German arachnologists have described a new genus and four species of huntsman spiders from South Africa and Namibia.
May bruno. Image credit: Dirk Kunz.
Only a few species of African huntsman spiders are commonly known, since they are either widespread and common or exhibit special behaviors, such as the dancing white lady spider (Leucorchestris arenicola), with its threatening behavior, or the golden wheel spider (Carparachne aureoflava), with the spectacular escaping behavior.
“To discover a living huntsman spider in the South African deserts is a difficult feat; to study the spider in detail is almost impossible,” explained Dr Peter Jäger of the Senckenberg Research Institute. “The eight-legged animals are quick, nocturnal, and dwell in inconspicuous tunnels in the sand.”
“Fortunately, we have our collection that we can fall back on,” he added.
In his lab, Dr Jäger was able to identify a new genus of huntsman spiders with four associated species – May bruno from South Africa; M. ansie, M. rudy, and M. norm from Namibia.
“Specimens of one of the new species were collected in 2004 by my doctoral student at the time, Dirk Kunz, and I now described them together scientifically as May bruno,” Dr Jäger said.
His co-author, Dr Henrik Krehenwinkel of the Max-Planck-Institut für Evolutionsbiologie, confirmed that the specimens belong to a new genus.
“The tips of the feet of these newly discovered desert dwellers with a leg span of 3.1 – 3.9 inches (8 – 10 cm) are particularly conspicuous. They contain unique tufts of setae with feathered tips,” the scientists said.
“They likely serve to prevent the animals from sinking into the sand and help them remain on the surface.”
In addition, the team found yet another special trait in these spiders.
“All four females they inspected showed paired bite marks on their cephalothorax. It is quite possible that these injuries were sustained during mating,” Dr Jäger said.
The arachnologists refuse to speculate about the meaning of such behavior and hope that their colleagues will be able to observe the copulation in the field.
Research describing the new genus and the four new species of huntsman spiders is published online in the journal African Invertebrates.
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Jäger, P. & Krehenwinkel, H. 2015. May gen. n. (Araneae: Sparassidae): a unique lineage from southern Africa supported by morphological and molecular features. African Invertebrates 56 (2): 365-392
