Myrmarachne laurentina Bacelar, 1953

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 : 61

Myrmarachne laurentina Bacelar, 1953

Figs 111–114

Myrmarachne laurentina: Bacelar 1953: 8 , figs 4–8; Wanless 1978 b: 99, figs 63a, b, e, g, i, 64b, c, 65a–c, g, h.

See Wanless (1978 b) for description of both sexes.

Redescription:

Male.

Measurements: Carapace length 2.7–3.2, width 1.6–1.8, height 1.0–1.1.Abdomen length 2.7–2.9, width 1.4–1.5. Eye field length 1.4–1.5, anterior width 1.4–1.5, posterior width 1.6–1.7.

General colouration black, body ornate with sparse short, whitish hairs and scales; long white scales on abdomen ( Fig. 111); clypeus clothed in white hairs. Chelicerae brown, with two spurs on dorsal surface; one on inner margin at base of fang, and second situated on external edge ( Fig. 112). Legs I with long coxae; legs I with whitish yellow coxae, femora brownish, patellae, tibiae and metatarsi with dark lines along sides, tarsi pale; legs II as first pair, but coxae dark and metatarsi light; legs III brownish, only metatarsi and tarsi light; legs IV brown, only trochanters whitish and light spot at bases of patellae. Pedipalps with dense, long, lanceolate, dark hairs on prolateral edge of tibia and cymbium; tibia broad ( Fig. 113). Palpal organ shown in Figs 113, 114.

Material examined: 3ơ Between Main Camp and Vulture Restaurant, 26 ° 54.276'S: 32 ° 18.664'E, broadleaf woodland, on bush, 3.xii.2000 ( NMSA 21866 ) ; 1ơ 2^Main Camp, 26 ° 54.581'S: 32 ° 18.798'E, broadleaf woodland, beats, short bushes, 6.vii.2000 ( NMBA 11596 ) ; 1ơ South-western shore of Banzi Pan, 26 ° 53.118'S: 32 ° 16.927'E, beats, short shrubs, 12.i.2007 ( NCA 2007 /3025) .

Distribution: Known from Mozambique and South Africa.

Habitat and biology: This species apparently mimics Camponotus ants and was collected from foliage in BW. One specimen was collected on the wall of a house near foraging Camponotus workers. Mimicry is enforced by the black colouration, and the erect pale spatulate setae on the abdomen.