Acragas peckhami ( Chickering 1946 )

Bedoya-Roqueme, Edwin & Lopez-Villada, Samia, 2020, Salticidae (Arachnida: Araneae) from the Department of Córdoba in the Caribbean Region of Colombia, Peckhamia 224 (1), pp. 1-23 : 6-7

4. Acragas peckhami ( Chickering 1946)

Amycus peckhami Chickering 1946 ; Acragas peckhami Galiano 1968 ; Prószyński 2017.

Material examined. 1♂ [ Figures 12-16 ], Colombia, Córdoba, Montería [N8.7229°, W75.8830°], [12m] 16 Mar 2018, urban area, Mangifera indica L . tree, shaking foliage, E. Bedoya – Roqueme coll . ( LEUC; ARE- URB-008 ). Type material deposited in the MCZ not examined .

Diagnosis. According to Chickering (1946) and Galiano (1968) the male of Acragas peckhami is easily distinguished from other Acragas species by its long and slender pedipalp ( Figures 14-16 ), RTA spout spur ( Figure 16 and as described by Chickering 1946; see Galiano 1968, figs. 25-26), its somewhat thicker bulb, and the wider curves of the spermatic ducts, reaching the middle of the bulb (see Chickering 1946, figs. 306-308). A dorsolateral black band is present on either side of the opisthosoma ( Figure 12 ) is characteristic of this species, and this is present in both males and females.

Comparative description of specimens. The posterior eye row occupies almost 3/4 of the width of the carapace, and the carapace is wide at this position ( Chickering 1946), and well rounded laterally. A median thoracic groove is present between the PLE. A prominent crest of dark reddish hairs extends to the front over the anterior eye row ( Figure 12 ). A patch of white hairs is present in front of the thoracic streak and a larger one, behind. Yellow-white hairs are present between the eyes of the second row and the PLE ( Galiano 1968). A line at some distance from ventral margin extends from the posterior border to the sides of the clypeus ( Chickering 1946; Galiano 1968). The chelicerae are straight and parallel, with a flat anterior surface, and sometimes with a lateral cavity containing a tooth ( Chickering 1946; Galiano 1968). The promargin of the fang groove has two teeth, of which the closest to the base of the fang is a large lamelliform process. The retromargin of the fang groove has six teeth, increasing in size towards the base of the chelicerae. However in our specimen from Colombia the retromarginal tooth closest to the base of the fang is larger, differing from the earlier descriptions. Chickering (1946) did suggest that these teeth varied in size but not in number. The opisthosoma is elongated with a black dorsolateral band on either side ( Figures 12-13 ), as described by Chickering (1946) and Galiano (1968). The pedipalp is long and slender ( Figures 14-16 ), the bulb somewhat thicker ( Figure 15 ). An RTA spout spur is present ( Figure 16 ) and the curves of the spermatic ducts are relatively wide, reaching the middle of the bulb (see Chickering 1946, figs. 306-308). The color of the legs agrees with the description by Galiano (1968), except for legs IV. Our specimen from Colombia has light-yellow rather than brown legs IV as described by Galiano (1968). Spines are as described by Chickering (1946).

Measurements (mm; specimens from Colombia). One male: TL= 6.57; CL= 2.46; CW= 2.27; AL= 3.65; AERW = 1.71; PERW = 1.56; LOQ= 1.55; PMEP =0.36; eyes of the second row separated from the ALE by 0.18 mm and from the PLE by 0.39 mm.

Distribution. Acragas peckhami is known from Panamá (Zona tlel Canal, Isla de Barro Colorado, Summit, Balboa, Porto Bello) and Colombia (department of Córdoba).

Figures

Figures 12-16. Male Acragas peckhami. 12, Habitus, dorsal view. 13, Habitus, ventral view. 14-16, Left pedipalp, ventral (14), prolateral (15) and retrolateral (16) views.