Argyrodes, SIMON, 1864

Agnarsson, Ingi, 2004, Morphological phylogeny of cobweb spiders and their relatives (Araneae, Araneoidea, Theridiidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 141 (4), pp. 447-626 : 477-478

ARGYRODES SIMON, 1864

Argyrodes Simon, 1864 , type species by tautonomy, Linyphia argyrodes Walckenaer, 1842 (see Levi & Levi, 1962), not examined.

Synonyms

Conopistha Karsch, 1881 – type C. Bona Dea Karsch, 1881 [= A. bonadea ] ( Levi & Levi, 1962: 19), not examined.

Argyrodina Strand, 1928 , new name for Argyrodes , preoccupied – objective synonymy of Argyrodes ( Levi & Levi, 1962: 16)

Microcephalus Restrepo, 1944 – type M. fur Restrepo [= A. elevatus ] ( Levi, 1972: 534), not examined.

Species attributed to the ‘ A. argyrodes ’ group of Exline & Levi (1962) and Zhu (1998) belong to this genus: A. argentatus O. P.-Cambridge, 1880, A. argyrodes (Walckenaer, 1842) , A. bonadea (Karsch, 1881) , A. elevatus Taczanowski, 1873 , A. nephilae Taczanowski, 1873 , A. fissifrons O. P.-Cambridge, 1869, A. flavescens (O. P.-Cambridge, 1880), A. miltosus Zhu & Song, 1991, A. pluto Banks, 1906 , A. rostratus Blackwall, 1873 , A. weyrauchi Exline & Levi, 1962 , A. zhui Zhu & Song, 1991. The intensely studied A. antipodiana O. P.-Cambridge, 1880 ( Whitehouse, 1986, 1987a; Whitehouse & Jackson, 1993) also belongs here.

Argyrodes synapomorphies in this study ( A. argyrodes and A. elevatus ) include: cymbial distal promargin with apophysis (24, Fig. 31B, D ), embolic terminal apophysis (96, Fig. 31E ), male median eyes on tubercle (103, Figs 32E, F , 94B ), and male triplet absent (219, Fig. 33D ). At least cymbial distal promarginal apophysis and male median eyes on tubercle seem universal in the genus (see e.g. Exline & Levi, 1962; Zhu, 1998). Embolic terminal apophysis and absence of male triplet were furthermore confirmed in all Argyrodes examined in detail, namely A. bonadea , A. fur , A. nephilae and A. pluto (absence of male triplet should be verified through SEM, as spigots may be overlooked in light microscopy).

The synonymy of Conopistha and Microcephalus with Argyrodes is corroborated after examination of nontype specimens of their respective generotypes, A. bonadea and A. fur .

Diagnosis

Argyrodes differs from other argyrodines by: lack of a functional triplet in the male, tight folding of the embolus and conductor ( Fig. 31D ), details of male carapace modifications, including median eyes on tubercles, details of life history (obligate kleptoparasitism), and highly characteristic palpal organs, the TTA snug with a distinct cymbial apophysis, and E and C intertwined ( Fig. 31B ). The shape and coloration of the abdomen is highly variable (e.g. Chikuni, 1989: 34). Interestingly, in many Argyrodes the males are larger than the females ( Exline & Levi, 1962).

Figures

Figure 31. Argyrodes, male palps. A–F, A. argyrodes. A, mesial. B, ventral. C, ectal. D, embolic division; note complex interactions of C, embolus. E, close look at the embolus and C. F, the BC-lock system; a hood on the MA tip (78-1) fits the hook on the cymbium (33-0). G, A. elevatus tibia; note trichobothria. two retrolateral (vertical arrows, 18-1) and a single prolateral (horizontal arrow, 19-1). Scale bars: A–C, 100 mm; D–G, 50 mm.

Figure 32. Argyrodes. A, B, A. elevatus. A, male prosomal stridulatory ridges (128-1). B, ditto, female. C–F, A. argyrodes male. C, proprioreceptors (long setae) and SPR (short setae) around pedicel on abdomen. D, close-up of SPR; note that all the setae are orientated ectally (153-0), none towards the axis of the animal (mesially, 156-0). E, prosoma. F, close-up of clypeal modification (130-1, 131-1, 132-1. G, epiandrous gland spigots. H, fourth tarsal claws; note elongated unpaired claw (199-1). Scale bars: A–C, E, F, 100 mm; D, G, H, 20 mm.

Figure 33. Argyrodes argyrodes. A–C, female spinnerets. A, all. B, PMS and PLS; note huge CY (208-1) with distinctly grooved bases (209-1), and absence of FL (212-1). C, PMS. D, male PMS and PLS, dysfunctional AG (219-0), but no FL scar. E, epigynum. F, tarsal organ (TO); note size relative to setae, enlarged TOs (198-1) are a synapomorphy of the enlarged tarsal organ clade. G, cheliceral promarginal teeth. H, cheliceral retromarginal teeth; denticles in the fang furrow (arrow) are a synapomorphy of Argyrodinae (112-1). Scale bars: A, E, 100 mm; B–D, H, 20 mm; F, 10 mm; G, 50 mm.

Figure 94. A, Ariamnes, male habitus. B, Argyrodes, male habitus. C, Faiditus, male habitus. D, Rhomphaea, male habitus. E, Neospintharus, male habitus. F, Stemmops sp., female abdomen. G, Anelosimus eximius, female abdomen. H, Theridion pictum, female abdomen. I, Ameridion petrum, female abdomen. J, Anelosimus sp. 1, habitus. K, Anelosimus sp. 1, abdomen ventral.