EUCTENIZINAE, Raven, 1985

Bond, Jason E. & Opell, Brent D., 2002, Phylogeny and taxonomy of the genera of south-western North American Euctenizinae trapdoor spiders and their relatives (Araneae: Mygalomorphae, Cyrtaucheniidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 136 (3), pp. 487-534 : 494-495

EUCTENIZINAE

Homostola Simon, 1892a

Raven (1985: 182) suggested that his placement of Homostola in the Cyrtaucheniidae was questionable and considered inclusion in the Nemesiidae to be a plausible alternative. In his intrafamilial phylogeny ( Raven, 1985: fig. 8) Homostola is at the base of the Cyrtaucheniinae as part of an unresolved trichotomy. We have examined many putative Homostola zebrina Purcell, 1902 and other Homostola spp. from South Africa. Although most H. zebrina specimens are unassociated males and females, their coloration, spination, and general somatic morphology indicate that individuals from neighbouring localities are conspecific. Female H. zebrina specimens appear to be congenerics of the type H. vulpecula Simon, 1892a based on spination pattern (preening combs on tarsus III and IV), spermathecal morphology (single tall unbranched receptacle with light, even sclerotization), palpal endite and labial cuspule patterns (almost identical to that of Aptostichus simus ), and abdominal coloration. However, the male mating clasper morphology is like that illustrated by Raven (1985) for the nemesiid genus Spiroctenus Simon, 1889b . Although Raven (1985) considered it likely that H. zebrina was a Spiroctenus , he made no nomenclatural changes. We likewise have examined the Spiroctenus holotype S. personatus Simon, 1889b , and agree that its mating clasper is similar in structure to that of H. zebrina . Thus, Spiroctenus is probably a junior synonym of Homostola , a change first suggested by Hewitt (1915). Consequently its position within the Nemesiidae , or the placement of H. zebrina in Homostola , is questionable. Since this study does not examine nemesiid phylogeny we do not propose any nomenclatural changes that would affect these two genera.

We have scored Homostola character states on the basis of the female holotype Homostola vulpecula (USMN) . We have also examined over 30 male and female specimens (many of these previously determined as H. zebrina from South Africa (PPRI)). Based on the lack of differences between the type specimen Homostola vulpecula and H. zebrina specimens, both male and female, we think the more likely of the aforementioned alternatives is Spiroctenus as a junior synonym of Homostola . There are five described species of Homostola .

Exemplars: Homostola vulpecula ♀: South Africa, HOLOTYPE ( MNHN). Homostola sp. ♀: South Africa, Transvaal, Drakensberg Mtns, Blyde River Canyon , 23–25 December 1990, V. & B. Roth ( CAS). Homostola sp. ♀: South Africa, Kwazulu-Natal, Pongola, S 27∞28¢, E 32∞7¢, N. Genis (84/755, PPRI). H. zebrina ♂: South Africa, Kwazulu-Natal, Ngome State Forest , S 27∞49¢, E 31∞26, March 1992, M.van der Merwe (93/543, PPRI).

Myrmekiaphila Atkinson, 1886

Myrmekiaphila species from Virginia, Florida and Texas were examined. There are four nominal species of Myrmekiaphila .

Exemplar: Myrmekiaphila comstocki Bishop & Crosby, 1926 ♂: USA, Texas, Travis Co., Austin, 12 February 1969, B. Vogel (AMNH). Myrmekiaphila torreya Gertsch & Wallace, 1936 ♀: USA, Florida, Liberty Co., 4 November 1938 (AMNH).

Aptostichus Simon, 1891a

Over 300 Aptostichus specimens were examined. Due to the presence of polymorphic characters we have included two terminals for Aptostichus in this analysis. Both unpublished molecular studies and variations in morphology (e.g. the serrated embolus tip A. simus Chamberlin, 1917 shares with Myrmekiaphila ) potentially bring into question Aptostichus monophyly. There are five described and approximately 30 undescribed species of Aptostichus ( Bond, 1999) .

Exemplars: Aptostichus atomarius Simon, 1891a female HOLOTYPE (MNHN); Aptostichus atomarius ♀ ♂: USA, California, Los Angeles Co., Baldwin Hills, December 1994, G. Morris (AMNH). Aptostichus simus Chamberlin, 1917 ♂: USA, California, Los Angeles Co., Playa Del Rey Beach, 6 November 1982 (AMNH). Aptostichus simus ♀: USA, California, San Diego Co., Silver Strand State Beach, 4 November 1982, M.G. Ramirez (AMNH).

For the remaining euctenizine genera, generic descriptions provide details regarding types and additional material examined.

Exemplars: Eucteniza Ausserer, 1875 : Astrosoga rex Chamberlin, 1940 male HOLOTYPE: USA, Texas, Kingsville, J. Cross (AMNH); Astrosoga stolida Gertsch & Mulaik, 1940 female HOLOTYPE: USA, Texas, Austin, 1903; Eucteniza sp. ♂: Mexico, Baja California Del Sur, La Paz, El Sombrero Trailer Park, 15 July 1968, Bentzien; ♀: Baja California Del Sur, La Paz, 8 miles south-east, 18 October 1968, Sleeper & Moore (AMNH). Promyrmekiaphila Schenkel, 1950 : Promyrmekiaphila sp. ♀ ♂: USA, California, Santa Cruz Co., Ben Lomond, 23 September 1961, Ivie & Gertsch (AMNH). Entychides Simon, 1888 : Entychides (Eutychides) arizonicus Gertsch & Wallace, 1936 ♀ ♂: USA, Arizona, Cochise Co., Portal, AMNH south-western Research Station, 3 August 1976, S. Johnson (AMNH). Neoapachella gen. nov.: Neoapachella rothi sp. nov.: male HOLOTYPE, female paratype: USA, Apache Co., Greer, 1 mile south on west fork of the Little Colorado River, 29 August 1967, F. Coyle. Apomastus gen. nov.: Apomastus schlingeri sp. nov.: male HOLOTYPE, female paratype: USA, California, Los Angeles, Topanga Canyon, 18 September 1985, C.P. Kristensen (CAS).