Tafana Simon 1903

Dataset
Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of ghost spiders of the genus Tafana Simon, 1903 (Araneae: Dionycha, Anyphaenidae), with the descriptions of twelve new species: Rank
GENUS

Classification

kingdom
Animalia: phylum
Arthropoda: class
Arachnida: order
Araneae: family
Anyphaenidae: genus
Tafana

description

Description Body from pale white to orange and reddish brown (Figs 10 A, 11 A, 22 A). Legs orange or pale and darker at tarsi (Figs 22 B, 25 A). Carapace sub-rectangular, narrow in anterior region, and enlarged near coxae I – III, cephalic region high, highest behind the posterior eye row (Figs 8 A, 10 A). Eyes, in dorsal view, anterior row slightly recurved and posterior row procurved (Figs 8 A, 10 B). Chelicerae robust and projected, with vertical length approximately half the length of the carapace, basal condyle conspicuous (Fig. 11 A – B), with 3 – 5 promarginal teeth and 4 – 7 retromarginal (Fig. 8 B). Two rows of trichobothria with striated base in dorsal view on the metatarsus and tarsus I – IV (Fig. 8 J). Tarsal organ with teardrop shape on the distal region of tarsus and male palp (Figs 8 I, 20 D), slit sensilla elongated on the tarsus (Fig. 8 K). Paired tarsal claws with 8 – 14 teeth (Fig. 8 G – H). Male palp: patellar apophysis short and rounded (Figs 10 D, 16 D – E, 24 D); distal prolateral tibial apophysis short (Fig. 13 C, E); retrolateral tibial apophysis with large base and conical apex (Fig. 22 D – E), usually exhibiting anterior branches and posterior branches (Fig. 13 C – D) or only one branch (Figs 10 D, 11 D, 24 D – E); median tibial apophysis branched (Fig. 29 D – E) or unique (Fig. 30 D – E); cymbium oval with retrolateral projection (Figs 9 A – B, 10 C, 12 A, 22 C, 26 A, C), with small furrow under this projection, to accommodate the retrolateral tibial apophysis, or without (Figs 29 C, 30 C); chemosensory setae on the cymbium (Fig. 20 D); subtriangular and ypsiloid petiole (Fig. 9 C – D, F); subtegulum with 5 – 6 semicircular rings, short and exposed distal projection on the prolateral side on the palp when not expanded (Fig. 9 D – E); tegulum with ventral tegular process narrow near the median apophysis (Figs 9 B, 10 C, 12 B – C, 18 B) and bordering the apex of the tegulum (Figs 9 A, 22 C, 26 A – B, 28 C); sclerotized median apophysis long, sharp and with a curved apex (Figs 18 B, 20 B, 23 C); embolic process conical, sclerotized, covered by the tegulum, inserted at the base of the embolus (Fig. 9 C – F); sperm duct presenting four or five loops in palp expanded (Fig. 9 C – F) and in palp not expanded three loops in ventral view (Fig. 9 A – B), internally traversing the embolic process reaching the embolus (Fig. 9 E); embolus long (Figs 9 D, 22 C, 24 C) or short (Figs 10 C, 15 C, 17 C), filiform helical and curved retro-apically, connected to the embolic process (Figs 9 D – E, 15 C, 22 C); apophysis at the base of the embolus, conical (Figs 9 B, E, 10 C, 12 C, 18 A – B) or laminar (Figs 23 B, 24 C, 26 A – B). Oval abdomen, tracheal spiracle curved in the middle of the abdomen in ventral view (Figs 7 B, 8 L); anterior spinnerets bisegmented, with basal article large and distal article circular, with several spigots of piriform gland and one spigot of the ampullate gland (Fig. 8 C – D); median spinnerets unsegmented, with several spigots of the aciniform gland and not presenting spigots of the cylindrical gland (Fig. 8 C, E); posterior spinnerets bisegmented with basal and distal article cylindrical, one third longer than the others, with several spigots of the aciniform gland and one spigot of the ampullate gland without spigots of the cylindrical gland (Fig. 8 C, F); colulus substituted by 8 – 10 setae (Fig. 8 C). Epigynum with sinuous lateral lobes, lobe parallel in the posterior region (Figs 10 F, 22 F); hood approximately triangular (Figs 10 F, 16 F, 25 F, 27 F), semicircular (Figs 11 F, 14 F, 32 D) or circular (Figs 15 F, 17 F, 30 F, 32 J, 33 G – H) in the anterior region; posterior region with cuticle covered the lateral lobes (Figs 10 F, 11 F, 17 F, 21 F, 27 F) or without (Figs 13 F, 15 F, 16 F, 28 F); atrium with septum in the anterior region (Figs 11 F, 14 F, 21 F) or without (Figs 13 F, 15 F, 22 F, 25 F); copulatory ducts sinuous (Figs 10 G, 11 G, 19 G, 32 F – I) or coiled (Figs 13 G, 16 G, 32 H, K), running along margin of the lateral lobes, reaching the spermathecae, visible through transparency; secondary spermathecae rounded (Figs 10 G, 11 G, 14 G, 32 F – G, I, 33 B – C) but may be irregular or inconspicuous (Figs 13 G, 28 G, 29 G, 32 H, 33 F – G); secondary spermathecae short, near the primary spermathecae (Figs 15 G, 17 G, 22 G, 26 D, 32 F, J, L), wide (Figs 11 G, 13 G, 14 G, 32 G, I) or in the middle of the copulatory ducts (Figs 16 G, 21 G, 29 G, 32 K, 33 G); primary spermathecae oval, positioned together (Figs 10 G, 15 G, 20 E, 22 G, 26 D, 32 F – G) or separated from each other by almost a third of their diameter (Figs 13 G, 28 G, 29 G, 33 F – H); fertilization ducts near the epigastric furrow, originating from base of spermathecae (Figs 10 G, 11 G, 20 E, 22 G, 26 D, 29 G, 32 F – L, 33 A – H).

diagnosis

Diagnosis Males of species of the genus Tafana resemble those of the genera Aljassa Brescovit, 1997, Aysha Keyserling, 1891, Hibana Brescovit, 1991, Hatitia Brescovit, 1997, Osoriella Mello-Leitão, 1922, Pippuhana Brescovit, 1997, Temnida Simon, 1896, Umuara Brescovit, 1997 and Xiruana Brescovit, 1997 by having an embolic process in the internal male palp (see Brescovit 1997: 176 – 187, figs 221, 247, 265, 272, 280), an apophysis at the base of the embolus (see Oliveira & Brescovit 2015 a: 209, fig. 5 a – b) and further resemble Umuara by having a ventral tegular process near the median apophysis in the male palp (see Oliveira & Brescovit 2015 b: 438, figs 2 a – b), but differ by the presence of a conical or coiled laminar apophysis at the base of the embolus (Figs 9 C – F, 12 B, C, 23 B, 26 A – B). The females resemble those of Anyphaena, Patrera Simon, 1903, Iguarima Brescovit, 1997, Umuara and Pippuhana (see Brescovit 1997: 139 – 187), by having a hood on the anterior fold of the epigynum, but differ by having the posterior extension forming the lateral lobes (Figs 7 D, 10 F, 22 F, 32 E – F, 33 D – E), lateral lobes sinuous (Figs 17 F, 19 F) and posterior region of the epigynum covered by cuticle (Figs 10 F, 17 F, 21 F).

type_taxon

(type species by original designation: T. riveti Simon, 1903: 124).

Name

Homonyms: Tafana Simon 1903; Tafana