Monograph of the Salticidae (Araneae) of the World 1995-2015. Introduction to alternative classification of Salticidae
Classification of the Salticidae genera of the World
group of genera
MYRMARACHNINES
by Jerzy Prószyński
Version December 31st, 2015
Note on illustrations. This introduction to classification of Salticidae includes only species defined by diagnostic illustrations in the taxonomic literature, arranged by similarities of embolus and spermophor. Images are displayed as thumbnails to save space and allow for rapid scanning of theoretically closely-related species. Thumbnails are small versions of illustrations in other parts of the monograph, whera are displayed together with particulars of their sources and permissions.

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

Type species Salticus plataleoides Pickard-Cambridge O. 1869a: 68, plate 6, figs 61-65 from India.
ETYMOLOGY. Name combines words Myrmarachne and plataleoides, grammar gender assumed feminine.
Diagnosis (Figures 67-76). Spermathecal "pipes" long and thin, differing from Myrmarachne by absence of transversal detour, terminated at the anterior end by discrete, round or oval small chamber, with internal spines. The proximal (topographically posterior) end of pipe is somewhat swollen, like in Bocus. Copulatory ducts, visible after staining, make large membranous coils, connecting slit-like, almost indiscernible, copulatory openings pressed to median septum of epigyne, with proximal ends of spermathecae, near posterior rim of epigyne. Males differ from majority of MYRMARACHNINES by broad basis of embolus, gradually narrowing. In M. plataleoides loop of embolus is shorter, overlaying only anterior half of a bulbus, but in M. turriformis and M. wanlessi encircling entire bulbus, spermophor is not visible on enclosed drawings. Tibial apophysis is short, straight and conical. Body of males is very long, with strongly pronounced body constriction, cephalic part twice higher than thorax, block like. Chelicerae are very long, swollen apically, pedicel is long. Female's abdomen oval, without constriction, pointed posteriorly. Philipinese Myrmarachne assimilis Banks, 1930 and Myrmarachne markaha Barrion, Litsinger, 1995 have similarly elongate chelicerae, but their palps and epigyne indicate that belongs to true Myrmarachne.
Integral part of the definition are drawings below.
Remark. Myrmaplata plataleoides, recognizable at the first glance and common in South and South East Asia, is associated with large, yellow Oecophylla ants, broadly distributed in tropical Asia, Africa and Australia and popularly known because of builds large aerial nest from living leaves of trees. However, in Australia, local Oecophylla smarragdina is associated with Myrmarachne smaragdina Ceccarelli, 2010, externally very similar to Myrmaplata plataleoides (documented by photos by R. Whyte, see also Ceccarelli, 2010: 250) but having spermathecae of true Myrmarachne. Similarity of their habitus is apparently due to mimicking the same model ant.
Ccomposition. The genus accommodate species classified heretofore as the Myrmarachne plataleoides group of species: Myrmaplata hispidacoxa (Edmunds, Prószyński, 2003) comb. n., M. plataleoides (Pickard-Cambridge O., 1869) comb. n., M. turriformis (Badcock, 1918) comb. n., M. wanlessi (Edmunds, Prószynski, 2003) comb. n.
REFERENCES. Edmunds M., Prószynski J. 2003. Vol. 12, N. 7. P. 298-301. Figs 1-7. Simon E. 1901-1903. P. 499. Figs 586, 590-592. Peckham G.W., Peckham E.G. 1892. Vol. 2. N. 1. P. 1-83. Plate 3. Fig 1.

Figures 67-76. Myrmaplata plataleoides (Pickard-Cambridge O., 1869) comb. n. 67-68 - male palps, 69 - male body, dorsal and lateral views, 70 - chelicera, ventrally and sternum, 71 - epigyne, 72 - spermathecae, 73 - coils of membranious copulatory ducts, 74 - sternum, female. 67-70 - after Prószyński & Edmunds 2003. Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society,12: 298-301, f. 1-7; 71-74 - after Prószyński 1992. ©Annales Zoologici, 44: 185, f. 80-81, 83-89; 75-76 - © photo H.K. Tang [from Photo Gallery of Peckhamia]. By courtesy.

b)

Myrmaplata aureonigra +b) hispidacoxa: Edmunds, Proszynski. 2003.. Bull. British Arachnol. Soc. 12 (7): 321-322, figs 117-121 +b) 311-313, figs 64-68. By courtesy. Myrmaplata turriformis: Edmunds, Proszynski. 2003.. Bull. British Arachnol. Soc. 12 (7): 306-308,figs 40-47. By courtesy. Myrmaplata wanlessi : Edmunds, Proszynski. 2003. Bull. British Arachnol. Soc. 12 (7): 315-317, figs 80-100 [placement tentative, pending further study]. By courtesy. Myrmaplata turriformis-cf [PLACEMENT?] : Philippines-Luzon-Biak na Bato Santolcave. ©Photo M. Freudenschuss. By courtesy.