Taxonomy

Pellenes is a genus with a great many species in Europe, Africa and North America.  Australia has one species, Pellenes bitaeniata, redescribed by Żabka (2006). Further information on the genus and described species in Australia can be found in Richardson and Żabka (2017) and Whyte and Anderson (2017).

Description

Pellenes bitaeniata is a medium-sized spider, ranging in body length from 4 to 5 mm. The head, viewed from above, is rather roundish, widest at the posterior lateral eyes. The carapace is high, highest at the posterior median eyes. The abdomen is ovate, somewhat squared off at the front. Chelicerae have a single (unident) retromarginal tooth and two promarginal teeth. The first pair of legs is stronger than the others, the third pair of legs longer than the fourth.

The male’s palp has a short, sharp embolus arising on the distal edge of the tegulum, accompanied closely by a tegular apophysis. The tegulum is roundish without a proximal lobe. The tibia of the palp has a single, short, sharp retro-lateral tibial apophysis.

The female has two small epigynal atria with sclerotised guides. The copulatory openings are located on the postero-lateral edges of each atrium. Highly-coiled insemination ducts lead posteriorly to the pear-shaped spermathecae which are located posterior to the atria close to the epigastric fold which has a large median pouch.

Biology

Pellenes bitaeniata, which is common in cotton crops, has been captured in pitfall traps in woodland and elsewhere in a wide range of habitats by beating foliage and by direct observation.

Distribution

Pellenes bitaeniata occurs widely across mainland Australia from the tropical north to inland Victoria.

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. 2016. New genera, new species and redescriptions of Australian jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae). Zootaxa 41, 501-560.

Richardson, B.J. & Żabka, M. 2017. Salticidae. Arachnida: Araneomorphae. Canberra, Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study, at https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/SALTICIDAE.

Żabka, M. 2006. Salticidae (Arachnida: Araneae) from Oriental, Australian and Pacific Regions. XIX. Genus Pellenes Simon, 1876 in Australia. Annales Zoologici, Warszawa 56, 567-573.

Whyte, R. and Anderson, G. 2017. A field guide to the spiders of Australia. Clayton: CSIRO Publishing 451pp.

* The information sheet should be read 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.