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Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands
Published on: January 11, 2011
Revalidation of the spider genus Citharoceps Chamberlin, 1924 (Araneae, Segestriidae)
André Marsola Giroti1, Antonio Domingos Brescovit2
1Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, travessa 14, 321, 05508-090, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil ; Laboratório Especial de Coleções Zoológicas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-090, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract:
Citharoceps Chamberlin was diagnosed by the presence of a very distinctive stridulatory apparatus composed of two patches of ridges on the sides of the cephalic region, and a stridulatory thorn on the prolateral region of the femur I. Currently, this genus is a junior synonym of Ariadna Audouin, with the assumption that the stridulatory apparatus could constitute an exclusive feature of its unique known species, Citharocepsfidicina Chamberlin, currently senior synonym of Citharocepscalifornica Chamberlin & Ivie. In the present study, Citharoceps is revalidated and redescribed based on the occurrence of the stridulatory apparatus in Citharocepsfidicina and Segestriacruzana Chamberlin & Ivie, and also on the presence of distinguishable characters, such as the length of the labium-sternum junction, ventral median spine on male metatarsi I, and strong sclerotized interpulmonary fold in females, forming a conspicuous median flap. Segestriacruzana is transfered to Citharoceps, with Citharocepscalifornica removed from the synonym of Citharocepsfidicina, and proposed as a junior synonym of Citharocepscruzana, due to the similarity between the additional material examined and the original description. Males of Citharocepsfidicina and Citharocepscruzana are described for the first time.

