Myrmarachne solitaria Peckham & Peckham, 1903

Haddad, Charles Richard, Wiśniewski, Konrad & Wesołowska, Wanda, 2024, The jumping spiders of Mozambique (Araneae: Salticidae), Zootaxa 5560 (1), pp. 1-92 : 46-49

Myrmarachne solitaria Peckham & Peckham, 1903

Figs 32 , 33

Myrmarachne solitaria Peckham & Peckham, 1903: 250 , pl. 29, fig. 5 (♂ ♀); Wanless 1978b: 75, fig. 46A–L (♂ ♀); Wesołowska & Haddad 2009: 65 , figs 124–126 (♀); Wesołowska & Haddad 2014: 253 , figs 82–86 (♂ ♀).

Diagnosis. This species is similar to Myrmarachne kiboschensis . The male can be recognized by the chelicerae lacking a fang apophysis. The female can be distinguished by the large epigynal pocket and the looped spermathecae ( Fig. 33D, E ).

Material examined. MOZAMBIQUE: Gaza: Xai-Xai, Montego’s Camp , 25°03.659’S, 33°40.633’E, leaf litter, dune forest, 2.XII.2007, leg. C. Haddad, 3♀ ( NCA 2020 /175) . Inhambane: Bartholomew Diaz Point , 21°15.585’S, 35°06.851’E, leaf litter, mangroves, 10.XII.2007, leg. C. Haddad, R. Lyle & R. Fourie, 2♂ 2♀ 2 imm. ( NCA 2020 /116); Morrungulo, Morrungulo Resort, 23°13.983’S, 32°29.587’E, leaf litter, coastal forest, 6.XII.2007, leg. C. Haddad, R. Lyle & R. Fourie, 1♂ 2♀ ( NCA 2020 /157), 1♂ ( NCA 2020 /168) . Maputo: near Marracuene, Blue Anchor Inn , 25°35.124’S, 32°39.568’E, sifting leaf litter, savanna, 28.XII.2007, leg. C. Haddad & R. Fourie, 1♀ ( NCA 2020 /185) .

Description. Male: Measurements. Cephalothorax length 1.9, height 0.6. Abdomen length 1.8, width 1.1. Eye field length 0.8, anterior width 0.9, posterior width 1.0. General appearance as in Fig. 32A–C . Carapace high, thoracic part with clear hump. Colouration of carapace brownish-orange, eyes surrounded by black rings, sometimes anterior part of eye field transparent, with silver spots of internal guanine crystals. Fine colourless hairs on carapace, wedge-shaped patches in constriction formed by white hairs, two trichobothria in constriction. Mouthparts brownish-orange. Cheliceral fang usually without apophysis ( Fig. 33A ). Abdomen ovoid, black with transverse white band in anterior half, venter blackish. Spinnerets dark. First coxae light yellow, other brown. Legs I with brown femora and black metatarsi, other segments yellow, with dark line along lateral surfaces of patellae and tibiae. Legs II–IV yellowish-brown. Tibia I with three pairs of ventral spines, metatarsus with two pairs. Palpal organ as in Fig. 33B, C .

Female: Measurements. Cephalothorax length 1.9–2.1, height 0.7. Abdomen length 2.1–2.3, width 1.1–1.3. Eye field length 0.8–0.9, anterior width 0.8–0.9, posterior width 0.9–1.0. General appearance as in Fig. 32D, E . Shape and colouration similar as in male. Front of abdomen whitish, white area often covers anterior half of its length. Epigyne with large median pouch ( Fig. 33D ), internal structure relatively simple ( Fig. 33E ).

Remarks. The two males from Bartholomew Diaz Point have chelicerae with a stout apophysis, as in Myrmarachne kiboschensis . However, all of their other features are identical to those of “typical” specimens of M. solitaria , and the females accompanying them also represent this species.

Distribution. Species known from South Africa and Lesotho, recorded for the first time from Mozambique.

Figures

FIGURE 32. Myrmarachne solitaria Peckham & Peckham, 1903, males (A–C) and females (D, E), general appearance. A, D. Dorsal view; B, E. Ventral view; C. Lateral view.

FIGURE 33. Myrmarachne solitaria Peckham & Peckham, 1903, male (A–C) and female (D, E). A. Chelicera of male; B. Palpal organ, ventral view; C. Same, lateral view; D. Epigyne; E. Internal structure of epigyne.