Myrmarachne imbellis ( Peckham and Peckham, 1892 )

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 : 2623-2625

Myrmarachne imbellis ( Peckham and Peckham, 1892)

( Figures 8A–F , 9A–D , 10A–C , 11A–C , 12A–F )

Salticus imbellis Peckham and Peckham, 1892: 36 .

Type material

Syntypes of Salticus imbellis from Sri Lanka, one male and one juvenile, GW and EG Peckham collection, MCZ-21602 , examined .

Diagnosis

Very similar to M. dishani sp. n.; however, males are separated by the broad-based RTA with a stout tip ( Figures 10A–C , 12A–C ). Females are separated by the rounded CO and relatively longer S ( Figure 11A–C ). Separated from M. dishani sp. n. by the presence of bands fringed with white hairs present in the chelicerae and prosoma of males ( Figure 9A–D ).

Description

Male from Horton plains NP: total length: 6.8; prosoma length: 4.0, width: 1.4. Leg I: femur 1.2, patella 0.6, tibia 1.2, metatarsus 0.8, tarsus 0.4. Prosoma oval, almost as much as 2× longer than wide. The cephalic half is only slightly elevated from the thoracic half, lateral sides parallel. Opisthosoma cylindrical, almost as much as 2× longer than wide, uniformly dark brown ( Figure 8A–D ). Preserved specimens are yellowish with darker lateral sides ( Figure 8A–D ). All legs are brownish with dark rings, yellowish in preserved specimens. All eyes surrounded by dark rings. Chelicerae long but shorter than carapace with slightly convex inner and outer sides ( Figure 8A–D ). The dorsal surface is broader than the ventral surface. Leg formula 4132. Leg spination not examined. Palps as in Figure 10A–C . Female from Horton plains NP: total length: 5.6; prosoma length: 2.8, width: 1.2. Leg 1: femur 1.2, patella 0.6, tibia 1.2, metatarsus 0.8 tarsus 0.4. Morphology as above. Leg formula 4132. Leg spination not examined. Epigynum and vulva as in Figure 11A–C . CO rounded and S relatively longer ( Figure 11A–C ).

Distribution

Known only from Sri Lanka.

Other material examined

Sri Lanka, Central province, 1 male, Kandaela Reservoir , 5.6 mi SW of Nuwara Eliya, 1889 m, 10–21 February 1970, Davis & Rowe, USNM . 1 male, Horton plains NP, Worlds-end , 2072 m, 21 February 1970, Davis & Rowe, USNM . 1 female, Nuwara Eliaya District, Path to Pitdurutalagalla , in light jungle, 17 November 1972 – 18 January 1973, P. Lehtinen, A. Withanage, & N. Wickremasinghe, MZT . 2 males, Horton Plains NP, 9 March 2000, SP. Benjamin, MHNG . 2 males 1 female, Nuwara Eliaya District, Horton Plains NP, 20–21 February 2007, SP. Benjamin and Z. Jaleel, MHNG .

Figures

Figure 8. Photographs of Myrmarachne imbellis (A–F) and M. dishani sp. nov. (G,H). (A,B) male syntype (MVZ–21602); (C,D) male from Kandaela (USNM); (E,F) female from Pidurutalagala (MZT). (G,H) male from Kanneliya (USNM). (A,C,E,G) dorsal view; (B,D, F,H) lateral view.

Figure 9. Myrmarachne imbellis, male in life from Horton Plains, Sri Lanka (MHNG).

Figure 10. Myrmarachne imbellis. Male palp. (A,B) from Kandaela (USNM); (C) Horton Plains (MHNG). (A) ventral view; (B,C) retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figure 11. Myrmarachne imbellis. (A–C) female from Piduruthalagala. (A) epigynum, ventral view; (B) vulva, ventral view; (C) vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm (B,C); 0.2 mm (A).

Figure 12. Scanning electron micrographs of Myrmarachne imbellis from Kandaela (USNM). (A–F) male palp. (A–C) retrolateral view; (D) prolateral view; (E,F) retrolateral view. Scale bars = 10 µm (B,C,F); 20 µm (A,D,E).