Annotated checklist of the spiders of Saint Helena, with new records, descriptions of unknown sexes, new and restored genera, and two new species (Araneae: Araneomorphae)
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: An annotated checklist and taxonomic review of the spiders of Saint Helena is presented. A total of 88 genera and 114 species are known; of these, 12 genera and 45 species are endemic. Two new genera and two new species are described: Anapistula martinae Sherwood, Harvey, Fowler, Joshua, Stevens, Scipio-O'Dean & Ellick sp. nov., Helenidion Sherwood, Marusik, Fowler, Stevens & Joshua gen. nov., Ischnothyreus christyjoae Sherwood, Henrard, Peters, Stevens & Fowler sp. nov., and Trust Sherwood, Marusik, Wilkins, P. Ashmole & M. Ashmole gen. nov. Three new combinations are proposed: Helenidion sciaphilum (Benoit, 1977) comb. nov. (type species), Helenidion huberti (Benoit, 1977) comb. nov., and Zelotes funereus (Dalmas, 1921) comb. nov. Lepthyphantes albimaculatus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1873) (Linyphiidae) is synonymized with Lepthyphantes leprosus (Ohlert, 1865) syn. nov. Lynxosa Roewer, 1960 gen. rest. is restored to house the lycosids L. inexorabilis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1870) comb. rest., L. ligata (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1870) comb. rest., L. nefasta (Tongiorgi, 1977) comb. nov., and L. veseyensis (Sherwood, Henrard, Logunov & Fowler, 2023) comb. nov. The previously undescribed sexes of Benoitodes sanctaehelenae (Strand, 1909) (Gnaphosidae), Hahnia laticeps Simon, 1898 (Hahniidae), Helenactyna crucifera (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1873) (Dictynidae, first known male for the genus), Paraheliophanus napoleon Clark & Benoit, 1977 (Salticidae), and Trust solium (Benoit, 1977) comb. nov. (Theridiidae) are described. Bonapruncinia sanctaehelenae Benoit, 1977, originally described from juveniles, is supplemented with a first description of the adult female. Lectotypes and paralectotypes are designated for the salticid species Paraheliophanus subinstructus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1873) and Pellenes inexcultus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1873). Seven species are newly recorded from the island: Clubiona hitchinsi Saaristo, 2002 (Clubionidae), Latrodectus renivulvatus Dahl, 1902 (Theridiidae), Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887) (Pholcidae), Oecobius marathaus Tikader, 1962 (Oecobiidae), Steatoda nobilis (Thorell, 1875) (Theridiidae), Theridion melanostictum O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876 (Theridiidae), and Theridion proximum Lawrence, 1964 (Theridiidae). Epigynal duplication, a rare anomaly in spiders, is reported for the prodidomid Zimirina relegata Cooke, 1977.
Source: Arachnology
Authors: Danniella Sherwood, Arnaud Henrard, Rudy Jocqué, Liza Fowler, Yuri M. Marusik, Wayne Maddison, Mark S. Harvey, Gustavo Hormiga, Cristina A. Rheims, Luis N. Piacentini, Martina Peters, Natasha Stevens, Daryl Joshua, Christy Jo Scipio-O'Dean, Gavin Ellick, Vicky Wilkins, Myrtle Ashmole, Philip Ashmole
Institutions: International Union for Conservation of Nature (United Kingdom), International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN Species Survival Commission, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Russian Academy of Sciences, Altai State University, Institute of Biological Problems of the North, Western Australian Museum, George Washington University, Instituto Butantan, Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4404327019