Maratus speculifer ( Simon 1909 )

Otto, Ju. rgen C. & Hill, David E., 2022, Maratus ammophilus, a new peacock spider in the Fimbriatus group from Western Australia (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryini), Peckhamia 273 (1), pp. 1-65 : 51-54

Maratus speculifer ( Simon 1909)

Habrocestum speculiferum Simon 1909

Lycidas speculifer ŻVabka 1987

Maratus speculiferus Otto & Hill 2012

Maratus speculifer Otto & Hill 2017

For more than a century, this species, endemic to coastal areas near Perth, was the only known member of the fimbriatus group. Fortunately earlier descriptions by Simon (1909) and later by ŻVabka (1987) are quite good. We previously published Simon's description with an English translation (Otto @ Hill 2012, p. 78). However good published photographs of this species, and the undescribed female in particular, are lacking.

Etymology. The species name, speculifer (Lat., m., adj.); the English meaning bearing a mirror is clearly a reference to the shiny black scute that covers the dorsal opisthosoma of the adult male.

Diagnosis. Most closely related to M. ammophilus , n. sp., found along the coast to the north in Western Australia. See the diagnosis of that species for a comparison. Photographs of the living male and female, as well as ŻVabka's (1987) drawings of the male pedipalp, are shown in Figures 37-40 .

specimen came with the label " Habrocestum speculiferum Simon , Holotypus, North Fremantle." After

Żabka (1987), used with permission.

Courtship ( Figures 41-45 ). The courtship display of the male Maratus speculifer resembles that of M. ammophilus , with perhaps an even greater emphasis on rocking or see-saw movement from side to side, with legs I elevated and extended, legs III extended to the sides, and legs II and IV held in place.

to side or rocking movement relative to the previous frame.

Figures

Figure 37. Adult male Maratus speculifer, near Mindarie Marina (31.69498°S, 115.70220°E), collected by David Knowles. The mostly glabrous and glossy opisthosoma is distinctive. As in M. ammophilus new sp., femora I and II have two subsegments, separated by a shelf on the glabrous yellow-green ventral side. However, in M. speculifer, no black bands cross the distal end of each subsegment.

Figure 38. Two adult female Maratus speculifer, near Mindarie Marina (31.69498°S, 115.70220°E), collected by David Knowles. The bright white female M. speculifer resembles the female M. ammophilus, but is more patterned than that species on the dorsum.

Figure 39. Two photographs of a jumping male Maratus speculifer. 1, Near maximum extension of legs IV, rocking the spider forward. 2, After extension of legs IV, the flexed legs III extend, positioned to provide more of a vertical component to the jump.

Figure 40. Drawings of the left pedipalp of the holotype specimen for Maratus speculifer. This

Figure 41. Sequential frames from a 25 fps video of courtship by a male Maratus speculifer. Blue arrows indicate side

Figure 42. Sequential frames from a 25 fps video of courtship by a male Maratus speculifer. Blue arrows indicate side to side or rocking movement relative to the previous frame. For the most part the foot positions for legs II and IV, as well as the extension of legs I and III, were maintained throughout this sequence.

Figure 43 (continued on next page). More sequential frames from a 25 fps video of courtship by a male Maratus speculifer.

Figure 44. Sequential frames from a 25 fps video of courtship by a male Maratus speculifer, on a sand substrate.

Figure 45 (continued on next page). Sequential frames from a 25 fps video of courtship display by a male Maratus speculifer, viewed from the rear.