Synagelides cavaleriei

Synagelides cavaleriei
from Hong Kong
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Salticidae
Genus: Synagelides
Species:
S. cavaleriei
Binomial name
Synagelides cavaleriei
(Schenkel, 1963)
Synonyms
  • Tagoria cavaleriei Schenkel, 1963[1]

Synagelides cavaleriei is a species of jumping spider in the family Salticidae. It was originally described as Tagoria cavaleriei by Ehrenfried Schenkel-Haas in 1963 from specimens collected in China.[2] The species was later transferred to the genus Synagelides by Bohdanowicz & Hęciak in 1980.[3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Ehrenfried Schenkel-Haas (published in 1963, ten years after his death) as Tagoria cavaleriei based on material from "Anschun fu" (Anshun Prefecture) and "Ganschen fu" (Ganzhou Prefecture?) collected in 1912.[2] In 1980, Bohdanowicz and Hęciak transferred the species to the genus Synagelides and provided a redescription with detailed illustrations.[3] The species has been included in several major works on Chinese spiders, including comprehensive treatments by Song (1987), Song, Zhu & Chen (1999), and most recently Peng (2020).[4][5][6]

Distribution

S. cavaleriei is known from China, where it has been recorded from multiple provinces including Tibet Autonomous Region.[7][8] The species appears to have a relatively wide distribution across China based on collection records spanning several decades.

Description

Synagelides cavaleriei is a small jumping spider. Males measure approximately 3.8 mm in total body length, with the cephalothorax being 1.7 mm long and 1.3 mm wide at its broadest point.[2] Females are slightly smaller at about 3.6 mm total length with a cephalothorax measuring 1.5 mm long and 1.15 mm wide.[2]

The cephalothorax is orange-brown in coloration with a distinctive black border along the front margin that extends to the posterior lateral eyes. The posterior third of the abdomen is glossy brown-black, while the remaining dorsal surface features two large, brownish-yellow triangular markings that connect narrowly in the middle.[2]

Males possess distinctive palpal modifications typical of the genus, with the palpal patella being notably enlarged and barrel-shaped. The tibia bears two apophyses on its outer lower margin - a posterior hook-like process and an anterior elongated sigmoid process.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Synagelides cavaleriei (Schenkel, 1963)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Schenkel, E. (1963). "Ostasiatische Spinnen aus dem Muséum d'Histoire naturelle de Paris". Mémoires du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle de Paris (A, Zool.). 25: 1–481.
  3. ^ a b Bohdanowicz, A.; Hęciak, S. (1980). "Redescription of two species of Salticidae (Aranei) from China". Annales Zoologici, Warszawa. 35: 247–256.
  4. ^ Song, D.X. (1987). Spiders from agricultural regions of China (Arachnida: Araneae). Beijing: Agriculture Publishing House. p. 376.
  5. ^ Song, D.X.; Zhu, M.S.; Chen, J. (1999). The spiders of China. Shijiazhuang: Hebei Science and Technology Publishing House. p. 640.
  6. ^ Peng, X.J. (2020). Fauna Sinica, Invertebrata 53, Arachnida: Araneae: Salticidae. Beijing: Science Press. p. 612.
  7. ^ Hu, J.L.; Li, A.H. (1987). "The spiders collected from the fields and the forests of Xizang Autonomous Region, China. (II)". Agricultural Insects, Spiders, Plant Diseases and Weeds of Xizang. 2: 247–353.
  8. ^ Hu, J.L. (2001). Spiders in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China. Henan Science and Technology Publishing House. p. 658.