Micrathena cyanospina ( Lucas, 1835 )

Nogueira, André A. & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2011, On the male of the orb weaving spider Micrathena cyanospina (Lucas, 1835) (Araneidae, Araneae), Zootaxa 3096, pp. 64-68 : 65-67

Micrathena cyanospina ( Lucas, 1835)

Figs. 1–6

Epeira cyanospina Lucas, 1835: 70 , pl.140, fig.3 (Female holotype from Island of Java, Indonesia, probably an error, never found in this place according Levi 1986:566, certainly belongs to Neotropical region, lost, not examined).

Plectana cyanospina: Walckenaer, 1842: 178 .

Meganopla cyanospina : Simon, 1864: 292.

Acrosoma cyanospinum: Butler, 1873: 420 .

Micrathena cyanospina: Simon, 1895: 849 , fig. 896; Chickering, 1960: 73, figs. 26–28; Levi, 1985: 566, figs. 620–624; Platnick, 2010.

Diagnosis. Males of M. cyanospina can be distinguished from those of other species in the militaris group by the dark and uniform coloration ( Figs. 1–3 ) and by the pilose posterior area of the abdomen ( Figs. 1–3 ). The palp has a large and truncated embolus on the top of bulb and a triangular median apophysis ( Fig. 4 ).

Description. Female. Described by Levi, 1986: 566, figs. 620–624 and figure 6. Male (INPA-AR 6279). Specimen from the Pico da Neblina, municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, state of Amazonas, Brazil. Carapace, sternum and abdomen black. Femur of legs I and II dark brown, third and fourth leg and remaining articles lighter brown. Carapace shiny brown with a round thoracic depression. Abdomen long, almost quadrangular in shape, with parallel sides. A light brown spot in the anterior third ( Figs. 1–3 ) on the dorsum of abdomen. Total length, 5.5. Carapace, 1.9 long, 1.2 wide. First femur, 0.9; patella and tibia, 1.0; metatarsus, 0.6; tarsus, 0.5. Second patella and tibia, 0.9. Third patella and tibia, 0.6. Fourth femur, 1.2; patella and tibia, 0.9; metatarsus, 0.7; tarsus, 0.5. Paracymbium with enlarged base ( Fig. 5 ), median apophysis triangular ( Fig. 4 ).

Variation. Total length of males ranges from 5.5 to 4.7.

Distribution. Amazon region ( Levi 1985).

Natural history. Two males were captured at the Serra do Tapirapecó Mountain at 800 m of elevation, one by nocturnal manual collection, and one with a beating tray, during the day. Another specimen was captured at the Pico da Neblina Mountain at 900 m., with a beating tray during the day. All specimens were collected in rain forest areas ( Nogueira et al., 2011).

Material examined. BRAZIL: Amazonas. Manaus, Reserva do km 41 (02º24’S 59º44’W), 30.VIII–2.IX.2008, C.M.P. Leite, 1 female ( IBSP 160918); Presidente Figueiredo, Usina Hidrelétrica de Balbina, 1987–88, Equipe IBSP, 1 female ( IBSP 10818); Barcelos, Serra do Tapirapecó (1º17’N 64º19’W), X.2006, A.A. Nogueira & R. Braga-Neto, 1 male 1 female ( INPA AR 6284-6285), 1 male 1 female ( IBSP 160916); São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Pico da Neblina (0º15’N 66º10’W), IX.2007, A.A. Nogueira, N.F. Lo-Man-Hung & D.F. Candiani, 1 male, 4 females ( INPA AR 6279- 6283), 2 females ( IBSP 160917); Pará. Belém, Mocambo, 24.I.1967, M. Telles, 1 female ( IBSP 42364); Paragominas, XII.2005, M.G. Fonseca, 1 female ( IBSP 71742).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Micrathena cyanospina, male from Pico da Neblina, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas. 1. Dorsal. 2. Lateral.

FIGURES 3 – 5. Micrathena cyanospina: 3. Male from Pico da Neblina, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas, dorsal. 4 – 5. Male palp. 4. Mesal. 5. Lateral. Abbreviations: A, terminal apophysis; C, conductor; Cy, cymbium; E, embolus; M, median apophysis; P. paracymbium; T, tegulum. Scale bars: figure 3 - 1 mm, figures 4 and 5 - 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 6. Micrathena cyanospina, adult female, from Pico da Neblina, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas, (Photo by R. P. Indicatti).