Hortophora viridis (Keyserling, 1865) Framenau & Baptista & Oliveira & Castanheira, 2021

Framenau, Volker W., Baptista, Renner L. C., Oliveira, Francisca Samia M. & Castanheira, Pedro de S., 2021, Taxonomic revision of the new spider genus Hortophora, the Australasian Garden Orb-weavers (Araneae, Araneidae), Evolutionary Systematics 5 (2), pp. 275-334 : 275

Hortophora viridis (Keyserling, 1865) comb. nov.

Fig. 37A, B

Epeira viridis Keyserling 1865: 812-813, plate 18, figs 11, 12.

Type material.

Holotype of Epeira viridis Keyserling, 1865: Female from Upolu (13°54'S, 171°44'E, Samoa) ( NHM 1890.7.1.4237). Examined.

Remarks.

Epeira viridis Keyserling, 1865 was synonymised with H. transmarina comb. nov. by Dondale (1966). This synonymy is rejected here in addition to other synonymies proposed by the author, including that of H. transmarina comb. nov. with H. biapicata comb. nov.

Dondale (1966) considered a female lodged in the ZMH as holotype of Epeira viridis Keyserling, 1865. This designation is here rejected as a female lodged in the NHM ( NHM 1890.7.1.4237) much better matches the original description by Keyserling (1865). This is also consistent with a comment by Rack (1961, p. 25) who stated (from German) " It is not clear if this is Keyserling’s type, as L. Koch 1871, 84, also had specimens from Upolu ".

Hortophora viridis comb. nov. is much unlike H. transmarina comb. nov., specifically based on the shape and colouration of the abdomen and details of the epigyne (Fig. 25A-C vs Fig. 37A, B ). The long epigyne is consistent with Hortophora gen. nov. as diagnosed here and therefore the species is transferred to the genus, Hortophora viridis comb. nov., pending an examination of males as part of a revision of Pacific Hortophora gen. nov.

Figures

Figure 25. Hortophora transmarina comb. nov., female (WAM T 84364). A. dorsal habitus; B. ventral habitus; C. epigyne, ventral view; D. epigyne, lateral view; E. epigyne, posterior view. Scale bars: 5 mm (A, B); 1 mm (C-E).

Figure 37. Hortophora viridis comb. nov., holotype female from Upolu (Samoa) (NHM 1890.7.1.4237). A. dorsal habitus; B. ventral habitus.