THE ALBOPUNCTATA SPECIES GRADE

This morphologically distinctive set of species is recognized by the common plesiomorphic genitalic characters of both males and females. Our phylogeny shows this set to be paraphyletic, so we refer to this as the Albopunctata Grade. Most diagnostic are the tegulum without a median concavity (Figs 26B, 29B, 33B), outlined by the dark sperm duct; embolus base elongated and narrow, not shield like nor heavily sclerotized, hugging prolateral margin of conductor (Figs 26A, B, 29A, 33A, 39A, B). LRTA projected straight up from tibia, unbent, in line with frontal plane. Paracymbium absent (Figs 26C, 29C, 33C, 39C). Epigyne atrium absent; copulatory openings flush with surface of epigynal plate (Figs 25F, 28E, 30A, 35 A-C, 41A, 43E). Our phylogeny (Fig. 73) implies those are all plesiomorphic traits for Porteria .

Included species: Porteria albopunctata and P. ajimayo, P. eddardstarki, P. fiura and P. misbianka .