Tayshaneta myopica (Gertsch, 1974)

Ledford, Joel, Paquin, Pierre, Cokendolpher, James, Campbell, Josh & Griswold, Charles, 2012, Systematics, conservation and morphology of the spider genus Tayshaneta (Araneae, Leptonetidae) in Central Texas Caves, ZooKeys 167, pp. 1-102 : 30-31

Tayshaneta myopica (Gertsch, 1974) Figs 2A, 2C23 A–F44A–F 53F5557

Leptoneta myopica Gertsch 1974: 168.

Neoleptoneta myopica (Gertsch, 1974): Brignoli 1977: 216; Platnick 1986: 9.

Tayshaneta myopica (Gertsch, 1974): Ledford et al. 2011.

Type data.

Male holotype from Tooth Cave, Travis County, Texas, 30-March-1965, J. Reddell, 30.40N, 97.85W, (AMNH, examined).

Notes.

Tayshaneta myopica was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1988 (U. S. Fish and Wildlife, 2010) due to its extremely limited distribution in a rapidly urbanizing area outside of Austin, Texas. Recent work has been directed at refining the distribution of the species in order to set recovery goals and several additional localities were discovered during the course of this study (Fig. 56). Of special interest are caves near the type locality which share identical mitochondrial and nuclear DNA haplotypes (Tooth Cave, Root Cave, Gallifer Cave and Tight Pit) suggesting that individuals move between sites.

Other material examined.

USA: Texas: Travis County: Cortaña Cave, 13-September-2006, Shade, Rykwalder, 30.38N, 97.85W, 1 ♀, (TTU); Cortaña Cave, 25-September-2007, P. Sprouse, K. McDermid, 30.38N, 97.85W, 2 ♀, (TTU); Cortaña Cave, 3-October-2007, J. Krejca, P. Sprouse, 30.38N, 97.85W, 1 juv., (TTU); Cortaña Cave, 14-October-2009, K. O’Connor, 30.38N, 97.85W, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 juv., (TMM); Gallifer Cave, 20-April-1991, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, 30.40N, 97.85W, 1 ♂, 3 juvs, (TMM); Gallifer Cave, 7-January-2005, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, 30.40N, 97.85W, 1 ♂, 3 ♀, (TMM); Geode Cave, 11-August-1993, W. Elliot, 30.39N, 97.86W, 1 ♀, (TMM); Geode Cave, 21-July-1994, W. Elliot, P. Sprouse, 30.39N, 97.86W, 2 ♂, 7 ♀, 2 juvs, (TMM); Geode Cave, 11-August-1994, W. Elliot, 30.39N, 97.86W, 2 ♂, 4 ♀, 1 juv., (TMM); Geode Cave, 13-September-1994, W. Elliot, 30.39N, 97.86W, 1 ♀, (TMM); Geode Cave, 18-July-2007, K. O’Connor, 30.39N, 97.86W, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 juv., (TMM); Geode Cave, 16-October-2007, Myers, 30.39N, 97.86W, 2 juvs, (TTU); Geode Cave, 31-October-2007, J. Krejca, 30.39N, 97.86W, 2 ♂, 4 ♀, 8 juvs, (TTU); Jester Estate’s Cave, 14-March-2006, M. Sanders, 30.39N, 97.79W, 1 ♀, 1 juv., (TMM); Jester Estate’s Cave, 18-September-2009, M. Sanders, 30.39N, 97.79W, 1 ♂, 3 ♀, 1 juv., (TMM); McNeil Bat Cave, 2-March-1986, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, 30.09N, 97.72W, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, (AMNH); McNeil Bat Cave, 11-March-2005, P. Paquin, 30.45N, 97.72W, 1 ♀, 1 juv., (CASC); New Comanche Trail Cave, 11-January-1989, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, 30.39N, 97.86W, 2 ♀, (AMNH); New Comanche Trail Cave, 26-January-1989, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, 30.39N, 97.86W, 2 ♂, 1 ♀, 2 juvs, (AMNH); New Comanche Trail Cave, 16-October-2007, J. Krejca, 30.39N, 97.86W, 1 ♂, 3 ♀, (TTU); New Comanche Trail Cave, 23-October-2007, P. Sprouse, 30.39N, 97.86W, 2 juvs, (TMM); Root Cave, 1-September-2008, P. Paquin, 30.40N, 97.85W, 1 juv., (TMM); Steiner Telephone Pole Cave, 17-July-2008, J. Ledford, P. Paquin, M. Archambault, 30.39N, 97.86W, 1 ♂, 3 ♀, 1 juv., (CASC); Tight Pit, 14-October-2009, K. O’Connor, 1 ♀, (TMM); Tooth Cave, 25-February-1963, D. McKenzie, J. Reddell, 30.40N, 97.85W, 1 ♂, 3 ♀, (AMNH); Tooth Cave, 5-March-1964, J. Reddell, D. McKenzie, T. Phillips, 30.40N, 97.85W, 1 ♀, (AMNH); Tooth Cave, 9-June-1967, D. McKenzie, J. Reddell, 30.40N, 97.85W, 2 ♂, 4 ♀, (AMNH); Tooth Cave, 8-March-1968, J. Reddell, W. Russell, S. Fowler, 30.40N, 97.85W, 1 ♀, (AMNH); Tooth Cave, 19-July-1970, D. McKenzie, J. Reddell, 30.40N, 97.85W, 4 ♀, (AMNH); Tooth Cave, 24-May-1992, J. Reddell, 30.40N, 97.85W, 1 juv., (AMNH); Tooth Cave, 1-September-2008, P. Paquin, 30.40N, 97.85W, 2 ♂, 8 ♀, 6 juvs, (TMM); Williamson County: Goat Cave, 1-September-2008, P. Paquin, 30.49N, 97.71W, 1 ♀, 2 juvs, (CASC).

Diagnosis.

Tayshaneta myopica may be separated from all other Tayshaneta species, except Tayshaneta paraconcinna , by having an elongate ventral sclerite (VS, Fig. 44E) and a broad spoon shaped embolus (E, Fig. 44D). Separated from Tayshaneta paraconcinna by having the embolus sharply projecting ventrally (Fig. 44D) and having a recurved, but not sickle-shaped, retrolateral tibial spine (RTS, Fig. 44A).

Description.

Complete description in Gertsch (1974: 169-170). Habitus of male and female in Figs 23 A–F, scanning electron micrographs of male palp in Figs 44 A–F and female genitalia in Fig. 53F.

Distribution.

Known from caves in Travis and Williamson Counties, Texas (Fig. 57).

Natural History.

Individuals in Geode Cave and Tooth Cave were observed suspended beneath sheet webs at the bases of stable rocks and breakdown material (Figs 2A, 2C). When disturbed, individuals would drop from their webs and fold their legs in a protective posture similar to that reported for Calileptoneta (Ledford, 2004).