Myrmarachne aurea Ceccarelli, 2010, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Ceccarelli, F. Sara
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Salticidae
Myrmarachne
Myrmarachne aurea

description: <i>Myrmarachne aurea</i> sp. nov. Figures 10–18 <b>Etymology.</b> This name derives from the adjective aurea, chosen because of the golden appearance of the opisthosoma. <b>Material examined.</b> <i>Holotype</i>: AM KS93119 (male collected by FS Ceccarelli in Townsville, 19°19′40″S, 146°45′33″E, 16 November 2005). <i>Allotype</i>: QM S66649 (female collected by FS Ceccarelli in Townsville, 19°19′39″S, 146°45′32″E, 4 June 2003). <i>Paratypes</i>: QM S41386 (female collected by MF Downs in Townsville, 1 June 1981); QM S20339 (female collected by M Shaw near Canowindra, 14 March 1992); QM S73293 (male collected by BM Baehr at Mary Creek 25 km south of Musgrave, Northern Territory, 29 May 1993); AM KS56467 (two females collected by G Milledge in Kenilworth state forest, 7 May 1998); AM KS93120 (female collected by FS Ceccarelli in Townsville, 16 November 2005). <b>Diagnosis.</b> Males chelicerae are not protruding when viewed from above, and contain three promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. The tibia of the male palps has a poorly developed flange, and a sinuous apophysis; the diameter of the tegulum is approximately two-thirds the length of the cymbium. The cymbium contains two larger setae at the distal tip. Females have small, round spermathecae that are separated from each other; there are also two lateral pouches that are found in contact with each other. <i>M. aurea</i> can be distinguished from <i>M. luctuosa</i> by the fact that <i>M. aurea</i> male chelicerae do not protrude. <b>Description.</b> <i>Male</i>: <i>Carapace</i>: black with few white hairs, wedge-shaped depression with more dense white hairs. <i>Eyes</i>: procurved, surrounded by white hairs. <i>Clypeus</i>: fringed with white hairs. <i>Chelicerae</i>: not protruding, black with a dark red fang, retromarginal dentition: three teeth, promarginal dentition: three teeth. <i>Maxillae</i> and <i>labium</i>: black maxillae with a yellow inner edge, labium black. <i>Sternum</i>: black. <i>Opisthosoma</i>: black and yellow with fairly densely packed golden yellow hairs, giving the opisthosoma a golden sheen, slightly constricted in the middle. <i>Legs</i>: slender. Legs I: tarsus black; metatarsus black; tibia yellow with black marks, typically a line running down the length of the leg segment; patella same as tibia; femur same as tibia and patella; trochanter black and yellow; coxa yellow/cream coloured. Legs II: tarsus yellow with black markings; metatarsus yellow with black markings; tibia yellow with black markings; patella yellow with black markings; femur yellow with black markings; trochanter yellow with black markings; coxa black. Legs III: tarsus yellow; metatarsus black; tibia black; patella yellow; femur black; trochanter black; coxa black. Legs IV: tarsus black; metatarsus black; tibia black; patella black and yellow; femur black; trochanter yellow and black; coxa yellow. Legs I spination: metatarsus 2-1, tibia 2-2-2, patella 0. <i>Palp</i>: tibial apophysis with a black sinuous hook, embolus coiled around bulbous tegulum, about 200 μm in diameter (about two-thirds the length of the cymbium), large, marginate seminal reservoir, cymbium and proximal depression fringed with setae with two larger ones at the distal end. <i>Dimensions</i>: total length: 4.5– 5.5 mm; carapace length: 1.8–2.5 mm; ratio of carapace-tochelicera length: 2–4; Ratios AME: ALE: PME: PLE: 4.12:1.61:1:2. <i>Female</i>: <i>Carapace</i>: same as &amp;male;. <i>Eyes</i>: same as &amp;male;. <i>Clypeus</i>: same as &amp;male;. <i>Chelicerae</i>: same as &amp;male;. <i>Maxillae</i> and <i>labium</i>: same as &amp;male;. <i>Sternum</i>: same as &amp;male;. <i>Opisthosoma</i>: same as &amp;male;, but occasionally more bulbous. <i>Legs</i>: same as &amp;male;. Legs I spination: metatarsus 2-2, tibia 2-2-2, patella 0. <i>Epigyne</i>: black and yellow pigmentation, lateral pouches separate, spermathecae simple and round, ducts relatively wide. <i>Dimensions</i>: total length: 3.8–4.5 mm; carapace length: 1.8–2.1 mm; Ratios AME: ALE: PME: PLE: same as &amp;male;. <b>Distribution.</b> Specimens recorded from Queensland, Australia: Canowindra (33°35′S, 148°38′E), Townsville (19°13′S, 146°48′E) and Kenilworth state forest (27°41′S, 147°46′E); and Northern Territory, Australia: Musgrave (26°05′S, 132°00′E); other areas unknown. <b>Remarks.</b> <i>Myrmarachne aurea</i> belongs to the <i>volatilis</i> group, and is widely distributed in Townsville and surrounding areas, and can be found either walking on trees, in particular eucalypts (<i>E. platyphylla</i> and <i>Corymbia tessellaris</i>), or inside retreats under loose bits of bark. It is not uncommon to find more than one retreat under a piece of bark, with several <i>M. aurea</i> (typically between two and six, often at different instar stages), each living in a separate retreat. The model ant species for <i>M. aurea</i> is <i>Polyrhachis</i> nr. <i>obtusa</i> Smith, 1857 (Formicidae: Formicinae). <i>M. aurea</i> and its model ant species <i>P.</i> nr. <i>obtusa</i> are found living in sympatry, but not always on the same tree. <i>M. aurea</i> do not develop the golden-haired opisthosoma until they reach adulthood. Before that, the spiderlings are of a dark brown colour with white markings on both the pro- and opisthosoma.
description: Published as part of <i>Ceccarelli, F. Sara, 2010, New species of ant-mimicking jumping spiders of the genus Myrmarachne MacLeay, 1839 (Araneae: Salticidae) from north Queensland, Australia, pp. 245-255 in Australian Journal of Entomology 49</i> on pages 248-249, DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-6055.2010.00756.x, http://zenodo.org/record/269132