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Current location: Genus/Augacephalus

History:

In 2002 Richard C. GALLON was able to establish within his Revison of the Genera Pterinochilus and Eucratoscelus the new genus Augacephalus on the basis of holotpye of Pterinochilus breyeri. The holotype habit is Melelane (Barberton district/Transvaal) in South Africa. The two species in the genus were afore member of the genus Pterinochilus. GALLON decided to seperate those two species cause of too much differents to they former genus. The name Augacephlaus is greek (auga = sun rays, kephale = head) and it relates to the distinct carapace pattern which is present in both species.
The mainarea of circulation is the southern Africa.

 

 

Key features of the genus:

  • Fovea transverse or slightly procurved
  • Palpi, Leg I and II obvious robust (Fig. 14 )
  • Chelicerae covered with velvety short setae (Fig. 13 )
  • Tibial spur absent (Fig. 18 ) or weakly-developed (Fig. 8 )
  • Sub-abdominal band in the booklung region (Fig. 9 )
  • Scopulae on the chelicerae retrolateral present (s. P. chordatus )
  • Scopulae on the chelicerae prolateral absent (s. P. lugardi )
  • large Harpactirinae (female: ~50mm, male: ~20mm)
  • Distal segment of posterior spinneret digitiform (Fig. 108 )
  • Tarsal scopulae undivided (s. P. chordatus )
  • Metatarsal scopulae on leg I, II and III undivided (s. P. chordatus )
  • Metatarsal scopulae on leg IV bisected longitudinally by band of stiffened setae (s. P. chordatus )
  • Spermathecae paired, without terminal lobs

 

 

 

Species:

Augacephalus breyeri (HEWITT, 1919) (Type species)
   
Distribution of A. breyeri (HEWITT, 1919) Distribution: Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland
Coloration: Legs, palpi and abdomen beige/orange, increasingly ruddy distally on appendages. Leg and palp joints are pale yellow. Chelicerae grey and velvety. Carapace black with orange radial pattern and dark "mask" around the ocular tubercle. Dorsum of abdomen orange/beige with dark pattern of bars, spots and reticulations. Venter of abdomen orange/beige with pale sub-abdominal band over and between posterior booklung covers (band obscure in some specimens). Sternum coxae and trochanters velvety black with long emergent orange/brown setae. (Fig. 4 ).
Fovea: transverse, shallow, dimple-like. (Fig. 4 )
Spermathecae: sub-triangular (Figs. 5 , 6 , 7 )
Palpal bulb: pyriform, with thick, evenly curved embolus. Keels absent along embolus. Secondary haematodocha concave (Figs. 1 , 2 , 3 ).
Body length: male 18mm, female ~50mm

 

 

 

Augacephalus junodi (SIMON, 1904)
   
Distribution of A. junodi (SIMON, 1904) Distribution: Namibia and South Africa
Coloration: Legs, palpi and abdomen beige, increasingly ruddy distally on appendages. Leg and palp joints are pale yellow. Chelicerae grey and velvety. Carapace black with pale yellow radial pattern and dark "mask" around the ocular tubercle. Dorsum of abdomen with dark pattern of bars, spots and reticulations. Venter of abdomen dark brown with pale sub-abdominal band over and between posterior booklung covers, in some specimens this pale band extends onto posterior region of epigastric scutum (Fig. 9 ). Sternum, coxae and trochanters velvety black.
Fovea: deep, slightly procurved
Spermathecae: medial constricted
(Figs. 16 , 17 )
Palpal bulb: sub-pyriform, with curved, acuminate embolus; angle between embolus and tegulum acute. Keels absent along embolus (Figs. 10 , 11 , 12 ).
Body length: male ~15mm, female ~50mm

 

 

Synonyms:

Coelogenium nigrifemur SCHMIDT, 1995 = A. junodi (SIMON, 1904)
Pterinochilus breyeri HEWITT, 1919 = A. breyeri (HEWITT, 1919)
Pterinochilus junodi SIMON, 1904 = A. junodi (SIMON, 1904)

 

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