The genus Cheiracanthium (Araneae: Clubionidae) in southern Africa

The southern African representatives of Cheiracanthium C.L. Koch, 1839 are revised after examining 617 adult specimens. Eight species of Cheiracanthium are recognized from this region, four are new (C. dippenaarae, C. minshullae, C. presleyensis and C. slziluvanensis) and four are redescribed (C. africanum Lessert, 1921, C. furculatum Karsch, 1879, C. imbel/e Caporiacco, 1947 and C. vansoni Lawrence, 1936). Eleven species are synonymized (C. franganilloi Caporiacco, 1949 and C. nigropalpatum Schmidt & Jacque, 1983 = C. africanum Lessert, 1921; C. kiwunum Strand, 1915, C. mohasicum Strand, 1915, C. hoggi Lessert, 1921, C. natalense Lessert, 1923, C. castum Lawrence, 1927, C. lawrencei Roewer, 1951, C. melanostomel/um Roewer 1951 and C. melanostomellum caboverdense Schmidt & Piepho, 1994 = C. furculatum Karsch, 1879; C. nairobii Caporiacco, 1949 = C. imbel/e Caporiacco, 1947). The male of C. vansoni Lawrence, 1936 is described for the first time. Cheiracanthium hottentotum Strand, 1907 is considered a nomen dubium. The study resulted in the recognition of a new genus, Clzeiramiona, and this resulted in the transfer of six species (C. clavigerum Simon, 1897, C. filipes Simon, 1898, C. simplicitarse Simon, 1910, C. lzewitti Lessert, 1921, C. silvicolum Lawrence, 1938 and C. akermani Lawrence, 1942) to the new genus. keys are provided to the clubionid genera known from the Afrotropical Region as well as the Cheiracanthium species known from southern Africa. Distributional and habitat data are given for the eight Cheiracanthium species recorded from southern Africa. Medical and agricultural importance as well as relationships are also discused.