Myrmarachne solitaria 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 : 65

Myrmarachne solitaria Peckham & Peckham, 1903

Figs 124–126

Myrmarachne solitaria: Peckham & Peckham 1903: 250 , pl. 29, fig. 5; Wanless 1978 b: 75, fig. 46a–l.

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

Redescription:

Female.

Measurements: Carapace length 1.9, width 1.0, height 0.6. Abdomen length 1.9, width 1.0. Eye field length 0.8, anterior width 0.9, posterior width 1.0.

Carapace with thoracic bump ( Fig. 124), orange with darker margins of constriction, white hairs in constriction furrow, eyes surrounded by black rings. Mouthparts and sternum orange; chelicerae with six promarginal and five retromarginal teeth.Abdomen ovoid, anteriorly yellowish grey, posterior part dark grey, shining; spinnerets dark. Legs I whitish, with brown lines along lateral sides of femora, patellae and tibiae; metatarsi dark; legs II as first pair, but metatarsi light; legs III with brownish basal segments, tips of tibiae and distal segments light; last pair of legs similar to III, with light rings at middle of patellae and dark lines on sides of metatarsi. Epigyne small, with single pouch ( Fig. 125); internal structure relatively simple ( Fig. 126).

Material examined: 2^1 imm. Eastern shore of Shokwe Pan, 26 ° 52.516'S: 32 ° 12.407'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 16.vi.2005 (NCA 2008/1859); 2ơ 1^same data but 24.i.2006 (NCA 2008/1867); 1^Near Fontana Camp, A. tortilis savannah, 26 ° 52.072'S: 32 ° 09.545'E, leaf litter with Crematogaster ants, 8.vii.2004 (NMSA 21869); 1^1 imm. Southern shore of Hotwe Pan, 26 ° 52.730'S: 32 ° 18.452'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 7.ii.2005 (NCA 2008/645); 2ơ 1 imm. same data but 22.vi.2005 (NCA 2008/650); 1ơ 1 imm. same data but 27.i.2006 (NCA 2008/655); 1ơ 1^South-western shore of Banzi Pan, 26 ° 53.118'S: 32 ° 16.927'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 5.ii.2005 (NCA 2008/662); 4ơ 7 imm. same data but 23.i.2006 (NCA 2008/1851); 1^2 imm. Western shore of Nyamiti Pan, 26 ° 53.767'S: 32 ° 16.557'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 10.vii.2004 (NCA 2008/594); 2^2 imm. same data but 23.i.2006 (NCA 2008/613).

Distribution: Species known only from South Africa.

Habitat and biology:This species was the most common Myrmarachne species collected, and was often encountered on A. xanthophloea bark at various sites in the reserve. It was usually found near foraging Crematogaster ants, which it resembles.