Macutula, Ruiz, Gustavo Rodrigo Sanches, 2011

Ruiz, Gustavo Rodrigo Sanches, 2011, Description of Macutula, a new genus of jumping spiders from Northeastern Brazil (Araneae: Salticidae: Amycoida), Zootaxa 2785, pp. 53-60 : 53-54

Macutula gen. nov.

Type species: Macutula aracoiaba sp. nov.

Etymology. The name is an arbitrary combination of letters to be treated as feminine.

Phylogenetic relationship. Although DNA data consistently support the monophyly of amycoids (e.g., Maddison & Hedin 2003; Maddison et al. 2008), morphological synapomorphies remain unknown. The new genus is supposed to belong to Amycoida by similarities with several amycoid lineages. In general appearance, spiders of this group resemble those of Breda Peckham and Peckham , which could be an amycoid according to unpublished DNA data, by the dark, glabrous carapace. The third leg longest is also common in amycines, such as Mago O.P.- Cambridge and Noegus Simon. Cheliceral teeth are similar to the ones present in Breda and in the Hurius group, with several teeth on promargin and one on retromargin (see Chickering 1946, fig. 16; Galiano 1985, figs 4, 18). The reduced sperm loop immediately before the embolus is similar to that present in species of Sitticus Simon. The epigynal structure is also similar to that of many amycoids: the anterior atrium is found in Breda and many amycines, such as Mago and Noegus . Moreover, copulation ducts coiled posteriorly and anterior spermathecae are also found in almost all groups of amycoids.

Diagnosis. Macutula gen. nov. differs from the remaining genera of Amycoida by having a very deep prolateral excavation on the dorsal surface of the cymbium of the male palp, forming a dorsal keel ( Fig. 7 ).

Description. Median sized jumping spiders (4–7mm) with slightly flattened bodies and dark brown, glabrous carapaces ( Figs 1–2 ); chelicera similar in males and females, with an anterior color pattern ( Fig. 11 ), one big tooth on retromargin and five on promargin, the proximal two being the largest ( Fig. 12 ); male endite similar to that of the female ( Fig. 13 ); labium rounded with posterior ventral excavations ( Fig. 13 ) and sternum subpentagonal ( Fig. 14 ); male palp with a straight femur ( Fig. 6 ), short tibia with a curved RTA and a poorly developed RvTA ( Figs 3– 5 , 24, 26 ), a triangular cymbium seen in anterior view, with a deep prolateral-dorsal excavation ( Fig. 7 ), small subtegulum and tegulum with a small loop of the sperm duct just before it enters the embolus ( Figs 3, 8 ) and a long curling embolus, whose tip lies in a ventral excavation on the distal cymbium ( Figs 3 , 23, 25 ). Leg formula 1342 in males (Figs 15–18) and 3412 in females (Figs 19–22). Spination: male: palpal femur 0; femur I d1-1-1 p1di, II d1- 1-1, p1di, III d1-1-1 p2di, IV d1-1-1; patella I=II 0, III=IV r1; tibia I v2-2 -2, II v1 r-2-2, p1-0-1, III v1 p-0-1r, p1-1, r1-1-1, IV v1 p-0-1r, p1-0, r1-1-1; metatarsus I=II v2-2, III v2-2, p1-2, r1-2, IV v1 p-1r, p0-2, r1-1-2; female: femur I=II d1-1-1, p1di, III d1-1-1 p2di, IV d1-1-1; patella I-IV 0; tibia I v2-2 -2, II v1 r-2-2, III v1 p-0-1r, p0-1, r1-1-1, IV v1 p-0-0, p0, r1-1; metatarsus I=II v2-2, III v2-2, p1-2, r1-2, IV v1 p-1r, p0-2, r1-2. Abdomen about the same length as the carapace with longitudinal dorsal color patterns ( Figs 1–2 ). Epigynum with an anterior atrium ( Figs 9 , 27 ), a membranous, spiral initial portion of the copulation duct coiling backwards around the second, sclerotized portion, which coils forward and becomes loose, reaching the anterior spermatheca ( Figs 10 , 28 ).

Composition. Three species: M. aracoiaba sp. nov., M. santana sp. nov., M. caruaru sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 10. Macutula aracoiaba sp. nov. 3 – 8 left male palp, (3 ventral, 4 retrolateral, 5 dorsal, 6 prolateral, 7 anterior view, 8 clarified bulb, ventral view); 9 epigyne, ventral view; 10 vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURES 1 – 2. Macutula aracoiaba sp. nov. 1 male habitus; 2 female habitus.

FIGURES 11 – 14. Macutula aracoiaba sp. nov. 11 male face; 12 male chelicerae, retrolateral view; 13 male labium and endites, ventral view; 14 male sternum and coxae, ventral view.

FIGURES 23 – 28. Macutula santana sp. nov. 23 – 24 left male palp (23 ventral, 24 retrolateral). Macutula caruaru sp. nov. 25 – 26 left male palp (25 ventral, 26 retrolateral); 27 epigyne, ventral view; 28 vulva, dorsal view.