Edwardsya, a new genus of jumping spiders from South America (Araneae: Salticidae: Freyina)
Author
Ruiz, Gustavo R. S.
Author
Bustamante, Abel A.
text
Zootaxa
2016
4184
1
117
129
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4184.1.7
1961e663-305f-4911-94bb-63acfe1179ca
1175-5326
164519
C39AEE40-1806-4729-87A8-9D2B83A0A7E1
Edwardsya
gen. nov.
Type species:
Attus simoni
Taczanowski, 1871
.
Etymology.
The generic name is in honor of the American salticidologist G.B. Edwards, to celebrate his recent contribution to the understanding of systematics of freyines. Female in gender, ending in -ya taken from
Freya
C.L. Koch
,
type
genus of the subtribe.
Relationships.
This lineage seems to be related to the also Amazonian ground dwellers
Kalcerrytus
Galiano
and
Onofre
Ruiz & Brescovit
by the general appearance (dark body with light chevrons on abdomen,
Figs 5, 8
), the apophysis on the venter of the male palpal femur (FDA in
Figs 10
,
46
) and the stout RTA (
Figs 11–14
,
46–47
).
Edilemma
Ruiz & Brescovit
also has a developed FDA, although its color pattern resembles more that of
Freya
C.L. Koch
sensu stricto
. Similarities in general appearance and external reproductive structures with
Capidava
Simon
, another Amazonian ground dwelling freyine, could also be due to phylogenetic relationship, although this is less likely.
Diagnosis.
Among freyines, males of
Edwardsya
are similar to
Kalcerrytus
,
Onofre
and
Edilemma
for having a developed femoral distal apophysis in the palp (FDA in
Figs 10
,
46
), but can be recognized by the developed, triangular terminal apophysis (TmA in
Figs 10–12
,
44–45
), absent in the other three. Females of
Kalcerrytus
(e.g., see
Ruiz & Brescovit 2003
: fig. 4;
Bustamante & Ruiz 2016
: fig. 9) and
Onofre
(see
Ruiz & Brescovit 2007
: fig. 5) have accessory pockets laterally on the epigynal plate, but these structures are not present in
Edwardsya
(
Figs 9
,
43
). Females of
Edilemma
have advanced ventral coupling pockets on the epigyne (see
Ruiz & Brescovit 2006
: fig. 5), while
Edwardsya
have dorsal coupling pockets (
Figs 16
,
49
).
Description.
Moderately small to medium-sized (males 5.68–5.91, females 6.14–6.22), ground dwelling jumping spiders from the Amazon. Carapace dark brown with a pair of lateral stripes of white scales, more conspicuous in males (
Figs 1–5
,
37–39
), and sparse white (
Fig. 33
) and dark (
Fig. 32
) scales; males with reddish scales on head (
Figs 1–4
,
31
), bright when alive. Chelicera similar in both sexes, with two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth (
Fig. 35
). Male endite with strong disto-ectal corrugated apophysis (
Figs 25–30
). Labium rounded and sternum oval. Male palpal femur with a distal proventral apophysis and dorsal tuft of long, white scales (
Figs 4
,
36
); short tibia with a strong, curved RTA (
Figs 11–14
,
21–22
,
46–47
) and poorly developed PTA (
Fig. 21
); shoe-shaped cymbium, well developed functional tegulum, embolar base with a prolateral process (
Figs 10–11
,
44–45
), and terminal apophysis long and triangular, folded to receive the embolus (
Figs 10
,
23–24
,
45
); functionally it appears to be a secondary conductor. Leg formula 3412 or
4312 in
both sexes. Leg I dark brown, II– IV yellow or light brown. Abdomen about the same length of carapace, dark brown, with anterior transverse light stripe and dorsal chevrons (
Figs 5, 8
), reddish in live males (
Figs 1–4
); anterodorsal scutum in males (
Figs 5
,
39
); males with epiandrous fusules (
Fig. 34
). Epigyne with a pair of round copulatory openings placed anteriorly and a dorsal coupling pocket (
Figs 9
,
15–16
,
43
,
48–49
).
FIGURES 1–4.
Edwardsya simoni
comb. nov.
, live male from Belém. © W.P. Maddison, under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
Notes.
After observing under SEM that there were no openings on the apophysis of the male endite (
Figs 25– 30
), we concluded this could not have a glandular function. However, its connection to reproduction is likely, since it is developed only in adult males. Despite being developed in many other freyines and other spiders, we still do not understand its role, either during copulation or male-male competition. Given its position near the base of the male palp and consequent proximity to the body of the female during copulation, we could imagine that it could help anchoring/stabilizing the male onto the female body, but if that were true, we would expect a smooth, possibly hooked structure, like the RTA. However, its tip is rounded and bears many small granulations, which could lead us to predict a more stimulating role during copulation, when the male would use it to rub specific portions of the female abdomen.
Composition:
Two species:
E. simoni
(
Taczanowski, 1871
)
comb. nov.
and
Edwardsya igapo
sp. nov.