Leptonetidae

Ledford, Joel M. & Griswold, Charles E., 2010, A study of the subfamily Archoleptonetinae (Araneae, Leptonetidae) with a review of the morphology and relationships for the Leptonetidae, Zootaxa 2391, pp. 1-32 : 4

Leptonetidae

Synapomorphies. Synapomorphies for the Leptonetidae include an unusual iridescence, especially on the legs and carapace ( Figs. 1–3 ), autospasy at the patella-tibia joint, the presence of tartipores on the ALS ( Fig. 50 , 58, 62 , 70 ), male palpi with a fused tegulum and subtegulum but with an expandable basal haematodocha, and a respiratory system consisting of a pair of short median branches with long laterals that open to a single spiracle anteriad of the ALS ( Fig. 114 ).

Respiratory system. ( Fig. 114 ) The respiratory system is unlike other Haplogynae in that there is a single tracheal spiracle anteriad of the anterior lateral spinnerets, which opens to a pair of long lateral branches with a pair of short median branches, similar to that found in many Entelegynae ( Ramirez, 2000). The tracheae are restricted to the abdomen. Anteriorly, the respiratory system consists of a pair of book lungs.

Expandable palpi. Brignoli (1979) was the first to note the expandable morphology of leptonetid male palpi. While it is tempting to make comparisons with the palpi of some Entelegynae, homology between these structures is difficult to assess. Leptonetid palps are generally far less expandable, i.e. the bulb twists up to 180° from a basal hemotadocha with some accessory sclerites and the embolus slightly changing orientation but not ballooning out as in typical entelegynes.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Images of living Leptonetidae. 1. Archoleptoneta schusteri female, Marin County, CA, USA; 2. Neoleptoneta myopica female, Tooth Cave, Travis County, TX, USA; 3. Neoleptoneta myopica male, Tooth Cave, Travis County, TX; 4. Web of Neoleptoneta myopica, Tooth Cave, Travis County, TX; 5. Eggsac of Neoleptoneta anopica, Corn Cobb’s Cave, Williamson County, TX.

FIGURES 49 – 56. Archoleptoneta schusteri, spinnerets, Burdell Mountain, Marin County, CA, USA. 49. Female spinnerets, ventral; 50. Female right ALS; 51. Female PMS; 52. Female right PLS; 53. Male spinnerets ventral; 54. Male left ALS; 55. Male PMS; 56. Male left PLS. AC, aciniform gland spigots; CY, cylindrical gland spigots; MAP, major ampullate gland spigot (s); mAP, minor ampullate gland spigot (s); MSp, possible modified spigot; Nu MSp, nubbin of possible modified spigot; PI, piriform gland spigots; TP, tartipore.

FIGURES 57 – 64. Darkoneta quetzal sp. nov., spinnerets, Sierra de Las Minas, Guatemala. 57. Female spinnerets, ventral; 58. Female right ALS; 59. Female PMS; 60. Female right PLS; 61. Male spinnerets, ventral; 62. Male right ALS; 63. Male PMS; 64. Male left PLS. CY, cylindrical gland spigots; MAP, major ampullate gland spigot (s); mAP, minor ampullate gland spigot (s); Nu, nubbin; PI, piriform gland spigots; PI *, piriform gland spigots lacking a base; TP, tartipore.

FIGURES 65 – 72. Leptoneta infuscata, spinnerets, Cova de l’avenc, Spain. 65. Female spinnerets ventral; 66. Male spinnerets, ventral; 67. Female right ALS, 68. Female PMS; 69. Female PLS; 70. Male left ALS; 71. Male left PMS and PLS; 72. Male left PLS. CY, cylindrical gland spigots; MAP, major ampullate gland spigot (s); TP, tartipore.

FIGURES 109 – 114. Leptonetidae female genitalia and respiratory system. 109. Archoleptoneta schusteri female genitalia, dorsal, Soquel, Santa Cruz Co.; 110. Archoleptoneta gertschi, sp. nov., female genitalia, dorsal, Calaveras Co.; 111. D. stridulans female genitalia, dorsal, Panama; 112. Darkoneta quetzal sp. nov., female genitalia, dorsal, Guatemala; 113. L. infuscata female genitalia, dorsal; 114. Appaleptoneta sp. female tracheae, dorsal (image from MJR).