Cteniza Latreille, 1829

Decae, Arthur, Mammola, Stefano, Rizzo, Pierluigi & Isaia, Marco, 2019, Systematics, ecology and distribution of the mygalomorph spider genus Cteniza Latreille, 1829 (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Ctenizidae), Zootaxa 4550 (4), pp. 499-524 : 503-505

Cteniza Latreille, 1829

Aranea Rossi 1788: 141 , figs VII–X. 1790: 138, plate. 10, fig. 11.

Mygale Latreille 1804: 165 plate. XVIII figs 7–10; Dufour 1820: 102–103, plate. LXXIII fig. 3.

Mygalodonta Simon 1864: 75 fig. 30.

Cténize Latreille 1831: 504 .

Aëpycephalus Ausserer 1871: 150 . Raven 1985: 142 (note); Wunderlich 1995: 358 new synonymy.

Cteniza: Latreille 1829: 230 (nomination new genus); Ausserer 1871: 151 –152 (confirmation new genus, and indication C. sauvagesi type species; Simon 1873: 34, nomination C. sauvagesi type species.

Material examined. Specimen of both sexes of the three genera presently included in the family Ctenizidae (WSC 2018) were studied with the exception of males of Stasimopus . Information on Stasimopus males and additional females is based on Engelbrecht & Prendini (2012).

Specimen examined in genus level diagnostics: Cteniza sauvagesi (7 females and 3 males). Specified: 5 females, Corsica (coll. MNHN: AR.4216, AR.4211a, AR.4224, coll. A.D.: Bra.005); 1 female, Calabria (coll. MCSNEC: Riz.006); 1 female Sardinia (coll. A.D.: Colo.017); 1 male Corsica (coll. MCSNEC: NHMB.011); 1 male Calabria (coll. MCSNEC: Isaia.134); 1 male Sardinia (coll. A.D.: Colo.018). C. moggridgei (2 females and 2 male) Specified: 2 males France, Alpes Maritimes (coll. A.D.: SHu. 19.06.14, 20/04/05.5); 1 female Italy, Liguria (coll. MCSNEC: Isaia.020); 1 female, France, Alpes Maritimes (coll. A.D. 20/04/05.4). Cyrtocarenum cunicularium (3 females and 1 male). Specified: 1 female Greece, Corfu (coll. A.D.: 01/07/95.4), 2 females Greece, Crete (coll. A.D.: 20/04/90.1, 15/04/90.4), 1 male Greece, Tinos (coll. A.D.: GR80.11). C. grajum (3 females and 1 male). Specified: 1 female, Greece, Peloponnesus (coll. A.D.: 22/10/92.2), 1 female Greece, Paxi (coll. A.D.: 04/07/95.2), 1 female Greece, Kefalonia (coll. MCSNEC: Isaia.021a), 1 male Greece, Kithira (coll. A.D.: GR8.85.5). Stasimopus spec. 1 female, South Africa, Bloemfontijn (coll. MNHN: AR.4117).

Diagnosis. With the extraction of Halonoproctidae ( Godwin et al. 2018) , the family Ctenizidae is currently reduced to include three genera ( Cteniza , Cyrtocarenum , Stasimopus ; WSC 2018). Within Ctenizidae Cteniza + Cyrtocarenum stand morphologically apart from Stasimopus . Differences in the shape of the prosoma include, in ventral view, the anterior distal lobe of the maxillae, the shape of the labium and the sternal sigilla ( Figs. 3–8 ). In dorsal view there is a marked difference in the setting of the eyes ( Figs. 9–11 ). Females differ in the structure of the carapace, lateral view, with the thoracic part more or less horizontal in Cteniza + Cyrtocarenum and sloping down towards the fovea in Stasimopus ( Figs. 12–14 ). Furthermore, females of Cteniza + Cyrtocarenum differ from Stasimopus in the absence of dense groups of short “curvy-spines” (see Engelbrecht & Prendini 2012 fig. 16A for a SEM-image) on the distal segments of the palps and anterior two pairs of legs ( Figs. 15–17 ) and in the morphology of leg III ( Figs. 18–20 ). Males of Cteniza + Cyrtocarenum further differ from Stasimopus in the absence of strong sculpturing of the carapace (compare Figs. 43–44 with Engelbrecht & Prendini 2012 figs. 6AC, 10AC, 17AC, 21AC), and the presence of cymbium spines.

Cteniza differs from Cyrtocarenum (both sexes) in the configuration of the eyes ( Figs. 9–10 ) and the morphology of the spinnerets ( Figs. 21–24 ). Males differ in the general morphology of the palpal organ: slender embolus, gradually curved with a tiny apical scoop in Cteniza ( Figs. 25–26 ); robust distally bent and twisted in Cyrtocarenum ( Figs. 27–28 ). Males further differ in the armature of the retrolateral tibia I, with strong spines in ventral half of the Tibia and metatarsus as the sole armature in Cteniza and the strong ventral apical clasper-hooks mounted on a distinct process in Cyrtocarenum ( Figs. 29–32 ).

Description. Small to medium sized mygalomorph spiders. Males: TBL 9.0–24.6, CL 3.9–10.2 (n= 15), Females: TBL 14.0–30.6, CL 4.9–11.5 (n= 24). Generally uniform color ranging from dark brown to almost black with a grey unmarked abdomen, ventral parts lighter brown and grey ( Figs. 33–36 ). The spinneret morphology, configuration of the eyes and pattern of sternal sigilla are similar in both sexes. PMS are more than their diameter apart, club-shaped with a distinct apical spigot-field and usually one central macro-spigot, PLS proximal segment longer than median + distal segments, few macro-spigots distally on all segments, distal segment slightly conical ( Figs. 21–22 ). Eye-formation ( Figs 37–38 ): weakly trapezoidal to sub-rectangular, PR slightly longer than AR (AR/PR av.= 0.9, sd= 0.06, n= 24), and almost twice as wide as long (EL/PR av.= 0.6, sd= 0.06, n= 24). Sternum ( Figs. 39–40 ): two separated, large, roundish sigilla sub-centrally in the caudal half of the sternum, flanked by two, more laterally placed smaller sigilla.

Sexual dimorphism strong. Females are stocky built and short legged, males are slender built, long legged spiders ( Figs. 33–36 ). Females have smooth shiny carapace with a strongly elevated cephalic-part gradually sloping down to the fovea, in males the carapace is finely sculptured, has a thickened lateral and caudal rim while the elevation of the cephalic-part is much reduced ( Figs. 41–42 ). Females furthermore have “leg-like” palps with groups of strong spines on the ventral lateral tarsus and tibia, males palp have slender, strongly elongated palps, unarmed except for a spine-group on the dorsal cymbium. Females have spines only on the three distal segments of all legs and on patella III, males have spines on all leg-segments. Females have groups of cuspules on the proximal maxillae and distal labium. In males, maxillary and labial cuspules are absent or strongly reduced. Females have simple, tripartite spermathecae, “mushroom” shaped receptacles with densely glandular ring separating the proximal and ‘donut-shaped’ distal part ( Fig. 2 ) In males the palpal organ is simple pyriform with long slender, gradually curved embolus with tiny apical scoop ( Figs. 1 , 25–26 ).

Figures

FIGURES 3–8. Top row left to right: 3, Cteniza sauvagesi (female, AR4216, Corsica); 4, Cyrtocarenum sp. (female, 01/07/ 95.4, Corfu); 5, Stasimopus sp. (female, AR4117, Bloemfontijn). Note the differences in the distal maxillae with narrow, straight anterior lobes in Cteniza + Cyrtocarenum and wide, curved lobe in Stasimopus (arrows). Bottom row left to right: 6, Ct. sauvagesi (female, Isaia.137, Calabria); 7, Cy. grajum (female, 22/10/92.2, Peloponnesos); 8, Stasimopus sp. (female, AR4117, Bloemfontijn). Note the differences in the distal labium (rounded in Cteniza + Cyrtocarenum, conical in Stasimopus), and sternal sigilla (clear, rounded and separated in Cteniza + Cyrtocarenum, vague, longitudinal and fussed in Stasimopus) (arrows). Scale bars= 1.0 mm

FIGURES 9–14. Top row left to right: 9, Ct. sauvagesi (female, AR4211a, Corsica); 10, Cy. grajum (female, 04/07/95.2, Paxi); 11, Stasimopus sp. (female, AR4117, Bloemfontijn). Note the differences in the width of the eye-group, narrow (n) in Cteniza, medium (m) in Cyrtocarenum and wide (w) in Stasimopus. Bottom row left to right: 12, Ct. sauvagesi (female, AR4224, Corsica); 13, Cy. grajum (female, 04/07/95.2, Paxi); 14, Stasimopus sp. (female, AR4117, Bloemfontijn). Note the differences in the shape of the carapace in lateral view (thoracic part horizontal at the fovea in Cteniza + Cyrtocarenum, sloping downward in Stasimopus). Points of attention are marked with arrows. Scale bars= 2.0 mm

FIGURES 15–20. Top row left to right: 15, Ct. sauvagesi (female, Riz.006, Calabria); 16, Cy. cunicularium (female, 20/04/ 90.1, Crete); 17, Stasimopus sp. (female, AR4117, Bloemfontijn). Note open groups of “dagger-type” spines on the prolateral distal segments of leg I in Cteniza + Cyrtocarenum (15–16) versus the compact groups of short “curvy-spines” in Stasimopus (17). Bottom row left to right: 18, Ct. sauvagesi (female, Bra.005, Corsica); 19, Cy. cunicularium (female, 20/04/90.1, Crete); 20, Stasimopus sp. (female, AR4117, Bloemfontijn), note the cylindrical tibia III and proximally concave dorsal femur in Cteniza + Cyrtocarenum (18–19) versus the distally inflated tibia III and convex dorsal femur in Stasimopus (20).). Points of attention are marked with arrows. Scale bars= 1.0 mm

FIGURES 43–44. Species level diagnostics, differences in the shape of the male carapace. 43, C. sauvagesi (Colo.015, Sardinia); 44, C. moggridgei, (Shu.19.06.14, Alpes Maritimes). Note the anterior distinctively narrowing carapace in C. sauvagesi versus the rounded carapace in C. moggridgei.

FIGURES 21–24. Top left to right: 21, Ct. moggridgei (female, Isaia.020 Liguria); 22, Ct. sauvagesi (female, Colo.017, Sardinia) Note the irregular distribution of macro-spigots pointed by arrows. Bottom left tyo right: 23, Cy. cunicularium (female, 15/04/90.4, Crete); 24, Cy. grajum (female, Isiai.016a, Kefalonia). Note the compacte groups of macro-spigots in Cy. cunicularium and the more slender PLS with conical distal segment in C. grajum. Scale bars= 1.0 mm

FIGURES 25–28. Genus level diagnostic differences between Cteniza and Cyrtocarenum in the male bulb structure (standard ventral orientation). Left to right: 25, Ct. moggidgei (SHu.19.06.14, Alpes Maritimes); 26, Ct. sauvagesi (Isaia.134, Calabria); 27, Cy. cunicularium (GR80.11, Tinos); 28, Cy. grajum (GR.8.82.5, Kithira). Note the regular curve and tiny apical scoop (SC) in the embolus of the two Cteniza species and the robust distally bent and twisted embolus (tw) in the two Cyrtocarenum species. Scale bars= 0.5 mm

FIGURES 29–32. Genus level diagnostic differences between Cteniza and Cyrtocarenum as seen in the armature and shape of the retrolateral male tibia and proximal metatarsus of leg I. 29, Ct. moggridgei (Shu-19.06.14 Alpes Maritimes); 30, Ct. sauvagesi (NHMB.011, Corsica); 31, Cy. cunicularium (GR80.11, Tinos); 32, Cy. grajum (GR.8.82.5, Kithira). Note strong spines (ss) in ventral half of the tibia and metatarsus as the sole armature in Cteniza and the strong ventral apical clasper-hooks mounted on a distinct process (ch) in Cyrtocarenum. Note also the difference in tibiae shape between the genera and the proximal bent and sclerotized metatarsus (sb) in Cyrtocarenum (absent in Cteniza). Scale bars= 1.0 mm

FIGURES 33–36. Living spiders of the genus Cteniza. 33, Ct. moggridgei (female, 20/04/05.4, Gorbio Alpes Maritimes); 34, Ct. sauvagesi (female, field recording by P. Rizzo Calabria); Ct. moggridgei (male, 20/04/05.5, Gorbio Alpes Maritimes); Ct. sauvagesi (male, field recording by P. Rizzo Calabria).

FIGURES 37–40. Top row: variable, sub-rectangular to trapezoidal, eye-formations in male and female of the genus Cteniza. 37, Ct. sauvagesi (male, Colo.018, Sardinia); 38, Ct. moggridgei (females, Isaia.020, Liguria). Bottom row: Patterns of sternal sigilla in male and female of the genus Cteniza. 39, Ct. moggridgei (male, Shu.19.06.14, Alpes Maritimes); 40, Ct. sauvagesi (female, Riz.006, Calabria). Note the large central sigilla (cs) and the small lateral sigilla (ls). Points of attention are marked with arrows. Scale bars= top-row= 0.5 mm, bottom row 1.0 mm

FIGURES 41–42. Sexual dimorphic carapace structure in lateral view within Cteniza. 41, Ct. sauvagesi (female, AR4224, Corsica); 42, Ct. sauvagesi (male, Riz.008). Note high elevated cephalic part steeply sloping to the fovea and smooth, shining cuticle in female (41) and finely sculptured, dull cuticle with thick lateral/caudal rim and reduced elevation of the cephalic part in male. Scale bars= 2mm

FIGURES 1–2. Methods of measurement of sexual characters. 1, Bulb (C. sauvagesi, male, Isaia.133, Calabria) measures in standard ventral view. BuL: bulb length. EmL: embolus length. BuW bulb width. 2, Spermathecae (C. moggridgei, female, NHMB.002, Liguria) in ventral view. Int: internal distance receptacles. Ext: external distance receptacles. LRL and RRL: lengths of the left and right receptacle. Scale bars= 0.5 mm