Neonella montana Galiano, 1988

Ott, Ricardo, Silva, Guilherme O., Marta, Kimberly S. & Rodrigues, Everton N. L., 2015, On the spider genus Neonella (Araneae: Salticidae): new records and taxonomic notes for species from southern South America, Zootaxa 3946 (4), pp. 583-586 : 586

Neonella montana Galiano, 1988

Figs 9‒12 , 20‒25

Neonella montana Galiano, 1988: 447 , figs 14, 21. Holotype ♀, Cuesta Cura Brochero, Provincia de Córdoba, Argentina, not examined. World Spider Catalog 2015.

Neonella cabana Galiano, 1998: 15 , figs 4‒6, 11‒12. Holotype ♂, Cabana , Provincia de Córdoba, Argentina, not examined. World Spider Catalog 2015. NEW SYNONYMY.

Note. Galiano (1998: 16) noticed the possibility that the male described as N. cabana could belong with the female described as N. montana . The large amount of males and females collected together in the same location, added to Galiano’s notes, provide evidence of the synonymy.

Description. Male: See Galiano (1998: 15, as N. cabana ). Female: See Galiano (1988: 447).

Variation. Total length: males, 1.05‒1.72 (n=22); females, 1.11‒2.06 (n=34). Carapace length: males, 0.52‒0.78; females, 0.58‒0.86. Coloration: highly variable patterns in male, from very dark to light-colored specimens ( Figs 9 , 20 ). Embolus: pectinate process variably branched ( Figs 23‒25 ).

Material examined. BRAZIL. Rio Grande do Sul: Cachoeirinha, 2♂, 2♀, Estação Experimental do Arroz, Instituto Riograndense do Arroz, 27.V.2005, E.N.L. Rodrigues leg. (MCN 49770); Porto Alegre: 1♂, Jardim Botânico, 19.XI.2012, G.O. Silva et al. leg. (MCN 49771); Viamão, 29♂, 23♀, 12.VI.2003 ‒ 30.IV.2004 ( MCTP 17307, 17340, 17343, 17319, 17309, 17310, 17311, 17325, 17326, 17327, 17328, 17319, 17320, 17321, 17322, 17312, 17313, 17314, 17315, 17316, 17317, 17318, 17329, 17330, 17331, 17332, 17333, 17334, 17324, 17337, 17338, 17339, 17336, 17335), all Parque Estadual de Itapuã, A.C.K. Ferreira leg. (pitfall traps).

Distribution. Argentina (Córdoba; probably other provinces) and Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul); probably also Uruguay.

Figures

FIGURES 1 ‒ 12. Neonella spp. 1 ‒ 4 Neonella lubrica (1 male, dorsal view, 2 same, ventral view, 3 female, dorsal view, 4 same, ventral view). 5 ‒ 8 Neonella minuta (5 male, dorsal view, 6 same, ventral view, 7 female, dorsal view, 8 same, ventral view). 9 ‒ 12 Neonella montana (9 male, dorsal view, 10 same, ventral view, 11 female, dorsal view, 12 same, ventral view). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 13 ‒ 25. Neonella spp. 13 ‒ 16 Neonella lubrica (13 left male palp, ventral view, 14 same, retrolateral view, 15 epigyne, ventral view, 16 same, cleared, dorsal view). 17 ‒ 19 Neonella minuta (17 left male palp, ventral view, 18 epigyne, ventral view, 19 same, cleared, dorsal view). 20 ‒ 25 Neonella montana (20 male, dorsal view, showing variation in color pattern, 21 epigyne, ventral view, 22 same, cleared, dorsal view, 23 ‒ 25 embolus in expanded left male palps, lateral view, showing variation in pectinate process). Scale bars: 13 ‒ 19, 21, 22, 0.1 mm; 20, 1 mm; 23 ‒ 25, 0.05 mm. Abbreviations: at, atrium; em, embolus; op, copulatory opening; pp, pectinate process; rta, retrolateral tibial apophysis.