Advances in the taxonomy of spiders in miocene amber from the Dominican Republic (Arthropoda: Araneae)

Abstract

Trachelas poinari sp. nov. (Corinnidae), Miagrammopes sp. indet. (Uloboridae) and the first indisputable fossil Lycosidae (gen. et sp. indet.) are newly identified and described in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic. The following are junior synonyms: Nops segmentatus Wunderlich, 1998 of N. lobatus Wunderlich, 1988 (Caponiidae); Azilia muellenmeisteri Wunderlich, 1988 of A. hispaniolensis Wunderlich, 1988 (Tetragnathidae); and Lyssomanes galianoae Reiskind, 1989 of L. pristinus Wunderlich, 1986 (Salticidae). The specimens described as Nops sp. (Caponiidae), Selenops beynai Schawaller, 1984, S. sp. 1, and S. sp. 2 (Selenopidae) by Wunderlich (1988) are unrecognizable as distinct species. The following new combinations are presented: gen. indet. clypeatus (Wunderlich, 1998) (=Anelosimus clypeatus) (Theridiidae); Meioneta bigibber (Wunderlich, 1988) (=Agyneta bigibber), M. fastigata (Wunderlich, 1988) (=Agyneta fastigata), M. separata (Wunderlich, 1988) (=Agyneta separata) (Linyphiidae); Enacrosoma verrucosa (Wunderlich, 1988) (=Cyclosa verrucosa) (Araneidae); Pseudosparianthis pfeiferi (Wunderlich, 1988) (=Tentabunda pfeiferi) (Sparassidae). Theridion wunderlichi nom. nov. is proposed as a replacement name for T. ovale Wunderlich, 1988 (nom. preocc.). The previously unknown male of Styposis pholcoides Wunderlich, 1988 (Theridiidae) is described. Additional features of Argyrodes crassipatellaris Wunderlich, 1988 (Theridiidae) are described; this species is transferred from the trigonum to the cancellatus species group. Nine specimens belonging to six previously described species, and six juvenile Selenops sp. (including one exuvium) are newly identified. These are the first fossil records of Trachelas, Enacrosoma and Pseudosparianthis, giving them stratigraphic ranges of 15-20 my; the genera Anelosimus, Cyclosa are unknown in the fossil record.