Taxonomy

Damoetas has one described Australian species, Damoetas nitidus. Other undescribed Australian species are known (Whyte, unpubl.) Damoetas is an ant-mimic related to Judalana, Ligonipes and Rhombonotus, but lacks a well-developed fringe on the first tibia, present in the others. Further information on the genus and described species can be found in Richardson and Żabka (2017) and Whyte and Anderson (2017).

Description

Damoetas is a small to medium-sized spider with an ant-like appearance, ranging in body length from 4 to 8 mm. The cephalothorax is long and narrow, with parallel sides. The abdomen has an anterior hump and a central constriction similar to other ant-like spiders, sometimes not obvious, or absent in undescribed spp. (Whyte unpubl.)  Chelicera have a row of retromarginal teeth (plurident) and three or more teeth on the promargin. The first legs are longer and more strongly built than the other legs and the spider is often seen extending them upwards and waving them.

The male has a long, slender embolus arising from the lateral edge of the tegulum circling one and a half times, ending distally in a wavy point. The tibial apophysis is short, slightly twisted and pointed.

The female has two epigynal atria with sclerotised median guides. The long, coiled, tube-like insemination ducts, spermathecae and fertilisation ducts lie between and beneath the margins of the atria.

Biology

This ant-mimic is usually found on foliage in habitats ranging from open woodlands and heathlands to melaleuca forests.

Distribution

Damoetas is found across most of mainland Australia from semi-desert to the coast, north of Perth and Sydney.

References

Davies, V.T. & Żabka, M. 1989 Illustrated keys to the genera of jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) in Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 27, 189-266. 

Richardson, B.J. & Żabka, M. 2016. Salticidae. Arachnida: Araneomorphae. Canberra, Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study, at https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/SALTICIDAE.

Whyte, R. & Anderson, G. 2017. A Field Guide to Spiders of Australia. CSIRO Publishing: Clayton.

* The information sheet should be interpreted in the context of the associated diagrams and photographs. Diagrams explaining anatomical terms can be found in the ‘Salticidae’ pictures at the beginning of the list of genera.