Neonella heliophanina ( Taczanowski, 1871 ) Bayer & Höfer & Metzner, 2020

Bayer, Steffen, Höfer, Hubert & Metzner, Heiko, 2020, Revision of the genus Corythalia C. L. Koch, 1850, part 1: Diagnosis and new species from South America (Araneae: Salticidae: Salticinae: Euophryini), Zootaxa 4806 (1), pp. 1-144 : 129-130

Neonella heliophanina ( Taczanowski, 1871) comb. nov.

Attus heliophaninus Taczanowski 1871: 109 (description of ♂). Holotype ♂ from French Guiana: Cayenne : Iles du Salut, ca. 5°17’N, 52°35’W, about 5–50 m, C. Jelski leg. 1866–1870, MIZ; holotype requested, however, considered lost by D. Mierzwa-Szymkowiak (pers. comm.), thus not examined.

Corythalia heliophanoides— Simon 1901: 655 (transfer from Attus ; specific epithet ‘ heliophanoides ’ was a lapsus).

Corythalia heliophanina ― Platnick (2001)

Remarks. According to the description in Taczanowski (1871) this species almost certainly does not belong to Corythalia . The arguments are the following: first, it is a very small species with a body length of only 3.5 mm, which is unusual in Corythalia ; second, the following somatic characters clearly differ from all currently known Corythalia species: a) anterior row of eyes in frontal view equal in line—in Corythalia the lateral eyes reach further dorsally than the median eyes ( Fig. 3B ); b) carapace dark with one transverse light band; c) opisthosoma dorsally dark green, with metallic shine and with three crescent moon-like patches ( Taczanowski 1871). As the holotype of C. heliophanina is lost, we did not have the chance of re-examination. Hence, at the moment a sufficient characterisation and definition (diagnosis) of this species is not possible. As it is not to exclude that the type will be found someday, we do not consider C. heliophanina a nomen dubium, but a species inquirenda. Accordingly, the provisional placement in Neonella has to be regarded under incertae sedis. Just in case the holotype would be found in the future and made available for examination, a re-description, a revised diagnosis and a comprehensive genus affiliation could be provided.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Cayenne, French Guiana.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Corythalia spp., photographic images of habitus and some somatic characters. Corythalia protensa sp. nov., male holotype from Amazonas, Brazil. A Cheliceral bases and claws, labium and gnathocoxae, ventral view. Corythalia fragilis sp. nov., male paratype SMNK-ARA 02236 from Amazonas, Brazil. B Prosoma, frontal view. Corythalia concinna sp. nov., female holotype from Amazonas, Brazil. C Carapace, lateral view. Corythalia foelixi Bayer, sp. nov., male holotype from Cayenne, French Guiana. D Dorsal view. Corythalia valida, male lectotype from Amazonas, Brazil. E Ventral view. Corythalia drepane sp. nov., female paratype SMNK-ARA 13423 from Amazonas, Brazil. F Labium and gnathocoxae, ventral view. Arrows in A indicate very small and slim teeth on retromargins of cheliceral furrows. Arrows in B indicate small lobes on medio-distal section of cheliceral base bearing minimally curved hairs.