Genus Cocalodes Pocock

Wanless (1982) reviewed the 12 species known in this genus, which is delimited by the characteristically expanded conductor of the male palp and the elongated and relatively flat body (in comparison with Allococalodes). Many males of Cocalodes have the intercheliceral sclerite (Maddison 1996) elongated considerably into a horn (Wanless 1982), a derived trait shared with Allococalodes that suggests the two form a monophyletic group. Figure 8 shows the horn in a living male C. longicornis Wanless. It is not easily visible in a living male in normal poses, as it rests between the elongate chelicerae. Some species, such as C. macellus (Thorell), lack a projecting horn. Wanless (1982) indicates that even in Cocalodes males without a horn, the sclerite is unusually large, but it remains to be studied whether it is larger than typical for basal salticids (Maddison 1996; Maddison & Hedin 2003).

Natural history. In our recent field work three species were found. C. macellus (Figs 2–5) was found most commonly at 600 m but as high as 1100 m elevation near Wanakipa, Southern Highlands Province (S 5.3 E 142.5). At 700 m elevation in Varirata National Park, Central Province (S 9.44 E 147.36) were found C. longicornis (Figs 6–9), and C. expers Wanless. All were found on large-leaved plants at rainforest edge or within the rainforest. C. macellus was found on Pandanus, palms and native bamboos; C. expers on Pandanus leaves within the forest. Shown in Figure 1 are the species of Cocalodes collected at sites in Papua New Guinea; the Baiteta forest site was collected by canopy fogging by Olivier Missa in 1995.