Browsing by Author "Griswold, Charles E."
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Item Archaeodictyna ulova, new species (Araneae, Dictynidae) : a remarkable kleptoparasite of group-living eresid spiders (Stegodyphus spp., Araneae, Eresidae). American Museum novitates ; no. 2897(New York, N.Y. : American Museum of Natural History, 1987) Griswold, Charles E.; Meikle, Teresa."A new species of Dictynidae, Archaeodictyna ulova, was found living in the communal retreats of two species of group-living eresid spiders, Stegodyphus mimosarum Pavesi and Stegodyphus dumicola Pocock, in Natal and the eastern Transvaal regions of South Africa. A species description and diagnosis are given, with observations of behavior in the field and laboratory. The dictynid lays its egg sacs throughout the eresid retreats, lives as an inquiline in the nest interior, and feeds communally with the eresids on prey items which the eresids catch. A. ulova was never found living independently or with spiders other than the two eresids, and did not remain in nests which were abandoned by the eresid hosts. Ratios of A. ulova to eresids in nests were variable, but reached as high as 0.22. Scelionid wasps parasitized eggs of A. ulova within the eresid nests"--P. [1].Item The goblin spiders of the new genus Volborattella (Araneae, Oonopidae) from Madagascar. (American Museum novitates, no. 3822)(American Museum of Natural History., 2015-01-16) Saucedo, Alma D.; Ubick, Darrell.; Griswold, Charles E.; Goblin Spider Planetary Biodiversity Inventory.A new genus of goblin spider from Madagascar, Volborattella Saucedo and Ubick, is proposed and its five included species newly described and illustrated: V. teresae, the type species, V. guenevera, V. nasario, V. paulyi, and V. toliara. These species differ from other oonopids in several unusual characters, especially the variously modified setae: abdominal scutes having thick recumbent setae with large bases and conspicuous pits; the pedicel region with mats of plumose setae and associated cuticular projections; and anterior metatarsi with prolateral combs. The male palp of Volborattella appears to be unique in having a terminal projection (embolar superior prong, ESP) that forms an abrupt spiral and the female a receptaculum with an accessory duct (curved tube). Volborattella resemble members of the Gamasomorpha complex in lacking leg spines and having a flattened abdomen with complete scutes, but differ genitalically. The Volborattella female has a receptaculum that is wider than long (as opposed to longer than wide in the Gamasomorpha complex) and the male has the embolar region sharply bent (as opposed to evenly curved), which places the genus in the Pelicinus complex. The relationship of Volborattella to other pelicinoids is not resolved. Although the genus most closely resembles some Silhouettella Benoit, Noideattella Álvarez-Padilla et al. and Lionneta Benoit in various genitalic features, somatically it shares with Tolegnaro Álvarez-Padilla et al. and two undescribed Malagasy genera the gamasomorphoid body form and plumose setae. Volborattella females are unusual in having antisymmetrical internal genitalia, with the CTs occurring in either a left or right position, and that these differences in handedness (antisymmetry) are evenly distributed. The shape and size of the CT, as examined through light and scanning microscopy, suggest that it is a coupling pocket for the ESP; if so, Volborattella females are either righties or lefties in their palpal preference.Item Indian Ocean goblin spiders (Araneae, Oonopidae) : four new species of pelicinoids from Madagascar, with a redescription of the type species Silhouettella curieusei Benoit, 1979. (American Museum novitates, no. 3835)(American Museum of Natural History., 2015-05-29) Alvarez-Padilla, Fernando.; Ubick, Darrell.; Griswold, Charles E.; Goblin Spider Planetary Biodiversity Inventory.Four new species of oonopid spiders are described from Madagascar, divided between the genera Silhouettella and Noideattella: S. perismontes, sp. nov., S. perisalma, sp. nov., N. omby, sp. nov., and N. sylvnata, sp. nov. A new diagnosis for Silhouettella is provided, its type species, S. curieusei, from the Seychelles is redescribed, and its morphology thoroughly documented with digital images..Item The Malagasy goblin spiders of the new genus Malagiella (Araneae, Oonopidae). (Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, no. 356)(American Museum of Natural History., 2011-08-10) Ubick, Darrell.; Griswold, Charles E.A new oonopid genus endemic to Madagascar, Malagiella, is proposed and its 10 constituent species newly described and illustrated: M. ambalavo ([male]), M. andringitra ([male, female]), M. fisheri ([m, f]), M. goodmani ([f]), M. nikina ([f]), M. ranavalona ([f]), M. ranomafana ([m, f]), M. toliara ([m, f]), M. valterova ([m, f]), and M. vohiparara ([m, f]). Malagiella is most similar to the Asian genus Camptoscaphiella in both somatic and genitalic features, but differs in some important characters. Unlike Camptoscaphiella, the Malagiella male has a palpal bulb completely fused with the tarsus and a sternum bearing stiff bristles; the female has a round copulatory opening and bifid 4th claws. The species may be recognized by the genitalia. Male palpi are fairly uniform, but differ in segment proportion and details of the embolus complex, which consists of a broad dorsal embolus connected to a laminar ventral prong. Female genitalia are more variable, especially in the curvature of the receptaculum, which spans the range from nearly straight to widely sinuous and occurs in mirror-image versions having opposite coiling. These torsional variants, with females having either left- or right-handed receptacula, probably occur in all species, although they are not evident in species with straight receptacula and (obviously) unknown in species represented by singleton female specimens. Malagiella species are very diverse somatically, ranging from dark, big, and large-eyed species to pale, small, and reduced-eyed ones. Our preliminary clustering uses mostly these somatic features, with some genitalic support, to identify three species groups: ranomafana, vohiparara, and toliara. Other genitalic characters that suggest different groupings are discussed.Item The Malagasy goblin spiders of the new genus Molotra (Araneae, Oonopidae). (American Museum novitates, no. 3729)(American Museum of Natural History., 2011-12-28) Ubick, Darrell.; Griswold, Charles E.A new oonopid genus endemic to Madagascar, Molotra, is proposed and its six included species are newly described and illustrated: M. molotra, the type species, M. ninae, M. katarinae, M. suzannae, M. tsingy, and M. milloti. Molotra is defined on the basis of its unusual genitalia. The male has the palpal bulb terminating in broad, liplike lobes, unlike any previously described in Oonopidae. The female is equally unusual in lacking an apparent receptaculum, although the genitalia otherwise resemble those of silhouettelloid genera. The species of Molotra form three distinct groups based on somatic and genitalic characters. The M. molotra group includes four large, strongly spined species. The remaining two are morphologically distinct and known only from males. M. tsingy is a small species with unusual palpi that are complex, contorted, and with a resting position along the sternocoxal boundary, instead of an anterior sternal cavity. M. milloti is a very bristly species that differs somatically from other Molotra but has genitalia similar to the M. molotra group. Molotra is known only from Madagascar where the three species groups are strongly disjunct. The M. molotra group occurs in higher elevation forests (1000-1300 m) in northeastern Madagascar, M. tsingy is from low elevation karst (150 m) of the southwest, whereas M. milloti is from a coastal locality in the northwest.Item Noideattella and Tolegnaro, two new genera of goblin spiders from Madagascar, with comments on the gamasomorphoid and silhouettelloid oonopids (Araneae, Oonopidae). (American Museum novitates, no. 3745)(American Museum of Natural History., 2012-05-25) Alvarez-Padilla, Fernando.; Ubick, Darrell.; Griswold, Charles E.; Goblin Spider Planetary Biodiversity Inventory.Two new genera of goblin spiders from Madagascar, Noideattella, new genus, and Tolegnaro, new genus, are described with 11 and two species respectively. Noideattella includes N. assumptia, new combination (transferred from Silhouettella), and 10 new species: N. amboa, N. famafa, N. fantara, N. farihy, N. gamela, N. lakana, N. mamba, N. saka, N. tany, and N. tsiba. Tolegnaro includes two new species: T. sagani and T. kepleri. A phylogenetic data matrix of 436 terminals and 341 morphological characters was extracted from the Goblin Spider Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (PBI) descriptive database. The monophyly of Noideattella and Tolegnaro was tested in a phylogenetic analysis of this matrix. In this analysis other oonopid genera recently revised were also recovered as monophyletic and with high support values. A key for all species described here is provided. Noideattella species can be differentiated by having the pars cephalica strongly elevated in lateral view, forming a posterior cone, tibia and metatarsi with spines, and abdomen completely covered by scuta. Tolegnaro species in addition present plumose seta around the pedicel area.Item On the first African spiders of the family Orsolobidae (Araneae, Dysderoidea). American Museum novitates ; no. 2892(New York, N.Y. : American Museum of Natural History, 1987) Griswold, Charles E.; Platnick, Norman I."The first African representatives of the austral spider family Orsolobidae are described. Two new genera are established: Afrilobus, containing three new species (A. capensis and A. australis from the Cape Province of South Africa, and A. jocquei from Malawi), and Azanialobus, conatining one new species, A. lawrencei, from Transvaal, South Africa"--P. [1].Item A revision and phylogenetic analysis of the spider subfamily Phyxelidinae (Araneae, Amaurobiidae). Bulletin of the AMNH ; no. 196([New York] : American Museum of Natural History, 1990) Griswold, Charles E."The subfamily Phyxelidinae Lehtinen of the Amaurobiidae is diagnosed and revised, and a key to and distribution maps of the 53 valid and 1 undescribed species are provided. The subfamily comprises 12 genera placed in three newly described tribes: Ambohima, new genus, Kulalania new genus, Lamaika, new genus, Malaika Lehtinen, Matundua Lehtinen, Namaquarachne, new genus, Phyxelida Simon, Pongolania, new genus, Themacrys Simon, Vidole Lehtinen, Vytfutia Deeleman-Reinhold, and Xevioso Lehtinen. Vytfutia is newly transferred to the Phyxelidinae. Members of the Phyxelidinae occur in Africa, Madagascar, the eastern Mediterranean, and southeast Asia. The Phyxelidinae is monophyletic and is defined by the following putative synapomorphies: at least some of the basal prolateral setae on the palpal femora of both sexes are enlarged, and in many species the setae are also modified into thorns; the tarsal trichobothria are lost and the metatarsal pattern is reduced to a single subapical dorsal trichobothrium; and the origin of the calamistrum is shifted to the median part of the fourth metatarsus. Previous familial placements of the spiders here placed in the Phyxelidinae are critically evaluated, and it is concluded that the Phyxelidinae are members of the Amaurobiidae. The Amaurobiidae is redefined on the basis of putative synapomorphies as spiders with a divided cribellum which have simple, sclerotized retrolateral and dorsal tibial processes on the male palp (however, the retrolateral process is lost in all Phyxelidinae except Vytfutia). A cladogram for the 54 species of the Phyxelidinae derived through numerical parsimony analysis using Swofford's program PAUP is presented. The following new taxa are proposed: new tribes: Vytfutiini, Vidoleini, and Phyxelidini; new genera: Ambohima (type species Ambohima sublima, new species, from Madagascar), Kulalania (type species Kulalania antiqua, new species, from Kenya), Lamaika (type species Lamaika distincta, new species, from South Africa), Namaquarachne (type species Namaquarachne khoikhoiana, new species, from South Africa), and Pongolania (type species Pongolania pongola, new species, from South Africa); new species: Ambohima sublima and A. pauliani; Kulalania antiqua; Lamaika distincta; Malaika delicatula; Namaquarachne angulata, N. khoikhoiana, N. thaumatula, and N. tropata; Phyxelida abyssinica, P. anatolica, P. apwania, P. carcharata, P. crassibursa, P. eurygyna, P. fanivelona, P. irwini, P. jabalina, P. kipia, P. malagasyana P. pingoana, P. sindanoa, and P. umlima; Pongolania chrysionaria and P. pongola; Themacrys ukhahlamba; Vidole V. helicigyna, V. lyra, and V. sothoana; Xevioso amica, X. aululata, X. colobata, X. jocquei, X. kulufa, X. lichmadina, and X. orthomeles. The following new synonymies are proposed: Haemilla grindleyi Lawrence with Malaika longipes (Purcell); Haemilla profundissima Lawrence with Vidole capensis (Pocock). The synonymies of Auximus schreineri Purcell with Auximus capensis Pocock, and of Haemilla tanganensis Simon and Fage with Amphigyrum nebulosum Tullgren, are rejected. Themacrys stolida Simon is considered a nomen dubium"--P. 3.Item Spinneret morphology and the phylogeny of haplogyne spiders (Araneae, Araneomorphae). American Museum novitates ; no. 3016(New York, N.Y. : American Museum of Natural History, 1991) Platnick, Norman I.; Coddington, Jonathan A.; Forster, Raymond R.; Griswold, Charles E.Item Tarsal organ morphology and the phylogeny of goblin spiders (Araneae, Oonopidae), with notes on basal genera. (American Museum novitates, no. 3736)(American Museum of Natural History., 2012-02-29) Platnick, Norman I.; Abrahim, Naiara.; Alvarez-Padilla, Fernando.; Andriamalala, Daniela.; Baehr, Barbara, 1953-; Baert, L.; Bonaldo, Alexandre B.; Brescovit, Antonio D.; Chousou-Polydouri, Natalia.; Dupérré, N. (Nadine); Eichenberger, Beata.; Fannes, Wouter.; Gaublomme, Eva.; Gillespie, Rosemary G., 1957-; Grismado, Cristian J.; Griswold, Charles E.; Harvey, Mark S.; Henrard, Arnaud.; Hormiga, Gustavo.; Izquierdo, Matías A.; Jocqué, R.; Kranz-Baltensperger, Yvonne.; Kropf, Christian.; Ott, Ricardo.; Ramírez, Martín J.; Raven, Robert J.; Rheims, Cristina A.; Ruiz, Gustavo R. S.; Santos, Adalberto J.; Saucedo, Alma D.; Sierwald, Petra.; Szűts, Tamás.; Ubick, Darrell.; Wang, Xin-Ping.Based on a survey of a wide variety of oonopid genera and outgroups, we hypothesize new synapomorphies uniting the Oonopidae (minus the South African genus Calculus Purcell, which is transferred to the Orsolobidae). The groundplan of the tarsal organ in Oonopidae is hypothesized to be an exposed organ with a distinctive, longitudinal ridge originating from the proximal end of the organ, and a serially dimorphic pattern of 4-4-3-3 raised receptors on legs I-IV, respectively. Such organs typify the diverse, basal, and ancient genus Orchestina Simon. Several other genera whose members resemble Orchestina in retaining two plesiomorphic features (an H-shaped, transverse eye arrangement and a heavily sclerotized, thick-walled sperm duct within the male palp) are united by having tarsal organs that are partly (in the case of Cortestina Knoflach) or fully capsulate (in the case of Sulsula Simon, Xiombarg Brignoli, and Unicorn Platnick and Brescovit). The remaining oonopids are united by the loss of the heavily sclerotized palpal sperm duct, presumably reflecting a significant transformation in palpal mechanics. Within that large assemblage, a 4-4-3-3 tarsal organ receptor pattern and an H-shaped eye arrangement seem to be retained only in the New Zealand genus Kapitia Forster; the remaining genera are apparently united by a reduction in the tarsal organ pattern to 3-3-2-2 raised receptors on legs I-IV and by the acquisition of a clumped eye arrangement. Three subfamilies of oonopids are recognized: Orchestininae Chamberlin and Ivie (containing only Orchestina; Ferchestina Saaristo and Marusik is placed as a junior synonym of Orchestina), Sulsulinae, new subfamily (containing Sulsula, Xiombarg, Unicorn, and Cortestina), and Oonopinae Simon (containing all the remaining genera, including those previously placed in the Gamasomorphinae). The type species of Sulsula and Kapitia, S. pauper (O. P.-Cambridge) and K. obscura Forster, are redescribed, and the female of S. pauper is described for the first time. A new sulsuline genus, Dalmasula, is established for Sulsula parvimana Simon and four new species from Namibia and South Africa.