (2000) actually belong to P pusilla.
We have examined two males from this locality, which were earlier identified as P nuda, and found that both should be assigned to P pusilla. The males of the latter species have a wide, straight tibial apophysis (compare Fig. 42 with fig . 142 in Wesolowska & van Harten, 1994), whereas Wesolowska & Russell-Smith (2000: figs 226, 227)  Tanzanian males (compare with the tibial apophysis of true P. nuda, Fig. 31). They also mentioned that it is "the commonest member of this genus in Mkomazi ... " (Op.CiL, p. 86). Thus, we suspect that either both species should occur in Mkomazi, or one of them (P. pusilla) was misidentified as P nuda. The matter needs further attention in the future.
DrsTRIB1J nON: Yemen, Tanzania, Kenya and Senegal, but likely to occur in most African countries north of the equator. DIAGNOSIS: Of other African species, P soudanica is most similar to P lugubris (see above). The females of P soudanica can easily be separated from those of the latter species by the narrower median septum of the epigyne, the stronger twisted ridges of the fossae and the wider, stronger and more heavily sclerotized insemination ducts (compare Figs 54,55 with 26,27,56,57). The male of P soudanica remains unknown.
DIAG OSIS: The female of this species is similar to that of P levis Prochniewicz & Hyciak, 1994 described from a single female from Kenya (Prochniewicz & Hyciak, 1994), but can be di stinguished from it by the absence of lateral edges of the epigyne and the larger fos sae (compare Figs 65, 66 with figs 5b. c in Prochniewicz & Hyciak, 1994). The thorax region of P levis is brownish orange, whereas it is whitish in P touba sp. n.
The epigyne of P touba sp. n. is also similar to that of P lugubris (see above), but the spermathecae of both species clearly differ in the number of loops and the length of insemination d,-lcts (compare Figs 66 with 27). Besides, the specimens of P lugubris are al most twice as big as those of P lOuba sp. n.
Phlegra trifoveolata Lessert, 1927 Figs 76-78 Phleg ra triJoveolata Lessert, 1927: 439-440 DIAG NOSIS: T his species displays a unique conformation of the S' copulatory organs. T he fossae are not developed, lne ep:gy nal pocket is displaced from the epigastric furrow and resembles the central blind-ending pocket of the Pelleninae. The insemination ducts are heavily sclerotized (Figs 77-78), a feature absent in other Phlegra species known to us. All these characters are unique in Phlegra and therefore are reliable diagnostic characters of P. trifoveolata . It is likely that this species is ;Jot a member of Phlegra , but its correct placement can be resolved only when males have been found and described.
DESCRIPTION: MALE unknown. FEMALE (the S' with all legs). Measurements.
Carapace 3.9, long, 2.9 wide, 1.7 high at PLE. Oculur area 1.5 long, 1.9 wide anteriorly and 2.0 wide posteriorly. Diameter of AME 0.6. Abdomer 5.1 long, 3.5 wide . Chelicera length 1.2. Clypeus height 0.7 . Length of leg segments: I 2.0+0.6+1.1+0.7+0.7; II 1.9+1.2+1.0+0.7+0.7; III 2.6+ 1.5+1.3+1.4+0.9 ; IV 2.4+1.2+1.4+1.7+0.9. Leg 5pina tion. Leg I: Fm d 0-1-1-3; Tb pt 1-0, v 2-2-2ap; Mt v 2-2ap. Leg II: Fm d 0-1-1-3 ; Tb pr I-I , v 1-1-2ap; Mt v 2-2ap. Leg III: Fm d 1-1-3; Pt pr and rt 0-\-0; Tb d 1-0, pr and rt I-I-I , v 1-2ap; Mt d I-I, pr and rt I-2ap, v 2-2ap. Leg IV: Fm d 1-1-2; Pt pr and rt 0-1-0; Tb d 1-0, pr and rt I -I-I , v 1-2ap; Mt d 1-0, pr and rt 1-1-2ap, v 2-2ap. Coloration. Carapace yellowish brown , with eye fie ld dark brown, black around eyes and two thin longitudinal lines ru nni ng from AMEs to rear edge of thorax r.:gion . Sternum, maxillae and labium yellow. Chelicerae yellowish brown. Abdomen: dorsum brown, wi th thin longitudinal yellow stripe; sides and venter yellow. Book-lung cov.:rs yel low, spi nnerets yellow, tinged with brown . All legs mosdy brownish yellow. Tb, Mt and Tr I and II dark brown. Epigyne and spermathecae as in DIAGNOSIS: P tristis belongs to the jasciata species group (sensu Laguno\,. 1~96) and is most closely related to P lugubris (see above). The females of P tristis can be easily distinguished from those of the latter species by the wider and shorter median septum of the epigyne and by the different shape of the rear epigynaJ margin (compare Figs 72 with 26, 57). We have been unable to properly compare the males of both species, as the 0 paralectotype of P tristis lacks both palps. The only relevant structure available for study was the three remaining palpal segments (femur, patella and tibia) . A comparison of these segments with those of P lUl?ubris showed that the tibia and tibial apophysis of P tristis arc almost twice the size of those of P lugubris (compare Figs 74 with 7S; both apophyses are illustrated to the same scale) and hence left no doubt that these species are different. COMMENTS: The type series of P tristis containes one male and three females , all specimens are partly destroyed. One female has no legs on its right side and we think that this female was described and illustrated by Lessert (1927). This is why we designated this ' 1l as the lectotype and illustrated it (Figs 72, 73).