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NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

R. F. LAWRENCE

Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg

(With 24 text-figures)

CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction .. ay wh a Bere)

Descriptions of Saas: 58

A list of the cavernicolous Acecibeat dls ail Muriapoda!

of South Africa .. BA out oy SUAS

Summary : aS oe ie si he vine!

Agmaanileimerant ais a Be ay ao ge

References is we ae Me es es earn)

INTRODUCTION

At the end of the last century only three species of cave arachnids had been

described from South Africa, all of them spiders, by E. Simon (1893, 1894,

1896).

The number of Arachnida and Myriopoda known at the present time,

including those described in the present paper, is twenty-two, seventeen of them

being Araneae. Most of these have been taken from the Table Mountain and

Kalk Bay caves in the Cape Peninsula, and the Cango Caves at Oudtshoorn.

Specimens have also been collected in: Skeleton Cave, Oudtshoorn; Guano

Cave, Hotpot and Onmeetbarediepgat, Bredasdorp; two small caves in Natal, at

Champagne Castle in the Drakensberg and at Noodsberg in the New Hanover

district. In the Transvaal Simon collected a number of arthropods at a small

cave in the suburbs of Pretoria on the banks of the Apies River, and at the

Makapan Cave near Potgietersrus. It is worthy of note that in the cave at

Pretoria, Simon mentions (1894: 63) finding a number of specimens of an

undescribed pseudoscorpion (Chilifer, sic) which he sent to M. Balzan for

identification. In the Makapan Cave he discovered a new species of tenebrionid

beetle, Eurychora simoni, and. observed, but apparently did not collect, Myria-

poda. Many of these caves are large, forming long horizontal galleries or

extending deep below the surface, and almost all the specimens were collected

in totally dark parts of the caves.

It is of interest to compare the numbers of cave Arachnida found in South

Africa with those of neighbouring regions of the African continent. In 1931

Fage published a comprehensive list of cave spiders from all parts of the world,

omitting however the three South African species already described by Simon.

ay)

Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 48 (2), 1964, 57-75, 24 text-figures.

SMATASOs aR rary pee

Muar JUN 2 2 1964

58 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

According to this list no less than twenty-six species had been described from

East Africa by Berland (1914) and Simon and Fage (1922) as compared with

seventeen from South Africa up to 1963 and eight from the (Belgian) Congo

(Leleup, 1956). It is possible that collecting in South African caves has not

been as extensive as in East Africa.

The Congo has a much larger cavernicolous myriapod fauna than South

Africa, Leleup (1956) listing nine species of Diplopoda and three of Chilopoda,

while only one diplopod species has been found in the whole South African

region and no Chilopoda. On the other hand only eight species of spiders have

been recorded from the caves of the (Belgian) Congo.

A number of immature or incomplete specimens, which it has been impos-

sible to describe and include in the South African faunal list, indicate that a

fairly large number of South African cave spiders still await description. This

would especially apply to the Bredasdorp caves, the Oudtshoorn caves other

than the Cango Caves, and various caves in Natal and the Transvaal. It might

also be interesting to explore for comparison some of the long tunnels which

have recently been excavated for the South African railways, such as the

3-mile-long tunnel between Pietermaritzburg and Howick in Natal.

The large number of specimens placed at my disposal by Mr. J. R.

Grindley of the South African Museum were collected by himself and other

staff members of this Institution at various times between 1929 and 1961, and

by the South African Spelaeological Association.

DESCRIPTIONS OF SPECIES

Family Dictynidae

Genus HAEMILLA E,. Simon

Haemilla grindleyi n. sp.

(Fig. 1)

Holotype: 1 2 (S.A.M. 10004), Wynberg Caves, Table Mountain, collected

J. R. Grindley, August 1956.

Colour: Carapace light reddish brown, its anterior margin a little darker,

sternum reddish brown, mouthparts and chelicerae dark reddish brown;

legs (including coxae) yellow brown, the apical segments reddish; pedipalps

yellow brown, tibia and tarsus reddish brown. Abdomen dark olive green

dorsally, with a series of indistinct lighter chevron markings, some intermixed

lighter spots and stripes laterally, ventral surface olive green with a pair of

widely separated parallel longitudinal lighter stripes.

Eyes: Anterior row with lower margins forming a straight line, medians

less than a diameter apart, their own diameter from the laterals; posterior row

distinctly procurved, medians a little more than their diameter apart, two

diameters from the laterals; posterior medians distinctly larger than anterior

medians, median quadrangle considerably wider behind than in front (by a

NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA 59

little less than the diameter of an anterior median), as long as or a very little

longer than posteriorly wide; laterals subequal, subcontiguous, anterior medians

3-4 times their diameter from edge of clypeus.

Chelicera with 7-8 teeth on superior margin, 4—6 on inferior margin not

much smaller than the superior ones.

Fic. 1. Haemilla grindleyi n. sp. 2. Vulva.

Fic. 2. Haemilla profundissima n. sp. 2. Vulva.

Fics. 3, 4. Loxosceles valida n. sp. 3. 3, dorsal pattern of abdomen; 4, pedipalp from

inner side.

Vulva as in fig. 1, resembling in its basic pattern those of tuberculata Lawr.

and tanganensis Simon & Fage.

Calamistrum on metatarsus IV with a row of 33 modified hairs occupying

only one-eighth of its total length; the segment slightly sinuous in the region

of the calamistrum.

Legs: Patellae III and IV with 1 posterior spine, anterior patellae without;

tibiae I and II with 2 pairs of inferior spines, 2 lateral pairs; metatarsi I and II

with 4 lateral spines on each side, I with 1 small inferior spine at apex, II with

2 pairs of inferior spines. All tarsi with a ventral brush-like scopula, anterior

legs with a metatarsal scopula in addition.

60 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pedipalp: Tibia and tarsus with a dense brush-like scopula, tarsus with 5-6

long spines in addition.

Dimensions: Length of carapace 5:1, abdomen 6 mm.

Further material: 1 immature 2, Wynberg Caves (S.A.M. Bioo10), collected

R. F. Lawrence, March 1931: 1 9, Kalk Bay Caves (S.A.M. B7894), collected

R. F. Lawrence, July 1932; 3 9° (2 fragmentary) from Wynberg Caves (S.A.M.

B10007, Bro0008, B10009), collected J. R. Grindley, August 1956; 1 immature 9,

Bats Cave (S.A.M. B1iooo6), Table Mountain, collected J. R. Grindley,

September 1960; 1 juvenile 9, (S.A.M. B 10006), Oread Halls, Kalk Bay Caves

(S.A.M. Broo0o05), collected J. R. Grindley, June 1956.

The species seems to be nearest tuberculata Lawrence from Natal. It differs

from all other species of the genus in the form of the vulva and in the small

extent of the fourth metatarsus occupied by the calamistrum, this being only

one-eigth (two-fifths in tuberculata) of its length. Only one other species, cavernt-

cola Lawrence from Natal, appears to have been recorded from caves.

Haemilla profundissima n. sp.

(Fig. 2)

Holotype: 1 Q (S.A.M. Broor1), Onmeetbarediepgat, Bredasdorp, Cape

Province, collected C. Gow, July 1961.

Colour: Carapace light reddish brown; legs light reddish brown, the basal

segments with an olive tinge, the mouthparts all dark reddish brown, sternum

reddish brown, chelicerae blackish brown. Abdomen dorsally olive green with

very numerous small light dots, a median stripe in anterior two-thirds with

chevron markings and a row of ill-defined spots on each side, lighter; lateral

surfaces with mixed spots and stripes, venter with two widely separated parallel

white stripes.

Eyes: Anterior row from in front slightly procurved, subequal or the

laterals a little larger, medians less than their diameter apart and a diameter

from the laterals; posterior row from in front distinctly procurved, the

medians distinctly smaller than anterior medians, subequal to the laterals,

13-2 times their own diameter apart, 2-3 diameters from the laterals; laterals on

each side the radius of a posterior lateral apart, the posterior distinctly smaller

than the anterior; median quadrangle as long as posteriorly wide, wider behind

than in front by the diameter of a posterior median eye, anterior medians the

length of median quadrangle or 2~3 times their own diameter, from the edge of

clypeus.

Mouthparts: Labium a little longer than in tuberculata Lawr. (cf. Lawrence

1939: 270, fig. 1b), reaching almost to the apices of the maxillae or more than

three-fourths of their length.

Chelicerae: Inferior margin with 7-8 teeth, the distal 3 very small, superior

margin with 7.

Vulva as in figure 2, differing remarkably from all other species in its basic

pattern.

NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA 61

Legs: Tibia I and II with g inferior and 3 lateral pairs of spines, metatarsi

apparently similar but the spines obscured by a thick brush of hairs on the

under side of metatarsi and tarsi, and also on tibia I. Metatarsus IV with a

slight sigmoid curve seen from above, the calamistrum very distinct, composed

of about 45 stout modified hairs and occupying a little less than a third of its

total length.

Dimensions: Length of carapace 5:3, abdomen 5:6 mm.

Family Sicariidae

Genus LOXOSCELES Lowe

Loxosceles valida n. sp.

(Figs. 3, 4)

Holotype: 1 3 (S.A.M. Broo12), Echo Halt Caves, Table Mountain, Cape

Town, collected J. R. Grindley, April 1954 (labelled No. 10).

Colour: Carapace in general rich reddish brown, cephalic portion with its

lateral margins and 4 narrow parallel stripes behind the median eyes, thoracic

portion with some large ill-defined radial markings from the foveal depression

outwards, all a little darker than the background; chelicerae reddish brown;

sternum light yellow brown, the margins narrowly reddish brown, an irregular

cluster of blackish olivaceous spots in the middle; coxae infuscated in apical

fourth, remainder yellow; labium reddish brown, maxillae a little lighter, the

apices of both with narrow white border. Abdomen dorsally with a brown

pattern on light yellow background (fig. 3), ventral surface mostly brown,

ventral spinners with a light transverse band in basal half. All legs reddish-

brown, femora I and II a little darker, metatarsi and tarsi I-IV a little lighter.

Carapace with a group of fairly coarse black bristles at anterolateral angle

and behind the lateral eyes, cephalic portion with 7 distinct longitudinal rows

of forwardly directed similar bristles, 3 behind the median, 2 behind the lateral

eyes ; thoracic portion with 3 weak rows of bristles on each side, the two posterior

ones reaching the lateral margin, the anterior row abbreviated; sides of carapace

with a regular marginal row of bristles but otherwise smooth, shiny.

Eyes of both the median and lateral pairs contiguous, a line joining the

anterior laterals touching the posterior margins of the medians; median pair

separated from the laterals by a little more than their combined width, from

anterior margin of clypeus by 14-2 times the long diameter of a median eye.

Chelicerae with a band of black bristles on the lateral half of its anterior

surface; apex of chelicera ending in a large black triangular tooth on the

inferior margin.

Legs without spines, very long and, as far as patellae, very strong; femora

almost entirely smooth but the ventral surfaces of the anterior ones with numer-

ous soft fine hairs in basal half. Tibiae and distal segments with regular rows of

large spine-like black bristles increasing in length and slenderness distally,

anterior tarsi with a weak scopula ventrally, the posterior ones with a distinctly

62 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

denser scopula and at the apices of metatarsi in addition. Legs I, II, IV, III,

II only a little shorter and not weaker than I.

Pedipalp as in figure 4 seen from inner side; tarsus and tibia with coarse

bristles, more numerous on inner than outer surfaces, more dense on tarsus than

tibia; tarsus bluntly triangular, tibia much inflated, almost twice as deep as

patella seen from the side (its depth two-thirds its greatest length), ovoid, much

wider than the remaining segments seen from above.

Dimensions: Length of carapace 5:5, width 4:6; length of abdomen 7:3 mm.

Leg I: femur 15, patella-tibia 22, metatarsus 21, tarsus 2-8 mm.

Further material: All the remaining material consists of females as follows:

1 2 (S.A.M. Broo18), Powder Room Cave, Table Mountain, collected South

African Spelaeological Association, March 1956. 1 9 (S.A.M. Broo16), Wynberg

Caves, Table Mountain, collected South African Spelaeological Association,

February 1956. 1 9 (S.A.M. Broor5), Devil’s Pit, Kalk Bay, collected J. R.

Grindley, June 1954. 1 immature 2 (S.A.M. B1oo13), Tartarus Cave, Kalk Bay

Mountains, collected J. R. Grindley, July 1961. 1 immature 9 (S.A.M. Broo17),

Giant’s Workshop, Table Mountain Caves, collected J. R. Grindley, July 1956.

I immature 2 (S.A.M. B7892), Wynberg Caves, Table Mountain, collected

R. F. Lawrence, March 1931. 1 2 (S.A.M. Broor4), Bats Cave, Table

Mountain, collected J. R. Grindley, September 1960.

These specimens are in general smaller, with shorter legs than the 3,

leg I only about 3 times the body length. The distinctive pattern of the dorsum

of abdomen is almost identical with that of the § except that the transverse

bars or chevrons are in some cases more numerous, 7—8 in number. Total length

of largest 2 (S.A.M. Broo14 from Bats Cave), 14:5, leg I 43 mm.

Remarks: Five other species of Loxosceles are known from southern Africa:

two from South West Africa, bergert Strand and szmillima Lawrence, two from

the Cape Province, pilosa Purcell and spinulosa Purcell, and one from the

Transvaal, speluncarum Simon. All these species are very much smaller, with

shorter legs, the first being only 3 times or less the total length of body while

in valida it is more than 6 times. The only other known cavernicolous species

of the genus, L. speluncarum, was found in a cave in calcareous deposits of the

Apies River valley near Pretoria, while Simon and Fage recorded an unidenti-

fied juvenile from Haitajwa Cave on Zanzibar Island (1922: 528). The new

species has in all the specimens a strong, very clearly defined colour pattern,

without the least sign of the depigmentation characteristic of cave animals.

Family Leptonetidae

Subfamily Ochyroceratinae

SPELEODERCES new genus

Carapace and abdomen well chitinized, the latter with large oval dorsal

scute but no ventral scute. Eyes consisting of three widely separated pairs,

two lateral and one median, as in Cangoderces Harison, but the median pair

NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA 63

situated much farther back. Chelicerae with 4 large teeth on superior margin;

labium much wider than long; maxillae wide, fairly short, not meeting distally,

their external and internal apices angular. Legs very long and slender, femora

subparallel throughout. Patella of male pedipalp much longer than tibia and

strongly toothed, remaining segments normal. Type-species of genus: Speleo-

derces scutatus n. sp.

Speleoderces scutatus n. sp.

(Figs. 5-8)

Holotype: 1 3, (S.A.M. Broo1g9), Wynberg Caves, Table Mountain,

collected South African Spelaeological Association, February 1956.

Colour: Carapace ventrally and dorsally yellow with an orange tinge,

abdomen yellow white, dorsal scute a little darker, legs yellow white.

Carapace narrowing a little anteriorly, the anterior margin truncate but

rounded at the antero-lateral angles.

Eyes as in figure 5, separated from anterior margin of carapace by an

indistinct groove, the laterals on each side occupying a low indistinct rounded

tubercle; position of posterior medians unusual in being well back, more or less

in a line with the posterior of the two laterals; posterior medians well separated

by about their own diameter from each other, far removed from the laterals

on each side which are contiguous.

Mouthparts as in figure 6, labium very short, much wider than long, maxillae

wide, their inner margins converging, the distal margins quite straight with

both the inner and outer angles distinct though rounded.

Chelicerae: Claw very wide at base but narrowing abruptly in distal third,

superior margin with 4 teeth, the basal one largest and well separated from

the remaining three which are subgeminate; basal half of the claw with minute

but very regular and distinct saw teeth (fig. 7).

Legs very long and slender, the anterior longer than posterior pair, the

femora not incrassate basally; all patellae at dorsal apex with 1, tibiae dorsally

with 2 very long erect setae, legs clothed otherwise with series of fairly numerous,

much, shorter setae as in Cangoderces lewisi Harison (1951, p. 83, fig. 1).

Pedipalp as in figure 8 seen from outer side, patella much longer than tibia,

subparallel, with a strong hooked tooth at its base directed dorsally and a

little to the outer side, another large claw-like tooth at its apex.

Abdomen: Except on the scute, clothed with long slender setae, its dorsal

surface with a large oval scute, not strongly chitinized but distinct, covering

all except the posterior fifth or sixth of dorsal surface.

Dimensions: Length of carapace 0-65, of abdomen 0:85 mm.

Female: A single 9 specimen (S.A.M. B1oo20) from Bats Cave, Table

Mountain, collected by the South African Spelacological Association, February

1956, is undoubtedly the female of this species. It differs from the male only in

the somewhat shorter legs, more rounded abdomen and the total absence of a

dorsal scute on the latter.

64 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Fics. 5-8. Speleoderces scutatus n. sp. 3. 5, eyes from above; 6, sternum and mouthparts; 7,

chelicera from below; 8, pedipalp from outer side.

Fics. 9-11. Spermophora peninsulae n. sp. 3. 9, apex of chelicera; 10, pedipalp from outer side;

11, chelicerae from in front.

NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA 65

Dimensions: Total length 1-1 mm.

Remarks: The new genus appears to differ from all other genera of the

family Leptonetidae interpreted in its widest sense to include the Ochyrocer-

atidae. These differences lie in the arrangement of the eyes, the structure of the

chelicerae, labium and maxillae, while in possessing a dorsal abdominal scute

it seems to approach the Oonopidae. When themale of Cangoderces Harison has

been discovered it may be found to be most nearly related to this genus.

Family Pholcidae

Genus SPERMOPHORA Henz

Spermophora peninsulae n. sp.

(Figs. 9-14)

Holotype, 1 3, paratype, 1 2 (S.A.M. B7897), Kalk Bay Caves, Cape Penin-

sula, collected R. F. Lawrence, September 1932.

Male (holotype)

Colour: ‘The specimen completely bleached, the chitinous structures of the

mouthparts and pedipalp a little darker; carapace dorsally and ventrally

yellow, a little darker than the abdomen which is quite pale, legs pale.

Chelicerae: The fang stout and short, a very conspicuous triangular tooth

on its margin proximal to the fang (fig. 9); anterior surface with two pairs of

broad chitinous teeth near its apex (fig. 11), the more distal pair directed

inwards, the second pair downwards; base of chelicera near clypeal margin

with an oblique projecting ridge behind which is a depression extending almost

the whole width of the segment.

Abdomen longish, cylindrical, rounded, considerably longer than that of 9.

Pedipalp as in figure 10 seen from the outer side, tibia and basal part

of tarsus with the sockets of numerous spines which in most cases have been

lost.

ios VE ee Le

Dimensions: Total length 2-6 mm.

Female (paratype)

Colouring similar to that of the 3; chelicerae unmodified; the chitinized

parts of the epigastric area as in figure 14; pedipalp with long, slender, pointed

tarsus; legs very long, the femora long and stout, almost twice as wide at base

as at apex.

Dimensions: Length of carapace 1-1, length of abdomen 1-9 mm.

Remarks: Another 3 from the Kalk Bay Cave system (Oread Halls,

collected J. R. Grindley, June 1954, S.A.M. Broo21) has a jet-black sternum

and indistinct markings on the abdomen, but the pedipalp is structurally

similar to that of the holotype 3. Four tubes of female Spermophora from the

Wynberg and Powder Room caves I assume to be the same species as the types,

although in the types all traces of any original colour pattern have been lost

after more than 30 years of immersion in alcohol.

66 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

()

Fics. 12-14. Spermophora peninsulae n. sp. 2. 12, dorsal colour pattern; 13, the same of another 2

from the side; 14, epigastric region.

Fics. 15-17. Teutana fagei n. sp. 2. 15, mouthparts and anterior margin of sternum; 16, carapace

seen in profile; 17, vulva.

Fics. 18, 19. Theridion proxima n. sp. 9. 18, mouthparts and sternum; 19, vulva.

Fics. 20-22. Lephthyphantes rimicola n. sp. 20, chelicera of 2; 21, mouthparts of 9; 22, pedipalp of 3

seen from the side.

NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA 67

The colouring of the female from Powder Room Cave (S.A.M. B10023) is

as follows:

Colour: Carapace with dark but not black markings, as in figure 12, a

fairly wide and distinct though slightly crenulated blackish stripe passing forward

from each ocular group to edge of clypeus, these diverging slightly anteriorly ;

chelicerae and mouthparts brown, sternum blackish brown, a little lighter in the

middle, contrasting strongly with the yellow coxae. Abdomen with black

markings dorsally as in figure 12, a cuneiform white marking at posterior apex

just above the spinners, seen from the side as in figure 13 (drawn from another

9, Wynberg Caves, S.A.M. B1o0024, collected August 1956); ventral surface

with a wide median black band widening to include the epigastric area which is

brown and separated on each side by a fairly narrow sinuous white stripe from

the blackish sides of the abdomen. Legs yellow with a reddish tinge, tibiae

with a narrow, lighter apical annulation.

Further material: 1 2 (S.A.M. Bro023) with about 24 eggs, Powder Room

Cave, collected Spelaeological Association, March 1956; 2 99 (S.A.M. B1ioo22

and Broo24), Wynberg Caves, collected J. R. Grindley, August, 1956; 1 4,

2 99 (S.A.M. Broo2r1), Oread Halls, collected J. R. Grindley, June 1954;

1 2 (S.A.M. Broo21), Bats Cave, Table Mountain, collected South African

Spelaeological Association, February 1956; 4 99 (S.A.M. B7896), Wynberg

Caves, Table Mountain, collected R. F. Lawrence, September 1932; 1 4

(S.A.M. B7895), Wynberg Caves, Table Mountain, collected R. F. Lawrence,

March 1931.

Simon (1892-1903: 471) writes of two types of colouring, pale species

occurring in caves and houses, strongly pigmented ones under stones; all the

four East African species, ensifera, globosa, minotaura and nigrescens, appear to

belong to the latter group. Unfortunately no adult males are present among the

Wynberg Caves material and in their absence I have assumed these specimens

to be identical with the Kalk Bay Caves species, the absence of pigmentation

in the type of the latter being due to prolonged immersion in alcohol.

The only species of this genus hitherto found in caves is S. minotaura

Berland from the Campbell Cave, Kenya, though it has also been found in the

forests of Kenya at high and low altitudes.

Genus SMERINGOPUS Simon

Smeringopus pallidus (Blackwall)

One immature 9, (S.A.M. B10025), Skeleton Cave, Oudtshoorn, collected

J. R. Grindley, September 1961.

Although immature the colouring of the single specimen resembles that

of the female of pallidus (= elongatus) as redescribed by Kraus (1957: 220, fig. 6).

No species of the genus appears to have been described from caves but speci-

mens of Smeringopus are often found near the entrance of many caves and should

be regarded as troglophiles rather than troglobionts.

68 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Family Theridiidae

Genus TEUTANA Simon

Teutana fagei n. sp.

(Figs. 15-17)

Holotype: 1 9 (S.A.M. B10026), Skeleton Cave, Oudtshoorn, Cape Province,

collected by J. R. Grindley, September 1961.

Colour: Carapace, sternum and mouthparts brown with a slight reddish

tinge, the radiations from the thoracic fovea a little darker, otherwise without

markings. Legs, coxae to tarsi uniform brown with a faint olive tinge; abdomen

above reddish violet, a recurved white transverse stripe at anterior apex with

a short backwardly projecting stripe in the middle, posterior to this two pairs

of ill-defined elongate white markings, above the spinners a short median

elongate marking followed by a transverse series of 3-4 very fine white lines;

ventral surface with a large comma-shaped white marking laterally to each

operculum, posterior to this two elongate, inwardly directed white stripes, the

second considerably smaller than the first; between the spinners and epigastric

furrow, a large vase-shaped, ill-defined lighter marking (somewhat similar to

the well-defined red marking on the venter of Latrodectus geometricus), vulva and

opercula blackish brown.

Carapace seen from the side level but slightly depressed in the region of the

thoracic fovea, which is deep, transversely arcuate and slightly recurved,

clypeus strongly rounded and projecting, with a well-marked transverse groove

just below the eyes separating them from the rest of the clypeus (fig. 16).

Eyes: Anterior row from above slightly recurved, from in front straight,

medians subequal to laterals or a very little smaller, less than their diameter

apart and about the same distance from the laterals; posterior row slightly

recurved seen from above, medians a little more than their own radius apart,

about a diameter from the laterals which are a little larger. Median quadrangle

longer than posteriorly wide, a little wider behind than in front; clypeus about

1% times length of median quadrangle.

Chelwcera: Inferior margin with 2 or 3 small, indistinctly geminate teeth.

Mouthparts: Labium at least twice as wide as long, the anterior apex not

triquetrous, more or less truncate, straight in the middle, somewhat rounded at

the sides, its apex falling well below the middle point of the maxillae (fig. 15).

Vulva as in figure 17, the median septum very strongly chitinized, blackish,

ill-defined.

Legs unspined, with rows of weak setae and soft hairs.

Dimensions: Carapace 3-3, length of abdomen 7, width 5-3 mm.

Further material: 1 smaller 2 (S.A.M. Broo27) from Onmeetbarediepgat,

Bredasdorp, Cape Province, collected C. Gow, July 1961.

The species differs from the two species of Teutana described by O. P.

Cambridge from the Cape Peninsula, lepida and connexa, at least in its larger size

and detailed differences in the pattern of the vulva, while agreeing with them in

NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA 69

the colouring of the ventral surface. It differs from 7. albovittatus Lawrence

from the Umfolosi River, Zululand, in its considerably larger size, colour

pattern of abdomen and structure of the vulva. Only one other species of the

genus, 7. grossa, appears to have been recorded from caves (in Europe only).

Genus THERIDION Walck

Theridion proxima n. sp.

(Figs. 18, 19.)

Holotype: 1 Q (S.A.M. Broog8), Skeleton Cave, Oudtshoorn, Cape

Province, collected J. R. Grindley, September 1961.

Colour: Carapace yellow with a very fine brown margination, cephalic

portion and thoracic fovea brown, eyes surrounded by blackish brown rings,

chelicerae light olive brown contrasting with the yellow clypeus; sternum yellow

brown with narrow blackish brown margin, mouthparts light reddish brown.

Legs yellow, the femora with 2 subapical, tibiae with 4 blackish annulations,

metatarsi with smaller basal middle and apical annulations, the middle one

faint or obsolete. Abdomen dorsally as in Tullgren’s description of kzbonotense

and O. P. Cambridge’s of purcellii, the black area surrounding the light median

longitudinal band diffuse, a large white marking on each side in posterior

third near the lateral margin; ventral surface with spinners surrounded by a

blackish ring which is continuous with the median blackish area of dorsal

surface, a medium-sized white spot below the epigastric fold.

Eyes seen from above with anterior row slightly recurved, medians a

little larger than laterals, about their diameter apart and a little less from the

laterals; posterior row well procurved, medians distinctly larger than the

laterals, three-fourths their diameter apart, their diameter or a little more from

the laterals; laterals touching on each side, the posterior distinctly smaller

than anterior; median quadrangle a little wider in front than behind, a little

wider than long; clypeus about 14 times the Jength of median quadrangle.

Mouthparts: Labium much wider than long, its anterior margin truncate,

almost straight, with a row of 6 long black setae, the segment reaching to about

a third the length of the perpendicular maxillae (fig. 18).

Legs: 1, 1V, Il, 111; femora with 2 inferior rows of setae mounted on small

round tubercles, those of leg II much more regular than the others (the setae

of femur I largely missing), each row with 12-15 setae; patella with a long,

strong, black seta at dorsal apex; anterior tibiae with 1-3 similar dorsal setae,

IV with 4; metatarsi with a ventral row of setae, those of II stronger and more

regular than the others; tarsus IV with a row of 6 long, slender modified hairs

diminishing progressively in length distally.

Vulva as in figure 19 resembling that of T. kibonotense in its general pattern.

Dimensions: Length of carapace 2, length of abdomen 3-6 mm.

Remarks: The species obviously resembles Tullgren’s kibonotense (1910) and

O. P. Cambridge’s purcellit (1903) both in colouring and the basic pattern of

70 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

the vulva, but of the two is probably more closely related to kibonotense. About

17 species of this large and widespread genus are known from southern Africa,

including an almost cosmopolitan form often found in greenhouses, T. tepzdario-

rum C. L. Koch; Theridion rufipes Lucas has been recorded from caves in Spain.

Family Linyphiidae

Genus LEPHTHYPHANTES Menge

Lephthyphantes rimicola n. sp.

(Figs. 20-23)

Holotype, 1 2, paratypes, 1 3, 2 92 (S.A.M. B7893), Wynberg Caves, Table

Mountain, collected R. F. Lawrence, March 1931.

Female (holotype)

Colour: Carapace and legs yellow to white without markings, the eyes

surrounded by black rings, posterior medians connected with anterior medians

Fic. 23. Lephthyphantes rimicola n. sp. 2. Vulva.

Fic. 24. Phanotea gowi n. sp. 2. Vulva.

by a subtriangular black marking spanning the space between them; abdomen

much faded but darker than remainder of body, light terracotta with a number

of large round indistinct blotches.

Eyes: Posterior row slightly procurved, the medians distinctly the largest

of all the eyes; anterior row straight to very slightly recurved, the medians

much the smallest of all the eyes, half the diameter of an anterior lateral and

close to each other; laterals contiguous, the anterior a little smaller than the

posterior; median quadrangle as long as posteriorly wide, much wider behind

than in front; clypeus a little less than the length of median quadrangle.

Mouthparts as in figure 21, maxillae very wide, subparallel, labium semi-

circular, much wider than long; chelicerae as in figure 20, fang long and

robust, superior margin with 3 large teeth, the basal smallest, inferior margin

with 5 distinctly smaller sharp teeth, the basal separated from the others which

NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA 71

are subcontiguous. Chelicerae subparallel, not narrowing much distally;

sternum cordiform, its anterior margin very wide and almost straight.

Vulva as in figure 23. |

Legs I-IV long and very slender, the femora ventrally with a more or less

regular series of long, fine setae; remaining segments with long, slender, erect

dorsal setae as follows (the seta on the patella much longer than any others) :

patella at apex with 1 almost as long as the segment, tibia with 2 or 3 in distal

half, these about a third the length of the segment; metatarsus with 1 subbasal

seta, tarsus without; legs otherwise clothed with regular rows of numerous

short, weak setae.

Pedipalp tarsus long, slender, longer than tibia, its apex with a long edentate

claw, not much thicker than the adjacent setae.

Male (paratype)

Not differing from the female except that the chelicerae are somewhat

more divergent and more tapered apically, the legs relatively longer and more

slender. Carapace not modified, in general similar to that of the 9.

Pedipalp as in figure 22 seen from the side, very complex, the embolus very

long and sinuously curved.

Dimensions: 2: Length of carapace 0-9, of abdomen 1:2 mm. ¢: Total

length 1-9 mm.

Remarks: The material on which the new species is based is very old and

fragile but it will be possible to check the description and figures from fresh

material which should not be difficult to obtain as the spiders are fairly common,

spinning small sheet webs 25-35 mm. in diameter across the fissures in the

vertical rock walls of the cave.

The Linyphyudae are very little known in South Africa and I have

considerable doubt as to whether this cave form really is a species of Leph-

thyphantes or whether a new genus is required for it. In some respects it agrees

with Linyphia (in the appearance of the male pedipalp, with the British species

Linyphia (Agyneta) cauta O. P. Cambridge). No members of this genus, however,

appear to inhabit caves. In the considerable reduction of the anterior median

eyes it agrees with various genera from different parts of the world, such as

Porrhomma, Troglohyphantes and Asthenargus, the latter being represented by the

species A. inermis in East African grottoes; from all of these, however, it also

differs in at least one important character.

Family Agelenidae

Subfamily Cybaeinae

Genus PHANOTEA Simon

Phanotea gowi n. sp.

(Fig. 24)

Holotype: 1 2 (S.A.M. B10029), Guano Caves, Bredasdorp, Cape Province,

collected C. Gow, July 10961.

72 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Colour: Legs and carapace yellow to orange, carapace becoming progres-

sively more reddish anteriorly; sternum yellow, the margins orange, mouthparts

reddish brown, chelicerae dark reddish brown.

Eyes: Anterior row slightly recurved, medians distinctly smaller than the

laterals, less than their own diameter apart, about a diameter from the laterals;

posterior row a little procurved, medians a little smaller than anterior medians,

laterals smaller than anterior laterals, medians their own diameter apart, 2

diameters from the laterals; median quadrangle distinctly longer than

posteriorly wide, a little wider behind than in front; anterior medians a little

more than their own diameter from the edge of the clypeus.

Chelicerae very strong, inflated and rounded in front, a deep anterior

constriction near their bases below the clypeus; lower margin with only 2

small subequal teeth, differing in this respect from all other species of the genus;

superior margin with 3 teeth, the middle one large.

Pedipalp with thick scopula ventrally on the distal two-thirds of tarsus.

Vulva as in figure 24, with a large median plano-convex cordiform plate

overlying two posterior sclerites which almost meet in the middle line below it.

Legs: Patellae unspined; tibia I and II with 4 inferior pairs of spines,

metatarsus I and II with 3 inferior pairs, I with 2 anterior lateral spines in

addition, II without lateral spines, tarsus and most of metatarsus I with a

distinct scopula, II with a distinct scopula only on tarsus; tibia III and IV with

3 inferior irregularly paired spines, 2 pairs of lateral spines, metatarsus III and

IV with 3 inferior pairs, 3 lateral pairs and 1 or 2 superior spines in addition;

tarsi III and IV but not metatarsi with distinct scopula.

Dimensions: Length of carapace 6-4, total length 15-3 mm. (including

chelicerae).

Further material: One specimen, Hotpot, Bredasdorp, Cape Province,

collected South African Spelaeological Association, May 1960.

The genus consists mostly of cave-living species, natalensis, simont and

peringuey ; 1t appears to be most closely related to peringueyi in the eye disposition

and spine formula of the legs but can be easily distinguished from it by having

only 2 instead of 3 teeth on the inferior margin of chelicera and in the pattern

of the vulva.

Subfamily Hakhniinae

A single, very fragile and much bleached subadult male from the Wynberg

Caves (S.A.M. B7896), collected R. F. Lawrence, September 1932, is evidently

a member of this subfamily, several species of which have been recorded from

caves.

The spinners are long and slender, arranged in a more or less transverse

row with the superior pair especially long, the apical segment being subequal

to the basal in length. There are, however, only six eyes, all of them large with

the anterior medians absent, the general arrangement similar to that of Bigois

Simon from the Philippine Islands, in which, however, the anterior median

NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA 73

eyes, though minute, are present. It does not seem to be closely related to

Scotussa zodarioides Simon, the only member of the subfamily recorded from the

Cape Peninsula, and a new genus may have to be created for its reception.

A LIST OF THE CAVERNICOLOUS ARACHNIDA AND MYRIAPODA OF SOUTH AFRICA

Species

. Haemilla cavernicola

Lawrence, 1939

. Haemilla grindleyi

Lawrence, 1964

. Haemilla profundissima

Lawrence, 1964

. Phyxelia makapanensis

E. Simon, 1894

. Loxoscles speluncarum

E. Simon, 1893

. Loxosceles valida

Lawrence, 1964

. Speleoderces scutatus

Lawrence, 1964

. Cangoderces lewisi

Harison, 1951

. Spermophora peninsulae

Lawrence, 1964

. Smeringopus pallidus

(Blackwall), 1858

. Teutana faget

Lawrence, 1964

. Theridion proxima

Lawrence, 1964

. Lephthyphantes rimicola

Lawrence, 1964

. Phanotea peringueyt

E. Simon, 1896

. Phanotea natalensis

Lawrence, 1951

. Phanotea simoni

Lawrence, 1951

. Phanotea gowt

Lawrence, 1964

ARANEAE

Family

Dictynidae

Sicarlidae

Leptonetidae

Pholcidae

Theridiidae

Linyphiidae

Agelenidae

Locality

Noodsberg Caves, Natal.

Wynberg Caves, Table Mt.,

and Kalk Bay Caves,

Cape.

Onmeetbarediepgat, Bredas-

dorp, Cape.

Makapan Cave, Transvaal.

Apies River Cave, Pretoria,

Transvaal.

Wynberg Caves, Table Mt.,

Cape.

Wynberg Caves, Table Mt.,

Cape.

Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn,

Cape.

Wynberg Caves, Table Mt.,

and Kalk Bay Caves,

Cape.

Skeleton Cave, Oudtshoorn,

Cape.

Skeleton Cave, Oudtshoorn,

Cape.

Skeleton Cave, Oudtshoorn,

Cape.

Wynberg Caves, Table Mt.,

Cape.

Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn,

Cape.

Noodsberg Caves, Natal.

Champagne Castle Cave,

Drakensberg, Natal.

Guano Cave, Bredasdorp,

Cape.

74 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

OPILIONES

Species Family Locality

18. Speleosiro argasiformis Sironidae Wynberg Caves, Table Mt.,

Lawrence, 1931 Cape.

19. Speleomontia cavernicola| ‘Triaenonychidae |= Wynberg Caves, Table Mt.,

Lawrence, 1931 Cape.

20. Larifuga sp. (1964) bp Wynberg Caves, Table Mt.,

Cape.

PSEUDOSCORPIONES

21. Chthoniella cavernicola Chthoniidae Wynberg Caves, Table Mt.,

Lawrence, 1935 Cape.

DIPLOPODA

22. Harpethrix caeca Sphaerotrichopidae Wynberg Caves, Table Mt.,

Lawrence, 1962 Cape.

SUMMARY

Nine new species of cavernicolous spiders from South Africa are described,

one of which is included in a new genus. The new species are: Haemilla grindleyt,

Haemilla profundissima, Loxosceles valida, Speleoderces scutatus (new genus), Spermo-

phora peninsulae, Teutana faget, Theridion proxima, Lephthyphantes rimicola and

Phanotea gowi. A list is given of the twenty-two species of Arachnida and

Myriapoda now known from South Africa.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Trustees of the South African Museum gratefully acknowledge a grant

from the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research for the

publication of this paper.

REFERENCES

BERLAND, L. 1914. Araneae (1re partie). Jn Alluaud, C. A. & Jeannel, R. Voyage . . . en Afrique

orientale (1911-1912). Résultats scientifiques. Arachnida. III: 87-93. Paris: Schultz.

Face, L. 1912. Etudes sur les araignées cavernicoles. I. Revision des Ochyroceratidae (n. fam.).

(Biospeologica XXV.) Arch. Zool. exp. gén. 50: 97-162.

Face, L. 1913. Etudes sur les araignées cavernicoles. II. Revision des Leptonetidae. (Biospeo-

logica XXIX.) Arch. Zool. exp. gén. 50: 479-576.

Face, L. 1931. Araneae. Cinquiéme série, précédée d’un essai sur l’évolution souterraine et son

déterminisme. (Biospeologica LV.) Arch. Zool. exp. gén. 71: 99-291.

GRINDLEY, J. R. 1961. The study of cave fauna in South Africa. News Bull. zool. Soc. S. Afr. 2 (2):

40-43.

HarincTon, J. S. 1951. A new leptonetid spider, Cangoderces lewisi n. gen., n. sp., from the Cango

Caves, Oudtshoorn. Ann. Natal Mus. 12: 81-go.

Lawrence, R. F. 1931. The harvest-spiders (Opiliones) of South Africa. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 29:

341-506.

Lawrence, R. F. 1932. A new peripatopsid from Table Mountain caves. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 30:

IOI-107.

NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA 75

Lawrence, R. F. 1935. A cavernicolous false-scorpion from Table Mountain, Cape Town.

Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (10) 153 549-555.

LawrENcE, R. F. 1939. The genus Haemilla (Araneae) in South Africa. Ann. Natal Mus. 9:

269-281.

LAWRENCE, R. F. 1951. The cave-living spiders of the South African genus Phanotea Simon

(Agelenidae). Rev. Zool. Bot. afr. 45: 49-54.

LawrENce, R. F. 1962. New Polydesmoidea (Diplopoda) from South Africa. Ann. Natal Mus. 15:

141-165.

Leteup, N. 1956. La faune cavernicole du Congo belge et considérations sur les coléoptéres

reliques d’Afrique intertropicale. Ann. Mus. Congo belge 8v0 Sci. zool. 46: 1-171.

Srmon, E. 1893. Histoire naturelle des araignées. 1: 273. Paris: Roret.

Son, E. 1894. Note sur les arthropodes cavernicoles du Transvaal. Ann. Soc. ent. Fr. 63: 63-67.

Smwon, E. 1896. Description d’un arachnide cavernicole de l’Afrique australe. Bull. Soc. ent. Fr.

1896: 285-286.

Simon, E. 1897. Histoire naturelle des araignées. 2: 244. Paris: Roret.

Smvon, E. & Face, L. 1922. Araneae des grottes de l’Afrique orientale. Arch. Zool. exp. gén. 60:

9235555:

INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

MANUSCRIPTS

In duplicate (one set of illustrations), type-written, double spaced with good margins,

including TABLE OF CoNTENTs and Summary. Position of text-figures and tables must be

indicated.

ILLUSTRATIONS

So proportioned that when reduced they will occupy not more than 43 in. x 7 in. (74 in.

including the caption). A scale (metric) must appear with all photographs.

REFERENCES

Authors’ names and dates of publication given in text; full references at end of paper in

alphabetical order of authors’ names (Harvard system). References at end of paper must be

given in this order:

Name of author, in capitals, followed by initials; names of joint authors connected by &,

not ‘and’. Year of publication; several papers by the same author in one year designated by

suffixes a, b, etc. Full title of paper; initial capital letters only for first word and for proper

names (except in German). Title of journal, abbreviated according to World list of scientific

periodicals and underlined (italics). Series number, if any, in parenthesis, e.g. (3), (n.s.), (B).

Volume number in arabic numerals (without prefix ‘vol.’), with wavy underlining (black type).

Part number, only if separate parts of one volume are independently numbered. Page numbers,

first and last, preceded by a colon (without prefix ‘p’). Thus:

Smit, A. B. 1956. New Plonia species from South Africa. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (12) 9: 937-945.

When reference is made to a separate book, give in this order: Author’s name; his initials;

date of publication; title, underlined; edition, if any; volume number, if any, in arabic numerals,

with wavy underlining; place of publication; name of publisher. Thus:

Brown, X. Y. 1953. Marine faunas. 2nd ed. 2. London: Green.

When reference is made to a paper forming a distinct part of another book, give: Name of

author of paper, his initials; date of publication; title of paper; ‘In’, underlined; name of

author of book; his initials; title of book, underlined; edition, if any; volume number, if any,

in arabic numerals, with wavy underlining; pagination of paper; place of publication; name

of publisher. Thus:

Smitru, C. D. 1954. South African plonias. In Brown, X. Y. Marine faunas. and ed. 3: 63-95.

London: Green.

SYNONYMY

Arranged according to chronology of names. Published scientific names by which a species

has been previously designated (subsequent to 1758) are listed in chronological order, with

abbreviated bibliographic references to descriptions or citations following in chronological

order after each name. Full references must be given at the end of the paper. Articles and

recommendations of the International code of zoological nomenclature adopted by the XV International

congress of zoology, London, July 1958, are to be observed (particularly articles 22 and 51).

Examples: Plonia capensis Smith, 1954: 86, pl. 27, fig. 3. Green, 1955: 23, fig. 2.

When transferred to another genus:

Euplonia capensis (Smith) Brown, 1955: 259.

When misidentified as another species:

Plonia natalensis (non West), Jones, 1956: 18.

When another species has been called by the same name:

[non] Plonia capensis: Jones, 1957:,27 (= natalensis West).