Mystaria Simon 1895
Creators: name: Honiball Lewis, Allet S.
name: Dippenaar-Schoeman, Ansie S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Thomisidae
Mystaria

description: Genus Mystaria Simon, 1895
Mystaria Simon 1895: 989; type species by original designation: Mystaria rufolimbata Simon, 1895. Jézéquel 1964: 1111; Ono 1988: 32.
Paramystaria Lessert 1919: 102 (syn. n.); type species by original designation: Paramystaria variabilis Lessert, 1919.
Diagnosis. Small spiders, body and/or legs usually decorated with spots or bands (Figs 12, 15, 21, 36). Median eyes equal in size, smaller than laterals, with MOQ area narrower in front. MOQ length only slightly shorter or longer than clypeal length. Chelicerae equipped with three small teeth (Figs 1–5). Epigyne rim simple with simple outlines (Figs 51, 59, 73, 81), intromittent canals with numerous complex coils (Fig. 74). Male with simple bulb, disc-shaped tegulum, long coiling embolus, tibia with VTA curved at tip and delicate RTA (Figs 71, 72, 87, 88).
Re-description. Body length 2.1–3.3 in males, 1.90–5.24 in females.
Colour. Carapace at times with patches or bands, may differ between individuals within a species or in case of males usually uniform. May have dark patches over eye region or a yellow patch on clypeus and AME area (Figs 20, 33, 40); abdomen usually with varying patterns or often uniform in case of males. Colours and bands on legs differ between species. Carapace. Circular to cube-shaped viewed from above, elevated in thoracic and sometimes cephalic region, truncated posteriorly, sloping slightly anteriorly (Figs 11, 12); smooth without setae to fairly dense covering of fine setae, usually more dense in cephalic region and on clypeus, sometimes with longer erectile setae on postero-thoracic and postero-lateral region, and around lateral eyes (Figs 38, 39). Clypeus. Vertical with or without long setae. Chelicerae. Three cheliceral teeth present, two on promargin and one on retromargin (Figs 1–5), with incurving serrated setae at tip on dorsal margin of chelicerae. Mouth parts. Labium triangular, usually longer than wide, endites converged and indented with scopula hairs on edge. Sternum. Heart-shaped, usually wider than long, anterior edge straight; posterior tip not extending beyond coxae IV; edge bordered. Eyes. AER recurved; AME<ALE; AME closest to each other; PER recurved, slightly wider than AER; PME<PLE; PME nearest to PLE; MOQ area wider than long; lateral eyes situated on small flattened tubercles. Legs. Long and slender, with second pair usually longest in females, leg formula: II:I:IV:III, males with first pair of legs usually longest, leg formula: I:II:IV:III, long to medium length setae present; usually two spiniform setae ventrally on tibiae and metatarsi, distally on all legs; scopula hairs denser on leg III and IV; trichobothria present in a row on all legs; two dentated tarsal claws (Figs 91–114) with a well-defined, thick base in females, less defined base in males, with approx. 12 long slender teeth present on all tarsal claws, fewer and shorter in males with the second tooth usually on legs III & IV or II modified (flattened or broadened). Abdomen. Round to oval, bearing numerous short setae; dorsally with seven sigillae grouped in arrow-shaped formation (Fig. 17), ventrally with small sigillae in two rows; striae present ventrally around abdomen edge and dorsally of spinnerets, males with scutum, rarely with bright patterns on body (Figs 10, 13, 16). Spinnerets. Small and conical, with numerous short setae; anterior pair largest. Epigyne. Simple or delicate rim (Fig. 47, 67, 77) and atrium with (Fig. 85) or without hood, intromittent orifices open laterally or antero-laterally on atrium; intromittent canals long and extended then curving back, forming numerous complex coils, shape usually differs slightly on both sides; spermathecae small, round, situated posteriorly; fertilisation tubes short. Palp. Tibia bearing long setae; bulb round, often with tutaculum (Figs 8, 61); embolus thin (Fig. 45) or thick, of medium to long length (Fig. 43), coiling approx. three times around bulb; RTA sometimes broad at base (Fig. 75), proximally tooth-like and slender (Figs 49, 53), to broad (Figs 43, 45) or long and slender, extending far beyond the tutaclum (Figs 61); VTA with curved tip, long almost similar length as RTA (Fig. 66).
Natural history. Members of Mystaria live on vegetation such as trees, shrubs, grasses or leaf litter in a diversity of natural areas including: savanna, woodland, grassland, canopies of rainforests, forest galleries, coastal dune-, sand- and riverine forests in river banks, swamps, wetlands, estuaries, valleys and mountains. Adults are found throughout the year.
Distribution. This genus is endemic to Africa and known from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Republic of Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania. New records: Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Key to species of Mystaria
1. Females............................................................................................. 2
- Males..............................................................................................14
2. Epigyne without a hood (Fig. 51).........................................................................3
- Epigyne with a hood (Fig. 81)........................................................................... 12
3. Rim of atrium U-shaped (Fig. 59)........................................................................ 11
- Rim of atrium not U-shaped............................................................................. 4
4. Rim of atrium not teardrop-shaped, rather darkly defined with contrasting pale atrium (Figs 47, 73); abdomen usually decorated with two spots on dorso-posterior end or with contrasting border; legs of similar colour to carapace, sometimes leg III different colour....................................................................................... 5
- Atrium teardrop-shaped or elongated (Figs 51, 55, 67, 77, 89); colour of body and legs different.......................6
5. Atrium cube-shaped; fovea area with fine line of dense setae (Figs 11, 12, 47)................... M. flavogutatta comb. n.
- Atrium bell-shaped; more robust spider with broad carapace and no fine line of setae in fovea region (Figs 31, 73)................................................................................................... M. rufolimbata
6. Atrium long-oval (Fig. 77); all leg segments except femora dorsally with a longitudinal stripe (Fig. 34). M. savannensis sp. n.
- Atrium not as above teardrop-shaped; legs without longitudinal stripes...........................................7
7. Atrium closed anteriorly; femora dark with infuscated bands dorsoventrally; tibia IV with dark band (Figs 17, 18, 55)............................................................................................... M. lata comb. n.
- Rim of atrium not closed anteriorly; legs of uniform colour or with a brown band on femora.......................... 8
8. Atrium elongate; metatarsi IV and sometimes tarsi dark (Figs 15, 51)............................... M. irmatrix sp. n.
- Atrium posteriorly wide; tarsi and metatarsi not dark.......................................................... 9
9. Atrium almost horseshoe-shaped (Fig. 89)................................................. M. variabilis comb. n.
- Atrium more triangular (Fig. 67)....................................................... M. occidentalis comb. n.
11. Atrium quadrangular with an anterior small notch (Fig. 63)...................................... M. mnyama sp. n.
- Atrium U-shaped (Fig. 59)............................................................ M. lindaicapensis sp. n.
12. Atrium horseshoe-shaped, rim with small hood centrally (Fig. 69).................................. M. oreadae sp. n.
- Atrium rim different, hood situated anteriorly, at distance from posterior rim......................................13
13. Epigyne with hood wide; atrium two half circles posteriorly to hood (Fig. 81).......................... M. soleil sp. n.
- Hood narrow; atrium elongate, posteriorly to hood (Fig. 85)...................................... M. stakesbyi sp. n.
14. Males with anterior legs nearly twice the length of posterior legs; central area of body covered by an orange-yellow median band, a copper-brown median band or is uniformly brown; long, erectile setae present on carapace (Figs 10, 37, 39).......15
- Posterior legs only slightly shorter than anterior legs; body is uniformly copper brown or darker coloured, may have light patterns on abdomen; carapace sometimes with setae.......................................................... 17
15. Carapace pear-shaped, narrow anteriorly, distinct spiniform setae on legs, lateral eyes large (Fig. 10), bulb elongate and hairy (Fig 43); embolus long and very well-defined (Fig 44); RTA proximally blackened, and finger-like....... M. budongo sp. n.
- Carapace shape and eyes not as above; bulb apically widened (Figs 79, 83); embolus long, less-defined; RTA proximally finger-like, at an angle (Figs 80, 84)......................................................................... 16
16. Palp with VTA shorter or equal in length to RTA; carapace uniform brown as in Figs 39, 83, 84......... M. stakesbyi sp. n.
- Palp with VTA longer than RTA; carapace yellow with brown median band on cephalic area, palp as in Figs 37, 79, 80............................................................................................... M. soleil sp. n.
17. All eight legs with longitudinal dorsal stripes over all segments starting at the patella of the leg (Fig. 34); palp as in Figs 75, 76..................................................................................... M. savannensis sp. n.
- Legs uniform or with bands on certain segments of legs...................................................... 18
18. Carapace granular and hairy............................................................................ 19
- Carapace fairly smooth................................................................................ 21
19. Carapace with long setae on postero-thoracic edge and/or next to lateral eyes.................................... 20
- Carapace without setae on postero-thoracic edge; palp as in Figs 57, 58....................... M. lindaicapensis sp. n.
20. RTA finger-like, protruding from cymbium, palp as in Figs 45, 46............................ M. flavogutatta comb. n.
- RTA with spine-like tip, in contact with cymbium, palp as in Figs 71, 72............................. M. rufolimbata
21. Legs uniformly pale in colour, in sharp contrast to body (Fig. 25) with RTA very long, blackened, extending beyond the tutaculum of the palp, as in Figs. 61, 62......................................................... M. mnyama sp. n.
- Leg segments may be tinted, RTA not extending beyond the tutaculum..........................................22
22. Legs with black bands only on the metatarsi and tarsi of leg IV, palp as in Figs 49, 50................ M. irmatrix comb. n
- Legs usually with bands on femora of leg I and tibia and metatarsi of leg IV...................................... 23
23. Legs with black infuscated bands dorso-ventrally on femora I, II, IV and tibia and metatarsi of leg IV; palp as in Figs 53, 54......................................................................................... M. lata comb. n.
- Legs with only light brown markings....................................................................24
24. Tip of RTA bent retrolateral-dorsad (Figs 65, 66)......................................... M. occidentalis comb. n.
- Tip of RTA sharp, straight (Figs 87, 88)................................................... M. variabilis comb. n.
description: Published as part of Honiball Lewis, Allet S. & Dippenaar-Schoeman, Ansie S., 2014, Revision of the spider genus Mystaria Simon, 1895 (Araneae: Thomisidae) and the description of a new genus from the Afrotropical region, pp. 101-144 in Zootaxa 3873 (2) on pages 107-108, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3873.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4948115