Myrmekiaphila torreya Gertsch and Wallace, 1936

BOND, JASON E. & PLATNICK, NORMAN I., 2007, A Taxonomic Review of the Trapdoor Spider Genus Myrmekiaphila (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Cyrtaucheniidae), American Museum Novitates 3596 (1), pp. 1-32 : 19-21

Myrmekiaphila torreya Gertsch and Wallace

Figures 9 , 19 , 29 , 63 , 71–77

Myrmekiaphila torreya Gertsch and Wallace, 1936: 15 , figs. 15, 17–25 (male holotype and female allotype from Torreya Ravine , Liberty Co., Florida, in AMNH, examined).

DIAGNOSIS: Males can be recognized by the presence of a relatively slender palpal prong and embolus, with the shorter auxiliary prong subequal in diameter to the embolus (figs. 9, 29). Females are difficult to definitively diagnose, but have spermathecae with an enlarged base that extends subequally from a central bulb that lacks an elongate stalk (fig. 77).

DESCRIPTIONS: Male and female described by Gertsch and Wallace (1936).

MATERIAL EXAMINED: UNITED STATES: FLORIDA: Gadsden Co.: no specific locality [30.5633 –84.6027, MYR211], Apr. 14, 1935 (H. Wallace, AMNH), 1♀ . Jackson Co.: Merritts Mill Pond , 3.5 mi E Marianna on U.S. 90 [30.753 –85.1933, MYR215], Oct. 9, 1967 (F. Moore, FSCA), 1♀ ; 7 mi S Marianna on State Road 71, in woods, 100 yards from Chipola River [30.6815 –85.2069, MYR277], Aug. 4, 1963 (B. Mansell, F. Moore, AMNH), 1♀ , spiderlings. Jefferson Co.: no specific locality [30.4169 –83.8957, MYR241], Apr. 7, 1969 (H. Wallace, FSCA), 23 ; Big Bend Horticulture Lab [30.516 –83.888 MYR106– 108], Apr. 7–28, 1969 ( FSCA), 33. Leon Co.: no specific locality [30.4946 –84.2082, MYR210, 263, 264], Apr. 15–16, 1936 ( R. Bellamy, J. Rogers, H. Wallace, FSCA), 8♀, 4 juv. ; Tallahassee , Tall Timbers Research Station [30.658769 –84.208445, MYR109– 114, 227, 229–235, 238, 239, 246, 258–260], Mar.–June 1970 (D. Harris, W. Whitcomb, FSCA), 363, 2♀, 2 juv. , [MYR258], Apr. 9, 1970 ( R. Woodruff, FSCA), 1♀ , [MYR259, 260], Aug–Sept. 1968 (W. Baker, FSCA), 1♀, 1 juv. Liberty Co.: no specific locality [30.2508 –84.8755, MYR205], Nov. 4, 1938 (H. Wallace, FSCA), 1♀ , [MYR213], Apr. 8, 1941 (H. Wallace, FSCA), 1♀ , [MYR206, 207], Apr. 14, 1951 (H. Wallace, FSCA), 2♀, 2 juv. , [MYR242], June 4, 1953 (H. Wallace, FSCA), 1♀ , [MYR216], Aug. 18, 1960 ( JMCC, MCZ), 8♀ ; just E Apalachicola on FL-20, 30.43181 –84.33987 [MY2567–2572], Feb. 27, 2004 (B. Hendrixson, D. Beamer, ECU-AMNH), 6♀ ; near Sweet Water in deep ravine, 30.51075 –84.95982, elev. 73 m [MY2575, 2576], Feb. 28, 2004 (B. Hendrixson, D. Beamer, ECU-AMNH), 2♀ ; Torreya Ravine , Torreya State Park, 10 mi NE Bristol, 30.56678 –84.95, [MYR208], Apr. 10, 1935, (H. Wallace, FSCA), 2♀ , [MYR237, 270, 273], Apr. 10, 1935 (H. Wallace, AMNH), 4♀ , one with spiderlings, [MYR217, 218, 240, 262, 272, 276], Apr. 17– 18, 1936 ( R. Bellamy, H. Wallace, AMNH, MCZ), 503, 16♀, 6 juv. , [MYR275], Apr. 16, 1938, (W. Gertsch, AMNH), 6♀ , [MYR148], Apr. 8, 1941 (H. Wallace, FSCA), 1♀ , [MYR102], June 4, 1953 (H. Wallace, FSCA), 1♀ , [MYR261], Mar. 10, 1963 ( AMNH), 1 juv. , [MYR274], Apr. 2, 1963 (W. Shear, AMNH), 2♀ , [MYR104], Apr. 20, 1963 (A. Derbonne, FSCA), 1♀ , [MYR236], Mar. 15, 1964 (F. Moore, FSCA), 13, [MYR115], Mar. 29, 1964 ( AMNH), 13, Mar. 31, 1964 (A. Weaver, F. Coyle, VMNH), 1♀ , [MYR197], Mar. 31, 1965 (J. Beatty, JAB), 2♀ , [MYR265– 269, 271], May 1965, Apr., Sept. 1967 (F. Moore, FSCA), 11♀, 2 juv. , Aug. 16, 1966 (W. Shear, VMNH), 2♀ , [MYR105], May 18, 1973 (G. Edwards, FSCA), 1♀ , [MYR103], Mar. 10, 1978 (D. Richman, FSCA), 2♀ ; [MYR226], Mar. 31, 1979 (P. Choate, FSCA), 23, [MYR286], Feb. 15, 1986 (D. Folkerts, AMNH), 1♀ . GEORGIA: Cob Co.: Kennesaw , Chastain Lakes [34.0234 –84.6155, MYR083], Nov. 15, 1997 (H. McNatt, AMNH), 13. Early Co .: 8.5 mi NNW Blakely [31.4645 –84.99667, MYR001–003], Mar. 24, 1992 (G. Folkerts, AMNH), 3♀ . Floyd Co.: Rome [34.257 –85.1647, MYR248], ( R. Battey, MCZ), 13. Fulton Co. : Atlanta [33.75 –84.41667, MYR203, 250], Apr. 14–16, 1946 (P. Fattig, AMNH), 13, 1♀ . Monroe Co.: Forsyth [33.03438 –83.9382, MYR209], Nov. 1, 1963 (N. Mason, AMNH), 1♀ . Thomas Co.: SE edge Thomasville , Millpond Plantation [30.807 –83.9627, MYR212], Mar. 31, 1968 (W. Sedgwick, AMNH), 1♀ , spiderlings, [MYR214], June 16, 1973 (F. Coyle, W. Shear, AMNH), 1♀ , spiderlings.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Georgia and adjacent Florida (fig. 63).

Figures

Figs. 2–13. 2, 3. Live M. neilyoungi from Santa Rosa Co., Florida. 2. Male specimen. 3. Female specimen. 4–13. Color images of male pedipalps, ventral view (top of frame) and retrolateral view (bottom); 6, 12, 13 show ventral view only. 4. M. foliata, Knox Co. Tennessee (rl5retrolateral ledge). 5. M. comstocki, Travis Co., Texas. 6. M. coreyi, Thomas Co., Georgia. 7. M. fluviatilis, Marshall Co., Alabama (ap5accessory prong, e5embolus). 8. M. jenkinsi, Van Buren Co., Tennessee. 9. M. torreya, Liberty Co., Florida. 10. M. neilyoungi, Tuscaloosa Co., Alabama. 11. M. millerae, Grenada Co., Mississippi. 12. M. howelli, Newton Co., Mississippi (le5ledge). 13. M. minuta, Alachua Co., Florida.

Figs. 14–23. Color images of male leg I mating claspers, prolateral (top of frame) and retrolateral views (bottom). 14. M. foliata, Knox Co., Tennessee (ms5metatarsal swelling). 15. M. comstocki, Travis Co., Texas. 16. M. coreyi, Thomas Co., Georgia. 17. M. fluviatilis, Marshall Co., Alabama. 18. M. jenkinsi, Van Buren Co., Tennessee. 19. M. torreya, Liberty Co., Florida. 20. M. neilyoungi, Tuscaloosa Co., Alabama. 21. M. millerae, Grenada Co., Mississippi. 22. M. howelli, Newton Co., Mississippi. 23. M. minuta, Alachua Co., Florida.

Figs. 24–32. Scanning electron micrographs of male palpal bulbs. 24. M. foliata, Knox Co., Tennessee (et5embolus tooth). 25. M. comstocki, Travis Co., Texas. 26. M. coreyi, Jefferson Co., Florida. 27. M. fluviatilis, Marshall Co., Alabama (e5embolus, ap5accessory prong). 28. M. jenkinsi, Van Buren Co., Tennessee. 29. M. torreya, Liberty Co., Florida. 30. M. neilyoungi, Jefferson Co., Alabama. 31. M. millerae, Grenada Co., Mississippi. 32. M. minuta, Alachua Co., Florida.

Fig. 63. Records of M. torreya Gertsch and Wallace, M. fluviatilis (Hentz), and M. jenkinsi, new species.

Figs. 71–77. Myrmekiaphila torreyi Gertsch and Wallace from Liberty Co., Florida. 71–73. Male left leg I: retrolateral, prolateral, and ventral (metarsus) views. 74–76. Male left pedipalp: retrolateral, ventral, and prolateral views. 77. Spermathecae.