Geraesta hirta Simon, 1889

SURESH P. BENJAMIN, 2011, Phylogenetics and comparative morphology of crab spiders (Araneae: Dionycha, Thomisidae), Zootaxa 3080, pp. 1-108 : 16

* Geraesta hirta Simon, 1889

Figs 7 F, 39A–E, 40A–F, 41A–F

Geraesta hirta Simon, 1889: 225 . Simon, 1897a: 7, figs 3–4. Geraesta bilobata Simon, 1897a: 7 , fig 5. New synonymy.

Type material: Syntype of Geraesta hirta : 1 subadult male from Madagascar ( MNHN 9317/1573), examined. Syntype of Geraesta bilobata : 1 male from Madagascar, should be in MNHN, not found; probably lost.

Other material examined. MADAGASCAR: Antsiranana Province: 2 male 2 females, P. N. Mt. D’Ambre, 12° 32’ S 38°49.10’ E, 1100 m, 23–28 November 1993, J. Coddington, N. Scharf, S. Larcher, C. Griswold, R. Andriamanana ( USNM). 1 male 1 female, P. N. Mt. D’Ambre, 1.2 km 184ο S Joffreville, 12° 31.53.5’ S 49°36.8’ E, 1000–1200 m, 14–20 December 2005, H. Wood et. al., Montaine rain forest general collecting ( CAS CASENT 9024728). Mahajanga Province: 1 male, Parc National Tsingy de Bemaraha, 10.6 km ESE 123 Antsalova, 19° 42.34’ S 44°43.4’ E, 150 m, 16–20 September 2001. Tropical dry forest on Tsingy, general collecting night spiders Coll. BL Fisher et al. ( CAS CASENT 9009314).

Synonymy. This species is recognized by the two dorsal lobs of the prosoma. The examined syntype of Geraesta hirta ( MNHN 9317/1573) is the male specimen illustrated by Simon (1897a: figs 3–4). It is a sub adult male (penultimate). The outline of the embolus and MA is visible through the exoskeleton of the palp and is figured in Simon’s drawing of the male palp ( Simon 1897a: figs 3–4). As a subadult male palp it lacks a RTA, as described by Simon (1889). The cheliceral teeth are visible and led him to place the genus in the subfamily Stephanopinae. The type of G. hirta is in a very fragile state; I do not consider it prudent to manipulate it further and thus it is not illustrated here. The syntype of Geraesta bilobata could not be found at MNHN, although it is listed in the records of the museum. My identification is based on Simon’s original description.

Diagnosis. Separated from G. lehtineni sp. nov. by the thin, tapering RTA ( Fig 39 B, 40B). Separated from G. mkwawa sp. nov. by the presence of C and longer RTA ( Figs 39 B, 40B). Females can be separated by the short EL ( Figs 39 D, 41E).

Description. Male (MNHN 9317/1573, subadult): Prosoma light yellow, laterals darker. Opisthosoma yellow with white and black patches. AER and PER recurved. All eyes more or less of equal size. Palp as in Figs 39 B, C, 40A–F.

Female: Color and markings as in male. Epigynum and vulva as in Figs 39 D–E, 41E.

Distribution. Known only from Madagascar. This species has been frequently collected, suggesting that it is widespread compared to other species of the genus.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Tarsi of Thomisidae, tarsi showing trichobothrial number and pattern, dorsal view. A, B, D – H female; C male. A Thomisus granulifrons; B Aphantochilus rogersi, left leg 4; C Pharta gongshan, left leg 1; D Epidius parvati, left leg 4; E Thomisops pupa, left leg 1; F Geraesta hirta, left leg 1; G Stephanopis cambridgei, left leg I; H Aphantochilus taurifrons, left leg 4. Scale bars = 20 µm (D), 100 µm (A – C, E – H).

FIGURE 39. Geraesta hirta (USNM). A – C male palp (A, C retrolateral, B ventral); D epigynum, ventral view; E vulva, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm (D, E), 0.2 mm (A – C).