Taxonomy

Pseudomaevia is known from the west Pacific region. The Australian species, Pseudomaevia cognata, only found on Lord Howe Island, was recently redescribed by Richardson (2015). Further information on the genus can be found in Richardson and Żabka (2017). Its taxonomic relationships with other genera are unknown (Maddison, 2015).

Description

Pseudomaevia cognata is a large, elongated spider, ranging in body length from 8 to 14 mm. Males are much smaller than females. The head, viewed from above, is rounded or rectangular with slightly rounded sides and curved corners, widest at the posterior lateral eyes. The low carapace has an uneven upper surface. The abdomen is narrow and significantly elongated. Each chelicera has a single, bicuspid (fissident) retromarginal tooth and two promarginal teeth. The first pair of legs is longer and much stronger than the others, with pairs of long, strong spines on the tibia and metatarsus. Spines are either tiny or missing on the other legs.

The male’s palp has a long, thin embolus arising from a distinct bulb on the distal lateral edge of the tegulum, travelling medially before curving distally towards the tip of the cymbium. The tegulum is ovate without a proximal lobe. The palpal tibia has two apophyses, one medium-sized and blunt on the retromargin and another short and sharp on the ventral surface.

The female has two large, sclerotised epigynal atria with copulatory openings on their median edges. U-shaped insemination ducts move posteriorly and then anteriorly, forming a continuous tube with the spermathecae.

Biology

Pseudomaevia cognata has been collected on foliage and in pitfall traps.

Distribution

The Australian species is found only on Lord Howe Island.

References

Maddison, W.P. 2015. A phylogenetic classification of jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae). Journal of Arachnology 43, 231-292.

Richardson, B.J. 2014. A redescription of the type species of the jumping spider genus Pseudomaevia (Araneae: Salticidae) from Lord Howe Island, Australia. Zootaxa 3811, 387–392.

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.

* 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.