Micrathena cyanospina (Lucas, 1835)

Figs. 1–6

Epeira cyanospina Lucas, 1835: 70, pl.140, fig.3 (Female holotype from Island of Java, Indonesia, probably an error, never found in this place according Levi 1986:566, certainly belongs to Neotropical region, lost, not examined).

Plectana cyanospina: Walckenaer, 1842: 178.

Meganopla cyanospina: Simon, 1864: 292.

Acrosoma cyanospinum: Butler, 1873: 420.

Micrathena cyanospina: Simon, 1895: 849, fig. 896; Chickering, 1960: 73, figs. 26–28; Levi, 1985: 566, figs. 620–624; Platnick, 2010.

Diagnosis. Males of M. cyanospina can be distinguished from those of other species in the militaris group by the dark and uniform coloration (Figs. 1–3) and by the pilose posterior area of the abdomen (Figs. 1–3). The palp has a large and truncated embolus on the top of bulb and a triangular median apophysis (Fig. 4).

Description. Female. Described by Levi, 1986: 566, figs. 620–624 and figure 6. Male (INPA-AR 6279). Specimen from the Pico da Neblina, municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, state of Amazonas, Brazil. Carapace, sternum and abdomen black. Femur of legs I and II dark brown, third and fourth leg and remaining articles lighter brown. Carapace shiny brown with a round thoracic depression. Abdomen long, almost quadrangular in shape, with parallel sides. A light brown spot in the anterior third (Figs. 1–3) on the dorsum of abdomen. Total length, 5.5. Carapace, 1.9 long, 1.2 wide. First femur, 0.9; patella and tibia, 1.0; metatarsus, 0.6; tarsus, 0.5. Second patella and tibia, 0.9. Third patella and tibia, 0.6. Fourth femur, 1.2; patella and tibia, 0.9; metatarsus, 0.7; tarsus, 0.5. Paracymbium with enlarged base (Fig. 5), median apophysis triangular (Fig. 4).

Variation. Total length of males ranges from 5.5 to 4.7.

Distribution. Amazon region (Levi 1985).

Natural history. Two males were captured at the Serra do Tapirapecó Mountain at 800 m of elevation, one by nocturnal manual collection, and one with a beating tray, during the day. Another specimen was captured at the Pico da Neblina Mountain at 900 m., with a beating tray during the day. All specimens were collected in rain forest areas (Nogueira et al., 2011).

Material examined. BRAZIL: Amazonas. Manaus, Reserva do km 41 (02º24’S 59º44’W), 30.VIII–2.IX.2008, C.M.P. Leite, 1 female (IBSP 160918); Presidente Figueiredo, Usina Hidrelétrica de Balbina, 1987–88, Equipe IBSP, 1 female (IBSP 10818); Barcelos, Serra do Tapirapecó (1º17’N 64º19’W), X.2006, A.A. Nogueira & R. Braga-Neto, 1 male 1 female (INPA AR 6284-6285), 1 male 1 female (IBSP 160916); São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Pico da Neblina (0º15’N 66º10’W), IX.2007, A.A. Nogueira, N.F. Lo-Man-Hung & D.F. Candiani, 1 male, 4 females (INPA AR 6279- 6283), 2 females (IBSP 160917); Pará. Belém, Mocambo, 24.I.1967, M. Telles, 1 female (IBSP 42364); Paragominas, XII.2005, M.G. Fonseca, 1 female (IBSP 71742).