Bigois antarctica Simon, 1902

Duperre, Nadine & Harms, Danilo, 2018, Raising the Dead: Rediscovery and redescription of some lost spider types (Araneae) described by Eugene Simon, Evolutionary Systematics 2 (1), pp. 1-20 : 5-6

Bigois antarctica Simon, 1902 Fig. 9 A–F

Bigois antarctica Simon, 1902: 40 ( Bigois antarctica n. sp., description female).

Bigois antarctica Birabén, 1957: 4, f. 1-8 (female, description male).

Amaloxenops translata Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1959: 132 (new name for Birabén’s material, believed misidentified).

Intihuatana antarctica Lehtinen, 1967: 240, f. 372-373 (transferred male and female to Intihuatanan n. gen.).

Type locality.

Coll. Mich. 150. Süd-Feuerland, Uschuaia, unter Steinen und zwischen Steingeröll; 15.XI.92. Coll. Mich. 178. Süd-Feuerland, Arch., Isl. Navarin, Puerto Toro, Wald; 19.XII.92. Coll. 193. Süd-Feuerland, Puerto Pantalon; 2.I.93.

Dimensions.

♀. long. 1,3 mm.

Determination label.

Bigois antarctica n. sp. Nr. 62.

Locality label vial 1 (with 1♀). 193. Feuerland, Puerto Pantalon; Coll. Michaelsen. 2.I.93.

Locality label vial 2 (with 1♂). 150. Uschuaia 15.XI.92.

Locality label vial 3 (with 1♀). 178. Navarin, Puerto Toro, Wald. Coll. Michaelsen. 19.XII.92.

Type material.

Lectotype 1♀ designated here, paralectotypes 1♂, 1♀(ZMH-A000765).

Remarks.

In 1957, Birabén redescribed the species based on a female topotype from Uschuaia and a male allotype from Bariloche, 1600 km away from Uschuaia. Schiapelli & Gerschman published a paper on the characters of the genus Bigois (1959) and did not agree with Birabén’s redescription. Based on his illustration and description, they suggested that his species should be placed in Amaloxenops and named it A. translata Schiapelli & Gerschman 1959. Schiapelli and Gerschman (1959) did not examine the type in Paris, instead Prof. M.E. Galiano reviewed and drew the illustration on which they based their observations. As mentioned by Lethinen, the confusion is based on the fact that Prof. M.E. Galiano probably saw the wrong type. Lethinen (1967) mentions that the original material of Simon (op. cit.) includes four different species from three samples. One sample is in the Paris Museum and labelled Bigois antarctica , one is in Hamburg as Bigois Antarctica , and one sample is preserved in Paris and labelled Hahnia antarctica . Lethinen (1967: 240) states that "The tube labelled B. antarctica in Paris contains a single male of a Neohahnia sp . The sample in Hamburg consists of the true B. antarctica only, and it is curious that Simon did not mention the male at all. The other sample in Paris included only females of B. antarctica , but numerous females and males of an undescribed species of Hahnia and even a juvenile specimen of an unknown two-clawed spider with rather long spinnerets". All the data from the specimens held at the Hamburg Museum correspond with the original publication and the specimens are designated here as lectotype and paralectotypes.

Description.

Female (lectotype). Total length: 1.5; cephalothorax length: 0.68; cephalothorax width: 0.53. COLORATION: (from original description, translated from Latin): "pale yellow-reddish, abdomen white opaque". CEPHALOTHORAX: Pear-shape, longer than wide (Fig. 9A); pars cephalica not elevated, pars thoracica slooping gradually. Cheliceral teeth not observed. Sternum widely truncate posteriorly. EYES: AME minute. Legs: Spines absent. ABDOMEN: Oval (Fig. 9A); spinnerets in a straight row. GENITALIA: Epigynum with small central copulatory openings, widely separated (Fig. 9D).

Male. (paralectotype). Total length: 1.52; cephalothorax length: 0.73; cephalothorax width: 0.55.

CEPHALOTHORAX: As in female (Fig. 9C). Cheliceral teeth not observed. Sternum as in female. EYES and ABDOMEN: As in female. GENITALIA (both palp with bulb not in original position): Patella with central, wide patellar process; palpal tibia short, tibial process bifurcate; cymbium distally rounded (Fig. 9E). Bulb oval; embolus long and sinuous (Fig. 9F).

Distribution.

Argentina; Uschuaia, Chile; Puerto Toro and Puerto Pantalon.

Current systematic position.

Hahniidae , Intihuatana antarctica (Simon, 1902).