Geraesta Simon, 1889

SURESH P. BENJAMIN, 2011, Phylogenetics and comparative morphology of crab spiders (Araneae: Dionycha, Thomisidae), Zootaxa 3080, pp. 1-108 : 15-16

Genus Geraesta Simon, 1889

Type species: Geraesta hirta Simon, 1889 Figs 7 F, 39A–E, 40A–F, 41A–F

Geraesta Simon, 1889: 225 (type species by original designation Geraesta hirta Simon, 1889 ). Examined.

Diagnosis. Sister to Borboropactus , thus easily confused with it. Separated from Borboropactus and all other thomisids by the presence of two to three trichobothria on the dorsal surface of the cymbium of the male palp ( Figs 40 D, 42B, 43C, 45E). Females can be separated by the presence of an epigynal lip ( Figs 41 E, 42C, 44D, 46D). Other diagnostic characters are the presence of a colulus ( Figs 41 F, 46E; also present in Pharta , separated from it by the cup-shaped MA) and the presence of a DTA ( Fig 39 C). Separated from Epidius by the absence of an elongated male palp tibia (tibia is longer than the cymbium in Epidius ; Fig 35 C) and the absence of 4 to 6 thick long spines on the distal margin of the tibia of the male palp ( Figs 33 B, 35C, 36B). Separated from Cebrenninus by the presence of a free embolus that originates at the center of the bulb; and the presence of a SDT inward turn in the male palp in Cebrenninus ( Figs 27 A, 30A). Females can be separated from those of Cebrenninus by the presence of large globular spermathecae that lack CD in the latter genus ( Figs 30 D).

Distribution. Madagascar, Tanzania, and possibly all over the rest of Africa.

Remarks. Judging from illustrations in Ledoux (2004) Prepotelus Simon, 1898 might be a synonym of Geraesta .

Figures

FIGURE 7. Tarsi of Thomisidae, tarsi showing trichobothrial number and pattern, dorsal view. A, B, D – H female; C male. A Thomisus granulifrons; B Aphantochilus rogersi, left leg 4; C Pharta gongshan, left leg 1; D Epidius parvati, left leg 4; E Thomisops pupa, left leg 1; F Geraesta hirta, left leg 1; G Stephanopis cambridgei, left leg I; H Aphantochilus taurifrons, left leg 4. Scale bars = 20 µm (D), 100 µm (A – C, E – H).

FIGURE 27. Cebrenninus rugosus. A, B male from Thailand (MHNG), left palp (A ventral, B retrolateral); C male palp, retrolateral view (lectotype MNHN 8652 / 1572); D, E female from Thailand (D epigynum, ventral view, E vulva, dorsal view). Scale bars = 0.1 mm (E, D) 0.2 mm (C), 0.5 mm (A, B).

FIGURE 30. Cebrenninus srivijaya sp. nov., male holotype and female paratype from Sumatra (MHNG). A, B male palp (A ventral, B retrolateral); C epigynum, ventral view; D – E vulva (D ventral, E dorsal). Scale bars = 0.1 mm (C – E), 0.2 mm (A, B).

FIGURE 33. Epidius binotatus (MNHN 13670 / 1574). A ventral view of left male palp. B, C Epidius binotatus guineensis (MRAC 122567), right male palp (B ventral, C retrolateral). Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 39. Geraesta hirta (USNM). A – C male palp (A, C retrolateral, B ventral); D epigynum, ventral view; E vulva, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm (D, E), 0.2 mm (A – C).

FIGURE 40. Scanning electron micrographs of Geraesta hirta (USNM). A – C, E – F male palp (A prolateral, B, F ventral, C, E retrolateral); D Cymbium, dorsal view. Scale bars = 100 µm.

FIGURE 41. Scanning electron micrographs of Geraesta hirta (USNM). A spinnerets; B ALS; C PMS; D PLS; E epigynum; F colulus, ventral view. Scale bars = 10 µm (B, C, F), 100 µm (A, D, E).

FIGURE 35. A, B Epidius typicus (SMF 4246). A epigynum, ventral view; B vulva, ventral view. C, D, E Epidius rubropictus. C right male palp, ventral view (MNHN 22347); D – E female from Sumatra (D epigynum, ventral view, E vulva, ventral view). Scale bars = 0.2 mm.