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Salticidae (Araneae) genera of the world - an atlas (unfinished manuscript) by Jerzy Prószyński Professor Emeritus, Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Wilcza 63, 00-679 Warsaw, POLAND e-mail: jerzy.proszynski@wp.pl Chapter 19 MYRMARACHNINES informal group of genera Version July 25th, 2020

symbol of the supragroup MYRMARACHNOIDA

Composition and searching on this page. Bocus Emertonius [Gabon]Myrmage Myrmagua Myrmanu Myrmapana , Myrmapeni Myrmaplata Cf. Myrmaplata or undescribed - teratological [?] palp Myrmarachne Myrmatheca MYRMAVOLA Myrmele Panachraesta Synemosyna TERMITE MIMIC [Vipin Baliga] Toxeus An ominous case Uncertain genus of MYRMARACHNINES. Read also: Taxonomic position of Myrmarachne and related genera.

Exemplary representatives of the group

Informal group of genera MYRMARACHNINES

Mutual diagnostic characters of genera included. Genera and species are recognizable by internal structure of epigyne with a pair of sclerotized “pipes” like spermathecae (Figs 45C1-12, 46E-O), running medially along the whole (or majority) of length of epigyne. Palps rather uniform, with oval bulbus encircled (usually twice) by embolus, with spermophor encircling bulbus along it's contour, but making additional thin loop before entering embolus, tibial apophysis short, in majority of genera twisted corkscrew like and with flange, in some genera straight (Figs B1-10). Body often adapted for mimicking various ants, with constrictions variously developed on abdomen and carapace (Figs A1-9, 44A-D).
Description. Main character of this group of genera is "pipe" like spermatheca, sclerotized uniformly along it whole course, beginning near posterior end of epigyne, its beginning indicated by microscopic "scent exuding opening" at the very rim of junction with membranous ducts. Spermathecae display continuous evolution (presented in Figs 45C1-D6, 46E-O) from a pair of straight “pipes” in Myrmage gedongensis (Figs 46E), smooth, of equal width along their whole length, through slight terminal dilatation, to formation of a globular, terminal chamber of different size at the distal (anterior) end - small as in Toxeus maxillosus C. L. Koch, 1846, (Fig 46H), somewhat bigger terminal chamber in Emertonius shelfordi (Peckham & Peckham, 1907) (Fig 46G), to caricature-like monster of a pair of huge balloons, tightly pressed, atop microscopic, thread like, short proximal parts of spermathecal pipes in Myrmatheca alticephalon (Yamasaki & Ahmad, 2013) (Fig 46F). Another direction of evolution of tubular spermathecae is development of a single loop-like detour in the anterior one-third of length of “pipes”, as in MYRMAVOLA yamasakii Prószyński, 2016 (Fig 46I), finally reaching diversified stage of a complicated double spiral detour in over hundred species of Myrmarachne sensu stricto (Figs 46J-O) (a modification of that plan is detour parallel to axis of “pipes” in Myrmanu nubilis (Wanless, 1978). Ducts are almost unknown, due to their membranous, transparent walls, visible only on cleared epigyne mounted in microscopic slides, stained in "Chlorazol black E" - they make huge but irregular coils, running from practically invisible copulatory opening, usually tight slit like, pressed to median septum of epigyne and joining spermathecae at their indistinct proximal end. The above description corrects popular interpretations limiting "spermathecae" to distal (anterior) end of pipes, in front of their anterior detour. Epigyne itself is little specific, with two large white membranous "windows" (sometimes merged into single, large "window") and single, sclerotized pocket, in some species divided into a pair of pockets. Epigyne may help in preliminary identification, but is insufficient for identification of 160 recognizable species of MYRMARACHNINES. WARNING: preparations of epigyne not cleared of soft tissues, or examination of spermathecae translucent through tegument of epigyne, as in hundreds of drawings in Wanless (1978), are not sufficient for identification of species.
In difference to structures of epigyne, males palps (Figs 445B1-10) are of little help in identification, they characterize group of genera as a whole and are poor indicator of genera diversity, being largely uniform they display only minor differences in shape of tibial apophysis and additional loop of spermophor. Bulbus is encircled by loose loop of embolus, usually double, embolus is hair thin, covered by semitransparent sheath. Tibial apophysis is short, in Myrmarachne twisted like corkscrew, in other genera straight. Males’ chelicerae in some genera are enormously elongated, with multiple isolated teeth (true "pluridentati"). Body usually ant-like, with both carapace and abdomen constricted (Figs 45A1-8, 46A-D); since body appearance is adapted to mimicking ants, the same habitus may repeat in different species adjusted to the same model ant. To check diversity of diagnostic characters in ALL recognizable species of this group of genera - see file. Myrmarachne-Q and Taxonomic position of Myrmarachne and related genera.
Relationship: Placement of MYRMARACHNINES, LIGONIPEINES and BELIPPINES is unclear. Because of embolus encircling bulbus and presence of small additional loop of spermophor I assume tentatively that may be distantly related to AMYCINES, although there are no evidences yet of membranous distant haematodocha, place of origin of embolus from bulbus is not yet documented. On the other hand I do not see slightest morphological evidence that MYRMARACHNINES may be related to ASTIOIDA, as suggested by Maddison (2015 and some earlier papers), possibly Maddison was inspired by long chelicerae of male Orthrus (fig. G) with a long row of numerous, separate teeth - if so that character appears frequently in many unrelated genera and has no phylogenetic importance.
ADDITIONAL NOTE. MYRMARACHNINE were object of over ten years war between arachnologists, with an aggressive party hating statements and with denying that precise identification of genera and species of this group is impossible without documentation of internal structure of epigyne. An advice to onlookers: do not accept any statement without proofs. Demand documentation to every statement.

Gen. Emertonius Peckham & Peckham, 1892
Type species Emertonius exasperans (7 recognizable species)
See more species at Emertonius-Q+M

A-B - Emertonius exasperans from Bali, C- Emertonius exasperans lectotype female - [designated by Wanless], D - same lectotype specimen - epigyne by Prószyński, E - same specimen [but misplaced as Myrmarachne], F-H - Emertonius [?] malayanus, I-K - Emertonius exasperans from Bali, palp and chelicera, L - Emertonius sp. from Vietnam.
SOURCE:. A-B -Photo by D. Knowles, C - Peckham , D - Prószyński & Deeleman-Reinhold, 2010: 164-167, 169-171, F-H - Edmunds & Prószyński, E - Wanless 1978b: 235, f. 2A-E, I-L - Hill & Otto (2015). Peckhamia 131.1: 3, fig, 1.3 (L -Photo signed by Paul Bertner). All ©copyrights are retained by the original authors and copyright holders, used here by their courtesy. -

[Gen. sp. - Gabon] Maddison, 2016
Representative species - see below.(1 recognizable species)

DIAGNOSIS. Unusual body shape, especially deep and narrow thoracal constriction, suggest new genus. Pending further study.

Gen [Gabon] sp. n. : Undescribed - "78, Myrmarachne sp., female, Gabon: Ngounié: Waka Nat. Park" (similar body shape - see Myrmaplata hispidacoxa)
SOURCE: Maddison 2015. Journal of Arachnology. 43: 231-292, f. 78. . All ©copyrights are retained by the original authors and copyright holders, used here by their courtesy.

Gen. Myrmage Prószyński, 2016
Type species Myrmarachne gedongensis Badcock, 1918 comb. n.(1 recognizable species)
See more species at Myrmage-Q+M

A - Myrmage sp. (female, from Sabah, Danum Valley) B-C, D - Myrmage gedongensis (membranous ducts, unproperly stained, are visible as weak shadows), E-G - same, male, H-L - Myrmage gedongendis (male, from Sabah, Danum Valley, M7 - Myrmage sp . (female, from Sabah, Danum Valley).
SOURCE: A, H-L - - ©Photo P. Koomen, B-D - .Yamasaki & Ahmad 2013. Zootaxa 3710: 524, f. 8, 15-16. © 2013 Magnolia Press, E-G - Edmunds & Prószyński 2003. © Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society, 12(7): 308, f. 48-52. All ©copyrights are retained by the original authors and copyright holders, used here by their courtesy.

Gen. Myrmagua Prószyński, 2016
Type species Myrmarachne guaranitica (1 recognizable species)
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Myrmagua guaranitica [from Argentina]
SOURCE: . Galiano M.E. 1969b. Rev. Mus. Argentino Cienc. Natur., Entomol. 3 (2): 143, figs 5-6, 69-70 .All ©copyrights are retained by the original authors and copyright holders, used here by their courtesy.

Gen. Myrmanu Prószyński, 2016
Type species Myrmarachne nubilis (2 recognizable species)
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A-E - Myrmanu nubilis [from Madagascar].
SOURCE: Wanless 1978a. Bull. brit. Mus. nat. Hist. (Zool.): 33, (1): 112-113, figs 71d-f, 72d-f. All ©copyrights are retained by the original authors and copyright holders, used here by their courtesy.

Gen. Myrmapana Prószyński, 2016
Type species Myrmarachne panamensis (5 recognizable species)
See more species at Myrmapana-Q

A-D - Myrmapana panamensis.
SOURCE: Galiano, 1969. Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia (Ent.) 3: 136, f. 11-12, 21-23, 34-35, 42, 46-48, 62, 66. By permission of Dra ©Cristina Scioscia. All ©copyrights are retained by the original authors and copyright holders, used here by their courtesy.

Gen. Myrmapeni Prószyński, 2016
Type species Myrmarachne penicillata (6 recognizable species)
See more species at Myrmapeni-Q+M

A-B - .Myrmapeni chickering, C-E - Myrmapeni penicillata, F-G - Myrmapeni borneensis, H-J - Myrmapeni sumana.
SOURCE: A-B - Galiano, 1969: 124, f. 7-10, 26-27, 38, 53-55, 61, 65 (159-166,), C-E - Galiano, 1969: 168-169, 175-177), F-G - .Yamasaki & Ahmad [2013] 514, f. 10A-G, H-J - Galiano 1974b. Physis, Sec. C. 33 (87): 221-227, f. 1-12. All ©copyrights are retained by the original authors and copyright holders, used here by their courtesy.

Gen. Myrmaplata Prószyński, 2016
Type species Salticus plataleoides (5 recognizable species)
See more species at Myrmaplata-Q+M

A-E - Myrmaplata plataleoides, F-G - Myrmaplata aureonigra,H - Myrmaplata hispidacoxa, .I-K - Myrmaplata turriformis.
SOURCE:. A-E - ©Photo H.K. Tang, C-E - Prószyński in Edmunds & Prószyński 2003. Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society,12: 298-301, f. 1-7; 306-322, figs 117-121,. All ©copyrights are retained by the original authors and copyright holders, used here by their courtesy.

Cf. Myrmaplata or undescribed - teratological[?] palp

A-D - Cf. Myrmaplata with teratological [?] palp -(Philippines-Luzon Biak na Bato near Santol cave. ©Photo J. Nigl received from M. Freudenschuss). All ©copyrights are retained by the original authors and copyright holders, used here by their courtesy.
COMMENT: Strange and important specimen from the collection of Mr. M. Freudenschuss, from Philippines. Body appearance resembling genus Myrmaplata, tibial apophysis resembling Myrmarachne, but I cannot recollect seeing any bulbus with thick apophysis and embolus of the kind displayed on above illustrations. I suspect that these can be misdevelop, or either represent unknown genus.

Gen. Myrmarachne MacLeay, 1839 s. str.
Type species Myrmarachne melanocephala (103 recognizable species)
See more species at Myrmarachne-Q+M

REMARK: genus includes now groups of species: tristis and formicaria delimited by Wanless 1978a.
Species from other groups are now transferred to genera delimited by Prószyński 2016: Toxeus -Q, Myrmage, Myrmagua, Myrmanu, Myrmapana, Myrmapeni, Myrmaplata, Myrmatheca, Myrmavola, Myrmele, see also genera and Belippo and Emertonius. Acronymic genus names beginning with "Myrma-" indicate close relationships (whenever their usage is nomenclatorically possible).

Remarks. Controversial issues concerning genus Myrmarachne are discussed at NEOTYPE , see also controversial matching of "Myrmarachne"gorontaloensis.

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