Massagris honesta Wesołowska, 1993

Wesołowska, Wanda & Haddad, Charles R., 2013, New data on the jumping spiders of South Africa (Araneae: Salticidae), African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 177-177 : 210-212

publication ID	2305-2562
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7917835
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/BE43BB01-FFE9-FF97-FE07-FB154F3BDF3F
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Massagris honesta Wesołowska, 1993
status

Treatment

Massagris honesta Wesołowska, 1993 View in CoL View at ENA

Figs 19, 90, 91, 107–113

Massagris honesta: Wesołowska 1993: 140 View in CoL , figs 18–20.

Massagris regina: Wesołowska 1993: 138 View in CoL , figs 15–17. Syn. n.

Wesołowska (1993) described both sexes; general appearance of male as in Figs 19 & 90, female as in Fig. 91; male cheliceral dentition as in Fig. 107, first leg as in Fig. 108; structure of copulatory organs as in Figs 109–113.

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: 1♀ Amatola Mtns, Hogsback , 32°36.285'S 26°56.580'E, active searching, 27.iii.2007, C. Haddad (NCA, 2007/1209); 1♂ same locality, Amatola Forestry Company Offices , 32°35.276'S 26°55.911'E, 1270 m, under overhanging vegetation, 22.iv.2012, C. Haddad ( NMBA) GoogleMaps . Western Cape: 2♂ 1♀ De Hoop Nature Reserve, Lekkerwater road, 34°24.023'S 20°33.189'E, under Thamnochortis restios, 26.iii.2005, C. Haddad ( NMBA) GoogleMaps ; 1♂ same locality, De Hoop Vlei , 34°29.425'S 20°25.762'E, under rocks, 25.iii.2005, C. Haddad ( NMBA) GoogleMaps ; 1♀ same locality, Koppie Alleen , 34°28.534'S 20°30.349'E, rocky shore, retreats in intertidal zone, 10.iv.2004, C. Haddad ( NMBA) GoogleMaps ; 6♀ same locality, Potberg , 34°22.487'S 20°31.980'E, Eucalyptus forest, leaf-litter, 4.iv.2004, C. Haddad ( NMBA) GoogleMaps ; 2♂ 2♀ Grootvadersbosch Forest Station , 20 km WNW of Heidelberg, 34°00'S 20°47'E, 1600 ft, indigenous forest, 8–10.xi.1985, C. Griswold, J. Doyen & T. Meikle-Griswold ( NMSA, 26454) GoogleMaps .

Distribution: Species previously known only from the vicinity of Cape Town, in the Western Cape Province of South Africa only ( Fig. 114); recorded here for the first time from the Eastern Cape.

Habitat and biology: Based on published records (Wesołowska 1993) and the new records presented above, it seems as if M. honesta is endemic to the Fynbos and Forest biomes in southern South Africa. Specimens were collected from leaf-litter and low-growing vegetation.

Remarks: M. honesta was originally described from the male only and M. regina from the female only. Both males and females were collected together at De Hoop Nature Reserve, enabling us to recognize these species as synonyms.