Arnaud Henrard

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

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.

Luciobarbus lanigarensis and L. numidiensis , two new species of barbels from the Mediterranean Sea basin in North Africa (Teostei: Cyprinidae)

Two new species of Luciobarbus are described from the Mediterranean Sea basin in Morocco and Algeria. Their monophyly and phylogenetic placement are resolved by molecular analyses using two mitochondrial markers (cyt b and D-loop). Luciobarbus lanigarensis, new species, from the Tafna River drainage in Algeria and Morocco, is distinguished by having orange fins, a great predorsal length (52-59% SL) and a very long pectoral fin (79-90% HL). Luciobarbus numidiensis, new species, from the El-Kébir River drainage in Algeria, is distinguished by having a golden pectoral-fin margin, 43-47+1-3 lateral line scales and a very long anal-fin (19-23%).

Luciobarbus chelifensis and L. mascarensis , two new species from Algeria (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Cyprinids of the genus Luciobarbus are the most abundant and widespread fishes in most freshwater ecosystems in the Maghreb. In the Mediterranean basin of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, all species of Luciobarbus-with exception of L. guercifensis-are superficially very similar and are distinguished mostly by minor morphometric characters. Molecular characters distinguish all species well and nine species are recognised from the area, two of them described here. Luciobarbus chelifensis, from the Chelif River drainage in Algeria, is distinguished by having 41-43+1-2 lateral line scales and a very short anal fin (18-19% SL). Luciobarbus mascarensis, from the Macta River drainage in Algeria, is distinguished by having usually 41+1-2 lateral line scales, a long anal-fin (19-22%) and a short caudal peduncle (15-17% SL). An identification key is given for all African Mediterranean Luciobarbus species except for L. callensis and L. rifensis, which could not be distinguished.

Figures103–110. Clubiona Pseudosimilis Mikhailov,1990 In The Genus Clubiona Latreille, 1904 (Araneae: Clubionidae) In The Maghreb, With Notes On The Genevensis Group And New Records From The Mediterranean Region

FIGURES103–110. Clubiona pseudosimilis Mikhailov,1990, male and female (from Portugal:103 male habitus, dorsalview; 104 female habitus, dorsal view; 105 male palp, retrolateral view; 106 same, ventral view; 107 RTA, retrolateral view; 108 epigyne, ventral view; 109 vulva, ventral view; 110 same, dorsal view. Scale bars:103, 104 = 1 mm; 105, 106, 108 – 110 = 0.2 mm; 107 = 0.1 mm.

Figures 52–67 In The Genus Clubiona Latreille, 1904 (Araneae: Clubionidae) In The Maghreb, With Notes On The Genevensis Group And New Records From The Mediterranean Region

FIGURES 52–67. Clubiona spp., male palp: 52–55 Clubiona diniensis Simon, 1878 (from Algeria); 56–59 C. genevensis L. Koch, 1866 (from Greece); 60–63 C. leucaspis Simon, 1932 (from Spain); 64–67 C. vegeta Simon, 1918 (from Tunisia). 52, 56, 60, 64 leftpalp, retrolateral view; 53, 57, 58, 61, 62, 65, 66 detail of RTA and base of cymbium, retrolateral view (65, white arrow, RTA needle-like extension present; 66, black arrow, RTA needle-like extension absent, probably broken); 54, 59, 63, 67 detail of bulbus and basolateral extension of cymbium (stars), retrolateral view; 55 same, ventral view. Scale bars: 52, 56, 60, 64 = 0.1 mm; 53, 57, 59, 61, 63, 67 = 50 µm; 54, 55, 58, 62, 65, 66 = 20 µm.

An introductory study of house spiders (Araneae) in Belgium

Summary More than 800 spiders were collected in 43 houses heated in winter, distributed mainly in the northern part of Belgium. Information required for the collections to be eligible for the project was: address, construction year, type of house, and surroundings. The spiders were qualified as ‘house spiders’ or ‘garden spiders’. Of the 93 species collected, 19 could be defined as house spiders. Pholcus phalangioides was the most common, followed by Eratigena atrica and Steatoda triangulosa. Garden spiders enter the house much more often in houses in a rural environment than in those situated in clusters, and mainly in spring. The spiders are most common in autumn when many of them are breeding. The common house spiders colonize houses shortly after their construction.