Aruattus, Dmitri V. Logunov & Galina N. Azarkina, 2008

Dmitri V. Logunov & Galina N. Azarkina, 2008, Two new genera and species of Euophryinae (Aranei: Salticidae) from SE Asia, Arthropoda Selecta 17 (1 - 2), pp. 111-115 : 111-112

Aruattus gen.n.

Type species: Aruattus agostii sp.n.

ETHYMOLOGY.The generic name consists of two parts: ̒ Aru ̓ deriving from the Aru island group (eastern Indonesia), from which the main series of the type species was collected, and ̒ attus ̓ meaning ̒jumper̓; gender masculine.

DIAGNOSIS. Aruattus gen.n. differs from all the euophryines in having a unique combination of genitalic characters: the tooth situated on the embolar disk (arrowed in Fig. 2), the prominent proximal reservoir of the spermathecae (arrowed in Fig. 5), and the epigynal plate with no median septum and no epigynal pocket (Fig. 4).

DESCRIPTION. As for the type species, see below.

COMMENTS. Aruattus gen.n. is a fissidentate genus (Fig. 3) of the small litter-dwelling salticids. Although the genus is an obvious member of the subfamily Euophryinae , it is difficult to relate it correctly. Its spermathecae contain the well-developed proximal reservoir (arrowed in Fig. 5; ̒the proximal receiver a ̓ sensu Żabka Ɩ1987]), and by this character Aruattus gen.n. is close to other members of the so-called ̒saitine̓ group of genera Ɩsee Davies & Żabka, 1989], e.g. Lycidas Karsch, 1878 . Yet the male palp of Aruattus gen.n. does not possess the second sclerite of the embolar division called by some authors the conductor (usually subparallel to the embolus), which is common for many ̒saitine̓ species Ɩe.g., Zabka, 1987: figs 60, 62]. Besides, we cannot recollect any other euophryine genus having a tooth situated on the embolar disk ( Figs 1 ­2). Thus, whereas Aruattus gen.n. should be placed in the Euophryinae , its precise position within the subfamily is to be further clarified.

COMPOSITION. Currently, the type species only, but there are several additional species awaiting description (kept in the MHNG and seen by one of us, DL, while sorting out the salticid collections from SE Asia retained by this museum).

Figures

Figs 1­9: Aruattus agostii sp.n. (♂ holotype, ♀ paratype): 1 C male palp, ventral view; 2 C ditto, retrolateral view; 3 C female chelicera, ventral view; 4 C epigyne, ventral view; 5 C spermathecae, dorsal view; 6 C diagrammatic course of the insemination ducts; 7 C male general appearance, dorsal view; 8 C male face; 9 C male carapace, lateral view. Scale lines: 0.1 mm (1­5), 0.5 mm (7­9). PƲc. 1̅9: Aruattus agostii sp.n. (♂ FƟƌƟŦƲƞ, ♀ ƞapaŦƲƞ): 1 O ƞaƌbƞa caMUa, cBƲƷy; 2 O ŦƟAEe, cƷaJƲ-cÕƟĸy; 3 O xeƌƲUepa caMĸƲ, cBƲƷy; 4 O ƞƲFƲBa, cBƲƷy; 5 O cƞepMaŦeĸa, cƁepxy; 6 O cxeMa ƞpƟŦƟĸƟƁ cƞepMaŦeĸƲ; 7 O ƟÕƜƲŭ ƁƲJ caMUa, cƁepxy; 8 O ďeŭc caMUa; 9 O FƟƌƟƁƟFpyJb caMUa, cÕƟĸy. MacmŦaÕ: 0,1 MM (1̅5), 0,5 MM (7̅9).