Megamyrmaekion caudatum Reuss, 1834

Sankaran, Pradeep M. & Caleb, John T. D., 2021, On the taxonomic validity of Indian ground spiders: V. Genera Megamyrmaekion Reuss, 1834, Sosticus Chamberlin, 1922 and Gaviphosa gen. nov. (Araneae: Gnaphosidae), Zootaxa 5040 (4), pp. 539-564 : 545

Megamyrmaekion caudatum Reuss, 1834

Figs 25–37

Megamyrmaekion caudatum Reuss, 1834: 212 , plate 18, fig. 12 (juvenile). Levy 1999: 442, figs 26, 30–31 (♀, not ♂); 2009: 14, figs 29–32 (♀). Zamani et al. 2017: 61, fig. 2D–F (♂ ♀).

Dyction reussi Walckenaer, 1837: 380 (♀) (for complete list of references, see World Spider Catalog (2021)).

Megamyrmaekion ashae Tikader & Gajbe, 1977: 16 , fig. 2A–E (♂ ♀). Tikader, 1982: 372, figs 181–186 (♂ ♀). Gajbe, 2007: 464, figs 109–114 (♂ ♀). New synonymy

Type material of M. ashae . Holotype ♀ from INDIA : Maharashtra: Pune (=Poona): Range Hill (18°32’22’’N, 73°50’49’’E), 550 m alt., U.A. Gajbe leg., 3.XI.1974, NZC-ZSI, Kolkata (no register number specified), examined . Paratypes 2 ♀♀, possibly with same data as holotype, examined . Allotype 1 ♂, same data as holotype except 12.III.1975, examined .

Justification of the synonymy. Examination of the types of this species reveals that it shares the features of M. caudatum : broad retrolateral tibial apophysis with a basal perpendicular process, prolaterally oriented embolus with narrow pointed apex, apico-retrolaterally originating broad median apophysis, short tegular process lying in close proximity of embolic base, epigyne with roughly trapezoid median depression with sclerotised rim and coned protuberances and vulva with elongate, obliquely oriented primary and globular secondary spermathecae (compare Figs 29 , 32–37 with Levy 2009: figs 29–32 and Zamani et al. 2017: fig. 2E–F). Based on these observations, we propose to consider M. ashae as a junior synonym of M. caudatum .

Remarks. The ZSI collection has two glass tubes with ‘ M. ashae ’. One tube labeled as ‘paratype’ (5016/18) contains three, instead of two female specimens ( Tikader & Gajbe 1977) in fairly good condition, with broken legs. Epigyne of one specimen found dissected and kept in a micro-vial inside this tube.Another tube labeled as ‘allotype’ (5017/18) contains one male specimen in good condition, with one of its legs being broken. Both pedipalps were found removed and kept inside this tube. There was no tube labeled as ‘holotype’ for this species in the collection. Both paratype and allotype labels mention the collecting date as ‘ 3/11/1974 ’. Tikader (1982) redescribed ‘ M. ashae ’ based on holotype female and allotype male. Since Tikader (1982) illustrated the vulva of this species, we presumed the female with removed epigyne found in the paratype tube as the holotype, which might be mixed up with the paratypes, possibly by Tikader. Tikader (1982) also provided a registration number for the holotype (5015/18).

Distribution. Algeria, Egypt, India (new record), Iran, Israel, Libya, Tunisia ( World Spider Catalog 2021; present data).

Figures

FIGURES 25–31. Megamyrmaekion caudatum Reuss, 1834, types of Megamyrmaekion ashae Tikader & Gajbe, 1977. 25 paratype female habitus, dorsal view; 26 allotype male habitus, dorsal view; 27 eyes of paratype female, dorsal view; 28 eyes of allotype male, dorsal view; 29 epigyne of paratype female, ventral view; 30–31 labels from type tubes. Scale bars: 25–26, 2 mm; 27–28, 0.5 mm; 29, 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 32–37. Megamyrmaekion caudatum Reuss, 1834, types of Megamyrmaekion ashae Tikader & Gajbe, 1977. 32–33 allotype male left pedipalp (32 ventral view, 33 retrolateral view); 34–35 enlarged view of retrolateral tibial apophysis of allotype male (34 ventral view, 35 retrolateral view); 36–37 genitalia of holotype female (36 epigyne, ventral view, 37 vulva, dorsal view). Abbreviations: E, embolus; MA, median apophysis; PS, primary spermatheca; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; SS, secondary spermatheca; TP, tegular process. Arrow indicates basal process of retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 32–33, 0.5 mm; 34–37, 0.2 mm.