Ibala

{{Short description|Genus of spiders}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = | image = Ibala arcus 299773765 540088596.jpg | image_caption = female ''Ibala arcus'' | image2 = Ibala bilinearis 298146278 537010113.jpg | image2_caption = male ''Ibala bilinearis'' |taxon=Ibala |authority=Fitzpatrick, 2009<ref name=wsc /> |type_species=''I. arcus'' |type_species_authority=(Tucker, 1923) |subdivision_ranks=Species |subdivision=17, see text }}

'''''Ibala''''' is a genus of African ground spiders that was first described by M. J. FitzPatrick in 2009.<ref name=Fitz2009 />

==Description== {{see also|Glossary of spider terms}}

Spiders of the genus ''Ibala'' are small with average total length of 4-6 mm. The carapace and legs are reddish brown, while the abdomen is black with four white spots dorsally joined to form two longitudinal white strips or two white longitudinal white stripes ventrally. The carapace is longer than wide, with anterior lateral eyes largest and posterior medial eyes oval in shape. The anterior row is slightly recurved and the posterior row straight. The carapace is covered in fine hairs and the fovea is short.<ref name="dippenaar2021c" />

The chelicerae have four teeth on the outer row and one or none on the inner row. The labium is not fused to the sternum.<ref name="dippenaar2021c" />

The abdomen is covered in fine hairs, with some strong curved hairs antero-dorsally. The leg formulae is IV, I, II, III. A preening comb is present on metatarsi III and IV. Several long, curved trichobothria are present on tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi I-IV.<ref name="dippenaar2021c" />

The palpal tibia has a single curved apophysis and patches of hairs. The male palp has a prominent curved median apophysis and the embolus is long and thin. The epigynum has a central opening, with ducts variable but usually curved.<ref name="dippenaar2021c" />

==Taxonomy== The status of most of the southern African species of the genus ''Setaphis'' had remained uncertain since the generic revision by Platnick and Murphy (1966). The southern African gnaphosids formerly placed in ''Setaphis'' formed a monophyletic group recognized by their colour pattern consisting of white markings on a black abdomen. Fitzpatrick (2009) created the genus ''Ibala'' to accommodate them.<ref name="dippenaar2021c" />

==Species== <gallery mode=packed heights=140px> Ibala_minshullae.jpg|Female ''I. minshullae'' in Shangani, Zimbabwe </gallery>

{{as of|2025|9}}, this genus includes 17 species:<ref name="wsc" /> {{Div col}} * ''Ibala arcus'' (Tucker, 1923) – Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa (type species) * ''Ibala bilinearis'' (Tucker, 1923) – Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa * ''Ibala bulawayensis'' (Tucker, 1923) – Zimbabwe, South Africa * ''Ibala declani'' Fitzpatrick, 2009 – Zimbabwe * ''Ibala gonono'' Fitzpatrick, 2009 – Zimbabwe * ''Ibala hessei'' (Lawrence, 1928) – Namibia * ''Ibala isikela'' Fitzpatrick, 2009 – Zambia, Zimbabwe * ''Ibala kaokoensis'' (Lawrence, 1928) – Namibia * ''Ibala kevini'' Fitzpatrick, 2009 – Zimbabwe * ''Ibala kylae'' Fitzpatrick, 2009 – Zimbabwe * ''Ibala lapidaria'' (Lawrence, 1928) – Namibia, South Africa * ''Ibala mabalauta'' Fitzpatrick, 2009 – Zimbabwe * ''Ibala minshullae'' Fitzpatrick, 2009 – Zimbabwe * ''Ibala okorosave'' Fitzpatrick, 2009 – Namibia, South Africa * ''Ibala omuramba'' (Lawrence, 1927) – Namibia * ''Ibala quadrativulva'' (Lawrence, 1927) – Namibia * ''Ibala robinsoni'' Fitzpatrick, 2009 – Zimbabwe, Botswana {{Div col end}}

==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=wsc>{{cite journal|title=Gen. Ibala Fitzpatrick, 2009|website=World Spider Catalog|accessdate=2025-09-25|publisher=Natural History Museum Bern|url=http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/genus/944|doi=10.24436/2}}</ref> <ref name="dippenaar2021c">{{cite book | last1=Dippenaar-Schoeman | first1=A.S. | last2=Haddad | first2=C.R. | last3=Foord | first3=S.H. | last4=Lotz | first4=L.N. | year=2021 | title=The Gnaphosidae of South Africa. Part 2 (E-S) | publisher=South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide | pages=7 | doi=10.5281/zenodo.7197672}}{{Creative Commons text attribution notice|cc=by4}}</ref> <ref name=Fitz2009>{{cite journal|last=FitzPatrick|first=M. J.|year=2009|title=A revision of the Afrotropical species of ''Setaphis'' and the description of a new genus (Arachnida: Araneae: Gnaphosidae).|journal=Navorsinge van die Nasionale Museum Bloemfontein|pages=73–106|volume=25}}</ref> }}

==External links== * {{inaturalist taxon}}

Category:Araneomorphae genera Category:Gnaphosidae Category:Spiders of Africa