Sittiab Proszynski 2017, gen. n.
Creators: name: Prószyński, Jerzy
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Salticidae
Sittiab

description: Gen. Sittiab Prószynski, 2017 gen. n.   
Figures 2E, F 1-H 2  
 Type species Sitticus absolutus Gertsch, Mulaik, 1936.   
 Etymology. Name coined of the names "SITTI-cus-AB-solutus".   
 Documentation studied. Original research published by Prószyński (1973) and literature data summarized in Prószyński (2016a, b).   
 Diagnosis. Distinctive character of the genus is the single copulatory duct running from mutual anterior copulatory opening, forking next in the middle of epigyne and joining a pair of spermathecae consisting of three spherical chambers. Male palps with central loop of spermophor extending along almost the whole length of oval bulbus, which resembles some Attulus, but differing from the latter by more proximal arising point of tibial apophysis, which is thin, long, apically slightly arching. Palpal tibia short, in two species distinctly narrowing proximally.   
 Description. Small jumping spiders with abdomen oval, or broadened in the posterior third, total body length about 3 mm (detailed measurements - see Prószyński, 1973). Dorsal pattern in preserved specimens consists of mosaic of small light and dark dots (Prószyński 1973: Figs 17-21), but there is no color photos documentation of either alive or preserved specimens. Species of this genus are identifiable mainly by internal structures of epigyne, described above and shown on Figs 2E, F 1-H 2. Epigyne of several species with translucent parts of spermathecae visible as two distinct but variable circles, a character not permitting to identify a species, none the less misleading previous authors. Enclosed illustrations are integral part of description.   
 More diagnostic documentation of ALL recognizable species - see at: http://www.peckhamia.com/salticidae/q29-Sit-lon.html.   
 Remarks. Spermatheca divided into three spherical chambers is unique among SITTICINES and the only analogy is provided by European Alpine species Sittilong longipes comb. n., however it has separate copulatory openings and its external appearance is entirely different (Fig. 3J).   
 Distribution. North America.   
 Composition. The following species are included: Sittiab absolutus (Gertsch, Mulaik, 1936) comb. n., S. cursor (Barrows, 1919) comb. n., S. juniperi (Gertsch, Riechert, 1976) comb. n. Diversity among unidentified specimens suggest existence of more species, pending research.   
 Corrections to list of synonyms.   
  Sitticus absolutus Gertsch & Mulaik, 1936 - comb. reinstated    
Figs 2E, B2, G2a  
 Alleged synonymy with Attus dorsatus Banks, 1895e: 97 is rejected because that species is unidentifiable and, formally, there is even no publication establishing that synonym. Richman (1979: 125) note, on which the WSC base synonym, contains merely hearsay evidence: "... the type specimen of Banks "is apparently" in the Museum of Comparative Zoology..." and refers to the sources: Levi, Griswold, Johnson, Icenogle and Cutler, he was not able to indicate any published source of that synonymy (personal correspondence), and there is nobody else vouching that. "Peckhamia", now respectable and accepted Internet journal, was in 1979 stenciled private bulletin, not acceptable as a source of taxonomic decisions. The diagnostic documentation suggested by the WSC quotation of Sitticus dorsatus: Breene et al., (1993: 67, f. 47A-B) (authored in fact by G.B. Edwards) consist of two drawings of Sitticus absolutus (compare Figs 2H 1-H 2) copied from Gertsch & Mulaik (1936. Am. Mus. Novit. 851: 19, f 19, 20) and one line couplet from a key "33a Cheliceral retromarginal teeth absent". Therefore:   
 Sitticus dorsatus: Richman, 1979 (nomen dubium) = Sittiab absolutus Gertsch & Mulaik, 1936 comb. n.   
  Sitticus cursor Barrows, 1919 comb. reinstated    
Figs 2F 1, G1  
 Alleged synonymy with Attus concolor Banks, 1895c: 206 is rejected because assumed species identity is not proven, what more, is doubtful in view of:   
- lack of documentation, for which observation of epigyne with "single opening and two circles"  
(Maddison 1996: 270) cannot substitute as fitting at least 3 species (Figs 2 F-G6);  
- circumstances of that discovery are not raising confidence: an unidentified (misidentified?)  
 specimen of alleged holotype of Attus concolor Banks, 1895 was retrieved by Maddison (1996: 270)   
 from not defined vial of Pelegrina proterva,   
 - note on this discovery was published inside Maddison's description of Pelegrina proterva   
 (Dendryphantinae), unnoticeable to specialists of Sitticus. By the way: quotation " Sitticus concolor   
 Maddison, 1996: 270 " (removed from S of Pelegrina proterva, contra Edwards, 1980: 12, Sm) " in   
 the WSC (version 18,0) mistakes Pelegrina with Sitticus. Maddison overlooked also large revision   
on the subject, published twelve years earlier by Prószyński (1973). Therefore:  
 Sitticus concolor: Maddison, 1996 (nomen dubium) = Sittiab cursor (Barrows, 1919) comb. n.
description: Published as part of Prószyński, Jerzy, 2017, Revision of the genus Sitticus Simon, 1901 s. l. (Araneae: Salticidae) *, pp. 35-50 in Ecologica Montenegrina 10 on pages 40-41, DOI: 10.37828/em.2017.10.7, http://zenodo.org/record/8027989