Trabea setula

General description: 

"Description.—Male: (n = 5) CW = 1.58 (1.50–1.65), CL = 2.28 (2.10–2.40), TL = 4.56 (4.30–4.90). Carapace dark brown with a broad pale parallel-sided median band and broad yellow lateral bands. Margin with fine black line. Some small black spines within pale yellow lateral bands. Row of 9–10 small, black spines below posterior eyes on lateral side of cephalon. Sternum yellow with small dark spots along coxae. Chelicerae yellow with brown stripes. Clypeus yellow. Abdomen with dorsal side brown and pale brown median band and two longitudinal rows of black spots. Ventrally brown. Spinnerets pale brown. Legs yellow with dark spots especially on ventral side of coxae and femora. Tibia I with three pairs of ventral spines and an additional apical pair. Metatarsus I with three pairs of ventral spines. Palp femur mainly yellow with dark inner and outer brown stripes. Inner brown stripe on femur with green to blue irridescence. Patella mainly dark but dorsally yellow. Tibia and tarsus black thickly covered with long black hairs. Tibia very short in comparison to many other Trabea species, including nigristernis.

Female: (n = 2) CW = 1.45 (1.40–1.50), CL = 2.35 (2.30–2.40), TL = 5.20 (4.90– 5.50). Carapace pale brown with very broad yellow median and lateral bands. Margin with fine black stripe. Many short black spines within yellow lateral bands. Subocular row of short spines clearly present on lateral side of cephalon. Spines, however, white in contrast to male. Sternum yellow with darker spots along coxae. Chelicerae yellow with brown stripes. Clypeus mainly yellow. Abdomen with dorsal side pale brown and broad yellow median band and darker spots. Ventral side mainly yellow. Spinnerets yellow. Legs yellow with dark spots. Tibia I ventrally with three pairs of spines and one apical pair. Metatarsus I with three pairs of ventral spines. Palp yellow." Alderweireldt, 1999

"Etymology.—The species name refers to the row of small setae laterally on the cephalon below the posterior eyes." Alderweireldt, 1999

Media: 
Diagnostic description: 

"Diagnosis.—Recognized by the row of small spines below posterior eyes on the lateral margin of cephalon." Alderweireldt, 1999

Distribution: 

"Type material.—MALAWI: Nyika plateau, Chelinda, 2300 m, burned grassland, 7–19 December 1981, 1mm holotyope (R. Jocque´) (MRAC 155.765). Chelinda, 2300 m, 7–19 December 1981, 5mm paratypes (R. Jocque´) (MRAC 155.870).

Other material examined.—MALAWI: Nyika plateau, Chelinda, burned grassland, 7–10 December 1981, 1mm (R. Jocque´) (MRAC 156.759). idem, 2300 m, 7–19 December 1981, 1mm (R. Jocque´) (MRAC 155.943). idem, 2300 m, 7–19 December 1981, 2mm2ff(R. Jocque´) (MRAC 155.738). idem, 2300 m, 7–19 December 1981, 1mm (R. Jocque´) (MRAC 170.722). idem, 2300 m, 7–19 December 1981, 2mm (R. Jocque´) (MRAC 206.676). idem, 2300 m, Cupressus plantation, 5 December 1981, 1mm (R. Jocque´) (MRAC 156.228). idem, 2300 m, burned grassland in 1980, 7–19 December 1981, 1ff (R. Jocque´) (MRAC 206.677)." Alderweireldt, 1999

Taxonomic name: 
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith