Crassignatha Wunderlich, 1995

Miller, Jeremy, Griswold, Charles & Yin, Chang, 2009, The symphytognathoid spiders of the Gaoligongshan, Yunnan, China (Araneae: Araneoidea): Systematics and diversity of micro-orbweavers, ZooKeys 11 (11), pp. 9-195 : 68-69

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.3897/zookeys.11.160
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C631A347-306E-4773-84A4-E4712329186B
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3792224
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03ACB915-FFA4-7428-FF4E-41B4FBCAF9DD
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Crassignatha Wunderlich, 1995
status

Treatment

Genus Crassignatha Wunderlich, 1995 View in CoL View at ENA

Crassignatha Wunderlich, 1995: 546 View in CoL . Type species Crassignatha haeneli Wunderlich, 1995 View in CoL .

Family placement. Conflicting opinions have led to instability in the family placement of Crassignatha . Wunderlich (1995) described Crassignatha as part of the family Synaphridae (which he considered a subfamily of a broadly circumscribed Anapidae ). Marusik and Lehtinen (2003) suggested it might belong to Symphytognathidae ; Wunderlich (2004: 1081) suggested Anapidae (sensu stricto); Platnick (2008) has cataloged it under Mysmenidae . The systematics and circumscription of symphytognathoid spider families, especially Anapidae and Symphytognathidae , is in need of revision. Nevertheless, we predict that an affinity between Crassignatha and at least some Patu among the Symphytognathidae will be born out, supported in part by similarities in cheliceral armature and the male tibia II clasping spur.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other symphytognathid genera except Patu and Curimagua Forster & Platnick, 1977 by having the chelicerae fused only near the base ( Fig. 78A View Figure 78 ); distinguished from Patu by the sculpturing of the carapace ( Fig. 77 View Figure 77 E-F; Wunderlich 1995: fig. 15); usually further distinguished from Patu by the abdominal scutum in the male wrapping around the posterior ( Fig. 74A View Figure 74 ; scutum absent in C. haeneli, Wunderlich 2004 ); from Curimagua by having eyes in three diads (two triads in Curimagua ; Forster and Platnick 1977) and one (entire or bifid) or two cheliceral teeth ( Figs 78A View Figure 78 , 91E; Curimagua is toothless; Forster and Platnick 1977). The poorly known genus Anapogonia Simon, 1905 was not considered for this diagnosis.

Description. Tiny ecribellate araneoid spiders. Total length 0.6-1.3. Six eyes in three doublets ( Fig. 82F View Figure 82 , 91C). Carapace with fields of tubercles and pores ( Figs 77E, F View Figure 77 , 91A-D). Head region and clypeus raised in male, clypeus with two vertical clusters of sulci ( Fig. 82F View Figure 82 ). Sternum truncate posteriorly. Chelicerae fused near base, fang furrow absent, usually with a single anterior tooth bearing a small mesal apex ( Fig. 78A View Figure 78 ) except in C. longtou , which has two subequal teeth (Fig. 91E). Labrum weakly sclerotized, without spur ( Fig. 78 View Figure 78 B-C). Female palp absent. Metatarsus-tarsus joint without synaphrid-like distal constriction (see Lopardo et al. 2007). Tarsal organ near proximal margin, round, on slightly raised base ( Fig. 78D View Figure 78 ). Tibiae with two dorsal rows of trichobothria, metatarsi I and II (plus III in C. longtou ) with trichobothrium. Male tibia II with field of 2-4 thick setae on ventral distal part. Abdominal setae long and sparse. Male abdomen usually with scutum laterally and posteriorly; female without scutum, although a sclerotized ring around spinnerets may be present ( Fig. 80B View Figure 80 ). Spinnerets with ventral orientation. Adult male retains flagelliform aggregate triplet ( Fig. 85F View Figure 85 ). Colulus absent ( Fig. 85E View Figure 85 ). Epiandrous gland spigots absent ( Fig. 78E View Figure 78 ).

Male palp: Palpal tibia without trichobothria ( Fig. 77C View Figure 77 ). Cymbium with dorsal tooth near distal margin ( Fig. 77B View Figure 77 ). Tegulum large and bulbous. Plate-like median apophysis on prolateral part of bulb. Membranous apophysis arises from near anterior part of median apophysis ( Fig. 82C View Figure 82 ). Embolus usually thick, rigid, more or less spiral, rarely long and flexible.

Vulva: Epigynum present, usually a short rounded scape ( Fig. 79 View Figure 79 ), rarely a transverse bulge (Fig. 91F). Two round spermathecae separated by about their diameter. Copulatory ducts follow a path to near apex of scape ( Fig. 76B View Figure 76 ); fertilization ducts inconspicuous.

Species. Wunderlich (1995) established Crassignatha View in CoL to accommodate C. haeneli View in CoL based on a single male specimen from Malaysia. Seven new species are added to the genus: C. pianma View in CoL , C. yinzhi View in CoL , C. quanqu View in CoL , C. yamu View in CoL , C. ertou View in CoL , C. gudu View in CoL , and C. longtou View in CoL .