Theridium eximius, LINEAGE

Agnarsson, Ingi, 2006, A revision of the New World eximius lineage of Anelosimus (Araneae, Theridiidae) and a phylogenetic analysis using worldwide exemplars, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 146 (4), pp. 453-593 : 471

THE EXIMIUS LINEAGE

The eximius lineage occurs only in the New World ( Fig. 63A) and contains the majority of American species. It includes all the most intensively studied Anelosimus species and is revised below. Eight unambiguous synapomorphies support its monophyly, including: deeply notched cymbial margin (15 -2, Figs 23A, B, 29A, 33A), translucent cymbial hood (25 -0), an abrupt post-switchback II turn of the sperm duct (30 -1, Fig. 57D–G), subterminally ridged theridiid tegular apophysis (56 -1, Figs 2B, 42C), and embolus-distal hematodocha grooves (69 -1, Figs 35B, H, L, 36C, 39B, C). Five of the seven known social Anelosimus species belong in five subgroups of the eximius group.