Tetragnatha jaculator Tullgren, 1910

de Souza Castanheira, Pedro & Baptista, Renner Luiz Cerqueira, 2021, Redescription of Tetragnatha guatemalensis, T. laboriosa and T. jaculator, with new synonymies of genus Tetragnatha (Araneae: Tetragnathidae) in the Neotropical Region, Journal of Natural History 54 (47 - 48), pp. 3031-3057 : 3047-3054

Tetragnatha jaculator Tullgren, 1910

( Figures 56–82 )

Type data

Tetragnatha jaculator Tullgren, 1910: 150 , pl. 3, fig. 73 (38 males and females syntypes from Tanzania, Kilimanjaro region: Kibonoto [Kibongoto], Culture Zone , deposited in NHRS-GULI000069806, viii–x.1905 or 1906, Y. Sjöstedt coll., one couple examined; male syntype from Tanzania; Pare District , Kimela , deposited in ZMB 26718, vi.1905 or 1906, Y. Sjöstedt coll., not examined) .

Tetragnatha riveti Berland, 1913: 90 , pl. 8, figs 24–30 (10 male and 7 female syntypes from Ecuador, probably deposited in MNHN, Dr. Rivet coll., not examined) syn . nov.

Tetragnatha argyroides Mello-Leitão, 1945: 243 , figs 20, 21 (male lectotype from Argentina, Misiones , San José, Pindapoy, deposited in MLP 16420, xii.1941, M. Biráben coll., examined) syn. nov.

Tetragnatha lewisi Chickering, 1962: 439 , figs 41–48 (male holotype from Jamaica, St. Ann Parish , 1 mile east of Moneague, Gayle Road, deposited in MCZ 21841, 07. xi.1957, Chickering coll., examined) syn. nov.

Diagnosis

Male chelicerae of T. jaculator are similar to that of T. laboriosa and T. elongata . All three species have no AXu, and share small Gu, protruding ‘sl’, slightly basalward projected, elongated and robust ‘T’, and long Gl, as longest tooth of lower row ( Figures 32–34 , 48, 49 , 59–61 , 74, 75 ; Okuma 1992, fig. 6A, B; Castanheira et al. 2019, figs 5D–F, 7A). T. guatemalensis is also similar, but has no Gu ( Figures 4, 5 , 21 ). However, T. jaculator is easily set apart by all three species by a much shorter ‘a’. The presence of a knob-like ‘t’ separates it from T. laboriosa and T. elongata , where it is absent, and from T. guatemalensis , with a large tooth-like ‘t’ ( Figures 59, 60 , 74 ). Furthermore, the male of T. jaculator can be set apart from other species cited above by palp with a very slanted tegulum and flattened pleat-less conductor and embolus pressed against it ( Figures 63, 64 , 78 ).

In relation to females, T. jaculator is more similar to T. vermiformis , as both species have short and laterally bulged paturon bearing tiny teeth, without AXl, with U2 longer than Gu and set apart by a large gap, L2 longer than Gl, and short genital fold ( Figures 68–70 , 76, 77 ; Zhu and Zhang 2011, fig.133D–G; Castanheira et al. 2019, figs 18D–F, H, 19B). However, T. jaculator can be easily diagnosed from T. vermiformis by the more elongated abdomen, dorsal hump of paturon more basal and wider, presence of tiny AXu ( Figures 66, 67 , 76 ), Gu closer to fang ( Figures 68, 69 , 76 ), Gl smaller and distalward projected ( Figures 69, 70 , 77 ), much smaller gap between Gl and L2 ( Figures 69, 70 , 77 ) and genital fold shorter ( Figure 72 ). Finally, T. jaculator is set apart by the internal genitalia bearing two semi-circular spermathecae and a filiform CS ( Figure 73 ; Zhu et al. 2003, fig. 73G).

Description

Male: Carapace yellow and elongated, with slightly elevated anterior part ( Figures 56, 57 ). Labium reddish brown and longer than wide ( Figure 58 ). Sternum triangular, yellowish brown, with a dusky contour ( Figure 58 ). Eyes parallel and procurved, ringed in black and spaced apart ( Figure 56 ). Legs yellow and very elongated ( Figures 56–58 ). Chelicerae paturon thick, approximately 3.5x longer than wide and 1.5x shorter than carapace, little curved outwards, around 30° from body median line, gently curved in the upper side ( Figures 56–62 , 74, 75 ). ‘a’ straight, very short, slightly pointing outwards and displaced outwards from the middle portion of paturon, with its tip with a shallow excavation ( Figures 59, 60 , 74 ). AXu absent ( Figures 59, 60 , 74 ). ‘t’ reduced to a small knob ( Figures 59, 60 , 74 ). Upper row with seven uneven teeth (sometimes with a tiny ‘rsu’ additional teeth) ( Figures 59, 60 , 74 ): Gu small, slightly distalward projected and located near fang basis, apart from ‘sl’ by moderate gap; ‘sl’ larger than Gu, slightly basalward projected, with pointed tip; ‘T’ elongated, thin, almost straight, little bent upward and apart from remaining teeth by large gap; and ‘rsu’ with four teeth decreasing in size. AXl small, distalward projected and located near fang basis ( Figures 60, 61 , 75 ). Lower row with six teeth ( Figures 60, 61 , 75 ): Gl thick and elongated, projected distalward, with swollen basis; L2–L6 with almost same size and slighting bending upward, L2 a little shorter and thicker than remaining teeth. Cheliceral fang as wide as its base, bent downward, regularly tapering to its tip, and serrated from midway through, closing between teeth rows ( Figures 59–61 , 74, 75 ). Abdomen cylindrical, slender, around 2.2x longer than carapace, dorsally pale beige, and completely covered by guanine spots, scantier at middle line ( Figures 56, 57 ). Venter pale brown, flattened and nude, with no patches ( Figure 58 ). Epiandrous rounded, composed of large sclerotised medial division with two lobes bearing 5 and 6 fusules respectively ( Figure 81 ). Palp with very short tibia, around 1.5x longer than wide, elongated cymbium, bearing wide basis, slight constriction at middle portion, apically constricted, ending in roundish tip ( Figures 63, 64 , 78 ); tegulum spherical, inflated, 1.7x wider than high and slanted around 60º ( Figures 63, 64 , 78 ); conductor flattened, cylindrical, thick, transparent, closely pressed against tegulum, but with its distal third projected beyond it, without pleats and enfolding embolus as a thin pouch for about ¾ of its length ( Figures 63, 64 , 78, 79 ); embolus thick, filiform, originating at middle portion of bulb, strongly curved and pressed against the rim of tegulum, almost forming a circle, with only its distal portion being projected ( Figures 63, 64 , 78, 79 ); paracymbium triangular and small, without transparent lobe and formed by rounded and undivided finger-like distal notch, and large and thick knob projected basalward ( Figures 65 , 80 ).

Total length 4.90. Carapace 1.85 long, 1.05 wide. Abdomen 3.01 long, 0.87 wide. Left chelicera 0.75 long, 0.36 wide. Leg formula I–IV–II–III. Leg I: femur 3.74, patella 0.72, tibia 4.00, metatarsus 4.16 and tarsus 1.16. Leg II: patella + tibia 2.85. Leg III: patella + tibia 1.02. Leg IV: patella + tibia 2.85.

Female: Carapace colour, endites, fovea, eyes, labium and legs as in male ( Figures 66, 67 ). Sternum with the same shape as in male but brown ( Figure 67 ). Chelicerae paturon with same colour as male, small, rounded, around 2,3x longer than wide and 2,2x shorter than carapace, gently curved outwards around 30° from the body median line and bearing a large and wide conspicuous, basally displaced, bulge on upper side ( Figures 66, 68–71 76, 77 ). AXu very small, reduced to nub near fang basis ( Figure 76 ). Upper row with six teeth ( Figures 68, 69 , 76 ): Gu thick, with triangular large basis and pointing distalward, apart from U2 by moderate gap; U2–U6 decreasing in size, all distalward projected, where U6 is very reduced. AXl absent ( Figures 69, 70 , 77 ). Lower row with seven teeth ( Figures 69, 70 , 77 ): Gl small, pointed and strongly pointing distalward, apart from L2 by small gap. L2 larger than Gl, with an acute tip, pointing distalward. L2–L7 decreasing in size, pointed slightly distalward. Cheliceral fang serrated from its first third, slightly reducing its width, and closing between both teeth rows ( Figures 68–70 , 76, 77 ). Abdomen as in male ( Figures 66, 67 ). Genital fold very short and triangular, with wide posterior rim, its tip with a shallow excavation and almost in level with lung plates ( Figure 72 ). Internal genitalia composed of two rounded semi-circular spermathecae, connected to an oval uterus externus, bearing a filiform slender CS ( Figure 73 ).

Total length 5.79. Carapace 1.77 long, 0.96 wide. Abdomen 4.12 long, 1.13 wide. Left chelicera 0.58 long, 0.32 wide. Leg formula I–IV–II–III. Leg I: femur 3.30, patella 0.61, tibia 3.30, metatarsus 3.19 and tarsus 0.98. Leg II: patella + tibia 2.09. Leg III: patella + tibia 0.87. Leg IV: patella + tibia 2.31.

Variation

Males (n = 9): total length, 4.90–6.54; females (n = 5): total length, 5.79–7.35. In males, ‘a’ may be straight and almost not excavated ( Figures 59–60 ), with only its tip curved and excavated ( Okuma 1983, fig. 11b) or entirely curved ( Berland 1913, fig. 25; Okuma 1992, figs 10a, c).

Synonymy and notes

Tullgren (1910) described T. jaculator based on 38 males and females from the Culture Zone in Kibongoto (Kibonoto on the original paper, NHRS-GULI000069806) and one male from Pare District (ZMB 26718), both in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania. In his excellent description and illustration of males, Tullgren cited a second tooth ‘very big and long’ on the chelicerae, probably referring to ‘T’ (in our nomenclature). This tooth is easily observed on his drawings, if we consider he ignored Gu on counting the teeth on the upper row ( Tullgren 1910, fig. 73a) and an ‘abnormally developed bulb’, which is probably a reference to the slanted and developed tegulum of the pedipalp ( Tullgren 1910, fig. 73b, c). About the females, this author only highlights the short and thick chelicerae. Posterior redescriptions of this species include its first record in Asia (New Guinea) by Okuma (1987) and from China by Zhu et al. (2003), with very comprehensive drawings from both authors. In the Neotropical region, the first records are from Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago by Okuma (1992).

Okuma (1987, 1992) already suggested that T. argyroides Mello-Leitão, 1945 from Argentina and T. lewisi Chickering, 1962 from Jamaica might be junior synonyms of T. jaculator . After her hints on the synonymies, we examined photos of the male types of those species from MLP and MCZ,which clearly bear the diagnostic characters of T. jaculator , like the slanted tegulum of the male palp and male chelicerae with reduced ‘t’, slightly basalward projected ‘sl’, long ‘T’, and long Gl. For the synonymy of T. riveti Berland, 1913 , we rely on the original illustrations by Berland (1913) because the types were not located at MNHN. Drawings depicted chelicerae with short and almost straight ‘a’ in lateral view (fig. 26), straight ‘sl’ and long ‘T’ (see Berland 1913: fig. 25) and very long Gl (see Berland 1913: fig. 24), besides the characteristic slanted tegulum (see Berland 1913: figs. 29, 30). Unfortunately, females of T. riveti were not illustrated or described by Berland (1913), but only cited briefly in the text. Therefore, we acknowledge T. lewisi = T. argyroides = T. riveti = T. jaculator syn. nov.

Habitat notes

According to Zhu et al. (2003), this species is associated with water bodies and can be found on plants near water courses.

Distribution

Pantropical, originally described from Africa. Its current distribution includes Asia, Central America, Caribbean and three South American countries: Brazil, Ecuador and Chile ( Figure 82 ).

Material examined

CUBA, Holguín: Moa, El Toldo , ♂, 16 .II .2004, A . Sánchez leg . ( IBSP 169932 ) . BRAZIL, Pará: Oriximiná, Lago Iripixi , ♀, 09 .VI .2011, E . L . C. Silva leg . ( MCTP 43311 ex 31948); Benevides , ♂, 23 .IV .2003, D . R . Santos-Souza leg . ( MPEG 004783 ) ; Maranhão: Caxias, Reserva Ecológica Inhamum , ♂, 26 .X .2004, F . L . Oliveira leg . ( IBSP 133039 ) ; Paraíba: Juazeirinho, Serra da Borborema (570 m), 23♂, 5♀, 3j, IX .1956 ( MNRJ 7476 ) ; Pernambuco: Moreno, BonanÇa , ♀, B . Pickel leg . ( MNRJ 02599 ) ; Sergipe: Santo Amaro das Brotas , ♂, 4♀, 3j, 08 . X .1978, MSS Carvalho leg . ( MZUSP 74663 ex 10556) ; Mato Grosso do Sul: Corumbá , ♂, 1994, J . Raizer leg . ( IBSP 6471 ); Anaurilândia , 2♂, 05–11 .III .2001, F . S . Cunha & J. P. L. Guadanucci leg . ( IBSP 240808 ex 39358) ; São Paulo: Porto Ferreira, Lagoa São Vicente , 9♀, 05 .IV .1945, Schubart leg . ( MZUSP 14745 ); 3♂ ( MZUSP 74664 ex 14745); Ubatuba: Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, Núcleo Picinguaba, Praia da Fazenda , ♂, 26–30 .V .2010, A . Hoffmann leg . ( UFRJ 1621 ); São Bernardo do Campo, Estrada do Mar , ♂, 07 .II .1968, P. Biasi et al. leg. ( MZUSP 74665 ex 8214) ; Paraná: Guarapuava , ♂, 6♀, 7j, 30 . IV .1967, P . Biasi leg . ( MZUSP 8499 ); São Luiz do Purunã , 5♂, 7♀, 7j, 27 .IV .1967, P . Biasi leg . ( MZUSP 6995 ) ; Santa Catarina: KM 324, BR 116, ♂, 1j, 06 .V .1967, P . Biasi leg . ( MZUSP 7011 ); Criciúma, Parque Municipal José Milaneze , ♂, 15 .III .2007, R . A . Teixeira leg . ( IBSP 132821 ) ; Rio Grande do Sul: Capão da Canoa, Capão Novo , ♂, 1992, C . Mazzilo leg . ( MCTP 4609 ); Estância Velha , ♀, 08 .V .1967, P . Biasi leg . ( MZUSP 8513 ); Guaíba , 2♂, III .1984, A . A . Lise leg . ( MCTP 12770 ); Santa Maria , 2♂, 1j, 28 .II .1990, D . Lanck leg . ( MCTP 42632 ex 5985); ♂ ( MCTP 43314 ex 5987); 6♂, ♀, 16 .III .1990, D . Lanck leg . ( MCTP 5969 ); 2♂, ♀, 26 . III .1990, D . Lanck leg . ( MCTP 43313 ex 5973); 12♂, 2♀, 24 .II .2005, D . Lanck leg . ( MCTP 43312 ex 40256); ♂, 16 .IV .2005, D . Lanck leg . ( MCTP 19627 ); Viamão , 9♂, 24 .II .1995, A. A. Lise et al. leg. ( MCTP 5945 ) ; Est. Exp. Fitotécnica , ♂, 25 .VIII .1995, A. A. Lise et al. leg. ( MCTP 7570 ) ; ♂, ♀ ( MCTP 43315 ex 7578); 4♂, 12 .V .1995, A. A. Lise et al. leg. ( MCTP 8454 ) ; ♂, ♀, 07 .XI .1995, A. A. Lise et al. leg. ( MCTP 7807 ) . ECUADOR, Tungurahua: Baños , ♂, 1943 ( CAS, sub T. riveti ) . CHILE, Malleco: Victoria, Fundo Maria Ester (15 km W from town), 4♂, 2♀, 1j, 14 .I .1989, M . Ramírez leg . ( MACN 24533 ) .

Figures

Figure 82. New records of T. guatemalensis, T. laboriosa and T. jaculator in the Neotropical Region.

Figures 56–65. Tetragnatha jaculator male (UFRJ 1621): 56, dorsal habitus; 57, lateral habitus; 58, ventral habitus; 59, left chelicera, upper view; 60, left chelicera, inner view; 61, left chelicera, lower view; 62, left chelicera, outer view; 63, left palp, mesal view; 64, left palp, dorsal view; 65, left palp, ventral view (paracymbium). Scale bars: Figures 56–58, 2 mm; Figures 59–65, 0.5 mm.

Figures 66–73. Tetragnatha jaculator female: 66, dorsal habitus (MZUSP 74663 ex 10556); 67, ventral habitus (MZUSP 74663 ex 10556); 68, left chelicera, upper view (MZUSP 74663 ex 10556); 69, left chelicera, inner view (MZUSP 74663 ex 10556); 70, left chelicera, lower view (MZUSP 74663 ex 10556); 71, left chelicera, outer view (MZUSP 74663 ex 10556); 72, genital fold, ventral view (MZUSP 74663 ex 10556); 73, internal genitalia, ventral view (MCTP 5969). Scale bars: Figures 66, 67, 2 mm; Figures 68–73, 0.2 mm.

Figures 74–81. Tetragnatha jaculator SEM photos, male: 74, left chelicera, upper view (MCTP 43314 ex 5987); 75, left chelicera lower view (MCTP 7887); 78, left palp, mesal view (MCTP 7887); 79, conductor detail, mesal view (MCTP 7887); 80, paracymbium, ventral view (MCTP 7887); 81, epiandrous, ventral view (MCTP 7887). Female (MCTP 7887): 76, left chelicera, upper view; 77, left chelicera, lower view. Scale bars: Figures 74–77, 79, 80, 0.2 mm; Figure 78, 0.5 mm; Figure 81, 0.05 mm.

Figures 29–38. Tetragnatha laboriosa male (MACN 24651): 29, dorsal habitus; 30, lateral habitus; 31, ventral habitus; 32, left chelicera, upper view; 33, left chelicera, inner view; 34, left chelicera, lower view; 35, left chelicera, outer view; 36, left palp, mesal view; 37, left palp, dorsal view; 38, left palp, ventral view (paracymbium). Scale bars: Figures 29–31, 2 mm; Figures 32–38, 0.5 mm.

Figures 48–55. Tetragnatha laboriosa SEM photos, male: 48, left chelicera, upper view (MACN 24651); 49, left chelicera lower view (MACN 1184); 52, left palp, mesal view (MACN 24651); 53, conductor and embolus opening, mesal view (MACN 24651); 54, paracymbium, ventral view (MACN 24651); 55, epiandrous, ventral view (MACN 1184). Female: 50, left chelicera, upper view (MACN 24651); 51, left chelicera, lower view (MACN 1184). Scale bars: Figures 48–51, 0.2 mm; Figure 52, 0.1 mm; Figures 53, 55, 0.02 mm; Figure 54, 0.05 mm.

Figures 1–11. Tetragnatha guatemalensis male: 1, dorsal habitus (IBSP 224613); 2, lateral habitus (IBSP 224613); 3, ventral habitus (IBSP 224613); 4, left chelicera, upper view (IBSP 224613); 5, left chelicera, inner view (IBSP 224,613); 6, left chelicera, lower view (IBSP 224613); 7, left chelicera, outer view (IBSP 224613); 8, left palp, mesal view (MCTP 6267); 9, left palp, mesal view (bulb detail); 10, left palp, dorsal view (MCTP 6267); 11, left palp, ventral view (paracymbium) (MCTP 6267). Scale bars: Figures 1–3, 2 mm; Figures 4–8, 0.5 mm; Figures 9–11, 0.2 mm.

Figures 21–28. Tetragnatha guatemalensis SEM photos (IBSP 235083 ex 56320), male: 21, left chelicera, upper view; 22, left chelicera lower view; 25, left palp, mesal view; 26, conductor and embolus opening, dorsal view; 27, paracymbium, ventral view; 28, epiandrous, ventral view. Female: 23, left chelicera, upper view; 24, left chelicera, lower view. Scale bars: Figures 21–24, 0.5 mm; Figure 25, 0.2 mm; Figures 26, 28, 0.02 mm; Figure 27, 0.1 mm.