Baviola, SIMON, 1898

Benjamin, Suresh P., 2004, Taxonomic revision and phylogenetic hypothesis for the jumping spider subfamily Ballinae (Araneae, Salticidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 142 (1), pp. 1-82 : 13-17

BAVIOLA SIMON, 1898

Type species: Baviola braueri by original description.

Diagnosis: Baviola can be distinguished from Ballinae by the following characters: absence of ec (2) ( Fig. 7A, B ), embolus stout, projecting outwards from its base (4, 5) ( Figs 5A–F , 7A, B ), absences of a dark band on lateral sides of legs I–IV (27) and enlarged femur I (30) ( Wanless, 1984a: figs 9g, h, 10f, 11g, h, 12h).

Monophyly and phylogenetic placement: Baviola is most probably monophyletic, although this remains to be tested in future studies.

Description: See Wanless (1984a).

Composition: Three species: Baviola braueri Simon, 1898 , B. luteosignata Wanless, 1984 and B. vanmoli, Wanless, 1984 . All three are known only from the Seychelles. B. tenuimana (Simon, 1893) , also from the

Seychelles, was regarded as a nomen dubium by Wanless (1984a).

Distribution: Endemic to the Seychelles.

BAVIOLA BRAUERI SIMON, 1898

( FIGS 5A, B , 6 , 7A- G )

B. braueri Simon, 1898: 386 , 1♂ lectotype in ZIZM, Hamburg, not examined.

B. braueri Simon, 1901: 471 , fig. 537.

B. braueri Wanless, 1984 , 29, fig. 9a–k.

B. spatulata Wanless, 1984: 31–33 , fig. 10a–g. 1♂ holotype, Silhouette, Mare aux Cochons, 500 m, 3– 4.7.1972, PLG Benoit & JJ Van Mol ( MRAC 150.957 ) and 1♀ paratype, from the same locality ( MRAC 143.138 ), examined. syn. nov.

Diagnosis: Baviola braueri can be distinguished from other species in the genus by details of the palpal tibia Remarks: Baviola spatulata Wanless, 1984 is considered a junior synonym of B. braueri , as I am unable to distinguish the type material using the diagnosis provided by Wanless (1984a).

Description: See Wanless (1984a).

Distribution: Known only from the Seychelles. Habitat data in Wanless (1984a).

Other material examined: SEYCHELLES, Silhouette, La Passe, among palm leaves; 1♂, 13.1.1999, leg & det Michael Saaristo, MZT ; Praslin, Fond Ferdinand, forêt, pure Delodoicea maldivica; 1♂, 24.7.1972, leg. PLG Benoit & JJ Van Mol, det Wanless (1978), MRAC 143.399 .

and rta ( Fig. 5A, B ); B. braueri has the shortest tibia; the rta is broad-based with a constriction at the apical half, which is confirmed by ESEM observation ( Fig. 7D ) and is shorter than in the other two species.

BAVIOLA LUTEOSIGNATA WANLESS, 1984

( FIG. 5C, D )

B. luteosignata Wanless, 1984: 34–36 , fig. 11a–h. 1♂ holotype, Seychelles, Mahé, Centre , Morne Séchellos, 750–800 m forêt endémique, 13– 17.7.1972, PLG Benoit & JJ Van Mol ( MRAC 150.962 ), 1♂ ( MRAC 143.284 ) and 2♀ paratypes, data as above ( MRAC 150.968 ), all at MRAC, examined.

Diagnosis: Baviola luteosignata can be distinguished from other species in the genus by the length of the palpal tibia and details of the rta ( Fig. 5C, D ); B. luteosignata has an rta that is broad-based, which tapers to a pointed end. The palpal tibia is midway in length in B. luteosignata , shortest in B. braueri and longest in B. vanmoli ( Fig. 5A–F ).

Description: See Wanless (1984a).

Distribution: Known only from the Seychelles. Habitat data in Wanless (1984a).

Other material examined: None.

BAVIOLA VANMOLI WANLESS, 1984

( FIG. 5E, F )

B. vanmoli Wanless, 1984: 36–38 , fig. 12a–h. 1♂ holotype, Seychelles, Mahé sud, Anse à la Mouche 16– 31.7.1972, PLG Benoit & JJ Van Mol, MRAC 150.964 and 1♀ paratype, Seychelles, Silhouette , Mare aux Cochons, 500 m, 3– 4.7.1972, PLG Benoit & JJ Van Mol, MRAC 143.443 , examined.

Diagnosis: Baviola vanmoli can be distinguished from other species in the genus by details of the length of the palpal tibia and rta ( Fig. 5E, F ): B. vanmoli has the longest palpal tibia; the rta is broad-based with a constriction at the apical half as in B. braueri , but is longer than in the other two species in the genus. The female of B. vanmoli may be distinguished from those of B. braueri and B. luteosignata by the longer and parallel copulatory ducts ( Wanless, 1984a: fig. 12f, g).

Description: See Wanless (1984a).

Distribution: Known only from the Seychelles. Habitat data in Wanless (1984a).

Other material examined: SEYCHELLES, Mahé, Mare aux Cochons; 1♂, pitfall traps. Jan. 1999, leg: Michael Saaristo, Pat Matyot and Maureen Kirkpatrick, det: Michael Saaristo, MZT .

Figures

Figure 5. Male palp. A, B, Baviola braueri (MZT). A, ventral view. B, retrolateral view. C, D, B. luteosignata (MRAC 150.962). C, ventral view. D, retrolateral view. E, F. B. vanmoli (MRAC 150.964). E, ventral view. F, retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figure 6. Baviola braueri (MRAC 143.138). Epigynum, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

Figure 7. ESEM, Baviola braueri (MZT). A, B, right male palp, retrolateral view. C, setae of the cymbium apex. D, E, tibia of left leg I, lateral view. F, G, prosoma, frontal section, dorsal view. Scale bars = 5 Mm (C); 10 Mm (E, G); 30 Mm (B); 50 Mm (A, D); 100 Mm (F).