Agyneta mollis O. Pickard-Cambridge 1871

Agyneta mollis (O. Pickard-Cambridge 1871)

Figs 151–157, map 6

Neriene mollis O. Pickard-Cambridge 1871: 439. (Description 3). Linyphia oblivia O. Pickard-Cambridge 1873: 446, pl. 34, f. 13. Linyphia aeria O. Pickard-Cambridge 1875: 251, pl. 8, f. 8. (Description Ƥ). Linyphia frederici O. Pickard-Cambridge 1879: 186. Leptyphantes oblivius Simon 1884: 329.

Microneta mollis Simon 1884: 441.

Sintula aerius Simon 1884: 449, f. 231–232.

Sintula pusio Simon 1884: 450, f. 233.

Sintula aeria Bösenberg 1902: 130, pl. 11, f. 168.

Micryphantes mollis Jackson 1912: 129, pl. 7, f. 6. Aprolagus mollis Simon, 1929: 542, 718.

Meioneta mollis Hull 1932: 106.

Meioneta mallis Zhu & Tu 1986: 104, f. 24–26.

Meioneta tenera Heimer & Nentwig 1991: 210, f. 564 (Ƥ using nomen dubium). Agyneta (Aprolagus) mollis Tanasevitch 1990: 95, f. 13.33, 14.3.

Type material: Neriene mollis O. Pickard-Cambridge 1871, 3 HOLOTYPE from neighbourhood of London, Mr. R. Beck. (OUMNH), NOT EXAMINED.

Diagnosis: Males are differentiated from all Agyneta by their long, straight, dentate tip lamella characteristica (Fig. 151). From A. simplex by their more rounded dorsal cymbial tubercle (Fig. 152), pointed in the latter (Fig. 159). Females are distinguished from most species by their very shallow pit hook depression (Fig. 155). From A. simplex and A. uta by their wider proximal part of scape (Fig. 155), narrower in A. simplex and A. uta (Figs 162, 169).

Description: Male: Total length 1.73; carapace length 0.75, width 0.57.

CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace orange-brown, shiny, finely reticulate; suffused with dark gray along margin, radiating lines; trident mark often present. Sternum brown strongly suffused with dark gray. Clypeus height 3. Chelicerae orange-brown, excavated; seta-tipped tubercles absent; promargin four denticles, retromargin four denticles; without projections near base of fang. Cheliceral stridulatory organ ~64 striae, narrowly spaced throughout. ABDOMEN: Uniformly dark gray. LEGS: Orange; leg I total length: 2.29; leg III total length: 1.78; Tm I: 0.29, Tm IV: absent. GENITALIA: Palpal retrolateral tibial apophysis with one small, rugose pointed tip; dorsal tibial apophysis rounded and rugose; two retrolateral trichobothria and a dorsal one (Fig. 151). Cymbium triangular; glabrous depression present (Fig.151); dorsal cymbial tubercle wide, rounded and smooth; ventral cymbial tubercle absent; prolateral notch absent (Fig. 152). Paracymbium apical pocket long, anterior pocket curved, long and deep, posterior pocket short and curved (Fig. 151). Embolus tip pointed, straight; apico-ventrally with spines; basally with small spines; Fickert’s gland absent; ventral lamella narrow, slightly serrated; thumb short reaching below the embolus proper (Fig. 153). Embolus proper set apically, dorsal part narrower (Fig. 153). Anterior terminal apophysis narrow with few long protrusions; posterior terminal apophysis striate; lamella characteristica large and elongated, with several rounded tips (Fig. 154).

Female: Total length 1.65; carapace length 0.66, width 0.50.

CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace light yellow, suffused with dark gray along margin, radiating lines. Clypeus height 1. Sternum suffused with dark gray. Chelicerae yellow; promargin five teeth, retromargin five denticles. Cheliceral stridulatory organ ~30 striae, well spaced apically slowly getting closer basally. ABDOMEN: Uniformly light gray. LEGS: Yellow; leg I total length: 2.21; leg III total length: 1.64; tarsal claw absent; Tm I: 0.25, Tm IV: absent. GENITALIA: Epigynum with wide proximal part of scape, narrowing evenly; epigynal slits oval; pit hook depression very shallow (Fig. 155); lateral lobes wide and short, folded apically; stretcher small; pit deep (Fig. 156). Median part of scape wide and short; genital pores situated at base of lateral lobes pockets (Fig. 157). Internal genitalia with large rounded ventral and dorsal receptaculas (Figs 156, 157).

Other material examined: CANADA: Northwest Territories: Herschel, 24–28.vii.1971, pan traps, 13, W. Mason (CNC). ENGLAND: Surrey, 1Ƥ (AMNH). FRANCE: 232Ƥ, Simon collection (AMNH). USA: Alaska: North Slope Brgh., Meade River, 96km S Barrow, 06.vi.1978, 13, 17.vi.1978, 23, 20.vi.1978, 33, 01.vii.1978, 53, 02.vii.1978, 53, 11.vii.1978, 13, 15.vii.1978, 43, 20.vii.1978, 23, 26.vii.1978, 33, 30.vii.1978, 33, 04.viii.1978, 13, 24.viii.1978, 13, B. Vogel (AMNH); E North Slope near Jago River, 1.6km E of river, 0 9– 20.viii.1962, on tundra, 13, C. Lewis (AMNH).

Distribution: Palearctic-Alaskan (Tanasevitch 2009).

Notes: The female description and illlustrations are from a specimen from England, no female specimens from North America have been found in collections so far. The embolic division from a specimen from France was studied, it showed no significant differences from those of males from North America, the noticeable difference is the height of the clypeus that is high (3x AME) in specimens from North America and low (1x AME) in specimens from France.