Selenyphantes, GERTSCH & DAVIS, 1946

Moreira, Thiago Da Silva & Hormiga, Gustavo, 2021, Systematics of the Neotropical spider genera Jalapyphantes and Selenyphantes and the circumscription of the Pocobletus clade (Araneae: Linyphiidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 192 : -

SELENYPHANTES GERTSCH & DAVIS, 1946

( FIGS 22–40, 41C, D)

Palaeolinyphia Wunderlich, 1986 ( Platnick, 1993: 349) . Type species: Lepthyphantes longispinosus O. Pickard- Cambridge, 1896 by monotypy after transferred from Lepthyphantes by Gertsch & Davies 1946.

Included species: Selenyphantes longispinosus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896) , and the new species S. costaricensis , S. gaimani , S. iztactepetl , S. orizabae and S. volcanicus .

Diagnosis: Males of Selenyphantes differ from those of Jalapyphantes by their pearl white coloration ( Fig. 23A–D), long and thin anterior legs with almost no setae ( Figs 25B, 23C, D) and eyes spread, not clustered ( Figs 22D, 23D). Selenyphantes male species have a tegulum with perforations on the dorsal side (only visible on SEM; Fig. 40C–F).

Description: Medium to small linyphiids (total length 1.97–2.32 in females and 2.13–3.48 in males). Prosoma longer (0.93–1.32 in males, 0.88–1.08 in females) than wider (0.76–1.11 in males, 0.69–0.85 in females). Colour varies between pale yellow and white, being uniform on both prosoma and legs. Sternum rounded slightly concave and same colour as the carapace (but in S. gaimani sometimes bright golden-yellow). Eyes variable in size, but usually anterior eyes subequal, slightly smaller than posterior eyes. Lateral eyes juxtaposed. Clypeus high, (3.3–4.3× one AME diameter in males and 2.3–3.8× one AME diameter in females), slightly bent inwards immediately below AMEs. Eyes not clustered. Cephalic area at the same height as the fovea (CFr 1.03–1.32 in females and 1.03–1.31 in males). Cheliceral teeth linearly arranged. Prolateral teeth (2–3 in males, 3–4 in females) larger than retrolateral (3–4 in males and females). Cheliceral striae parallel, compressed on the ends and equally spaced. Female pedipalp with a claw, armed with a single strong elongate seta in the patella and several strong setae in both tarsi and metatarsi.

Legs thin and long (femora length 1.94–2.8× the prosoma length in males and 2.3–3.8× prosoma length in females). Anterior metatarsi are longer than femora in both males and females. Legs predominantly glabrous and uniformly coloured. Legs armed with occasional short, strong macrosetae on the dorsoectal or dorsomesal face of tibiae, tarsi, and metatarsi. Leg autospasy at the patella–tibia joint.

Opisthosoma cylindrical, longer than wide in males ( Figs 22B, 24B, 25B, 28B, 30B, 31B) and pyriform in females ( Figs 23B, 25B, 27B, 29B), taller than longer. Opisthosoma covered with thin setae (sometimes only on the ventral side, depending on the specimen). Opisthosoma dark grey with guanine spots on the ectal and mesal sides, few in males but abundant in females. Epiandrous fusules (per observation of S. gaimani ) arranged in sockets that can be individual or grouping up to four fusules ( Fig. 39F). ALS with an extensive piriform field ( Fig. 40J). PMS with three aciniform spigots between the minor ampullate and the cylindrical gland spigot ( Fig. 40K). PLS with four to six aciniform spigots linearly arranged close to araneoid triplet ( Fig. 40L). Triplet absent in males. Tracheal system haplotracheate (per S. costaricensis dissection); tracheal trunks confined to the abdomen, the median being about half as long as the lateral trunks, similar to Jalapyphantes and Pocobletus representatives.

Epigynum occupying the middle-third of the anterior part of the opisthosoma, as long as wide (in ventral view; Figs 23C, 25C, 27C, 29C). Epigynum divided into three parts, about the same size: two lateral, enlarged lobes where it is possible to see the spermathecae through transparency, and a medial section, of variable morphology ( Fig. 36). Epigynal scape absent. Copulatory orifice large and wide, open anteriorly. CO connects to the copulatory duct trough an EMC (see description under Jalapyphantes genus description). Copulatory ducts wavy, flattened, connecting to spermathecae through a SPC (see definition under Jalapyphantes genus description).