A revision of Pachyballus Simon, 1900 and Peplometus Simon, 1900 (Araneae, Salticidae, Ballini) with descriptions of new species

Wanda Wesołowska; Galina N Azarkina; Konrad Wiśniewski

doi:10.3897/zookeys.944.49921

A revision of Pachyballus Simon, 1900 and Peplometus Simon, 1900 (Araneae, Salticidae, Ballini) with descriptions of new species

Zookeys. 2020 Jun 30:944:47-98. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.944.49921. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Wanda Wesołowska¹, Galina N Azarkina², Konrad Wiśniewski³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 65, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland University of Wrocław Wrocław Poland.
² Laboratory of Systematics of Invertebrate Animals, Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch Russian Academy of Sciences, Frunze Street 11, Novosibirsk 630091, Russia Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch Russian Academy of Sciences Novosibirsk Russia.
³ Institute of Biology and Earth Sciences, Pomeranian University in Słupsk, Arciszewskiego 22b, 76-200 Słupsk, Poland Pomeranian University in Słupsk Słupsk Poland.

Abstract

Two genera from the tribe Ballini (Araneae, Salticidae), Pachyballus Simon, 1900 and Peplometus Simon, 1900, are remarkable for their resemblance to beetles. Their biology is, however, poorly known and taxonomy has hitherto been rarely analysed. Thirteen species are included in this taxonomic revision of the two genera. Six of them are new to the science: Pachyballus caelestis sp. nov. (♂♀, Congo D.R.), Pachyballus miniscutulus sp. nov. (♂♀, South Africa), Pachyballus mombasensis sp. nov. (♂♀, Kenya), Pachyballus ornatus sp. nov. (♂♀, Congo D.R. and Tanzania), Peplometus congoensis sp. nov. (♂♀, Congo and Congo D.R.), and Peplometus nimba sp. nov. (♂, Guinea). One species (Pachyballus cordiformis Berland et Millot, 1941) and a subspecies (P. flavipes aurantius Caporiacco, 1949) are recognised as synonyms of Pachyballus flavipes Simon, 1910. One new combination is proposed: Peplometus oyo (Wesołowska et Russell-Smith, 2011) comb. nov. (ex Pachyballus). The previously unknown females of Pachyballus transversus Simon, 1900 and Peplometus chlorophthalmus Simon, 1900, along with the males of Pachyballus castaneus Simon, 1900 and Peplometus biscutellatus (Simon, 1887) are newly diagnosed and described. Neotypes for Pachyballus castaneus and P. flavipes are designated. Numerous new data on the distribution are provided here and a key to Pachyballus females and to the males of Peplometus is presented. Identity of one species remains doubtful, Pachyballus gambeyi (Simon, 1880).

Keywords: Africa; jumping spiders; mimicry; new combination; redescription; synonyms; taxonomy.

Wanda Wesolowska, Galina N. Azarkina, Konrad Wiśniewski.