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% R. F. LAWRENCE

NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS
OF SOUTH AFRICA

April 1964 April
Volume 48 Band
Pant ae 2 Deel

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

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NEW CAVERNICOLOUS SPIDERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

By
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

()

16

ex

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

33
Sicarlidae
35

Leptonetidae

39

Pholcidae

39

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).

WANN
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