Introduction

BELIPPINES have exceptional tibial apophysis in a form of sclerotized, short sickle, sitting atop transparent membranous basis - characterized in descriptions as "movable", its function remain a mystery. Bulbus round, encircled with hair thin embolus, spermophor along contour of bulbus with small additional, flattened loop. Females differing from other ant-like groups of genera by epigyne with pipe-like spermathecae, expanded anteriorly into globular vesicle, copulatory ducts membranous and visible only in cleared and stained preparations, in forms of very complicated loops. Abdomen and carapace not constricted, pedicel short.
COMPOSITION. Single genus Belippo Simon, 1909, known from Africa.

Recognition characters

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Gen. Belippo Simon, 1909 (11 species)

Type species Belippo anguina Simon, 1909.
DIAGNOSIS. Palp with sickle like sclerotized apophysis, sitting on membranous basis. Male chelicerae not enlarged, cheliceral teeth making a compact group (or multicone tooth on mutual basis) located on transverse swelling of the retrolateral edge. Tibia I not broadened. . Copulatory ducts very long and making complicated loops. Other characters comparable with both LIGONIPEINES and MYRMARACHNINES.
DESCRIPTION. Tibial apophysis unique, "sickle" like, sclerotized, sitting on elastic, membranous basis. Abdomen bag-shaped, indistinctly constricted (Fig. 6), pedicel visible from above but short, carapace with gently sloping thorax, without distinct constriction. Chelicerae porrect, ventrally lobate in both sexes, with 5-8 small teeth. Epigyne comparable in general outlook with MYRMARACHNINES. Spermathecae in a form of long, thin "pipes" terminated anteriorly by a small, globular chamber, copulatory ducts membranous and very long, make complicated coils (Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013: 186-187, figs 36-42).
REMARKS. Extensive characteristics of the genus is given by Wanless [1978:, P. 5-7], but satisfactory drawing of internal structure of epigyne, visible on cleared and stained preparation, was given only recently by Wesołowska and Haddad (opus cited).
REFERENCES. Wesolowska W., Haddad C.R. 2013. Vol. 54. N. 1. P. 186-187. Figs 15, 36–42.
Wanless F.R. 1978a. Vol. 33. N. 1. P. 5-7.

Figs 82-88. Diagnostic characters of Belippo meridionalis. 82- 83 - epigyne and its internal structure; 84-86 - male palp: ventral, lateral view and tibia; 87-88 - chelicerae of male. From Africa, after Wesolowska & Haddad [2013].

Belippo attenuata : Wesołowska, Haddad, 2014. Two chambered spermatheca divided by "pipes" seems to be particularly interesting for evolutionary considerations. Belippo pulchra. Haddad & Wesołowska, 2013: Genus: 24(3-4): 462-464, f 5-9, 73-74. By courtesy.

b)

Belippo anguina +b) nexilis.Wanless 1978a., Bull. brit. Mus. nat. Hist. (Zool.), 33, (1): 7-9, f. 4a,b, d +b)9, f. 4c, e-g . By courtesy.

++

Belippo milloti. Wanless 1978a., Bull. brit. Mus. nat. Hist. (Zool.), 33, (1): +b) Wesołowska, Edwards 2012. Ann. zool.: 62(4): 738, f 17–24 + Wesolowska, Wiśniewski, 2015. Zootaxa, 3980(4): 552, f. 22-23. © Magnolia Press. By courtesy.

+c

Belippo ibadan.Wanless 1978a. Bull. brit. Mus. nat. Hist. (Zool.), 33, (1): 11, f. 6 a-l +b ) Wesołowska, Russel-Smith 2011. Ann. zool. 61(3): 563-564, f 35-39 +c) By courtesy.

+

Belippo calcarata. Wanless 1978a. Bull. brit. Mus. nat. Hist. (Zool.), 33, (1): 11, f. 6 a-l +b ) Wesolowska, Wiśniewski, 2015. Zootaxa, 3980(4): 549, f. 2-11. ©Magnolia Press. By courtesy. Belippo elgonensis Wesolowska, Wiśniewski, 2015. Zootaxa, 3980(4): 551, f. 12-21. © Magnolia Press. By courtesy. Belippo terribilis Wesolowska, Wiśniewski, 2015. Zootaxa, 3980(4): 553, f. 24-30. © Magnolia Press. By courtesy.

c)

Belippo viettei b) cygniformis. Wanless 1978a. Bull. brit. Mus. nat. Hist. (Zool.), 33, (1): 10-11, f. 5a-g +b) Wesołowska, Russel-Smith. By courtesy.