Rhene plumata Haddad, Wiśniewski & Wesołowska, 2024, sp. nov.

Rhene plumata sp. nov. Figs 43, 44 Diagnosis. Similar to Rhene legitima Wesołowska & Haddad, 2018, the body is covered in dense white hairs, but its palpal organ is different, with the embolus straight and a terminal tegular apophysis absent (present in R. legitima) (compare Fig. 44A, D with fig. 127 in Wesołowska & Haddad 2018). The male palp is similar to that in R. kenyaensis Wesołowska & Dawidowicz, 2014, but it may be recognized by the almost straight embolus, whereas that of R. kenyaensis has a coiled base (Wesołowska & Dawidowicz 2014: fig. 33). The epigyne is similar to that in R. facilis Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2000, but these species are easily separated by the colouration of the body and the degree of hairiness. Etymology. The specific epithet is Latin, meaning “feathered” and refers to the presence of tufts of long white hairs on their body. Type material. Holotype: ♂, MOZAMBIQUE: Maputo: near Marracuene, Marracuene Lodge, 25°46.379’S, 32°41.046’E, riverine forest, beating shrubs, 1.XII.2007, leg. R. Lyle & R. Fourie (NCA 2020 /190). Paratypes: 2♀, together with the holotype. Description. Male: Measurements. Cephalothorax length 1.7, width 1.9, height 1.0. Abdomen length 2.2, width 1.7. Eye field length 1.3, anterior width 1.1, posterior width 1.9. General appearance as in Fig. 43A. Very flat, thickset, hairy spider. Carapace flat, greatly broadened. Eye field very large, trapezoid, occupying most of carapace dorsum. First and second rows of eyes close to each other. Carapace brown, pitted, clothed in dense white hairs forming characteristic pattern (Fig. 43A). Clypeus low, with mat of long white hairs (Fig. 43B). Labium, endites and sternum dark brown. Chelicerae unidentati. Abdomen heart-shaped, flattened, golden brown, covered with white hairs, among them sparse long bristles. Row of long white setae along anterior abdominal margin. White hairs form four transverse rows of patches (Fig. 43A). Posterior row of these patches decorated with tufts of very long white feather-shaped setae. Venter of abdomen yellowish-grey, with translucent silver spots of internal guanine crystals. Spinnerets yellowish. First pair of legs distinctly larger than others, their femora and tibiae slightly swollen. Femora brown, distal segments yellow, patellae and tibiae densely covered with long brown hairs on ventral surfaces. Prolaterally, patella and tibia decorated with single tuft of long white feather-shaped setae. Legs II–IV yellow, with darker marks on distal end of tibiae and both ends of metatarsi. Leg hairs white, spines dark brown. Palps light brown, clothed in white hairs. Bulb ovoid (Fig. 44A, D), spermophor meandering. Anterior haematodocha membranous, clearly separated. Embolus very long, almost straight, placed on apex of haematodocha (Fig. 44A, D). Palpal tibia short, with hooked apophysis in ventral view, slightly bent in retrolateral view (Fig. 44A–E) and tuft of very long brown bristles on prolateral side. Female: Measurements. Cephalothorax length 1.4–1.5, width 1.5–1.7, height 0.6–0.7. Abdomen length 1.7– 1.8, width 1.4–1.7. Eye field length 1.0, anterior width 0.9, posterior width 1.9. General appearance as in Fig. 43C–F. Similar to male, slightly lighter coloured. Abdomen whitish-silver (integument transparent with silver spots of internal guanine crystals), medially with traces of darker area, with many tufts of white hairs, especially long in posterior part (similar to male). All legs yellowish, first pair with black marks on tip of distal segments (Fig. 43D). Tufts of long white setae on prolateral side of first patella and tibia. Epigyne with notched posterior border and central oval depression (Fig. 44F, G). Copulatory openings situated in heavily sclerotized entrance cavities, seminal ducts forming a few loops (Fig. 44H). One female very light in colour (Fig. 43F). Distribution. Only known from the type locality. Remarks. Rhene plumata shares with R. cooperi Lessert, 1925, R. legitima and Oviballus vidae Azarkina & Haddad, 2020 the body covered by tufts of dense white setae (Wesołowska & Haddad 2018; Azarkina & Haddad 2020; Haddad 2021), suggesting that it too may be a generalized mimic of scale insects or chrysopid larvae.