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Afrotropical Region; South Africa; Namibia; Kalahari; sand dunes; claw tuft setae; serrula; spination; copulatory organs; 28SrDNA; molecular taxonomy
Abstract:
A new genus of huntsman spiders, May gen. n. is described from southern Africa, together with four new
species: M. bruno sp. n. (♂, ♀; South Africa), M. ansie sp. n. (♂; Namibia), M. rudy sp. n. (♂; Namibia)
and M. norm sp. n. (♀; Namibia). Diagnostic characters proposed include not only those for the genus but
also for the so-called African clade. Unique within the entire family are the reduction of the gnathocoxal
serrula and the prolaterad embolus. Special claw tuft setae and metatarsi I to III with three prolateral and
retrolateral spines, respectively, occur in the entire African clade. A proximal cymbial shoulder in the male
palp, the fused lateral lobes of the epigyne and the prolateral proximal spine of leg I shifted to a median
position is characteristic for May gen. n. A family-wide analysis of genetic distance in the nuclear 28SrDNA
gene (28s), including M. bruno sp. n., supports its isolated placement and thus the genus hypothesis.
