Myrmarachne marshalli Peckham & Peckham, 1903

Wesolowska, Wanda & Haddad, Charles R., 2009, Jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of the Ndumo Game Reserve, Maputaland, South Africa, African Invertebrates 50 (1), pp. 13-103 : 63

Myrmarachne marshalli Peckham & Peckham, 1903

Figs 121–123

Myrmarachne marshalli: Peckham & Peckham 1903: 249 , pl. 29, fig. 6; Wanless 1978 b: 67, figs 38a–h, 39a–g, 40a–k, pl. 1a–d, 4a, c, e; Wesolowska & Cumming 2008: 199, figs 98–106.

Myrmarachne akermani: Lawrence 1942: 181 , figs 28–29.

Myrmarachne burgeoni: Roewer 1965: 54 , figs 56, 56a.

Myrmarachne bredoi: Roewer 1965: 55 , fig. 57.

Myrmarachne benoiti: Roewer 1965: 57 , fig. 60.

Myrmarachne mulungu: Roewer 1965: 59 , fig. 63.

See Wesolowska & Cumming (2008) for description of both sexes.

Redescription:

Female.

Measurements: Carapace length 2.6, width 1.3, height 0.9. Abdomen length 3.0, width 1.6. Eye field length 1.0, anterior width 1.1, posterior width 1.2.

Cephalic part of carapace slightly higher than thoracic part; carapace black, with white hairs forming thin band in constriction. Chelicerae with seven teeth on promargin and five on retromargin; endites and labium dark brown with slightly lighter tips; sternum black. Abdomen black, with poorly contrasted chevrons composed of greyish hairs ( Fig. 121); venter black, with two longitudinal lines formed by white dots; spinnerets yellowish. Leg I whitish, with black stripes along lateral sides of trochanters, femora and patellae, tarsi tinged with grey; legs II whitish, with black lines on sides of femora, patellae and tibiae; legs III as II, but coxae and trochanters black; last pair of legs blackish, only trochanters and tarsi whitish, light patch on base of patella; four pairs of ventral spines on tibia I, two pairs on metatarsus. Pedipalps blackish. Epigyne with large triangular depression and two posteromedian pockets ( Fig. 122); internal structure as in Fig. 123.

Material examined: 1^1 imm. Crocodile Farm, Pongola R. floodplain, 26 ° 54.426'S: 32 ° 19.185'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 20.vi.2005 (NCA 2008/629); 1^Near Fontana Camp, A. tortilis savannah, 26 ° 52.072'S: 32 ° 09.545'E, leaf litter, 8.vii.2004 (NMSA 21868); 1ơ Southern shore of Hotwe Pan, 26 ° 52.730'S: 32 ° 18.452'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 27.i.2006 (NCA 2008/656).

Distribution: Widely distributed in Africa.

Habitat and biology: This species was rare and most specimens were collected from A. xanthophloea bark near to foraging Camponotus ants.Wesolowska and Cumming (2008) also suggested Batesian mimicry of Camponotus ants, and reported briefly on the behaviour and diet of this species in Zimbabwe, which consisted mainly of flies and small spiders.