A revision of the purse-web spider genus Calommata Lucas, 1837 (Araneae, Atypidae) in the Afrotropical Region

By

Fourie, Rene
Haddad, Charles R
Jocqué, Rudy

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2011

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

95

Pages

1-28

Subjects

Conservation , endemic , Mygalomorpha , new species , revalidation

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.95.745

 

Abstract

The purse-web spider genus Calommata Lucas, 1837 is revised in the Afrotropical Region. Following examination of the female type material, C. transvaalica Hewitt, 1916 is removed from synonymy with C. simoni Pocock, 1903 and revalidated. The females of both species are redescribed and their males described for the first time. While C. simoni is very widespread across tropical Africa, C. transvaalica is endemic to northern South Africa. Four new species are described, all known only from males: C. megae sp. n. (Zimbabwe), C. meridionalis sp. n. (South Africa), C. namibica sp. n. (Namibia) and C. tibialis sp. n. (Ivory Coast and Togo). Notes are presented on the biology of each species.