Rayforstia propinqua ( Forster, 1959 ) Rix & Harvey, 2010

Rix, Michael & Harvey, Mark, 2010, The spider family Micropholcommatidae (Arachnida: Araneae: Araneoidea): a relimitation and revision at the generic level, ZooKeys 36 (36), pp. 1-321 : 59

Rayforstia propinqua ( Forster, 1959) , comb. n.

Figs 86 E–F, 87F

Textricella propinqua Forster, 1959: 285 , figs 26–27 (holotype male from Cass Riv- er, Canterbury, New Zealand, in Canterbury Museum, not examined). Brignoli, 1983: 375. Platnick, 2009.

Selected material examined. NEW ZEALAND: South Island: Canterbury: Broken River, 21.VI.1956, R. Forster, 4♀ ( MCZ).

Remarks. Rayforstia propinqua is most similar to the other six-eyed species of Rayforstia described from New Zealand ( R. plebeia , R. salmoni , R. scuta and R. wisei ), but can be distinguished by the distinctive shape of the external epigyne and the ‘peanutshaped’ spermathecae ( Figs 86F , 87F ).

Figures

Figure 86. New Zealand Rayforstia species, eyes and external epigynes. A–D eight-eyed species of Rayforstia: A eyes of male R. signata (Forster) from the Puhipuhi Valley (AMNH) B ventral abdomen of female R. signata from the Puhipuhi Valley (AMNH) C eyes of male R. antipoda (Forster) from Lake Hawea (AMNH) D ventral abdomen of female R. antipoda from Lake Hawea (AMNH). E–H six-eyed species of Rayforstia: E eyes of female R. propinqua (Forster) from Broken River (MCZ) F ventral abdomen of female R. propinqua from Broken River (MCZ) G ventral abdomen of paratype female R. salmoni (Forster) from Waiouru (AMNH) H ventral abdomen of female R. scuta (Forster) from Norsewood (MCZ).

Figure 87. Rayforstia species, female cleared receptacula, dorsal view: A–B R. vulgaris (Forster) from Lewis Pass, New Zealand (WAM T94455) C R. signata (Forster) from the Puhipuhi Valley, New Zealand (AMNH) D R. antipoda (Forster) from Lake Hawea, New Zealand (AMNH) E allotype R. lordhowensis sp. n. from Lord Howe Island, New South Wales (AMS KS76260) F R. propinqua (Forster) from Broken River, New Zealand (MCZ) G R. salmoni (Forster) from Desert Road, New Zealand (AMNH) H R. scuta (Forster) from Norsewood, New Zealand (AMNH). Arrows indicate the trajectory of insemination ducts. Scale bar = 0.065 mm (65 µm).