Wagneriana, F. O. PICKARD-CAMBRIDGE, 1904

WAGNERIANA F. O. PICKARD-CAMBRIDGE, 1904 View in CoL

Wagneria McCook, 1894: 203 View in CoL , type species by monotypy Epeira tauricornis O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889 . The name is preoccupied by Wagneria Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 View in CoL for a dipteran, and by Gistel, 1848 for a mollusc ( Neave, 1940: 650).

Wagneriana F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904: 497 View in CoL . Replacement name for Wagneria McCook, 1894 View in CoL .

Anawixia Chamberlin, 1916: 258 , type species by original designation Anawixia atopa Chamberlin, 1916 . Synonymized by Levi, 1991: 370.

Diagnosis: Males of Wagneriana are distinguished from all other araneids with a paramedian apophysis by having the bases of the paramedian apophysis and the conductor contiguous ( Figs 101, 103F, 104), the outer margin of the paramedian apophysis stalk connected to the tegulum ( Figs 101B, C, 104) and the inner margin connected to the conductor through a short, entire membrane ( Figs 101B, C, 104). Females resemble those of Paraverrucosa by the presence of white setae type I on the cephalic region ( Fig. 18A– D), the short scape ( Figs 122–133) and the absence of a thoracic constriction ( Fig. 18A, C). They can be distinguished from Paraverrucosa by the presence of macrosetae anterior to the fovea ( Figs 18C, 22F). Wagneriana females lacking those macrosetae do not present the diagnostic character combination for Paraverrucosa females.

The monophyly of Wagneriana (Goodman–Bremer support = 13) is supported by a single unambiguous phenotypic synapomorphy (non-unique, homoplastic): absence of macrosetae on the dorsal surface of the male metatarsus II (character 30; Fig. 17). Additional morphological synapomorphies optimize ambiguously (see Table 11).

Description: see Levi (1991). Additional data are as follows.

Total body length 3.7 mm – 8.5 mm in males and 4.5 mm – 14.5 mm in females. Female carapace densely covered by white setae type I on the cephalic region ( Fig. 18A–D; see character 1) and some scattered ones on the thoracic region ( Fig. 18A, C). Male carapace more hirsute than that of females. Female carapace with a pale transversal band posterior to the eyes in some species ( Fig. 19A, B). Sternum with imbricate cuticle texture ( Fig. 24E, F). Eyes subequal in size. Clypeus low, subequal to the diameter of the AME and with imbricate cuticle texture ( Figs 20G, H, 23F). Chelicerae pale yellow to dark brown. Female paturon with a pale area on the frontal surface ( Fig. 23D, E). Leg formula I>II>IV>III. Male coxae I with ventral hook ( Fig. 26I), femora II with prolateral groove ( Fig. 30J) and tibia II with enlarged macrosetae on the prolateral surface ( Fig. 32G–I).

Abdomen dorsal and lateral surfaces covered by white to pale brown short setae type I (see characters 41 and 42; Fig. 41E–H). Booklungs cuticle smooth ( Fig. 45). ALS with a large PI field and one MAP accompanied by a nubbin ( Fig. 50B–F). Posterior median spinneret with numerous AC anterior to a central CY. One to three AC are located between the CY and the posterior mAP, which is accompanied by a posterior nubbin ( Figs 52I, 53). Posterior lateral spinnerets with numerous AC ( Figs 56H, 57). Females AG –FL triplet anterior to the AC and almost parallel with the anterior CY spigot. AG conical, with shallow grooves and embracing the flagelliform spigot ( Figs 56H, 57). Posterior CY surrounded by AC. Epiandrous fusules arranged in a transverse line ( Fig. 61C–J) .

Paracymbium hook-like, with a smooth cuticle texture in most species ( Figs 66E, F, 67–71, 90B, C, 99C). Outer margin of the paramedian apophysis stalk oriented towards the tegulum ( Figs 101B, C) and apical fold narrowing gradually towards the tip ( Figs 96A, C, E, 98A, C, E). Median and terminal apophyses highly variable across species ( Figs 66E, F, 67–71, 87–99). Scape small ( Figs 124A, E, 125A, C, 126A, C, 128A, C, E), lightly sclerotized ( Fig. 129A). Copulatory openings medial ( Figs 125A, 126A) or apical ( Figs 124A, C, E).

Composition: Wagneriana currently includes 34 species: W. acrosomoide s (Mello-Leitão, 1939), W. alma Levi, 1991 , W. atuna Levi, 1991 , W. carinata F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904 , W. cobella Levi, 1991 , W. dimastophora ( Mello-Leitão, 1940) , W. eldorado Levi, 1991 , W. hassleri Levi, 1991 , W. huanca Levi, 1991 , W. jacaza Levi, 1991 , W. jelskii ( Taczanowski, 1873) , W. juquia Levi, 1991 , W.lechuza Levi, 1991 , W. madrejon Levi, 1991 , W. maseta Levi, 1991 , W. neblina Levi, 1991 , W. pakitza Levi, 1991 , W. roraima Levi, 1991 , W. silvae Levi, 1991 , W.spicata (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889) , W. taboga Levi, 1991 , W. taim Levi, 1991 , W. tauricornis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889) , W. tayos Levi, 1991 , W. transitoria (C. L. Koch, 1839) , W. undecimtuberculata ( Keyserling, 1865) , W. allenuevo Alayón, 2011 , W. vegas Levi, 1991 , W. yacuma Levi, 1991 and five undescribed species (J.C.-G., unpublished data).

Natural history: Wagneriana species build vertical orb webs at different heights from ground level (1 cm) to 2.5 m in a wide variety of habitats across the Neotropical region ( Fig. 1). Wagneriana webs have an open hub, with numerous radii and sticky spirals ( Fig. 2; see also Levi, 1991). The spider rests at the centre of the web, hanging upside down. If the spider is disturbed, it moves quickly towards an attachment point, usually twigs, where it remains immobile with its legs pressed to its body. The body morphology and resting position make it difficult to distinguish the spider from the substrate ( Figs 3–6). Wagneriana dimastophora and W. juquia have been reported as prey of hunting-wasp species of the genus Trypoxylon ( Hymenoptera : Crabronidae ) ( Gonzaga & Vasconcellos-Neto, 2005; Buschini et al., 2006, 2008, 2010b). In addition, according to collecting labels, W. jacaza and W. undecimtuberculata have been collected within nests of Sceliphron hunting-wasps ( Hymenoptera : Sphecidae ).

Distribution: Known from southern USA to Argentina. It occupies a broad elevational range from sea level to 2700 m.

NEW SYNONYMIES