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Type: Article
Published: 2015-06-10
Page range: 1–25
Abstract views: 35
PDF downloaded: 1

On the new Afrotropical genus Suffrica with discovery of an abdominal gland and a dual femoral organ (Araneae, Zodariidae)

Royal Museum for Central Africa, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium. Earth and life Institute, Biodiversity research Center, UCL-17. 07. 04, Bâtiment Carnoy, Croix du Sud, 5, B-1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Royal Museum for Central Africa, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium.
Asceua Eastern Arc relic distribution spider glands Suffasia Araneae

Abstract

A new genus, Suffrica, is described from Tanzania and Kenya. It contains three new species occurring in the Eastern Arc Mountains and the adjacent Mkomazi Game Reserve: S. exotica, S. chawia and S. gus. They are characterized by a remarkable combination of features which has not been documented in spiders so far: a pair of femoral organs on each leg, a gland on the dorsal side of the abdomen in both sexes and a dorsal abdominal groove in males. A dual femoral organ appears to occur in species of the genus Suffasia Jocqué, 1991 and Asceua Thorell, 1887. The discovery of a new African genus close to Suffasia is remarkable since the latter genus is known only from Asia.