Abstract
As part of a current revision of the Australasian and Pacific orb-weaving spider fauna (family Araneidae Clerck, 1757), a number new combinations are proposed in the generaAcroaspisKarsch, 1878 (3 species),CarepalxisL. Koch, 1872 (1 species),CyclosaMenge, 1866 (5 species), andNeosconaSimon, 1864 (7 species):Acroaspislancearia(Keyserling, 1887),comb. n.,A.mamillana(Keyserling, 1887),comb. n.,A.scutifer(Keyserling, 1886),comb. n.,Carepalxisfurcifera(Keyserling, 1886),comb. n.;Cyclosaanatipes(Keyserling, 1887),comb. n.;Cyclosaapoblepta(Rainbow, 1916),comb. n.;Cyclosaargentaria(Rainbow, 1916),comb. n.;Cyclosalichensis(Rainbow, 1916),comb. n.;Cyclosapoweri(Rainbow, 1916),comb. n.;Neosconadecolor(L. Koch, 1871),comb. n.;Neosconaenucleata(Karsch, 1879),comb. n.;Neosconaflavopunctata(L. Koch, 1871),comb. n.;Neosconafloriata(Hogg, 1914),comb. n.;Neosconagranti(Hogg, 1914),comb. n.;Neosconainusta(L. Koch, 1871),comb. n.; andNeosconanotanda(Rainbow, 1912),comb. n.The following two Australian species, currently placed inAraneus, are not Araneidae but comb-footed spiders (family Theridiidae Sundevall, 1833):Anelosimusdianiphus(Rainbow, 1916),comb. n.andTheridionxanthostichus(Rainbow, 1916),stat. and comb. n.The following six species are considerednumina dubiaas their type material is immature or otherwise unidentifiable (e.g. partly destroyed):AraneusacachmenusRainbow, 1916;AraneusagastusRainbow, 1916;AraneusexsertusRainbow, 1904;AraneussuavisRainbow, 1899;Carepalxiscoronata(Rainbow, 1896); andHeurodesturritusKeyserling, 1886.Heurodesfratellus(Chamberlin, 1924) is considered anomen dubiumandHeurodesporcula(Simon, 1877) is returned toEriovixiaArcher, 1951,Eriovixiaporcula(Simon, 1877).Type material of predominantly Australian species described by E. v. Keyserling (1 species), W. J. Rainbow (10 species), A. T. Urquhart (8 species), and C. A. Walckenaer (2 species) is here considered destroyed or otherwise lost. As it is impossible to identify these species from their original descriptions and considering the known spider fauna from their respective type localities, they are all considerednumina dubia:AnepsiacrinitaRainbow, 1893;Epeiradiabrosis(Walckenaer, 1841);EpeiradiversicolorRainbow, 1893;EpeirafictaRainbow, 1896;EpeirahamiltoniRainbow, 1893;Epeiralacrymosa(Walckenaer, 1841);EpeiraleaiRainbow, 1894;EpeiramortoniUrquhart, 1891;EpeiranotacephalaUrquhart, 1891;EpeiraobscurtaUrquhart, 1893;EpeiraphalerataUrquhart, 1893;EpeirapronubaRainbow, 1894;EpeirararaKeyserling, 1887;EpeirasingularaUrquhart, 1891;Epeirasub-flavidaUrquhart, 1893;EpeirasimilarisRainbow, 1896 (=AraneusurquhartiRoewer, 1942 replacement name);EpeiraventriosaUrquhart, 1891; andEpeiraviridulaUrquhart, 1891.
Highlights
IntroductionThe genus Araneus Clerck, 1757 (and its junior synonym Epeira Walckenaer, 1805) has been used as a ‘dumping ground’ for many orb-weaving spiders (Araneidae Clerck, 1757) of uncertain affinities world-wide (e.g. Grasshoff 1983; Scharff et al in press)
Generic transfers and synonymiesThe genus Araneus Clerck, 1757 has been used as a ‘dumping ground’ for many orb-weaving spiders (Araneidae Clerck, 1757) of uncertain affinities world-wide (e.g. Grasshoff 1983; Scharff et al in press)
This study is based on a comprehensive investigation of more than 12,500 records of orb-weaving spiders representing more than 26,000 specimens from collections of all Australian museums and type material lodged overseas, in particular the Natural History Museum, London, the Centrum für Naturkunde (CeNak), Universität Hamburg (Germany), and the Museum für Naturkunde, Zentralinstitut der Humboldt-Universität, Berlin (Germany), where many of the historic types are housed
Summary
The genus Araneus Clerck, 1757 (and its junior synonym Epeira Walckenaer, 1805) has been used as a ‘dumping ground’ for many orb-weaving spiders (Araneidae Clerck, 1757) of uncertain affinities world-wide (e.g. Grasshoff 1983; Scharff et al in press). Many of these species bear only a remote similarity to the type species of the genus, Araneus angulatus Clerck,1757 (see Kluge 2007). Confusion on the generic placement of these spiders is reflected in the fact that one of the nominal species of Yin et al.’s (1997) species-groups of Araneus is currently listed in Parawixia F. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904, P. dehaani (Doleschall, 1859), molecular and morphological data suggest the species to be misplaced in both Araneus and Parawixia (Scharff et al in press)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
