Dictis L. Koch, 1872

Zamani, Alireza, Stockmann, Mark, Magalhaes, Ivan L. F. & Rheims, Cristina A., 2022, New taxonomic considerations in the spitting spider family Scytodidae (Arachnida: Araneae), Zootaxa 5092 (2), pp. 151-175 : 158-159

Genus Dictis L. Koch, 1872

Dictis L. Koch, 1872: 294 (type species Dictis striatipes L. Koch, 1872 , by original designation and monotypy).

Soeuria Saaristo, 1997: 55 (type species Soeuria soeur Saaristo 1997 , by original designation and monotypy). Syn. n.

Diagnosis. Species of the genus Dictis differ from those of Scytodes in having only two tarsal claws ( Figs 1E–F , 11E–F ) (vs. three in Scytodes ).

Synonymy. The synonymy of Soeuria and Dictis is based on the comparison of type and non-type material of S. soeur , with the type species of Dictis , D. striatipes . All examined material have only two tarsal claws, considered diagnostic for the genus. Males of both species have very similar palps with embolus bearing subdistal prolateral pick and a retrolateral hyaline membrane ( Figs 8F–G ; 11G–K ) and females show the typical vulva of Dictis with outer spermathecae on long stalks and inner spermathecae shorter and cylindrical ( Figs 9A, C ; 12B–D ).

Composition. Dictis soeur ( Saaristo, 1997) comb. n., D. elongata Dankittipakul & Singtripop, 2010 , and D. striatipes L. Koch, 1872 .

Distribution. Pantropical ( Figs 15 , 16 ).

Notes. At least three species from Thailand and one from Malaysia were considered new by Dankittipakul & Singtripop (2010). Nevertheless, because they are known from only one sex, they were illustrated and only provisionally described using “open nomenclature” (species A, B, and C). We did not examine this material, but since these species were not formally named and no type material was established, they are not considered valid and within the genus composition. Furthermore, a single female specimen collected in Coetivy, Seychelles was identified by Saaristo (1997) as “ Dictis sp. ”; although we examined this specimen and noticed its considerably larger size in comparison to the rest of the material studied, the absence of males does not allow us to make further taxonomic decisions.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–D Scytodes arwa Rheims Brescovit & van Harten.A (IBSP 35581, female), leg III, tarsus, claws, prolateral view (arrow points to inferior claw); B–D (IBSP 35570, male, holotype) B leg I, femur, ventral view; C leg IV, femur, ventral view; D leg III, metatarsus, prolateral view; E–F Dictis striatipes L. Koch (IBSP 35569, female) E leg I, tarsus, claws, prolateral view; F leg III, tarsus, claws, prolateral view.

FIGURE 8. Dictis soeur (Saaristo, 1997) comb. n. A–C (MRAC 177156, female holotype); D, F–G (ZMUT, male); E (ZMUT, female); A–E habitus (A dorsal, B ventral, C lateral, D dorsal, E dorsal); F–G left palp (F prolateral, G detail of bulb). Scale bars A–E = 2 mm; F = 0.5 mm; G = 0.25 mm.

FIGURE 9. Dictis soeur (Saaristo, 1997) comb. n. A female (MRAC 177156, holotype); B–C female (ZMUT) (B dorsal, C ventral). Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 11. Dictis striatipes L. Koch.A–D habitus, dorsal.A (IBSP 35568, male); B (IBSP 35566, female); C (NHMW, male); D (NHMW, female); E–F tarsal claws, prolateral (IBSP 35569, male) (E leg I, F leg III); G–H (IBSP 35559, holotype S. bilqis Rheims, Brescovit & van Harten syn. n.), left palp (G prolateral, H retrolateral); I–K (NHMW, male) left palp (I detail of bulb, retrolateral, J prolateral, K detail of embolus, prolateral, arrows point to prolateral pick). Scale bars: A–D = 1 mm; E–K = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 12. Dictis striatipes L. Koch, female. A–B (IBSP 35563) (A epigyne, B vulva); C–D (NHMW) (C epigyne, D vulva). Scale lines: 0.5 mm.AP = anterior plate; DR = dorsal receptacle; F = fovea; IS = inner spermathecae; OS = outer spermathecae; PP = posterior plate; PR = positioning ridge.

FIGURE 15. Distribution map of Dictis soeur (red circles), “Dictis” thailandica (green triangles) and Dictis elongata (yellow squares).

FIGURE 16. Distribution map of Dictis striatipes. Red circles refer to literature records; yellow circles refer to records provided in iNaturalist online database.