Agyneta leucophora ( Chamberlin & Ivie 1944 )

Dupérré, Nadine, 2013, Taxonomic revision of the spider genera Agyneta and Tennesseellum (Araneae, Linyphiidae) of North America north of Mexico with a study of the embolic division within Micronetinae sensu Saaristo & Tanasevitch 1996, Zootaxa 3674 (1), pp. 1-189 : 160-162

Agyneta leucophora ( Chamberlin & Ivie 1944)

Figs 529–537 , map 32

Meioneta leucophora Chamberlin & Ivie 1944: 87 , f. 147–148. (Description Ƥ).

Meioneta imitata Chamberlin & Ivie 1944: 86 , f. 160. (Description Ƥ). (Holotype Ƥ from Georgia: 3 miles S.E. of Savannah, W 81º4’: N 32º4’, April 14, 1943, Wilton Ivie collector, AMNH). EXAMINED. NEW SYNONYMY. Agyneta leucophora Buckle et al. 2001: 100 . (Transferred from Meioneta ).

Type material: Meioneta leucophora Chamberlin & Ivie 1944 , 3 HOLOTYPE from Georgia: Brier Cr., 7 mi. N. of Sylvania, Wº81 35’: N 32º 48’, April 13, 1943, Wilton Ivie collector ( AMNH). EXAMINED. Ƥ ALLOTYPE from Georgia: 3 miles S.E. of Sylvania, Wº81 4’: N 32º 4’, April 14, 1943, Wilton Ivie collector ( AMNH). EXAMINED. Mis-identification= A. serrata ( Emerton 1909) .

Diagnosis: Males and females are diagnosed by their abdominal pattern ( Figs 533, 534 ). Males are distinguished from all species by their unique, short, curved palpal retrolateral tibial apophysis ( Fig. 529 ). Females are differentiated from most Agyenta by their elongated, vertical epigynal slits ( Fig. 535 ). Females differ from A. micaria and A. fabra by their hexagonally-shaped proximal part of scape ( Fig. 535 ), rounded in A. micaria ( Fig. 386 ) and triangular in A. fabra ( Figs 397, 398 ).

Description: Male: Total length 1.47; carapace length 0.67, width 0.55.

CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace orange, shiny, finely reticulate; suffused with dark gray along margin, radiating lines; trident mark present. Sternum orange lightly suffused with dark gray. Clypeus height 1.5. Chelicerae light orange with transverse gray band, not excavated; seta-tipped tubercles absent; promargin six teeth, retromargin five denticles. Cheliceral stridulatory organ ~25 striae, well spaced throughout. ABDOMEN: Light gray with black apical mark or light gray with wide transverse dark band, followed by a white patch and apical dark mark ( Fig. 533 ). LEGS: Orange; leg I total length: 2.68; leg III total length: 1.90; Tm I: 0.25, Tm IV: absent. GENITALIA: Palpal retrolateral tibial apophysis hook-shaped; dorsal tibial apophysis absent; two retrolateral trichobothria and one dorsal ( Fig. 529 ). Cymbium rounded; glabrous depression absent; dorsal and ventral cymbial tubercles fused, squared and rugose; prolateral notch shallow ( Fig. 530 ). Paracymbium apical pocket medium, anterior pocket short and curved making a small cover, posterior pocket absent ( Fig. 529 ). Embolus tip pointed, wide; retro-ventrally with row of large spikes; basally with one large prong; Fickert’s gland absent; ventral lamella absent; thumb rounded, reaching the base of the embolus proper ( Fig. 531 ). Embolus proper set apically on a horizontal ridge, associated with embolus tip, part about equal ( Fig. 531 ). Anterior terminal apophysis rectangular, with a few protrusions; posterior terminal apophysis reduced to a sclerotized prong at base of the lamella characteristica; lamella characteristica, curving apically, two prongs medially ( Fig. 532 ).

Female: Total length 1.41; carapace length 0.59, width 0.46.

CEPHALOTHORAX: Same coloration as male. Chelicerae light orange; promargin six teeth, retromargin five denticles. Cheliceral stridulatory organ ~17 striae, well spaced throughout. ABDOMEN: Patterned, light gray with apical dark mark or light gray with wide off-white hourglass mark before black apex ( Fig. 534 ). LEGS: Same as male; palpal tarsus normal, tibia and metatarsus lightly suffused, claw absent; leg I total length: 2.15; leg III total length: 1.70; Tm I 0.28, Tm IV: absent. GENITALIA: Female epigynum with wide proximal part of scape, slightly enlarged medially; epigynal slits elongated and vertical; pit hook depression very shallow ( Fig. 535 ); lateral lobes very long, folded; stretcher small; pit deep ( Fig. 536 ). Median part of scape short and wrinkled; genital pores situated at base of lateral lobes pockets ( Fig. 537 ). Internal genitalia with large, oval receptacula obliquely positioned ( Figs 536, 537 ).

Other material examined: USA: Florida: Gainesville, 10.ii.1942, 231Ƥ, W. Ivie ( AMNH). Georgia: 4.8km SE of Savannah, W 81º4’: N 32º4’, April 14, 1943, W. Ivie ( AMNH).

Distribution: Southeastern USA.

Notes: The allotype vial was examined and contained a female of A. serrata ( Emerton 1909) , the illustration of the epigynum ( Chamberlin & Ivie 1944, fig. 147) shows clearly their mis-identification.

Figures

FIGURES 529 – 537. Agyneta leucophora (Chamberlin & Ivie 1944). 529 – 533, Male. 534 – 537, Female. 529. Palp, retrolateral view. 530. Palp, prolateral view. 531. Embolus, prolateral view. 532. Radical division, retrolateral view. 533. 534. Abdomen, dorsal view. 535. Epigynum, dorsal view. 536. Internal genitalia, ventral view. 537. Internal genitalia, dorsal view.

FIGURES 380 – 389. Agyneta micaria (Emerton, 1882). 380 – 384, Male. 385 – 389, Female. 380. Palp, retrolateral view. 381. Palp, prolateral view. 382. Embolus, prolateral view. 383. Radical division, retrolateral view. 384. 385. Abdomen, dorsal view. 386. Epigynum, ventral view. 387. Internal genitalia, ventral view. 388. Internal genitalia, dorsal view. 389. Distal part of scape, posterior view.

FIGURES 390 – 401. Agyneta fabra (Keyserling 1886). 390 – 395, Male. 396 – 401, Female. 390. Palp, retrolateral view. 391. Palp, prolateral view. 392. Embolus, prolateral view. 393. Radical division, retrolateral view. 394. Abdomen, dorsal view. 395. Cephalothorax, anterior view (arrow points to mastidion). 396. Abdomen, dorsal view. 397. 398. Variation of epigynum, ventral view. 399. Internal genitalia, ventral view. 400. Internal genitalia, dorsal view. 401. Distal part of scape, posterior view.