Maratus mungaich Waldock 1995

Jürgen C. Otto & David E. Hill, 2014, Spiders of the mungaich group from Western Australia (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae: Maratus), with one new species from Cape Arid, Peckhamia 112 (1), pp. 1-35 : 13-17

Maratus mungaich Waldock 1995

This was the first described species in this group ( Waldock 1995), now known only from a relatively small area to the east of Perth ( Waldock 2013; Figure 12 :2). Jürgen Otto collected most of the M. mungaich illustrated here at Mt. Dale east of Perth (S 32° 07' 39.2'', E 116° 17' 25.0'', elevation ~414 m; Figure 11 : locality 5), and additional photographs of this species from the Talbot Road Nature Reserve ( Bokhari 2012, Hort 2012; Figure 11 : locality 6) have also been examined.

Field marks for identification of the male ( Figures 16-18 ). Important features of the male M. mungaich are enumerated here and compared with the male M. sarahae in the next section. Among the many differences between the two species, the anterior lateral field of iridescent scales that are extensive and usually appear dull green in M. mungaich ( Figures 16-17 : feature 10) are perhaps the most obvious distinction. The carapace of both species has a thick marginal band comprised of white setae. The eye region of M. mungaich is covered with relatively bright red-brown setae. Tibia III is dark red-brown, fringed below with uniform black setae. Metatarsus III is dark red-brown to black, and the entire tarsus III is covered with long white, and no black, setae. We have tentatively identified a form that has been consistently found near Mt. Talbot ( Figure 17 :2) as this species. Since this is not far from Mt. Dale, one suspects that dispersal may be limited in this species, and additional variations associated with local populations may be found in the future.

Female features ( Figures 19-20 ). Female M. mungaich are, like those of most other Maratus , relatively uniform in colouration and difficult to identify when not associated with the males. Waldock's (1995) figure of a paratype female specimen suggests a uniform black eye region in this species, although she describes a covering of setae as we have observed ( Figure 19 ). With respect to the structure of the epigynum, our specimens varied but generally differed from this paratype description with repect to the shape of the spermathecae (oval but circular in outline in the paratype), and the relative separation of the fossae (greater in the paratype). This suggests that, in the absence of a study of individual variation, one must not depend too much on the details of epigynal structure for identification.

Male courtship display ( Figures 21-22 ). Male M. mungaich often side-step as they hold legs III in the extended position shown here, and rotate the fan from side to side.

The observed movement of M. mungaich was relatively simple and patterned. The male would side step in front of the female, assume this characteristic pose as it moved the pedipalps up and down in that new position, then remained in place as it rotated ('twitched') the fan from side to side several times. It would then side step to a position on the other side of the female, as shown here, and repeat this sequence. Notable differences between this display and that of M. avibus include the wide separation of legs III (brought together to frame the fan in M. avibus ) and the use of the pedipalps by M. mungaich .

Habitat. These spiders were found on or near the ground in a wooded area at Mt. Dale ( Figure 23 ). Many specimens have been collected in pitfall traps in old growth jarrah forest areas ( Waldock 2013).

Figures

Figure 11. Collecting site for M. avibus at Cape Arid National Park, located near the Southern Ocean in Western Australia. 1, Spiders were found in the shaded area in the forground, beneath the larger shrubs in this area. 2, Detail of the foreground from (1).

Figure 12. Localities where spiders of the mungaich group have been reported, all in Western Australia. 1, Radar topography map of Australia, based on data collected by the NASA Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. 2, Area of interest in the southern part of Western Australia, corresponding to the inset rectangle in (1). Numbers (encircled) correspond to spiders that we have examined, and are described under each of our species accounts. Outlined distributions are based on localities described by Waldock (2013). To date, all species described in this group have an allopatric distribution. Collection from more sites within this area should contribute to our understanding of relationships between the isolated populations represented by these species.

Figure 16. Front view of a male M. mungaich as it displayed to a female, with legs III extended and elevated fan. A large patch of dull green, iridescent scales on each anterior lateral margin of the fan is a useful feature for identification of this species, at least in our specimens. Other useful features include the abundance of white scales on the legs (except for the distal legs III) and pedipalps, the uniform cover of red-brown scales in the eye region, and the white tarsus III offset by the dark, red-brown to black appearance of the tibia and metatarsus III.

Figure 17. Detailed appearance of the very wide fan of male M mungaich. 1, Expanded fan of a male M. mungaich from Mt. Dale. 2, Retracted or folded fan of a male M. mungaich from the Talbot Road Nature Reserve (photograph © Jean and Fred Hort, used with permission). Specimens recently observed by both Bokhari (2012) and Hort & Hort (2012) from this area showed this pattern with two small blue spots at the center of the black central shield, with a more extensive group of redorange scales bordering that shield toward the rear. Numbered features (1-12) are described and compared with corresponding features of M. sarahae in the next section.

Figure 18. Expanded fans of six different M. mungaich from Mt. Dale. Much of the difference in observed colour of the iridescent background scales was due to either the relative direction of incident and reflected light, or to differences in moisture and humidity. Apart from the fairly simple and consistent black 'shield' with light blue center in the middle of this pattern, the complexity of the figures comprised of pigmented red scales on a background of iridescent scales allows individual spiders to be identified with ease.

Figure 19. Views of two different female M. mungaich from Mt. Dale. In (2), the converging brown bands at the rear of the carapace as described by Waldock (1995) can be seen, but these are not distinct. A covering of setae is more complete around the anterior and lateral margins of the eye region, but the lack of setae toward the rear of the eye region in some specimens may be due to wear. Females may have a pair of lighter-coloured anterior spots on the dorsal opisthosoma (5, arrows), but again this feature can be indistinct. Compared to M. sarahae females, the legs may be somewhat lighter in colour.

Figure 20. Epigyna of two different female M. mungaich from Mt. Dale. Note variation in the separation of the fossae, the relative size of the large posterior spermathecae, and even the degree of sclerotization of the associated ducts. Spiders of the genus Maratus exhibit little variation in the general features of the epigynum, but differ in details.

Figure 21. Fan dance of four different M. mungaich from Mt. Dale. Note the wide separation of legs III, as the fan was rotated from side to side. The darker areas of the anterior lateral margins of the fan are highlighted with arrows.

Figure 22. Sequential (1-9), but not consecutive, frames from a video recording of a male (♂#4) Maratus mungaich as it displayed to a female ('fan dance'). 1, In position with legs III extended in an arc on one side of a branch. 2, Pedipalps lowered. 3, Pedipalps raised and fan rotated to the (spider's) left. 4, Fan rotated to the right. 5, Fan rotated to the left. 6, Fan rotated to the right. 7, In position after side-stepping to the opposite side of the branch, pedipalps lowered. 8, Pedipalps raised. 9, Fan rotated to the right.

Figure 23. Wooded area at Mt. Dale, east of Perth, where M. mungaich was found.