Myrmarachne aurantiaca, Benjamin, 2015

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

Myrmarachne aurantiaca sp. nov.

( Figure 1A–D )

Type material

Holotype, male from Sri Lanka, North Western Province, Kurunegala District, Kurunegala, Ethagala range, 07°28 ʹ 17 ″ N, 80°22 ʹ 30 ″ E, 190 m, secondary forest, 20 September 2009, leg. Ziyard Jaleel et al. MHNG.

Etymology

The specific name refers to the red colouring of the prosoma.

Diagnosis

M. aurantiaca sp. nov. could be separated from other Sri Lankan Myrmarachne species by the body size, dorsally flat surface of the male chelicerae ( Figure 1A, B ) and reddish orange-coloured carapace. M. aurantiaca sp. nov. is very similar in size, habitat preference and genital morphology to M. paludosa comb. nov. and M. morningside sp. nov. However, individuals of both these species are dark black in colour ( Figures 14A–G , 21A, B ). Further, M. aurantiaca sp. nov. can be distinguished by the shape of the RTA which is strongly curved at the base: M. paludosa comb. nov. has a upward pointing, tapering RTA and M. morningside sp. nov. has a longer RTA with a curved tip.

Description

Male holotype. Total length: 3.5; prosoma length: 1.6, width: 0.8. Leg I: femur 0.9, patella 0.3, tibia 0.9, metatarsus 0.5, tarsus 0.3. Prosoma orange, opisthosoma anteriorly brownish, posterior half, black colour ( Figure 1A, B ). The cephalic part of the prosoma elevated, viewed dorsally lateral sides slightly rounded. The thoracic part is lower than the cephalic, the highest point being the centre ( Figure 1A, B ). Opisthosoma oval, slightly longer than wide, with no clear constriction, except for a white line ( Figure 1 ); dorsum sclerotized, venter softer. Chelicerae are shorter than the carapace, with almost parallel lateral sides; distal half is a bit wider than the proximal half ( Figure 1A, B ). Chelicerae dentition not examined. Leg formula 4132. Leg spination not examined. Palps as in Figure 1C, D ), with an RTA which is characteristically curved at its base. Female remains unknown.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality.

Figures

Figure 1. Myrmarachne aurantiaca sp. nov., male holotype from Ethagala range (MHNG). (A,B) male dorsal view; (C,D) male palp (C, ventral D, retrolateral). Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figure 14. Myrmarachne paludosa (Simon, 1900) comb. nov. In life. (A,D,E) male; (B,C,F,G) female.

Figure 21. Myrmarachne morningside sp. nov. (A–D) male holotype. (A) dorsal view; (B) lateral view; (C) male palp, ventral view; (D) male palp, retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.