Sphedanus Thorell 1877

Jäger, Peter, 2011, Revision of the spider genera Nilus O. Pickard-Cambridge 1876, Sphedanus Thorell 1877 and Dendrolycosa Doleschall 1859 (Araneae: Pisauridae), Zootaxa 3046, pp. 1-38 : 7-10

Sphedanus Thorell 1877

Sphedanus Thorell 1877: 522 (description of the genus, including only the new species S. undatus ).

Eurychoera Thorell 1897: 18 (description of the genus, including only the new species E. quadrimaculata ). syn. nov.

Note. Both genera with its type species are clearly synonymous due to striking similarities in the female copulatory organs ( Figs 20–29 ). The type species of Sphedanus is redescribed below and its copulatory organs are illustrated for the first time. Two species are transferred from the genus Eurychoera to Sphedanus : Sphedanus banna ( Zhang, Zhu & Song 2004) comb. nov. and Sphedanus quadrimaculatus ( Thorell 1897) comb. nov. Both species were illustrated recently ( Jäger 2007: sub Eurychoera spp.).

Diagnosis. Female epigynes have a characteristic median field with a more or less prominent median ridge ( Figs 20, 24, 27 ). Large median atria leading to narrow copulatory ducts, the latter running from anterior to posterior ( Figs 21, 25, 28 ). Head of spermathecae with rather indistinct glandular pores ( Fig. 21 ). Broken emboli are regularly found in epigynes ( Jäger 2007, data used in Uhl et al. 2010).

Web: According to current knowledge species build sheet webs in overhanging branches above jungle streams. A rolled leaf is used in the centre of the web as retreat. Spiders hang upside down under the web.

Species composition. S. undatus (type) from Sulawesi, S. banna comb. nov. from China, Laos and Thailand, and S. quadrimaculata comb. nov. from Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

Distribution. China, Laos, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia ( Murphy & Murphy 2000), Brunei, Sulawesi ( Fig. 19 ).

Figures

FIGURES 20 – 29. Sphedanus spp., female copulatory organs (20, 24, 27 epigyne, ventral view; 21, 25, 28 vulva, dorsal view; 22 schematic course of internal duct system; 23, 26, 29 epigyne, posterior view). 20 – 23 Sphedanus undatus Thorell 1877, holotype, female from Indonesia, Sulawesi. 24 – 26 Sphedanus quadrimaculatus (Thorell 1897), female syntype from Singapore. 27 – 29 Sphedanus banna (Zhang, Zhu & Song 2004), female from Laos.

FIGURES 16 – 19. 16 – 17 Nilus amazonicus Simon 1898, holotype, juvenile, from Brazil, habitus (16 dorsal view; 17 ventral view). 18 Records of Nilus spp. (1 Egypt, Alexandria; 2 Ethiopia, detailed locality unclear; 3 India, Andhra Pradesh; 4 Andaman Islands; asterisk denotes type species of the genus). 19 Records of Sphedanus spp. (1 China, Yunnan, Menglun; 2 Laos, Luang Nam Tha Province: Ban Tavan, Nam Ha Protected Area; 3 Laos, Luang Prabang Province: Ban Mout, Ban Kengkoung, Tad Se; 4 Laos, Vientiane Province: Vang Vieng; 5 Laos, Champasak Province: Tha Hou; 6 Thailand, Trat Province: Koh Chang; 7 Malaysia: Genting [from Murphy & Murphy 2000]; 8 Singapore; 9 Brunei; 10 Indonesia, Sulawesi: Kandari; asterisks denote type localities of particular species).