Peplometus Simon, 1900

Wesolowska, Wanda, Azarkina, Galina N. & Wisniewski, Konrad, 2020, A revision of Pachyballus Simon, 1900 and Peplometus Simon, 1900 (Araneae, Salticidae, Ballini) with descriptions of new species, ZooKeys 944, pp. 47-98 : 47

Peplometus Simon, 1900

Peplometus Simon 1900: 399; 1901: 486.

Type species.

Homalattus biscutellatus Simon, 1887.

Diagnosis.

Peplometus is closely related to Pachyballus . From the latter genus it can easily be separated by the elongated abdomen (rounded in Pachyballus ). It differs also in the form of leg I in males having the leaf-like setae on tibia I (absent in the other genus).

Description.

Small spiders (ca. 3.0-4.0 mm length), with very flat body, covered with hard strongly sclerotised integument. Carapace almost square-shaped, pitted dorsally, its length only slightly exceeds its width. Chelicerae with two (exceptionally three) small teeth on promargin and on retromargin a saw-shaped tooth with four to five denticles. Abdomen slightly elongated, ratio of its length to width 1.3-1.5 (only in female of P. biscutellatus 1.2). In males, width of abdomen almost equal to width of carapace, abdomen of females wider and rather oval. Anterior margin of abdomen straight. Hard scutum covers dorsum of abdomen, venter also strongly armoured, with scuta as in Pachyballus , namely the narrow scutum with backwards extending “horns” at anterior edge, and a large trapezoid scutum in posterior half of abdomen. Males with a thinner sclerotised plate in front of epigastric furrow, its thick posterior margin forms narrow wedge-shaped bar (Figs 138 , 185 ). Numerous sclerotised bumps on sides of the abdominal venter (Fig. 138 ). Legs short, in males the first pair slightly thicker, with enlarged femora and modified tibiae. In some species conspicuously thickened, usually flattened, in other species elongated (in this case the metatarsus I with a dorsal process). Tibiae I black, with ventral brush of long dense flattened setae, contrasting with other segments. Copulatory organs similar to those in Pachyballus .

Figures

Figures 136 - 142. Peplometus biscutellatus, male 136 habitus, dorsal view 137 habitus, lateral view 138 venter of abdomen 139 cheliceral dentition 140 first leg, dorsoprolateral view 141 first leg, dorsal view 142 palpal organ, ventral view (photos - specimen from Ghana, drawings - specimen from Sierra Leone).

Figures 184 - 188. Peplometus nimba 184 male, holotype, habitus, dorsal view 185 venter of abdomen 186 first leg, retrolateral view 187 first leg, prolateral view 188 palpal organ, ventral view.