Myrmarachne prava ( Karsch, 1880 )

Benjamin, Suresh P., 2015, Model mimics: antlike jumping spiders of the genus Myrmarachne from Sri Lanka, Journal of Natural History 49 (43), pp. 2609-2666 : 2634-2644

Myrmarachne prava ( Karsch, 1880)

( Figures 23A–E , 24A–D , 25A–D , 26A–D , 27A–C , 28A–E )

Salticus pravus Karsch, 1880: 395 .

Myrmarachne paivae Narayen, 1915: 403 , text-figure 3, plate 32, figure 8. New synonymy.

Myrmarachne bengalensis Tikader, 1973: 65–67 , figures 16–18; Tikader and Biswas, 1981: 106, figures 198–200. New synonymy.

Type material

Holotype of Salticus pravus , Sri Lanka: leg. Nietner, 1 male (damaged), Nietner, ZMB 1536 , no more data given, examined.

Synonymy

Narayan’ s (1915: figure 8), description and illustration of M. paiva e correspond well with my Figures 23A, D , 25A, C . Tikader’ s (1973) figure 18 illustrates an epigynum with the characteristic oval CO tipped towards the median axis and elongated S, parallel to the median axis, facilitating unambiguous identification. This species was ‘lost’ to science as Roewer (1954) decided to list them as unidentifiable (nicht zu deuten!). It is not mentioned in either Platnick (2013) or Prószyński (2013).

Diagnosis

Separated from other Sri Lankan Myrmarachne species by the shape of the dorsal surface of the chelicerae, which slant towards the median axis. Further, the oval opisthosoma which lack any constrictions and the tapering, upward pointed RTA. Females could be separated by the oval CO tipped towards the median axis (the anterior ends are closer to the median axis than the posterior ends) and the elongated S which are parallel to the median axis.

Description

Male (from Anuradapura): total length: 8.0; prosoma length: 5.2, width: 1.4. Leg I: femur 2.0, patella 0.8, tibia 1.9, metatarsus 1.3, tarsus 0.6. Coloration as in Figures 23A–D , 25A–D . Prosoma black with evenly distributed white hair, chelicerae reddish. Opisthosoma grey with white hair. The cephalic part of the prosoma is elevated, sides somewhat curved. Prosoma constricted in the centre. The thoracic part is lower than the cephalic part, oval in shape (dorsal view) and slopes to towards the base. Opisthosoma oval, 1.5× longer than wide. Chelicerae shorter than prosoma, dorsum slants towards the median axis, lateral sides rounded ( Figure 25A–D ). Chelicerae dentition not examined. Leg formula 4132. Leg spination not examined. Palps as in Figure 26A–D . Female: total length: 6.4–7.2; prosoma length: 2.8, width: 1.2. Leg 1: femur 1.6, patella 0.6, tibia 1.2, metatarsus 0.8 tarsus 0.4. Morphology as above, except for the unmodified chelicerae. Coloration as in Figures 23E , 24A–D . Leg formula 4132. Leg spination not examined. Epigynum and vulva as in Figure 27A–C . The oval CO tipped towards the median axis (the anterior ends are closer to the median axis than the posterior ends) and the elongated S which are parallel to the median axis are characteristic for this species.

Natural history

The specimens from Nikaravatiya were collected along with a species of ants of the genus Camponotus . Both the spider and its ant host are illustrated in two beautiful hand drawings by G.M. Henry (2000). Borges et al. (2007) associated the ant Camponotus compressus (Fabricius) with this species (identified as Myrmarachne morpho species 2). However, Tikader (1973) reports that Myrmarachne bengalensis was collected along with the ant Leptogenys processionalis (Jerdon, 1851) , which could be a misidentification.

Distribution

India, Sri Lanka.

Other material examined

Sri Lanka, North Central Province, Anuradapura District , Padaviya, 1 female 2 juv, 18 March 1976, label gives coll. ‘KV KROMBEIN?’, USNM . 2 males and 1 juvenile, Same data, 19 March 1976, M. Trad. USNM . 24 October 1997, no other data, Saman, USNM . Western Province, 2 males, Colombo District, Nawala , 13 March 1998, M.M. Bahir and S.V. Nanayakkara, MHNG . 1 male, Maharagama , 24 July 2009, S.P. Benjamin, MHNG . North Western province, 1 male 1 female, Kurunagala District, Nikaravatiya, 1–3. February 2007, Z. Jaleel, USNM (photo voucher).

Figures

Figure 23. Myrmarachne prava in life. (A–D) male from Nikaravatiya; (E) juvenile.

Figure 24. Myrmarachne prava in life. (A–D) female from Nikaravatiya.

Figure 25. Myrmarachne prava. (A,B) male holotype (ZMB 1536). (C,D) male from Padaviya. (A,C) dorsal view; (B,D) lateral view.

Figure 26. Myrmarachne prava, male palp. (A,B) holotype (ZMB 1536). (C,D) male from Padaviya. (A,C) ventral view; (B,D) retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figure 27. Myrmarachne prava, female from Padaviya. (A) epigynum, dorsal view; (B) vulva, dorsal view; (C) vulva, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm (B,C); 0.2 mm (A).

Figure 28. Scanning electron micrographs of Myrmarachne prava. (A–E) male palp. (A) prolateral view; (B,E) ventral view;(C,D) retrolateral view.Scale bars = 10 µm (D,E); 30 µm (C); 100 µm (A,B).