Rayforstia scuta ( Forster, 1959 ) Rix & Harvey, 2010

Rix, Michael & Harvey, Mark, 2010, The spider family Micropholcommatidae (Arachnida: Araneae: Araneoidea): a relimitation and revision at the generic level, ZooKeys 36 (36), pp. 1-321 : 61

Rayforstia scuta ( Forster, 1959) , comb. n.

Figs 86H , 87H

Textricella scuta Forster, 1959: 293 , figs 46–50 (holotype male from Norsewood, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, in MNZ, not examined). Brignoli, 1983: 375. Platnick, 2009.

Selected material examined. NEW ZEALAND: North Island: Hawke’s Bay: Norsewood , 27.I.1948, P. Culliford, 3♀ ( MCZ) ; same data, 4♁, 9♀ ( AMNH) ; Norsewood Motor Camp , 14.VII.1966, R. Forster, 1♁ ( AMNH) . Waikato: Lake Rotopounamu, SW. of Turangi , 4–9.IV.1980, A. Newton, M. Thayer, 4♁ ( AMNH) ; Taumarunui County, S. side of Whakapapanui Stream , 18.I.1967, K. Wise, 1♁, 2♀ ( AMNH) . South Island: Canterbury: Lewis Pass , 1.IV.2006, M. Rix, 1♁ ( WAM T94454) .

Remarks. Rayforstia scuta is an unusual, widespread species from the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It is most similar to the other six-eyed species of Rayforstia described from New Zealand ( R. plebeia , R. propinqua , R. salmoni and R. wisei ), but can be distinguished by the distinctive shape of the male anterior sclerite, which extends posteriorly well beyond the epigastric furrow (see Forster 1959, fig. 46).

Figures

Figure 86. New Zealand Rayforstia species, eyes and external epigynes. A–D eight-eyed species of Rayforstia: A eyes of male R. signata (Forster) from the Puhipuhi Valley (AMNH) B ventral abdomen of female R. signata from the Puhipuhi Valley (AMNH) C eyes of male R. antipoda (Forster) from Lake Hawea (AMNH) D ventral abdomen of female R. antipoda from Lake Hawea (AMNH). E–H six-eyed species of Rayforstia: E eyes of female R. propinqua (Forster) from Broken River (MCZ) F ventral abdomen of female R. propinqua from Broken River (MCZ) G ventral abdomen of paratype female R. salmoni (Forster) from Waiouru (AMNH) H ventral abdomen of female R. scuta (Forster) from Norsewood (MCZ).

Figure 87. Rayforstia species, female cleared receptacula, dorsal view: A–B R. vulgaris (Forster) from Lewis Pass, New Zealand (WAM T94455) C R. signata (Forster) from the Puhipuhi Valley, New Zealand (AMNH) D R. antipoda (Forster) from Lake Hawea, New Zealand (AMNH) E allotype R. lordhowensis sp. n. from Lord Howe Island, New South Wales (AMS KS76260) F R. propinqua (Forster) from Broken River, New Zealand (MCZ) G R. salmoni (Forster) from Desert Road, New Zealand (AMNH) H R. scuta (Forster) from Norsewood, New Zealand (AMNH). Arrows indicate the trajectory of insemination ducts. Scale bar = 0.065 mm (65 µm).