Acrosoma ruschii Mello-Leitão, 1945: 266 Micrathena triangularis Levi 1985: 512 Micrathena cicuta Gonzaga & Santos, 2004: 332–334 Micrathena ruschii : Magalhães & Santos 2011 Micrathena lata Chickering, 1960: 5 Rectifying the identities of the males of two Micrathena species (Araneae Araneidae), with report of the first case of intersexuality in the genus Alvarenga, Alessandra Da Silva De Magalhaes, Ivan L. F. Fonseca, Rodrigo Nunes Da Pérez-González, Abel Zootaxa 2020 2020-07-01 4808 1 151 164 42R2M (Mello-Leitao, 1945) Mello-Leitao 1945 [151,646,441,468] Arachnida Araneidae Micrathena Animalia Araneae 4 155 Arthropoda species ruschii  ( Figs 2, 3, 4A, 5)      Acrosoma ruschii Mello-Leitão, 1945: 266, figs. 7–9. [First synonymized with  Micrathena triangularisby  Levi 1985: 512, revalidated by Magalhães & Santos 2011]     Micrathena cicuta Gonzaga & Santos, 2004: 332–334, figs. 1–5. [Synonymy established by Magalhães & Santos 2011]   Micrathena ruschii: Magalhães & Santos 2011[ partim, only the females specimens examined]: 46–48, [males, figs. 17–19, misidentified after this work].   Type material:  Acrosoma ruschii  Mello-Leitão, 1945: Female lectotype MNRJ 2566and three female paralectotypes MNRJ 4255, from Santa Tereza[ 19º55’S 40º35’W,  655 ma.s.l.], Espírito Santo, Brazil. Examinedby ILFM, destroyed in the MNRJfire of  September 2, 2018.   Micrathena cicuta  Gonzaga & Santos, 2004: Female holotype IBSP 36322from Área de Relevante Interesse Ecológico Floresta da Cicuta, Volta Redonda[ 22º31’S 44º7’W,  390 ma.s.l.], Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Notexamined, destroyed in the Butantanfire of  May 2010.  Male-female association:Since 2011, three male specimens (listed below; Figs 2, 3, 4A) have been observed and collected on webs of females of  Micrathena ruschiiin Parque Municipal Atalaia, Macaé, Rio de Janeiro State. The neighbor-joining dendrogram based on a COI fragment ( Fig. 1) confirms the conspecificity of male (A6) and female (A5) of  M. ruschii collected in Macaé (with 94% bootstrap support) and with a female of  M. ruschii collected in Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro(99% bootstrap support). The male of M. rusch iidescribed in Magalhães & Santos (2011)from Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, should be considered a misidentification and the specific identity of this specimen remains unknown (see Discussion below for details).   Diagnosis:Males of  M. ruschiiare similar to other species of the  planagroup ( sensu Magalhães & Santos 2012) in having a rounded thoracic region, an abdomen with two dark bands in the lateral sides ( Fig. 2A), and a drop-shaped projection in the terminal apophysis ( Fig. 4A: tap). They can be further diagnosed by the combination of an acuminate tip of the terminal apophysis ( Fig. 4A: ta, vs.rounded in most other species), a rounded margin of the rim of the median apophysis [ Fig. 4A: m, vs.more square or hook-shaped in e.g.  M. triangularis(C.L. Koch)or  M. excavata(C.L. Koch)], and a slender paramedian apophysis [ Fig. 4A: pm, vs.widened in e.g.  M. brevispina(Keyserling)]. For the female diagnosis, see Gonzaga & Santos (2004).   Description:Male from Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil(UFRJ 1519), Figs 2A–C, 3, 4A. Carapace rounded, thoracic fovea a shallow, rounded pit. Coxal hook present, small. Leg macrosetae: ~7 macrosetae apically on femur I, ~4 apically on femur II, 1 retrolaterally on patellae I–II, 1 proventrally on tibia I. Abdomen rectangular, slightly wider anteriorly, tubercles absent. Coloration: carapace orange, with brown orange bands on lateral sides. Sternum, labium, endites and chelicerae orange. Legs brownish orange. Abdomen dorsum brownish cream, brown on the sides and posterior end, with two faint transverse markings; venter brownish cream with brown pigment on the sides and posteriorly to the spinnerets. Total length 4.63. Carapace length 2.04, width 1.63. Abdomen length 2.84, width 1.34. Leg I: femur (fe) 1.81, patella (pa) 0.55, tibia (ti) 1.24, metatarsus (mt) 1.07, tarsus (ta) 0.52. II: fe 1.49, pa 0.50, ti 0.90. III: fe 0.90, pa 0.31, ti 0.50. IV: fe 1.85, pa 0.38, ti 0.97, mt 1.10, ta 0.51. Genitalia ( Figs 3, 4A). Palpal tibia unmodified. Paracymbium large, bilobed, otherwise unmodified. Median apophysis large, composed of a large, bent, rounded rim; a gently curved lobe; and a sclerotized basal projection partially fused to the radix. Paramedian apophysis digitiform. Conductor folded, sclerotized; lobe absent. Terminal apophysis partially fused to the embolus and covering most of it, sclerotized, ending in a sharp tip, and bearing an unsclerotized drop-shaped projection. Embolus short, ending in a broad tip.   FIGURE 1.Sequence similarity among selected  MicrathenaCOI sequences inferred using the neighbor-joining method. Nodal support estimated with bootstrap (1000 replicates) shown next to the branches. Female described by Gonzaga & Santos (2004).   Material examined:  BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: Macaé, Parque Municipal Atalaia,  7.vii.2011, A. Alvarenga leg.,  1 ♂ 1 ♀( MACN-Ar 41526). Samelocality,  18.vi.2012, A. Alvarenga leg.,  1 ♂ 1 ♀( MNRJ). Samelocality,  10.i.2010, J. M. Guimarães, 1 intersexual individual and  1 ♀( MACN-Ar 41529, IFM-1948 voucher). Samelocality,  9.vii.2010, biology class students leg.,  1 ♀( UFRJ 1518). Samelocality,  26.vi.2009, R. L. C. Baptistaand biology class students leg.,  1 ♂( UFRJ 1519).   Variation(in mm and average between parentheses).—Males (n=3): total length 4.58–4.71 (4.64), carapace length 1.93–2.04 (1.99), femur I length 1.81–1.90 (1.84).   FIGURE 2.  Micrathena ruschiifrom Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, habitus. A–C, male. A, dorsal. B, lateral. C, ventral. D, female, dorsal. Scale bars, 1 mm.  Intersexual specimen:One specimen (MACN-Ar 41529) was interpreted as a case of intersexuality ( Fig. 5). This specimen has a morphological pattern similar to a normal male: a rounded carapace with the thoracic fovea in the form of a shallow rounded pit and a rectangular abdomen which is slightly wider anteriorly. It also exhibits a typical male coloration. However, the pedipalps are not fully developed (not showing any sclerites of the functional male palp) and resemble those of females but with the tarsus slightly elongated. Also, this specimen displays a sclerotized plate in the place of the female epigynum, but the plate is rudimentary and does not exhibit the morphological complexity of a fully developed epigynum. The leg spination is more reminiscent of that of females than that of males. The poor degree of development of the palps and epigynum support our classification that this is a case of intersexuality. This agrees with the intersexuality definition adopted by Roberts & Parker (1973)who considered intersex as cases in which, although parts of the spider may be predominantly female and other parts predominantly male, the distinction is less definite because certain organs, such as palps and epigynum, may be very poorly developed.   FIGURE 3.  Micrathena ruschiifrom Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, male left palps. A, prolateral. B, Subretrolateral. C–D, male (UFRJ 1519). C, retrolateral. D, prolateral, clove oil cleared. Scale bars, 0.1 mm.   FIGURE 4.Male left palps. A,  Micrathena ruschiifrom Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Macaé (UFRJ 1519), prolateral. B,  Micrathena lata, male from Argentina, Misiones (MACN-Ar 3866), prolateral. C, same, retrolateral, detail of paracymbium. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: bp = basal projection of the median apophysis, c = conductor, cl = conductor lobe, cy = cymbium, e = embolus, em = embolic membrane, l = median apophysis lobe, m = median apophysis rim, pm = paramedian apophysis, r = radix, ta = terminal apophysis, tap = terminal apophysis projection, ti = tibial projection, tp = tegular projection.   FIGURE 5.  Micrathena ruschii, intersexual individual from Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Macaé (MACN-Ar 41529, IFM-1948 voucher). A, habitus, ventral. B, anterior legs and carapace, subanterior. C, ventral. D, palps, dorsal view. E, right palp, sublateral. F, genital opening, ventral. Scale bars, 1 mm (A–C); 0.5 mm (D); 0.1 mm (E–F).    Micrathena lata Chickering, 1960 ( Figs 4B, C; 6)      Micrathena lata Chickering, 1960: 5, figs. 8–12; Levi, 1985[ partim, only the females]: 565, figs. 608–612 [males, figs. 613– 615, misidentified after Magalhaes et al.2017]   Type material:  Micrathena lata  Chickering, 1960. Female holotype( MCZ21788) from Teresópolis[-27.747555° -48.919398°], Rio de Janeiro, Brazil[with no date of collection given]. Notexamined.   FIGURE 6.  Micrathena lata, male from Argentina, Misiones (MACN-Ar 3866). A, habitus dorsal. B, habitus lateral. C–G, left palp. C, prolateral. D, embolus, apical. E, retrolateral. F, prolateral, clove oil cleared. G, details of embolus. Scale bars, 1 mm (A, B); 0.1 mm (C–F); 0.05 mm (G). Abbreviations: c = conductor, cl = conductor lobe, e = embolus, em = embolic membrane, ta = terminal apophysis.  Male-female association:The male has been associated to  Micrathena latabecause it clearly belongs to the militarisgroup due to the possession of projections in the palpal tibia, laterally projecting paracymbium, and lack of a macroseta in the palpal patella (see Magalhães & Santos 2012), and  Micrathena latais the only species of this group that occurs in the Atlantic Forest and is still known only by the female. Males and females have not been collected together but come from nearby localities (Puerto 17 de Octubre and San Javier, both in Misiones, Argentina, apart by ~ 225 km).   Diagnosis:Among species of the militarisgroup, the male of  M. lataresembles most those of  Micrathena furcata(Hahn)and  Micrathena reimoseriMello-Leitãodue to the large S-shaped embolus and the abdomen with two lateral dark bands. It differs from these two species by the more angled coils of the embolus ( Fig. 4B: e, vs.gently curved in the other species), by the distally expanded terminal apophysis ( Fig. 4B: ta, vs.even width throughout) and by the folded shape of the embolic membrane ( Figs. 2, 6: em, vs.absent). For the female diagnosis, see Levi (1985).   Description:Male from Puerto 17 de Octubre, Misiones, Argentina(MACN-Ar 3866), Figs. 4B, C; 6. Carapace oval, thoracic fovea a shallow, rounded pit. Coxal hook absent. Leg macrosetae absent, except for a few thin, stiff setae on the venter of tibiae I–II. Abdomen trapezoidal, widest posteriorly, with two posterior folds resembling tubercles. Coloration: carapace light brown, with brown bands on lateral sides. Sternum, labium, endites and chelicerae cream. Legs brownish cream, except for light brown dorsum of femur I. Abdomen dark brown with a longitudinal, light brown median stripe on dorsum. Total length 3.44. Carapace length 1.42, width 1.03. Abdomen length 2.00, width 1.10. Leg I: fe 1.14, pa 0.37, ti 0.77, mt 0.70, ta 0.49. II: fe 1.14, pa 0.37, ti 0.69. III: fe 0.73, pa 0.24, ti 0.38. IV: fe 1.16, pa 0.28, ti 0.67, mt 0.67, ta 0.41. Genitalia ( Figs 4B–C, 6). Palpal tibia with an apical, unbranched projection. Paracymbium large, bilobed, laterally projecting, otherwise unmodified. Median apophysis reduced to a lobed, unsclerotized basal projection partially fused to the radix. Paramedian apophysis absent. Conductor hookshaped, sclerotized; lobe rounded, membranous, covering the conductor in prolateral view. Terminal apophysis unfused to the embolus, large, membranous, distally broadened. Embolus long, S-shaped with acute loops, bearing a translucent membrane along most of its length; embolic membrane with a folded projection near the apex of the embolus. Female described by Levi (1985).   Material examined:  ARGENTINA. Misiones: Puerto 17 de Octubre[currently Puerto Libertad], De Carlo, Schiapelli, Viana& Galianocoll.,  X/1953, 1 ♂( MACN-Ar 3866); San Javier, 1 ♀, without further information ( MACN-Ar 33832). [543,766,738,765] 2018-09-02 MNRJ Brazil 655 -19.916666 Santa Tereza 1270 -40.583332 Examined 4 155 MNRJ 2566, MNRJ 4255 2 Espirito Santo lectotype [415,703,847,873] 2010-05 IBSP Brazil Butantan 390 -22.516666 Area de Relevante Interesse Ecologico Floresta da Cicuta 1259 -44.116665 Not 4 155 IBSP 36322 1 Rio de Janeiro holotype [448,1270,189,215] 2011-07-07 Brazil Parque Municipal Atalaia Macae 6 157 1 Rio de Janeiro [208,837,224,251] 2012-06-18 Brazil Same 6 157 MACN-Ar 41526 2 1 1 Rio de Janeiro 2010-01-10 MNRJ J. M. Guimaraes Brazil Same 6 157 2 1 1 Rio de Janeiro 2010-07-09 Brazil Same 6 157 MACN-Ar 41529 1 1 Rio de Janeiro 2009-06-26 UFRJ R. L. C. Baptista Brazil Same 6 157 UFRJ 1518 1 1 Rio de Janeiro [367,566,332,359] UFRJ Brazil 6 157 UFRJ 1519 1 1 Rio de Janeiro [523,721,153,179] MCZ Brazil Teresopolis Not 10 161 1 Rio de Janeiro holotype 1953-10 de Octubre & De Carlo & Viana & Galiano Argentina Misiones 11 162 MACN-Ar 3866, MACN-Ar 33832 2 1 1 Misiones