Tayshaneta bullis (Cokendolpher, 2004)

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 : 20-21

Tayshaneta bullis (Cokendolpher, 2004) Figs 14 A–F35A–F 52D59

Neoleptoneta bullis Cokendolpher 2004: 65.

Tayshaneta bullis (Cokendolpher, 2004): Ledford et al. 2011.

Type data.

Male holotype from Up the Creek Cave, Camp Bullis, Bexar County, Texas, 10-September-1998, J. Cokendolpher, J. Reddell, J. Krejca, M. Reyes, 29.63N, 98.55W, (AMNH, examined).

Notes.

Two female specimens from Hills and Dale’s Pit are tentatively assigned to this species based on the similarity of the female genitalia and by having identical COI and 28s rDNA sequences to specimens collected in Up the Creek Cave.

Other material examined.

USA: Texas: Bexar County: Up the Creek Cave, Camp Bullis, 30-March-1995, J. Cokendolpher, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, J. Krejca 29.63N, 98.55W, 4 ♀, (TMM); Up the Creek Cave, Camp Bullis, 5-October-1995, J. Cokendolpher, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, J. Krejca, 29.63N, 98.55W, 1♂, 3 ♀, (TMM); Up the Creek Cave, Camp Bullis, 5-October-1995, J. Cokendolpher, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, J. Krejca, 29.63N, 98.55W, 1♂, 1 ♀, (CASC); Up the Creek Cave, Camp Bullis, 5-October-1995, J. Cokendolpher, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, J. Krejca, 29.63N, 98.55W, 1♂, 1 ♀, (TTU); Up the Creek Cave, Camp Bullis, 14-November-1995, J. Cokendolpher, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, J. Krejca, 29.63N, 98.55W, 1♂, (TTU); Up the Creek Cave, Camp Bullis, 10-September-1998, J. Krejca, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, 29.63N, 98.55W, 2♂, 2 ♀, 2 juvs, (TTU); Up the Creek Cave, Camp Bullis, 4-November-1998, J. Krejca, J. Reddell, M. Reyes, 29.63N, 98.55W, 2♂, 1 ♀, (TTU); UTSA Area, Hills and Dale’s Pit, 28-October-2000, K. White, H. Bechtol, 29.59N, 98.63W, 1 ♀, (TTU);Up the Creek Cave, Camp Bullis, 16-January-2002, J. Krejca, Engelhard, Schuman, 29.63N, 98.55W, 1♂, 1 ♀, (TTU); Up the Creek Cave, Camp Bullis, 6-August-2008, P. Sprouse, 29.63N, 98.55W, 1 ♀, (TMM).

Diagnosis.

Tayshaneta bullis can be separated from all other Tayshaneta species that lack a ventral sclerite by having an elongate retrolateral tibial spine at least 0.5 × the length of the palpal tarsus (RTS, Fig. 35A) and a distinctly quadrate shaped embolus (E, Fig. 35D).

Description.

Complete description in Cokendolpher (2004: 65). Habitus of male and female in Figs 14 A–F, scanning electron micrographs of male palp in Figs 35 A–F and female genitalia in Fig. 52D.

Distribution.

Known from two caves in Bexar County, Up the Creek Cave on Camp Bullis and Hills and Dale’s Pit (Fig. 59).

Natural History.

Cokendolpher (2004) reported on the shape of the egg-sac for this species along with details on their general biology. The egg-sac was covered in small pebbles or detritus similar to that observed for Tayshaneta anopica (Fig. 2D, 53B). Females were observed to retain sperm for several months and the egg-sacs contained few, relatively large eggs.