Scytodes armata
Species of spider
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Scytodes armata is a species of spitting spider in the family Scytodidae. It is endemic to Costa Rica.[1]
| Scytodes armata | |
|---|---|
| |
| S. armata from Costa Rica | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Scytodidae |
| Genus: | Scytodes |
| Species: | S. armata |
| Binomial name | |
| Scytodes armata Brescovit & Rheims, 2001 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Taxonomy
The species was first described by Antonio Domingos Brescovit and Cristina Anne Rheims in 2001.[2] Prior to its formal description, specimens of S. armata had been misidentified as Scytodes championi by Valerio in 1981.[3]
The specific name armata refers to the strong ventral spines along the male's first and second pairs of legs.[2]
Distribution
S. armata is known from several localities in Costa Rica, including La Selva in Heredia Province, Cahuita in Limón Province, and Monteverde in Puntarenas Province.[2]
Description
Scytodes armata is a medium-sized spider with males reaching a total length of 4.38–5.50 mm and females 6.25–6.75 mm.[2]
Males have a yellow carapace with brown patterns and cream-colored abdomen with dark brown transverse stripes. The legs are yellow with brown longitudinal markings along the underside of the femora.[2]
The species can be distinguished from related spiders by several characteristics. Males have a distinctive double row of spines along the underside of both the first and second pairs of legs, and a tubular projection on the male reproductive structure (pedipalp). Females have rounded, mushroom-like reproductive structures and a straight posterior margin on the epigyne.[2]