Eustala Simon, 1895

Poeta, Maria Rita Muniz, 2014, The orb-weaving spider genus Eustala Simon, 1895 (Araneae, Araneidae): eight new species, redescriptions, and new records, Zootaxa 3872 (5), pp. 440-466 : 441

Eustala Simon, 1895

Eustala Simon, 1895: 795 .

Type species Epeira anastera Walckenaer, 1841 by original designation. Levi 1977: 114; Levi 2002.

Diagnosis. In contrast with other Araneidae genera, females of Eustala have an epigynal scape projecting anteriorly, instead of posteriorly. The scape cuticle is usually annulated but in some species it is smooth (e.g., E. perfida ). There are three plates on the base of the epigynum, two lateral and one median, and its shape is a diagnostic character. Copulatory openings ventral, between the median and laterals plates. Males smaller than females and can be distinguished by the palp with an unusual white cone-shaped median apophysis, which hangs down the venter of the palp ( Levi 1977). There is a balloon-like subterminal apophysis, which could be reduced in some species (e.g., E. minuscula ; E. mourei ). Embolus is hook-shaped and sclerotinized. Conductor morphology is diagnostic for the species. The most commun body shape is subtriangular (e.g., E. taquara ), but some species are elongate (e.g., E. fuscovittata (Keyserling, 1864) ; E. sagana (Keyserling, 1893)) , or spherical (e.g., E. conformans Chamberling, 1925 ). Abdomen with a dorsal color pattern (folium) resembling lichens or mosses, usually, green, greenish brown or gray. Some live Eustala are pink or red, resembling some lichens of very pure air (e.g. E. taquara , collected in the Moutains of Rio Grande do Sul) but this coloration is lost in alcohol. Due to this great variability it is very difficult to match males and females based only on coloration patterns.