The Spittlebug Mahanarva tristis as a Senior Synonymy of Four Neotropical Species of Mahanarva (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cercopidae), and Considerations About M. tristis Subspecies.

Mahanarva Distant, the neotropical spittlebug genus contains 48 species and many of them are only known from their original descriptions and one location. A group of species of this genus stand out due to their similarities and are studied here. Based on comparisons between 28 Mahanarva tristis (Fabricius) specimens and the original drawings of the other species, we demonstrate strong morphological similarities. Examinations of the tegmina showed a polymorphism with different dot and stripe patterns. Those patterns are not exclusive for one species and are found throughout the taxa. Again, studying the male genitals no species-specific characters can be found. Furthermore, differences of the parameres were explained by different angle positions of these genital plates which alter the resulting photos and drawings significantly. On the other hand, changes of the aedeagus can be explained due to its fragile structure and the resulting manipulations during handling. In addition, the overlapping known distribution of the taxa leads to the conclusion that the four species are in fact synonyms of M. tristis and that there is no evidence for the validity of the subspecies. We conclude that the New World spittlebug M. tristis is considered a senior synonym of Mahanarva fraseri (Distant) n. syn., Mahanarva mura (China & Myers) n. syn., Mahanarva raripila (Jacobi) n. syn., and Mahanarva trifissa (Jacobi) n. syn. Aside from that, there was no evidence for the validity of the M. tristis subspecies Mahanarva tristis guppyi (Urich) n. syn., Mahanarva tristis monagasi (Fennah) n. syn., Mahanarva tristis quadrimaculata (Fennah) n. syn., Mahanarva tristis suffusa (Walker) n. syn., and Mahanarva tristis walkeri (Lallemand) n. syn. Unfortunately, it was not possible to conclude the taxonomic state of Mahanarva tristis stalii (Lallemand) because there are no known specimens or types available. So, the subspecies is considered a species inquirenda.

On Neotropical crab spiders: description of a new species of Onocolus (Araneae: Thomisidae).

The systematics and taxonomy of Neotropical stephanopines have been extensively studied over the last years (Machado et al. 2015; Silva-Moreira Machado 2016; Machado et al. 2017, 2018; Prado et al. 2018). According to Machado et al. (2017), the genera Epicadus Simon, Epicadinus Simon and Onocolus Simon form a clade of taxa with characteristic structure of the male genitalia, consisting of a long and filiform embolus, discoid tegulum and the canoe-shaped RTA fused at the basis with an acute and curved DTA. However, the better diagnostic characters are remarkable somatic features and the structure of the female genitalia. While Epicadus present large species with three or five stout opisthosomal projections, elevated thoracic portion, sometimes presenting a median spire (Machado et al. 2018), Epicadinus is composed of smaller spiders with just three pointed opisthosomal projections and the tegument covered by elongated needle-shaped setae, which give these spiders a spiny appearance (Prado et al. 2018). The species of Onocolus, on the other hand, can be recognized by the dorsoventrally compressed prosoma, pentagonal opisthosoma, female genitalia with coiled or S-shaped copulatory ducts and predominant green body coloration. The genus Onocolus has been revised by Lise (1981). Here, we describe O. ankeri sp. nov., a species from the Amazon Forest that is remarkable by its size and color (Fig. 1).

Description of the female of the cellar spider Mesabolivar guapiara (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Mata Atlântica, Brazil.

Among South American pholcid genera, Mesabolivar Gonzales-Sponga, 1998 is the largest with 94 species (World Spider Catalog 2019). Over the last two decades, most of these species were described from forest and caves (Huber 2000, 2018a; Huber 2005; Machado et al. 2007a,b,c, 2013). Besides a well-resolved taxonomy, many Mesabolivar species' natural history is described. Such kind of information has been used both to quantify the spider diversity in caves and to hypothesize how species arrived and diversified into or around caves (Huber 2018b). Here, we describe the female of Mesabolivar guapiara (Huber 2000) for the first time, illustrating the diagnostic features of both sexes and new distributional data are provided from caves and their surroundings.

There and back again: More on the taxonomy of the crab spiders genus Epicadus (Thomisidae: Stephanopinae).

The Neotropical crab spider genera Tobias Simon, 1895 and Epicadus Simon, 1895 comprise species with remarkable somatic morphology and confounding taxonomic history. The results of our recent cladistic analysis corroborate and extend preceding taxonomic assumptions in showing that Tobias is a junior synonym of Epicadus. In the present paper the six species recently transferred from Tobias to Epicadus are redescribed. Two new species are described based on both males and females: Epicadus dimidiaster sp. nov. and Epicadus tigrinus sp. nov.; the male of Epicadus granulatus Banks, 1909 is described for the first time. The diagnosis of the genus is revised, an identification key is provided, and information on geographical distribution is updated. Epicadus now comprises eleven species.

Description of the male of the spider Eustala vellardi Mello-Leitão, 1924,the female of E. delasmata Bryant, 1945 and seven species of Eustala Simon, 1895 declared as nomina dubia (Araneae, Araneidae).

The male of Eustala vellardi Mello-Leitão, 1924 and the female of E. delasmata Bryant, 1945 are described for the first time and new distribution records are provided. The types of E. tridentata (C.L. Koch, 1838), E. tristis (Blackwall, 1862), E. essequibensis (Hingston, 1932), E. uncicurva Franganillo, 1936, E. nigerrima Mello-Leitão, 1940, and E. albicans (Caporiacco, 1954), are apparently lost, and those names are therefore, considered nomina dubia. Eustala andina Chamberlin, 1916, which is based on an immature female is also considered a nomen dubium.

A new species of the genus Apollophanes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898 (Araneae: Philodromidae) with the first record to the Atlantic rainforest.

Apollophanes has a wide distribution, with some species in Asia and most of the species recorded from North and Central America (World Spider Catalog 2016). New species described from the Galapagos Islands by Baert (2013) have extended the genus range to South America. According to Dondale and Redner (1975) and Dondale and Redner (1978), the species of Apollophanes have a moderately low prosoma, usually of yellow to orange-brown color and with black or brown spots on the lateral margins. The posterior eyes distances are equally spaced and the legs are long, slender and speckled with dark spots, with leg I usually being longer than IV (characteristic observed only in the male exemplar of the new species). The opisthosoma has a conspicuous heart mark, dark longitudinal spots on the lateral margins and a pale ventral region with purple spots. According to Dondale and Redner (1975) and Logunov (1996), Apollophanes shares some features with species of Cleocnemis, Thanatus and Tibellus, e.g. the shape and coloration patterns of the dorsal shield of the prosoma, as well as the slender legs with dark spots. Apollophanes can be distinguished from Cleocnemis by the presence of two tibial apophyses (ventral and retrolateral) and by the size of the copulatory ducts openings that are long slits that reach the posterior margin of epigastric furrow in Apollophanes, while in Cleocnemis the openings are shorter and situated in central region of the median septum (Dondale & Redner 1975). Apollophanes differs from Thanatus by the presence of macrosetae on the prolateral region of the metatarsus, and differs from Tibellus by the size of leg IV, that is longer than leg I (Dondale & Redner 1975).

Taxonomic notes on the crab spider genus Tobias Simon, 1895 (Araneae, Thomisidae, Stephanopinae).

The males of Tobias caudatus Mello-Leitão, 1929 and Tobias pustulosus Simon, 1929 are described for the first time, females are redescribed and both sexes are illustrated. New distribution records are presented for both species. Tobias monstruosus Mello-Leitão, 1929 is considered a junior synonym of T. pustulosus. The types of Tobias albovittatus Caporiacco, 1954, and Tobias gradiens Mello-Leitão, 1929 are lost, and Tobias albicans Mello-Leitão, 1929 and Tobias corticatus Mello-Leitão, 1917 are known only from poorly preserved specimens, thus they all are considered nomina dubia.

Taxonomic notes on the crab spider genera Stephanopoides and Isaloides (Araneae: Thomisidae: Stephanopinae).

According to current catalogues, two species are allocated to the genus Parastephanops F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900. The examination of the type of Parastephanops cognatus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1892) (type-species of Parastephanops) has revealed the presence of a high cephalic region, legs with dark metatarsus and apex of tibia, and triangular epigynum with median ridge, all diagnostic features of Stephanopoides Keyserling, 1880. However, the female of P. echinatus (Banks, 1914) has a low cephalic region, a median ocular quadrangle longer than wide and a large atrium of the epigynum, which are diagnostic features of Isaloides F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900. Thus, Parastephanops is synonymized with Stephanopoides and its two species, P. cognatus and P. echinatus, are redescribed, illustrated and assigned to Stephanopoides and Isaloides, respectively. We also propose that Pyresthesis berlandi Caporiacco, 1947 is a junior synonym of Stephanopoides simoni Keyserling, 1880 based on shape and arrangement of the epigynal plate, copulatory ducts and spermathecae.