New specimens from Mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber illuminate the phylogenetic placement of Lagonomegopidae (Arachnida: Araneae)
Author
Guo, Xiangbo
Author
Selden, Paul A.
Author
Ren, Dong
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2022
2021-06-16
195
399
416
https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/e9144677-a36a-374f-9b9f-ef35c5f8cd3c/
journal article
61601
10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab027
507433fb-c54c-4c3a-9872-748cd6417b9d
0024-4082
6599779
GENUS
SCOPOMEGOPS
GUO
ET AL
.
gen. nov
.
Zoobank registration
: urn: lsid: zoobank. org:act:
A8809BE3-D927-432B-9C04-0AC83C27391F
Etymology:
The genus name is the combination of
scopa
, broom in Latin, after the clustered clavate spicules on the palpal retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA), and the Greek suffix -μεγόψ, magnification, from
Lagonomegops
,
type
genus of the family. The name is masculine.
Type
species:
Scopomegops fax
sp. nov.
Diagnosis:
Male palpal tibia with a small apophysis on the distal retrolateral surface, several clustered clavate spicules situated on the top of retrolateral apophysis; leg metatarsus distinctly much longer than tarsus.
Remarks:
CNU-ARA-MA2 0 2 0 0 0 1 is an adult male. It can be easily distinguished from other male lagonomegopids by the apophysis on the distal retrolateral surface of the male palpal tibia. It cannot be included in the two lagonomegopid genera (
Lagonoburmops
Wunderlich, 2012
and
Picturmegops
Wunderlich, 2015
) comprised only of female specimens, because of: carapace piriform in outline, much longer than wide (carapace distinctly narrowed posteriorly, slightly wider than long in
Picturmegops
); leg setae not long and dense (legs densely covered with long setae in
Lagonoburmops
). Conspecific spiders have some morphological differences at different developmental stages (
Foelix, 2011
). It is difficult to judge whether an adult male and a juvenile are the same species, especially in fossils. Therefore, we have erected a new genus
Scopomegops
based on CNU-ARA-MA2020001.
Besides
Scopomegops
, seven species belonging to five genera of
Lagonomegopidae
are known to have one or more apophyses on the male palpal tibia. In
Albiburmops annulipes
Wunderlich, 2017
, the carapace length is equal to its width, whereas the carapace is distinctly much longer than wide in
Scopomegops
. In
Archaelagonops propinquus
Wunderlich, 2015
and
Archaelagonops scorsum
Wunderlich, 2015
, the palpal tibia bears two apophyses, whereas there is only one in
Scopomegops
. In
Cymbiolagonops cymbiocalcar
Wunderlich, 2015
, the palpal tibia bears a divided apophysis, whereas the RTA is undivided in
Scopomegops
. In?
Parviburmops bigibber
Wunderlich, 2017
, the tibial apophysis is situated on the ventral surface, but is on the retrolateral surface in
Scopomegops
. In
Paxillomegops longipes
Wunderlich, 2015
and?
Paxillomegops brevipes
Wunderlich, 2015
, the palpal tibia bears numerous short peg bristles, which are lacking in
Scopomegops
.