Monograph of the Salticidae (Araneae) of the World 1995-2015. Part I: Introduction to alternative classification of Salticidae.

Jerzy Prószyński
32 - PSEUDICIINES GROUP OF GENERA
Version July 1st, 2016.
Sources and permissions of illustrations, also references, are displayed in the IInd part of the monograph http://www.peckhamia.com/salticidae/

Type genus Pseudicius.
Interactive index of genera , Afraflacilla , Festucula , Miricius , Nepalicius , Okinawicius , Psenuc , Pseudicius , Rudakius , Spadera, Correction of Pseudicius synonyms. Genera removed to other groups of genera: Nandicius , Orienticius , Pseudicius siticulosus = Metaphidippus siticulosus..

Introduction

Type genus Pseudicius Simon, 1885
PSEUDICIINES group of genera differs from all remaining groups of Salticidae by:
1) unique form of stridulatory apparatus "femur I - carapace", consisting of a row of stridulatory bristles on tubercles, stretching below eyes lateral II-III, interacting with microspines on prolateral surface of femur I;
2) modification of tibia I, which is usually shortened, but distinctly thicker than metatarsus and tarsus, with deeply modified ventral spines: displaced, reduced in size and number (sometimes missing) but thicker and shortened, also with unusual long dorsal trichobothrium, apically bent;
3) - epigyne with distinct pockets, variably located. Copulatory ducts relatively thick walled, evolving from simple and short arch, with small protuberance of the scent exuding opening (as in Pseudicius palaestinensis) – to long and very complicated coils (as in Afraflacilla javanica or A. bipunctata) with the scent exuding pore changed into duct branching off, long and prominent. Spermathecae being terminal portion of duct, changing form simple oval to long and bent loop, slightly more broader than duct and with spines on interior surface;
4) male palp diverse, at first look unrelated, some cannot be easily classified, but examination of morphological series permits to find similarities. Bulbus is oval, or oval distorted with protuberances, embolus variable, from thick and relatively short to hair thin and long, in some species encircling bulbus, arising variably, latero-apically or latero-basally;
6) tibial apophysis (RTA) prominent, usually medium long, often split into 2-3 rami;
7) body flat, with robust, long legs I stretched anteriorly; dorsal color pattern characteristic.
RELATIONSHIPS. Row of stridulatory bristles on tubercles under eyes lateral, as well as body appearance gives PSEUDICIINES unique character, separating distinctly from other groups of genera, structures of epigyne and palps, although diversified, do form morphological lines correlating with presumed evolution.

REMARKS. PSEUDICIINES group of genera has been created by splitting large genus Pseudicius into several new genera, differing by details of palps and, especially, by internal structures of epigyne. The proposed new genera are Miricius gen. n., Nepalicius gen. n., Okinawicius gen. n., Psenuc gen. and Rudakius gen. n.. To the original genus Pseudicius are added genera Afraflacilla Berland & Millot, 1941, Festucula Simon, 1901 and, tentatively, Spadera Peckham, Peckham, 1894. In difference to them, several species of former Pseudicius are placed in the proposed new genera and transfered into other groups of genera: Nandicius gen. n. (placed in CHRYSILLINES) and Oienticius gen. (placed in NOTICIINES). Pseudicius sitticulosus (Peckham, Peckham, 1909) belongs to DENDRYPHANTINES, probably to genus Metaphidippus.

DISTRIBUTION. The centers of distribution of PSEUDICIINES are apparently southern belt of Palaearctics and Africa, numerous species occur also on Pacific Islands, and a few in Australia. Indian Subcontinent, located between those centers, may harbor much richer fauna of PSEUDICIINES than heretofore known. They are absent on the Western Hemisphere (the only supposed N American representative Pseudicius sitticulosus Peckham & Peckham, 1909 is presumably Metaphidippus [according to personal letter from W.P. Maddison he knew the fact already for 20 years, but failed to inform readers about it] ).

Characters defining the PSEUDICIINES group of genera

Guide to identification of genera by epigyne - internal structures

Guide to identification of genera by epigyne - external view

Guide to identification of genera by abdominal pattern

Guide to identification of genera by external appearance and color pattern

Removed from PSEUDICIINES

Gen. Afraflacilla Berland & Millot, 1941 (30 species)

Type species Afraflacilla bamakoi Berland, Millot, 1941
ETYMOLOGY. Name combines cores of words Africa and Flacilloides, the later being unused synonym, grammar gender assumed feminine.
DIAGNOSIS. Share mutual diagnostic characters of PSEUDICIINES: peculiar stridulatory apparatus "femur I-carapace" with striking lateral, subocular row of about 10 short bristles on protuberances, modified tibia of robust leg I, flattened body and characteristic color pattern. Differs by very complicated internal structure of epigyne, consisting of a tight group of coils running antero-posteriorly, beginning from relatively anterior copulatory opening and initial loop of duct, next passing into several coils of different size and then passing indistinctly into final loop, longest and broadest, being apparently spermatheca, with spine covered internal wall. There is characteristic, chimney like tube, branching of from initial coil of ducts and ending with small opening atop, being presumably modified equivalent of scent opening's armature and duct in other genera. All these coils take posterior half of epigyne, prominent external pair of pockets is located anteriorly, in front of the above described group of coils. Some Australian species (A. grayorum, huntorum, yeni) have different looking coils and spermathecae, these deserve, presumably, separation into genus of their own. Male palps with elongate oval bulbus, embolus arising from a broad base in mid-length of bulbus, or its posterior end, running parallel to bulbus and gently inclined in front of it. In some species bulbus is broader and embolus is longer, encircling it. Tibial apophysis single and long, originates at the mid-length of tibia, broadly bent initially. Legs I with oversized, much broadened femur, patella and tibia. Female. Abdomen light with two darker streaks broken into 3 pairs of near-rectangular spots, there is a pair of lighter gray spots anteriorly, and a diamond-shaped, contrasting black spot at the posterior end of the abdomen. Drawings below constitute integral part of the genus definition.
REMARKS. The genus contains majority of species originally classified to Pseudicius, to which is so similar by habitus that after original description of two species as Afraflacilla by Berland & Millot, 1941, it was re-synonymized by Clark [1974. P. 22] but revived again by Zabka [1993: 280], the decision sustained now, after prolonged discussion.
DISTRIBUTION. Documented all over Africa, South East Asia, some species occurring on Pacific Islands and in Australia. Three species entering Southern Europe.

Gen. Okinawicius Prószyński, 2016 gen. n. (5 species)
[name proposed as partial synonym for the genus Pseudicius ].

Type species Pseudicius okinawaensis Prószynski, 1992.
ETYMOLOGY. Name combines words Okinawa and Icius, grammar gender assumed masculine.
DIAGNOSIS. Share mutual diagnostic characters of PSEUDICIINES: lateral, subocular row of about 10 short bristles on protuberances, modified tibia of robust leg I, flattened body and characteristic color pattern. Differs by prominent pockets on surface of epigyne, which are unusually long and prominent. There is a pair of medial depressions on epigyne, with indistinct copulatory openings, visible only after clearing of epigyne. Striking difference is provided by a flat spiral of several concentric membranous coils of copulatory ducts, in a plane parallel to surface of epigyne, visible after staining in Chlorazol Black E. These join narrow and long, sclerotized spermathecae near the prominent armature of scent opening (which in O. modestus is long, chimney-like). Sclerotized parts of these structures is comparable to Nepalicius. Males (matching require confirmation). Embolus arise laterally from bulbus, either in its mid-lenght, or posteriorly. Tibial apophysis with stumpy rami, two or three.
Drawings below are integral part of the definition.

Remarks. Females of O. sheherezadae and males of Pseudicius sindbadi were collected in the same day - April 11th, 1980, in the same locality Thanomah in Saudi Arabia, at the same altitude 2140 m., and by the same collector W. Buettiker, since Salticidae in deserts are sparse and rarely collected, there is good chance that they may match, therefore belong to the same species. If so, morphologically similar male of Pseudicius shirinae from Wadi Harth may also belong to Okinawicius. Suguro, Yahata, 2014: 63(2): 87-97, f 25, 27, 28 proposed to synonymize four species of Pseudicius in Japan, these synonyms are not accepted - for details see chapter below.
Composition. The following species are transferred from genus the Pseudicius Simon, 1885: Okinawicius daitaricus (Prószynski, 1992), comb. n., O. delesserti (Caporiacco, 1941), comb. n., O. modestus (Simon, 1885) comb. n., O. okinawaensis (Prószynski, 1992) comb. n., O. sheherezadae [+ sindbadi? - conspecific?] (Prószynski, 1989) comb. n., O. shirinae (Prószynski, 1989) comb. n., O. tokaraensis (Bohdanowicz, Prószynski, 1987) comb. n.
REFERENCES. Proszynski Ann. zool.,1984 - 3, 13: 350, f 12-14; 1 992a - 44, 8: 102, f 104-105.

+

+b)

b)

b)

b)

Correction of mistaken synonyms
of Japanese Pseudicius

Suguro & Yahata (2014) purported to revise Japanese species of genus Tasa and part of Pseudicius by morphological investigation and molecular analysis using partial sequencing data of m-DNA COI gene. Their opinions relate directly to descriptions of genera presented in this paper.
1. Female of Psudicius koreanus Wesołowska, 1981 cannot by matched with male Tasa nipponica Bohdanowicz, Prószyński, 1987, because absence in the latter of the crucial somatic characters - lateral subocular row of bristles on tubercles, tibia not modified, different body shape and proportions, also palps are incomparable with any of 120 species of "PSEUDICINES".
2. Pseudicius tokaraensis and P. okinawaense differs between themselves distinctly by details of spermathecae and copulatory ducts, which cannot be dismissed as individual variation, evaluation of which require comparison of all ten species of the genus, delimited now as Okinawicius Prószyński, 2016 and distributed from Japan to Africa.
3. Pseudicius kimjoopili (Kim, 1995) was misplaced in the original description, its correct combination is now Plexippoides kimjoopili (Kim, 1995).
4. Pseudicius vulpes (Grube 1861) is transferred now to the genus Orienticius Prószyński, 2016, not related to any "PSEUDICINES".
5. After all these adjustments, the fauna of Japan contains now three species related to Pseudicius: Nepalicius koreanus (Wesołowska, 1981), Okinawicius okinawaensis (Prószyński, 1992), O. tokaraensis (Bohdanowicz, Prószyński, 1987).
Documentation of above is shown on drawings below.

+b)

Gen. Pseudicius Simon, 1885 (9 species)

Type species Pseudicius encarpatus [= syn. Aranea encarpata Walckenaer, 1802] from Europe.
DIAGNOSIS. Share mutual diagnostic characters of PSEUDICIINES: peculiar stridulatory apparatus "femur I-carapace" with striking lateral, subocular row of about 10 short bristles on protuberances, modified tibia of robust leg I, flattened body and characteristic color pattern. Differs by epigyne with oval depression and usually indistinct pockets. Copulatory duct is sclerotized and resembles flattish bow, oriented horizontally, and joining elongate and narrow spermatheca, also bow like and oriented transversally. Male bulbus relatively short, more or less rounded, with short embolus arising from its antero-prolateral edge. Tibial apophysis short, either stumpy with minute side spine, or split into three short rami. Drawings below constitute integral part of the genus definition.
REMARKS. The first discovered species was designated the type species, being little representative for the whole, originally delimited genus, as often happens. That was due to European fauna being studied first and the best known for the arachnologists of XIX century. Splitting original Pseudicius into smaller derivates, especially Afraflacilla, has reduced importance of these differences. Genus Pseudicius is distributed mainly in Europe, marginal area for PSEUDICIINES, as a whole.

+++

+

+

+

++b)

+

+

Gen. Rudakius Prószyński, 2016 gen. n. (9 species)
[ proposed as partial synonym for the genus Pseudicius ].

Type species Menemerus cinctus Pickard-Cambridge O., 1885.
Etymology. Named in honor of great Persian poet Rudaki (850-940 n.e.) who lived in the Samanid court in Buchara (present day Uzbekistan) - in the area of occurrence of this genus. Name combines words Rudaki and Pseudicius, grammar gender assumed masculine.

DIAGNOSIS. Share mutual diagnostic characters of PSEUDICIINES: lateral, subocular row of about 10 short bristles on protuberances, modified tibia of robust leg I, flattened body and characteristic color pattern. At first glance epigyne and palps appear entirely different from other genera of this group, however, in spite of different appearance, all parts of these structures appear homologous. Epigyne has two large grooves, separated by a septum, but without visible external pair of pockets. Copulatory openings are distinctly visible in the middle part of medium septum, sclerotized and followed by broad, sclerotized ducts running posteriorly, then making a full circle tight loop, near branching off point of the scent opening armature. From that spot follows obliquely sclerotized duct, unusually narrow, to postero-medially located spermathecae, small in comparison with size of the epigyne. In Rudakius afghanicus (Andreeva, Hęciak & Prószynski, 1984), comb. n. spermatheca is different, intermediary to state in Afraflacilla: elongate vessel, running medially, parallel to main body axis and much larger, about half the length of epigyne. Male palp is very special, with anterior edge of bulbus truncated transversally, with robust embolus arising antero-laterally and posterior part of bulbus expanded diagonally, postero-laterally. Tibial apophysis large, consisting of two long, pointed rami, widely spaced, in some species, however, dorsal ramus is distinctly shorter. Drawings below constitute integral part of the genus definition. Drawings below constitute integral part of the genus definition.

Distribution. Rudakius is a central Central Asian genus, occuring also in China, Ethiopia, India, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia .
Composition. The following species are transferred from the genus Pseudicius Simon, 1885: Rudakius afghanicus (Andreeva, Heciak, Prószynski, 1984), comb. n., R. cinctus (Pickard-Cambridge O., 1885), comb. n., R. delesserti (Caporiacco, 1941), comb. n., R. maureri (Prószynski, 1992), comb. n., R. rudakii (Prószynski, 1992), comb. n., R. spasskyi (Andreeva, Heciak, Prószynski, 1984), comb. n., R. wenshanensis (He, Hu, 1999), comb. n.. Species Rudakius citri (Sadana, 1980), comb. n. was originally misidentified as Phlegra citri Sadana, 1980: 229, f. 1-5; Rudakius ludhianaensis (Tikader, 1974 - nec nec Sadana et Kaur, 1974), comb. n. was originally misidentified as Marpissa ludhianaensis Tikader, 1974: 205, f. 1-3.

+

+

+

b)c)d)

Gen. Spadera Peckham, Peckham, 1894 (1 species) [synonym reinstated]

Spadera unica Peckham & Peckham, 1894: 118, pl. 12, f. 1 (Dm).
Pseudicius unicus Simon, 1901a: 613, 623.
Pseudicius unicus Prószynski, 1987: 51 (m).
Type species Spadera unica Peckham, Peckham, 1894 from Madagascar.
DIAGNOSIS. Little known genus, somewhat resembling Rudakius by shape of embolus and bulbus, tibial apophysis could be derived: long thin, terminated by minute fork. Original description is not unequivocal, but mentions apearance of first leg fitting PSEUDICINES, which is lost on original drawing. Classification by Simon also support placing this genus in PSEUDICIINES. DESCRIPTION. [I repeat below the original description by Peckham & Peckham, 1894: 118.] "The falces are short but stout and project obliquely forward. The fang is rather long. The maxillae are rounded and are more than twice as long as the labium. The sternum is twice as long as wide. The femur, patella and tibia of the first leg are thickened, especially the femur. The color of the cephalothorax is dark brown; the eye region is blackish. The upper surface is thinly covered with mixed red and white hairs. A wide, white band encircles the lower sides and below this is a black line. The clypeus and palpus are covered with white hairs. The abdomen is light brown, with a dark region down the middle, which consists of two triangular figures on the anterior and middle part and some rounded spots behind. There is a transverse, curved, white band at the anterior end of the abdomen, and another across the middle; and the brown spots at the posterior end are surrounded by white. The femur, patella and tibia of the first leg are thickened, especially the femur. The legs are brown, the first pair being the darkest. The falces are dark brown. The under surface is dark brown, thinly covered with white hairs. Length, 4.8. Length of cephalothorax, 2; width of cephalothorax, 1.2. Legs [length order] is 1432; first pair plainly stoutest." Drawings below constitute integral part of the genus definition.
REFERENCES. Proszynski Ann. zool.,1984 - 3, 13: 350, f 12-14; 1992a - 44, 8: 102, f 104-105.By courtesy.

+

Removed from PSEUDICIINES

Metaphidippus siticulosus (Peckham, Peckham, 1909) comb. n.
(transfer to group of genera DENDRYPHANTINES)

Pseudicius siticulosus Peckham & Peckham, 1909: 495, pl. 39, f. 11 (Df).
Pseudicius siticulosus: Maddison W.P. 1996. Bull. Mus. Com. Zool. 154 (4): 229, 241, 333, f 43, 119
[COMMENT: Removal from Pseudicius necessary for understanding evolution of that genus, which has never reached Western Hemisphere. Transfer to DENDRYPHANTINES is based on two diagnostic drawings by Dr. W.P. Maddison, publshed in in 1996 (see above), but unfortunately the crucial drawing of internal structures of epigyne was not yet published. Owing to kindness of Dr. Maddison I have seen that drawing in 1986, but I have no permission to display it..

Gen. Nandicius Prószyński, 2016 gen. n.
(transfer to group of genera CHRYSILLINES)

Including species:
Pseudicius cambridgei Prószynski, Zochowska, 1981= Nandicius cambridgei (Prószynski, Zochowska, 1981) comb. n.,
Pseudicius deletus = N. deletus (Pickard-Cambridge O., 1885) comb. n.,
Pseudicius frigidus = N. frigidus (Pickard-Cambridge O., 1885) comb. n.,
Pseudicius pseudicioides = N. pseudicioides (Caporiacco, 1935) comb. n.,
Pseudicius pseudicioides = N. szechuanensis Logunov, 1995) comb. n.
[COMMENT: new photographs by Miss Shazia Quasin demonstrate absence of typical PSEUDICINES characters in one of species of this poorly known spiders, the genitalic structures suggest classification into CHRYSILLINES].

Gen. Orienticius Prószyński, 2016 gen. n. (2 species).
(transfer to group of genera NOTICIINES)

Including species: Pseudicius vulpes (Grube, 1861) = Orienticius vulpes (Grube, 1861 comb. n.,
Pseudicius chinensis = Orienticius chinensis (Logunov, 1995) comb. n.
[COMMENT: Placement in the genus Pseudicius cannot be sustained because of absence of stridulatory row on spines on protuberances below eyes lateral and tibia I not modified, structure of embolus excludes it from the genus Icius.