Myrmarachne bicurvata (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869 )

Benjamin, Suresh P., 2015, Model mimics: antlike jumping spiders of the genus Myrmarachne from Sri Lanka, Journal of Natural History 49 (43), pp. 2609-2666 : 2613-2618

Myrmarachne bicurvata (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869)

( Figures 2A–D , 3A–D , 4A–F )

Salticus bicurvatus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869: 67 , plate 6, figures 57–60. Myrmarachne bicrivata: Sherriffs, 1931: 539 (lapsus).

Type material

Holotype of Salticus bicurvatus : male from Sri Lanka ( OUMNH 1735.2 ), no more data given, examined. Pickard-Cambridge (1869) says that the single specimen in OUMNH was captured in Sri Lanka by Mr G.H.K. Thwaits. Exact locality unknown.

Diagnosis

Very similar to M. ramunni ; however, males are separated by the shape of the male chelicerae: with chelicerae in dorsal view, outer margins of chelicerae are weakly convex in M. bicurvata , but distinctly convex in M. ramunni ( Figure 2A, B ). The RTA of the male palp in M. bicurvata is apically hooked and strongly curved at the base ( Figure 3B–D ).

Description

Male from Lahugala: total length: 5.6; prosoma length: 3.6, width: 1.2. Leg I: femur 1.6, patella 0.4, tibia 1.2, metatarsus 0.8, tarsus 0.4. The cephalic part of the prosoma is elevated and rounded on all sides. The thoracic part is lower than the cephalic, the highest point being the centre ( Figure 2A–D ). Opisthosoma oval, slightly longer than wide, with no clear constriction ( Figure 2A–D ). Opisthosoma dorsally sclerotized, venter softer. Chelicerae are almost the length of the carapace, lateral sides almost parallel; distal half is a bit wider than the proximal half ( Figure 2A–D ). Chelicerae dentition not examined. Leg formula 4132. Leg spination not examined. Palps as in Figure 3A–D . Female remains unknown.

Distribution

Known only from Sri Lanka.

Other material examined

Sri Lanka, Eastern Province, Ampara District, Lahugala , 1 male, 15 June 1976, K.V. Krombein, USNM .

Figures

Figure 2. (A–D) Myrmarachne bicurvata. (A,B) male from Lahugala; (C,D) holotype, Sri Lanka, OUMNH. (E,F) Myrmarachne ramunni from Inginiyagala. (A,C,F) dorsal view; (B,D,E) retrolateral view.

Figure 3. (A–D) Myrmarachne bicurvata. (A,B) male from Lahugala; (C,D) holotype, Sri Lanka (OUMNH); (E,F) Myrmarachne ramunni from Inginiyagala; (A,C,F) ventral view; (B,D,E) retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figure 4. Scanning electron micrographs of Myrmarachne bicurvata (USNM). (A–F) right male palp. (A) prolateral view; (B,F) ventral view; (C,D,E) retrolateral view. Scale bars = 10 µm (D,E) 20 µm (A,C) 30 µm (F) 40 µm (B).