Plesiopiuka, Ruiz, Gustavo Rodrigo Sanches, 2010

Ruiz, Gustavo Rodrigo Sanches, 2010, Proposal of Kupiuka and Plesiopiuka, two new genera of jumping spiders from Brazil (Araneae: Salticidae: Heliophaninae), Zootaxa 2630, pp. 57-68 : 66

Plesiopiuka gen. nov.

Type species: Plesiopiuka simplex sp. nov.

Etymology. The name is a combination of the radical “plesio” and part of the name Kupiuka and refers to the apparent lack of autapomorphies seen in the type species.

Diagnosis. Because of the elongate and flattened body, Plesiopiuka gen. nov. is very similar to both Helvetia and Kupiuka gen. nov., from which it differs by having the combination of a rectangular carapace and small glandular portions of the epigyne.

Description. The genus includes small jumping spiders (about 3.5mm) with granulose areas on the laterals of the anterior carapace and three modified setae on the distal prolateral portion of femur I for stridulation, as those described for species of Helvetia and Matagaia (see Ruiz & Brescovit 2008, figs 2–3 and Ruiz et al. 2007, figs 1–2); bodies are slightly elongate and flattened; chelicerae with two teeth on promargin and one on retromargin; male palps have a prolateral depression on femora and short embolus and epigynes have short and simple copulation ducts.

Composition. Only the type species Plesiopiuka simplex sp. nov.