Hoedillus Simon, 1898

Leister, Matthew & Miller, Kelly B., 2016, First description of the male Hoedillus sexpunctatus Simon, 1898; a redescription of the female, and transfer of Hoedillus to Zoropsidae Bertkau, 1882 (Araneae), Zootaxa 4107 (3), pp. 447-450 : 447-448

Hoedillus Simon, 1898

Hoedillus Simon, 1898 ; type species by original designation: Hoedillus sexpunctatus Simon, 1898: 202 .

Diagnosis. The genus Hoedillus is distinguished by the following combination of characters: (1) eight eyes forming two strongly recurved rows, (2) lateral eyes of both rows 1.5 times the diameter of median eyes, (3) four to five pairs of ventral spines in raised sockets on tibia I and II, and two pairs of ventral spines in raised sockets on metatarsi I and II, and (4) three promarginal and two retromarginal cheliceral teeth.

Justification of transfer. An examination of the male pedipalpus fails to reveal synapomorphic characters for Miturgidae (sensu Ramírez 2014): a retrolateral cymbial groove ( Ramírez 2014: figs. 145F, 148D, 162A, B; character 331), retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) with membranous area ( Ramírez 2014: figs. 145A, 163A, B; character 315), or a canal on the RTA ( Ramírez 2014: figs. 142E, 146B, 160E, H; character 316). Furthermore, the shape of the embolus and median apophysis is inconsistent with this group; Hoedillus lacks the long circular embolus and a forward facing median apophysis seen in the Miturgidae ( Ramírez 2014: figs. 145, 146). The examination also fails to reveal a tegular division ( Ramírez 2014: figs. 150A–C, E; character 343 and Silva 2003: fig. 18; character 38), which is synapomorphic for the Xenoctenus group.

Both males and females of Hoedillus show characters previously considered as synapomorphies of Zoropsidae : the lateral eyes are larger than the median eyes ( Fig. 1 A, Raven & Stumkat 2005: character 42). The male pedipalpus shows dense dorsal cymbial scopula with flattened surface ( Fig 1 B–D, F; Raven & Stumkat 2005: character 1), and the female is found to have dorsal spigots on the posterior median spinnerets ( Raven & Stumkat 2005: character 63). These characters justify its placement in this family.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Hoedillus sexpunctatus Simon, 1898, male. A. Habitus. B – F. Right pedipalpus; B. Retrolateral view; C. Ventral view; D. Prolateral view; E. Tibia ventral view; F. Pedipalpus, dorsal view, highlighting dorsal cymbial scopula. Con—conductor, Em—embolus, MA—median apophysis, TA—tegular apophysis.