Maratus vespa, Jürgen C. Otto & David E. Hill, 2016

Jürgen C. Otto & David E. Hill, 2016, Seven new peacock spiders from Western Australia and South Australia (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryini: Maratus), Peckhamia 141 (1), pp. 1-101 : 68-89

Maratus vespa , new species

Type specimens. The holotype male (♂ #7), eight paratype males (♂ #1-3, 5-6, 8-10), and seven paratype females (♀ #1-7) were collected at Lake Jasper, D'Entrecasteaux National Park, WA (34.42018 °S, 115.69467 °E, 17 NOV 2015, coll. J. Otto and D. Knowles, edge of sand track). These will be deposited in the Western Australian Museum, Perth.

Etymology. The species group name ( vespa, Latin , f., noun, English translation wasp) refers to the presence of an unusual and detailed pattern of scales on the fan of the adult male that resembles the outline of a wasp (genus Vespa ) as seen from the front.

Diagnosis. Males have a distinctive pattern of scales on the fan, drawn with fine lines, that is unlike that of any other Maratus . The courtship display most resembles that of M. linnaei Waldock 2008 , with extended legs III held in a vertical position, often touching at the midline as the fan is rotated from side to side and its movement is followed closely by the female ( Otto 2013). But, the two species differ greatly in

appearance, and male M. linnaei have no flaps or lateral extensions of the fan. Both the male pedipalp and the female epigynum of M. vespa resemble those of other Maratus species and are of little use in identification. Females are also very similar to other Maratus species, but may have three indistinct to well-defined dark lines toward the rear of the eye region, and they also have a characteristic but subtle pattern consisting of a large forward pointing 'V' flanked anteriorly by two lines, all comprised of lighter grey or brown scales that can be distinguished from the dark brown scales that cover the dorsum of the opisthosoma. A series of indistinct dark lines may also radiate across the wide marginal bands of the female opisthosoma, toward the rear.

Description of male ( Figures 78-86 ). Males (N=9) ranged from 3.57 to 4.05 mm in length. The entire carapace is black and glabrous, except for setae around the eyes, in the eye region, and the marginal band. Scattered white setae project forward from the clypeus, below the anterior eye row. The chelicerae are black and glabrous. The eye region is covered with grey setae, interrupted by five lines or tracts of dark

red setae. The median line may cross the entire eye region, flanked by a pair of lines that occupy only the rear half of the eye region. Flanking these is a pair of diagonal lines or spots, also dark red. A prominent marginal band of white setae is present. An indistinct median thoracic tract and a lateral tract behind each PLE of scattered off-white setae may be present if not worn. The PME are closer to the PLE than to the AME. The fan of the dorsal opisthosoma is well-developed, with a complex and distinctive pattern of fine lines that resembles a drawing of a wasp as seen from the front, drawn in light brown on a background of light brown or yellow-brown ( Figure 78 :6). Six longitudinal tracts of brighter red-orange scales, the medial pair shorter and joining and appearing like a pair of wasp mandibles, are surrounded by iridescent blue-green scales toward the front of the fan. The fan has a pair of posterolateral, lobate flaps that are extended during courtship display. Blue-green iridescent scales are also present at the rear of the fan, where they are interrupted by three orange spots, and on the posterior margin of each flap. White setae are present at the dorsal midline behind the fan, and a patch of white colular setae is present behind these, above the black spinnerets fringed with long grey setae ( Figures 78 :3, 79:8). Beneath, the opisthosoma is brown with scattered light setae. From below, coxae III and IV are grey and glabrous, and coxae I and II, the sternum, the labium, and endites are dark and glabrous.

Legs I and II are of similar length, shorter than legs III and IV, and legs III are by far the longest. Legs I, II and IV are dark brown to black, with irregular bands of white scales on each segment. Legs III are dark brown to black with scattered white setae and prominent ventral fringes of long white setae extending from each femur to the metatarsus. The tarsus is covered with white setae. The pedipalps are typical for

Maratus , with two pointed apices of the embolus, the outer longer and larger ( Figures 85-86).

1.0 mm

1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm

1.0 mm

1.0 mm

1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm

1.0 mm 1.0 mm

1.0 mm

1.0 mm 1.0 mm

1.0 mm 1.0 mm

1.0 mm 1.0 mm

1.0 mm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm 200 Μm

200 Μm

Description of female ( Figures 87-92 ). Females (N=6) ranged from 4.67 to 5.31 mm in length. The clypeus is brown with long, anteromedially directed, off-white setae. The chelicerae are brown and glabrous. The eye region is covered by four indistinct tracts of mixed off-white to light brown and red-brown scales, one behind each anterior eye. Scales of the medial tracts, behind the AME, are oriented in a posterolateral

direction. The dorsal carapace is black, the sides of the carapace are brown and translucent. The PME are slightly closer to the PLE than to the ALE. Long, off-white to light brown setae form a large, indistinct band extending from below the PLE to the rear, at the top of the carapace. Some of these setae may also comprise a short median thoracic spot or stripe behind the eye region. The lower half of the carapace, on either side, is mostly brown and glabrous with a few scattered scales. A marginal band is not present. The dorsal opisthosoma is dark brown to red-brown, flanked with broad marginal bands of off-white to light brown setae. An indistinct pattern of lighter setae, appearing as a forward-pointing 'V' flanked by two shorter bands at the anterior margin, may be present within the dark dorsal area. A small triangular patch of white colular setae is present. Below, the opisthosoma is brown with a cover of short off-white to light brown setae. From below, the coxae, sternum, labium, and endites are brown, translucent, and mostly glabrous except for scattered setae.

Legs I and II are shorter, legs III and IV longer and of similar length with legs III the longest. All legs are brown and irregularly banded with rings of off-white to light brown setae. The pedipalps are light brown to brown and translucent, covered with off-white setae. The epigynum ( Figure 92 ) is typical for Maratus , with sclerotized ducts visible through the posterior half of each fenestra (window). The large posterior

spermathecae vary from about the size of the fenestrae to significantly larger.

1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm

1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm 1.0 mm

1.0 mm 1.0 mm

Immatures ( Figure 93 ). Emergent (second instar) young are light brown and translucent, with dark pigment at the top of the carapace. They have a cover of red-brown scales in the eye region, off-white scales around the eyes, and several transverse bands across the opisthosoma. Penultimate females resemble the adults. In addition to their bulbous pedipalps, penultimate males have an entirely black

carapace and a pattern of light to dark, brown to red-brown setae on the dorsal opisthosoma that suggests the distinctive pattern of coloured scales of the adult male.

Courtship ( Figures 94-100 ). In their courtship display, male Maratus vespa hold their extended legs III in position directly above the posterior carapace, in front of their elevated fan, with lateral flaps alternately expanded and retracted. During this display, the male would first rotate the fan to one side, then bring it back to a centered position, then rotate it to the other side, then bring it back to a centered position once

again. In a video recording the duration of each cycle of rotation (center-right-center-left-center) averaged ~ 13.5s, and regular cycles of display were repeated for more than four minutes ( Figure 97 ). As the male displayed, a female closely observed the male from the front at a distance of only 4-5 mm, following the movements of the fan as it was rotated from side to side. Bright iridescent scales displayed on the striped anterior part of the fan (ventral part when elevated) when centered, and displayed on the outer part of each flap when turned to the side, may play an important role in eliciting the turning response of the female. A second variant on this display was also observed in which the fan was elevated and expanded but rotated to a lesser degree over a smaller arc, and the elevated legs III were separated and then brought together again in a series of 'pincher' movements ( Figure 100 ). During each cycle of this movement, legs III were separated in ~ 0.25s, then brought together more rapidly in ~ 0.08s.

Habitat and distribution. Maratus vespa were collected on low plants and debris at the edges of a sand track at Lake Jasper, D'Entrecasteaux National Park, WA ( Figure 101 , map Figure 1 ). Figure 102 includes field photographs of these spiders at that site.

Figures

Figure 1. Localities for seven new Maratus species from the southern coast of Western Australia and South Australia. Maratus albus and M. lobatus are widely distributed. M. australis and M. vultus are each known from two localities near the southern coast of Western Australia. Each of the other three species (M. bubo, M. tessellatus, and M. vespa) has been found at a single locality in the southwestern corner of Australia, south of Perth.

Figure 78. Views of four male Maratus vespa. 3, Rear view of opisthosoma. 6, Partly expanded fan. 8, The right lobe of the fan of this male was permanently damaged and could not be retracted.

Figure 79. Views of four male Maratus vespa. 8, Left posterolateral view of opisthosoma. The posterior edge of the flap is iridescent.

Figure 87. Four different female Maratus vespa.

Figure 88. Three different female Maratus vespa.

Figure 89. Four different female Maratus vespa in alcohol.

Figure 90. Female Maratus vespa in alcohol.

Figure 91. Ventral views of six living female Maratus vespa.

Figure 92. Ventral views of the epigynum of six female Maratus vespa, in alcohol. 1 - 2, Ventral view of dissected epigynum. 3, Dorsal (interior) view of dissected epigynum, showing the extensive, sclerotized ducts posterior to the large posterior spermathecae. 4, Anterodorsal (oblique interior) view, showing how the sclerotized ducts lie above the posterior spermathecae. 5 - 10, Normal, ventral views of the epigyna of intact specimens.

Figure 93. Reared immature Maratus vespa. 1 - 3, Emergent or second instar. 4 - 6, Penultimate female. 7 - 12, Two different penultimate males.

Figure 94. Sequential photographs showing display by a male Maratus vespa (# 7), at right, in front of a female at a distance of 4 - 5 mm. Note turns by the female to follow movements of the fan behind the elevated and extended legs III of the male.

Figure 95. Display positions of two different male Maratus vespa.

Figure 96. Display positions of a male (# 7) Maratus vespa. Note the bright iridescent scales visible when the fan was centered (1), and display of the iridescent posterior part of the flap of the fan was turned to the side (2, 5, 10). The flaps of the fan were retracted as the fan was rotated (3, 6, 7).

Figure 97. Interaction of male and female Maratus vespa during courtship. 1 - 12, Selected, sequential frames from a 25 fps video of courtship, identified by numbered green rectangles at the top of the chart. Respective positions of the male and female during 276 s of this courtship are shown in the chart. Male positions with the fan turned to the extreme left, elevated and centered, and then turned to the extreme right were plotted and connected with blue lines. Female positions facing the fan in each of these positions were also plotted and connected with red lines. Female turns to face the fan (either the center or one of the flaps exposed to the side) tended to lag movements of the fan by several seconds.

Figure 98. Selected frames from 25 fps video showing turns of a female M. vespa to face the center and flaps of a male fan. Arrows identify iridescent scales of the lobes or the anterior fan that the female appeared to follow with each turn.

Figure 99. Consecutive frames from a 25 fps video showing movement of the fan (arrows) by a male Maratus vespa during display in front of a female. Before the fan was rotated to the side (28 - 36), it was rotated from side to side in a more vertical position (1 - 24). During this sequence only the fan was moved. Each pedipalp was held to the side to display the black face and chelicerae.

Figure 100. Consecutive frames from a 25 fps video of display by a male Maratus vespa, showing ' pincher' movement of legs III above the carapace (double or paired arrows at top), accompanied by limited movement of the fan from side to side (arrows) and some side-stepping (large arrows in 15, 16, 26). All arrows indicate movement relative to the previous frame. The pedipalps were held apart to reveal the black face and chelicerae during this display.

Figure 101. Maratus vespa habitat at D'Entrecasteaux National Park, WA.

Figure 102. Field photographs of a Maratus vespa male (1 - 2), and a female (3), feeding on a grasshopper.