Tetragnatha gracilis ( Bryant, 1923 ) Bryant, 1923

Dimitrov, Dimitar, Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando & Hormiga, Gustavo, 2008, Until dirt do us apart: On the unremarkable palp morphology of the spider Sternospina concretipalpis Schmidt & Krause, 1993, with comments on the genus Prionolaema Simon, 1894 (Araneae, Tetragnathidae), Zootaxa 1698, pp. 49-56 : 55

Tetragnatha gracilis ( Bryant, 1923) new combination

( Fig. 3 A–G; Fig. 4 A–C)

Prionolaema gracilis Bryant, 1923: 11 , pl. 1, f. 3

T. earmra Levi, 1981: 294 , f. 35–45, pl. 5c. New synonymy

Types. Prionolaema gracilis : four syntypes from Antigua and Barbuda, Antigua, University of Iowa Expedition vi.1918 (MCZ 21481, examined). Tetragnatha earmra : male holotype from USA, Florida, Dade Co., Everglades Natl. Park, Earmra , SE Island. 28.i.1973, (MCZ 21149, examined).

Justification of the transfer: Detailed examination of syntypes of P. gracilis ( Fig. 3 A–G) suggests that these animals belong to the genus Tetragnatha . Further comparison of male palpal morphology ( Fig. 3 A–C) with drawings and the type material of T. earmra confirmed that these specimens belong to the same species. The female genital morphology is also as in T. earmra ( Fig. 4 A–C). Based on these observations we consider the transfer of P. gracilis fully justified. The species T. earmra should be regarded as a junior synonym of P. gracilis .

Despite its relatively smaller chelicerae, compared to other Tetragnatha species, all other characters clearly place this species in the genus Tetragnatha . Not surprisingly, Bryant (1923) was uncertain of the generic placement of gracilis : “I am not quite satisfied as to the generic position of this species.” The finding of T. gracilis on the island of Antigua broadens southward the known distribution of this species, which before this study was known only from Florida.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Tetragnatha gracilis (Bryant, 1923), male (syntype). A, left palp, ventral. B, retrolateral. C, prolateral. D, chelicerae, frontal view. E, habitus, dorsal. F, ventral. G, lateral. Scale bars 0.2.

FIGURE 4. Tetragnatha gracilis (Bryant, 1923), female (syntype). A, B, vulva dorsal. C, vulva, schematic drawing in dorsal view. Scale bars: B, 0.5; C, 0.1.