Myrmatheca Prószyński, 2016,

Prószyński, Jerzy, 2016, Delimitation and description of 19 new genera, a subgenus and a species of Salticidae (Araneae) of the world, Ecologica Montenegrina 7, pp. 4-32 : 10-13

Gen. Myrmatheca Prószyński, 2016 gen. n.

Figures 1H , 3J , 4F

Type species. Myrmarachne alticephalon Yamasaki & Ahmad, 2013 .

Documentation studied. Comparative diagnostic drawings of 2 species in Prószyński (2016a) and original literature.

Etymology. Name combines words Myrmarachne and spermatheca, assumed grammar gender - feminine.

Diagnosis. Female. "Pipes-like" sclerotized spermathecae are modified in a pair of huge distal chambers in anterior part of epigyne, resembling two tightly pressed sclerotized hemispheres, followed by minute, thin and short, thread-like proximal parts of pipes, with slightly more distinct, transverse parts, expectedly harboring the armatures of junction with copulatory duct, and of a scent gland ( Fig. 1H ). These should be examined under higher microscope power. Membranous copulatory ducts seem to coil around distal parts of " pipes ", but are not sufficiently visible on enclosed photo. Pocket very small and thin, moved ahead towards the center of epigyne, reaching the level of spherical chambers of spermathecae. Anteromedian rim of "windows", on both sides of posterior pocket, is light sclerotized.

Males have long, anteriorly swollen chelicerae. Bulbus oval, spermophor broad, with indistinct, thin duct anteriorly. Tibial apophysis short, inclined and waving, apically narrowing ( Fig. 4F ). Body elongate, with very high, block like cephalic part. Male chelicerae very long, dilated in apical half.

Remarks. Grace to excellent photograph of stained microscopic slide by T. Yamasaki, we have learned structure of the astonishing spermatecae of his Myrmatheca alticephalon , whose details can be interpreted only by comparison with other genera of MYRMARACHNINES.

More diagnostic documentation - see at: http://www.peckhamia.com/salticidae/q24-Myrmat.htm l and, especially, Yamasaki & Ahmad (2013: 507, fig. 4A-G, 5A-E).

Distribution. Two species in Borneo: Sabah, of which one is pending description. A specimen reported from Indonesia: Sumatra: Padang pending confirmation of conspecificity, the third species is described from Madagascar.

Composition. The following species are transferred from genus Myrmarachne MacLeay, 1839 : Myrmatheca alticephalon ( Yamasaki, Ahmad, 2013) comb. n., Myrmatheca ransoni ( Wanless, 1978) comb. n., undescribed species was photographed by P. Koomen.

Figures

Figure 1. Body color pattern and the internal structure in the informal group of MYRMARACHNINES: A – Myrmarachne formicaria, female and male; C – D Myrmarachne smaragdina, female and male; E – F Myrmaplata plataleoides, female and male. The internal structure of epigyne in: G – Myrmage gedongensis, H – Myrmatheca alticephalon, I – Toxeus maxillosus, K – Myrmavola yamasaki. The sources of photos: A – B – ©Photo J. Lissner; C –

Figure 3. The diversity of palps in MYRMARACHNINES: A – Myrmarachne tristis, B – M. ramosa, C – Myrmapana panamensis, D – Myrmage gedongensis, E – Myrmapeni penicillata, F –Toxeus maxillosus, G – Myrmavola galianoae, H – Myrmaplata plataleoides, I - Myrmele peckhami, J – Myrmatheca alticephalon, K – Myrmavola yamasakii – palp, tibia dorsally and male chelicera. Sources: A, G – Prószyński, ©Annales zoologici, 2003, 51, 3: 109, Figs 449-450; 520-521, Figs. 7 – 8; B, D, H – J. Prószyński, ©Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society, 2003, 12 (7): 301, 22-23; 308, Figs 49-513; 299, Figs 4-5; 117, Figs 49-50; C, E – M. E. Galiano, ©Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, Entomologia, Buenos Aires 3: 143, Figs 69-70; 117, Figs. 49- 50; 136, Figs 46-47; I - F.R. Wanless, ©Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Zoology series) 33(1): 119, Fig. 80A. Reproduced with the permission of the Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London..

Figure 4. Habitus diversity in MYRMARACHNINES: A – Myrmarachne tristis, B – M. ramosa, C – Toxeus maxillosus, D – Toxeus hirsutipalpi, E– Myrmapana panamensis, dorsal and lateral views, F – Myrmatheca alticephalon. G – H – Myrmapeni penicillata, dorsal and lateral views, I - Panachraesta paludosa. Sources: A – Prószyński, ©Annales zoologici, 2003, 51, 3: 109, Fig. 468; B, D – M. Edmunds & J. Prószyński, ©Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society, 2003, 12: 301, Fig 21; 20, Fig. 110 C, F –T. Yamasaki & Ahmad, Zootaxa, 2013, 3710 (6): 538, Figs 30A, B; 508, Fig. 4A. © Magnolia Press; E, G, H – M. E. Galiano, Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, Entomologia, Buenos Aires 3: 136, Figs 46-47; 143, Figs. 46-47, 117, Figs 3-4; I – J. Prószyński 1987: 74. By courtesy.