Sympolymnia, Perger & Rubio, 2020

Perger, Robert & Rubio, Gonzalo D., 2020, Sympolymnia, a new genus of Neotropical ant-like spider, with description of two new species and indirect evidence for transformational mimicry (Araneae, Salticidae, Simonellini), Zoosystematics and Evolution 96 (2), pp. 781-795 : 781

Sympolymnia gen. nov.

Type species.

Janus lucasii Taczanowski, 1871 (by original designation)

Diagnosis.

This genus can be distinguished from the other four genera of Simonellini ( Cylistella Simon, 1901, Erica Peckham & Peckham, 1892, Fluda Peckham & Peckham, 1892 and Synemosyna ) by the presence of two translucent white patches between the cephalic and thoracic areas (Figs 4 and 10B ) and the presence of large, lung-shaped spermathecae (Fig. 6B, G ). Additional characters to separate Sympolymnia gen. nov. from Erica , Fluda or Synemosyna are shown in Table 1 .

Composition.

This new genus comprises the species Sympolymnia edwardsi (Cutler, 1985), comb. nov., S. lauretta (Peckham & Peckham, 1892), comb. nov., S. lucasi (Taczanowski, 1871), comb. nov., S. cutleri sp. nov. and S. shinahota sp. nov.

Etymology.

The specific epithet, Sympolymnia , is a combination of “sym”, meaning “with” in Greek and “Polymnia”, one of the nine Muses of Greek mythology, daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne and the protector of the divine hymns and mimic arts. The gender of the name is feminine.

Remarks.

Cylistella has a rounded, beetle-like habitus without constrictions and is the morphologically most distinct group within this tribe. Sympolymnia gen. nov. is possibly most related to Synemosyna (Table 1 ). This relationship is indicated by the presence of a constriction between the cephalic and thoracic parts and a single female genital opening. Additionally, in Synemosyna aurantiaca and Synemosyna formica , the embolus of the male palp is elongated and winds around the retro-dorsal surface of the dorsum of the cymbium, similar to species of Sympolymnia gen. nov. However, all species of Sympolymnia gen. nov. are distinguished from Synemosyna by consistent differences in genitalic and somatic characters (Table 1 ), requiring an adequate generic treatment (see also Ruiz and Bustamante 2016; Kanesharatnam and Benjamin 2018; Rubio et al. 2020 for other, recent generic taxonomy in Salticidae ).

Figures

Figure 4. Lateral habitus of A. Sympolymnia lauretta (Peckham & Peckham, 1892), adult female; B. S. shinahota sp. nov. (IBSI-Ara 0726), female holotype. Scale bars: 1 cm. Arrows indicate the two light patches between the cephalic and thoracic areas (these patches are translucent white in live specimens).

Figure 6. Holotype of Sympolymnia lucasi (Taczanowski, 1871): A. Habitus dorsal and lateral views; B. Spermatheca and copulatory duct; C. Data label.

Figure 10. Sympolymnia cutleri sp. nov., paratype female (SMNK-ARA: 1358): A, B. Carapace; C. Abdomen lateral; D. Epigyne; E. Spermatheca and copulatory duct (photographs by Hubert Hoefer, SMNK, Germany).