Ekapa, a new genus of mygalomorph spiders (Araneae, Entypesidae) from South Africa

By

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

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023-1-27

Original Publication

African invertebrates : a journal of biodiversity research

Volume

64

Series / Issue

Issue: 1

Pages

1--12

Subjects

new genus , new species , new synonymy , systematics , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Pietermaritzburg, South Africa Council of the Natal Museum 2001-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/afrinvertebr.64.97018

 

Abstract

A new genus of mygalomorph spider Ekapagen. 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.