A revision of the Afrotropical spider genus Cambalida Simon, 1909 (Araneae, Corinnidae).
The non-mimetic Afrotropical spider genus Cambalida Simon, 1909, placed within a subfamily of predominantly ant-mimicking spiders (Araneae: Corinnidae: Castianeirinae), is revised. Three species are transferred from Castianeira Keyserling, 1879 to Cambalida: Cambalida deminuta (Simon, 1909), comb. n., Cambalida fulvipes (Simon, 1896), comb. n. and Cambalida loricifera (Simon, 1885), comb. n.. A fourth species, Cambalida fagei (Caporiacco, 1939), comb. n., is transferred from Brachyphaea Simon, 1895 to Cambalida. Two species, Castianeira depygata Strand, 1916, syn. n. and Cambalida mestrali Lessert, 1921, syn. n., are considered junior synonyms of Cambalida fulvipes. The males of Cambalida deminuta and Cambalida loricifera are redescribed and their unknown females are described for the first time. The female and male of Cambalida fulvipes and Cambalida coriacea Simon, 1909 are also redescribed. The type material of the type species of the genus, Cambalida insulana Simon, 1909 from Pagalu (Annobon) Island, is lost, and only immature specimens have been subsequently collected from a nearby island. The species is regarded as a nomen dubium until fresh adult material can be collected. A replacement name, Cambalida simoninom. n. is proposed for Cambalida fulvipes Simon, 1909, the latter being a secondary junior homonym of Cambalida fulvipes (Simon, 1896). The type material of this species is also lost and it is too considered nomen dubium. The following new species are described: Cambalida compressasp. n. from West Africa, Cambalida dippenaaraesp. n. from southern Africa, Cambalida griswoldisp. n. and Cambalida lineatasp. n. from Madagascar, and Cambalida unicasp. n. from Cameroon. Notes are provided on the biology of each species and the distribution of the genus in the Afrotropical Region.
Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa.
Charles Richard
CR
Haddad
Castianeirinae; epigaeic; forest; new species; nomen dubium; savanna; taxonomy