Cynapes, SIMON, 1900

CYNAPES SIMON, 1900 View in CoL

Type species: Cynapes wrighti , by original description.

Monophyly and phylogenetic placement: Probably polyphyletic. Based on my cladistic analysis of Ballinae generic relationships, C. canosus should be placed in a new monotypic genus. However, I prefer not to describe a new genus at this stage. The status of Cynapes remains to be tested with rigorous sampling and phylogenetic methods.

Remarks: Prior to the study of Wanless (1979) Cynapes included three species: the type C. wrighti , C. baptizatus and C. canosus . Wanless tentatively transferred C. canosus to Marengo , but gave no reasons for doing so, except for saying that the genitalia were in broad agreement with those of Marengo . However, he mentioned the lack of enlarged tibia I ( 31). Further, he mentioned characters apomorphic for C. canosus ( 40-1) and suggested that its generic placement should be reconsidered when more is known of tropical salticids. Details of the genitalia, such as the shape of the subtegulum ( 1), presence of ec ( 2), embolus length ( 5) and lack of enlarged tibia I are all plesiomorphic and thus cannot be used to characterize a genus including C. canosus and Marengo . Moreover, such a transfer of C. canosus to Marengo would add four additional steps to the preferred tree. Wanless (1979, 1984a) suggested that Cynapes might be synonymous with Baviola . However, his hypothesis is not supported in this study.

Diagnosis: Cynapes can be distinguished from other Ballinae genera, except for Sadies , by the presence of a sharply elevated prosoma ( 20) ( Wanless, 1979: fig. 2b; 1984a: fig. 13b) and the absence of an enlarged tibia I ( Wanless, 1979: figs 1b, 2c, j; 1984a: fig. 13g). It is separated from Baviola by the presence of ec ( Fig. 8A–D View Figure 8 ), embolus laying flat on ec ( 4; Fig. 8A–D View Figure 8 ) and an enlarged femur I ( 30) ( Wanless, 1979: figs 1b, 2c, j; 1984a: fig. 13g), and from Sadies by the presence of cag in Sadies ( 16; Figs 45C View Figure 45 , 46A, B View Figure 46 ).

Description: See Wanless (1979, 1984a).

Composition. Three species: Cynapes baptizatus (Butler, 1876) from Rodriguez, C. canosus from Mauritius and C. wrighti (Blackwall, 1877) from the Seychelles.

Distribution: Mauritius, Rodriguez and the Seychelles. Wanless (1984a) mentions its occurrence in Madagascar.

CYNAPES WRIGHTI (BLACKWALL, 1877)

( FIGS 8A, B View Figure 8 , 9B View Figure 9 , 10A- G View Figure 10 )

Salticus wrightii Blackwall, 1877: 2 , pl. 1, fig. 1. 1♂ lectotype (designated by Wanless, 1984a) from the Seychelles, UMO, vial 1778/1 not examined.

Bavia wrighti Simon, 1893: 209 .

Cynapes wrighti Simon, 1901: 471 View in CoL , figs 533-534 (lapsus calami).

C. wrightii Wanless, 1984: 39 , fig. 13a–g.

Diagnosis: The male of C. wrighti can be distinguished from that of C. canosus by a pear-shaped subtegulum that does not extend above the tibia ( Fig. 8A, B View Figure 8 ), and from that of C. baptizatus by the stout rta ( Fig. 8B View Figure 8 ; Wanless, 1979: fig. 1c, h). The female can be distinguished from that of C. canosus by the presence of a narrow epigynal septum in the latter ( Fig. 9A View Figure 9 ). Wanless (1979) proposed that the position of tracheal slits can be used to distinguish C. wrighti from C. baptizatus : a short distance away from the anterior spinnerets in C. wrighti and just in front of the anterior spinnerets in C. baptizatus .

TAXONOMY AND PHYLOGENY OF BALLINAE 19

Description: See Wanless (1984a).

Distribution: The Seychelles.

Other material examined: SEYCHELLES: Mahé Nord, Beau Vallon: 1♂, 12.6.1972, MRAC, MT 143 174; Mahé Sud, Anse á la Mouche: 1♂ 1♀, 30.6.1972, MRAC, MT 143.455 .

CYNAPES CANOSUS SIMON, 1900 View in CoL

( FIGS 8C, D View Figure 8 , 9A View Figure 9 )

Cynapes canosus Simon, 1900: 393 View in CoL . 1♂ 1♀, lectotype ( MNHN 2353 About MNHN ), examined.

Marengo canosus Wanless, 1979: 70 , fig. 2a–k. Designation of lectotypes.

Diagnosis: The male of C. canosus can be distinguished from that of all the other species of the genus by the presence of a subtegulum that extends above the tibia ( Fig. 8C, D View Figure 8 ), the female by the presence of a narrow epigynal septum ( Fig. 9A View Figure 9 ).

Description: See Wanless (1979).

Distribution: Mauritius.

Other material examined: None.