Iardinis, SIMON 1899

Lopardo, Lara & Hormiga, Gustavo, 2015, Out of the twilight zone: phylogeny and evolutionary morphology of the orb-weaving spider family Mysmenidae, with a focus on spinneret spigot morphology in symphytognathoids (Araneae, Araneoidea), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 173 (3), pp. 527-786 : 627-629

GENUS IARDINIS SIMON 1899

( FIGS 135A, B , 144C )

Iardinis Simon, 1899: 87 .

Type species by original designation: Iardinis weyersi Simon 1899: 87 (nomen dubium, female type and only specimen lost);

Levi & Levi, 1962: 22 (considered incertae sedis); Forster & Platnick, 1977: 5 (considered nomen dubium); Brignoli, 1970: 1426; 1978: 250; 1980: 731 (provisional transfer to Mysmenidae ).

Iardinus, Gertsch, 1960a: 8 (lapsus calami, transferred from Theridiidae to Symphytognathidae s.l.).

Familial placement: Symphytognathidae . The type and only specimen of the type species ( Iardinus weyersi ) from Sumatra was described by Simon in 1899, but has been considered lost by the arachnologists that have tried to examine the type material ( Gertsch, 1960a; Levi & Levi, 1962; Brignoli, 1970, 1978, 1980; Forster & Platnick, 1977). The vial from the Paris Museum (MNHN) with the original label that should have housed the type material is actually empty (L. Lopardo & G. Hormiga, pers. observ.). Nevertheless, two additional species have been described for the genus: Iardinus martensi Brignoli, 1978 from Nepal, and Iardinus mussardi Brignoli 1980 from India (holotype examined, see also Figs 135A, B , 144C ). Both species are exclusively known from their male type specimens. To add to the enigmatic status of the genus, the original vial containing the type and only specimen of I. martensi instead contained a female anapid (L. Lopardo & G. Hormiga, pers. observ.), and therefore its morphology had to be scored from the literature.

Nonetheless, both Iardinis species included in the 65- and 70-taxa data sets (i.e. I. martensi and I. mussardi ) are more closely related to Symphytognathidae than to Mysmenidae . Morphologically these species have none of the synapomorphic features of Mysmenidae , and thus, as with Crassignatha , their placement in a different family was expected. They differ from Mysmenidae in the absence of femoral spots (at least in I. mussardi ), absence of tibial or metatarsal clasping spines on leg I, dorsal (instead of ventral) cymbium, absence of cymbial structures (e.g. primary conductor, process, and paracymbium), and presence of median apophysis. They further share with Symphytognathidae the loss of anterior median eyes, thick setae on the dorsal part of the abdomen, absence of cheliceral denticles, loss of colulus, and absence of palpal patellar or tibial apophyses.

Figures

Figure 135. Cleared genitalia: A, Iardinis mussardi (Symphytognathidae) male holotype, right palp, inverted, prolateral view; B, same, retrolateral view, same scale as in panel A; C, Phricotelus stelliger (symphytognathoid) female type, cleared epigynum, ventral view. See Appendix 3 for the list of abbreviations.

Figure 144. Composite images of Mysmenidae species and outgroups. A, MYSM-023-MAD (Mysmeninae, Mysmenidae), male, lateral view. B, Phricotelus stelliger (Araneoidea), female, type, lateral view. C, Iardinis mussardi (Symphytognathidae), male holotype, dorsal view. D–F, Leucauge venusta (Tetragnathidae); D, male, lateral view; E, female, lateral view; F, female, dorsal view. G–J, Linyphia triangularis (Linyphiidae); G, male, lateral view; H, male, ventral view; I, female, dorsal view; J, female, lateral view. K, Elanapis aisen (Anapidae), male, ventral view; L, Mysmena (= Tamasesia) rotunda, female, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–C, K, 0.5 mm; D–J, 1 mm.