Agyneta maritima Emerton 1919

Agyneta maritima (Emerton 1919)

Figs 26, 130–136, map 7

Microneta maritima Emerton 1919: 4, pl. 1, f. 8–10. (Description 3).

Meioneta maritima Leech 1966: 186, f. 62–64. (Transferred 3 from Microneta, description Ƥ).

Meioneta alaskensis Holm 1960: 127, f. 32–34. (Holotype 3, allotype Ƥ from Alaska, Meade River (157º:71º) 8-9 Aug. 1958, C. Lindroth, MCZ) EXAMINED.

Agyneta maritima Eskov 1992: 75, 81. (Transferred from Meioneta and Meioneta alaskensis Holm 1960 was synonomized with A. maritima. This synonymy was rejected by Saaristo and Koponen 1998. SYNONYMY REAFFIRMED).

Agyneta alaskensis Saaristo & Koponen 1998: 574, f. 8A–C, E.

Diagnosis: Males are distinguished from most Agyneta by the bifid tip of their lamella characteristica (Fig. 130). To distinguish from A. nigripes, see diagnosis of the latter. Females are distinguished from most Agyneta by the presence of a deep pit hook depression (Fig. 134). From closely related species by their wider pit hook depression (Fig. 134), narrower in A. rurestris, A. jacksoni and A. dynica (Figs 112, 120, 127, 141).

Description: Male: Total length 2.06; carapace length 0.88, width 0.69.

MAP. 7. Localities of Agyneta maritima (Emerton 1919).

CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace dark brown, shiny, finely reticulate; suffused with dark gray along margin, radiating lines; trident mark present. Sternum brown strongly suffused with dark gray. Clypeus height 2. Chelicerae orange-brown, apical part lighter, strongly excavated; ~12 seta-tipped tubercles; promargin two denticles, retromargin three denticles, both margins with rounded projections near base of fang (Fig. 26). Cheliceral stridulatory organ ~37 striae, well spaced throughout. ABDOMEN: Uniformly dark gray. LEGS: Yellow-orange; leg I total length: 2.82; leg III total length: 2.13; Tm I: 0.24, Tm IV: absent. GENITALIA: Palpal retrolateral tibial apophysis short, rugose; dorsal tibial apophysis wide, rugose; two retrolateral trichobothria and a dorsal one (Fig. 130). Cymbium triangular; glabrous depression present (Fig. 130); dorsal cymbial tubercle triangular, smooth; ventral cymbial tubercle absent; prolateral notch shallow (Fig. 131). Paracymbium apical pocket short, anterior and posterior pockets short and curved (Fig. 130). Embolus tip pointed, concave; dorso-ventrally spiny; basally with two spurs; Fickert’s gland absent; ventral lamella serrated, transparent; thumb short reaching well below the embolus proper (Fig. 132). Embolus proper set apically, dorsal part wider and serrated (Fig. 132). Anterior terminal apophysis narrow with long protrusions; posterior terminal apophysis wide, striate; lamella characteristica large, margin dentate basally, ending in four large spikes (Fig. 133).

Female: Total length 2.16; carapace length 0.81, width 0.63.

CEPHALOTHORAX: Same coloration as male. Chelicerae yellow; promargin four teeth, retromargin five denticles. Cheliceral stridulatory organ visible ~26 striae, well spaced. ABDOMEN: Same as male. LEGS: Same as male; palpal tibia and tarsus brownish, tarsal claw absent; leg I total length: 2.81; leg III total length: 2.21; Tm I: 0.26; Tm IV: absent. GENITALIA: Epigynum with wide proximal part of scape, sides straight and vertical; epigynal slits oval and short; pit hook depression deep (Fig. 134); lateral lobes wide and short; stretcher seemingly absent (Fig. 135). Median part of scape long and wide with constrictions; genital pores situated at base of lateral lobes pockets (Fig. 136). Internal genitalia with a rounded ventral receptacula and a small, oval dorsal one (Figs 135, 136).

Other material examined: CANADA: Northwest Territories: Norman Wells, 25.vi.1949, 231Ƥ, W. Mason (CNC). Nunavut: Baker Lake, 14.vii.1947, 131Ƥ, T. Freeman (AMNH); Ellesmere Island, 04.vii.1980, 23, J.R. Smith (CNC); Hazen Camp, 06.vi.1963, 131Ƥ, 10.vii.1964, 131Ƥ, 16.vi.1964, 23, 20.vi.1964, 233Ƥ, 28.vi.1964, 1Ƥ, 02.viii.1964, 3Ƥ, R. Leech (CNC); Rasmussen Basin, 08.viii.1977, cotton grass meadow, 131Ƥ, T. Hogg (DBC); Truelove Inlet, Devon Island, 16–21. vi.1973, 1 Ƥ, J. Daley (DBC). USA: Alaska: Brooks Range, Araktuvuk Pass, on mountain, 3.2km W of village, 16.viii.1960, along stream, 1Ƥ, A. Holm, O. Martensson (AMNH); Brooks Range, Feniak Lake, 02.viii.1961, 131Ƥ, A. Holm, O. Martensson (AMNH); North Slope Brgh., Meade River, 96km S Barrow, 06.vi.1978, 23, 15.vi.1978, 332Ƥ, 17.vi.1978, 131Ƥ, 24.vi.1978, 131Ƥ, 27.vi.1978, 131Ƥ, 02.vii.1978, 731Ƥ, 05.vii.1978, 1Ƥ, 11.vii.1978, 233Ƥ, 20.vii.1978, 436Ƥ, 20.viii.1978, 2Ƥ, 10.viii.1980, 1Ƥ, B. Vogel (AMNH); North Slope, lake, 1.6km W Jago river, 23.vii–06.viii.1962, tundra, 131Ƥ, C. Lewis (AMNH); SW Rock Mountain, 1264m, 13–14.vi.1994, pitfalls, alpine tundra, E. West (UWBM); Yukon Border, Firth River, E facing slope of Mountain, 1.6km SE Mancha Creek, 12.viii.1961, limestone, 2Ƥ, K. Stone (AMNH).

Distribution: Siberian-Nearctic (Tanasevitch & Koponen 2007).

Note: After examining the holotypes of A. maritima and A. alaskensis, studying the palpal embolic division and the female internal genitalia of many specimens from Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Alaska, I found no consistent morphological differences suggesting two distinct species. I did observed the variation in size, carapace color and serration of the male palpal lamella characteristica mentioned by Saaristo & Koponen 1998 (p. 572, 574; figs 6, 8). But those minor morphological differences fall within the range of variation observed in other species of Agyneta (eg. A. fillmorana, A. sheffordiana, A. amersaxatilis), therefore A. alaskensis synonymy with A. maritima is reaffirmed following Eskov (1994).