Marples, B.J.

Pacific Science

Marples, B J

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Spiders from Some Pacific Islands, III: The Kingdom of Tonga

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Spiders from Some Pacific Islands, IIIThe Kingdom of TongaB. J. MARPLES!THE KINGDOM OF TONGA consists of some200 islands occupying an area in the south-west Pacific bounded by latitudes 15°S. and23°31'S., and by longitudes 173°W. and177°W. The islands fall into three groups,Vava'u in the north, Ha'apai in the centre,and Tongatabu in the south, the overalllength being about 175 miles. All the islandsare small ; Tongatabu Island , 25 by 10 miles ,is much the largest, and the total area is about385 square miles. Most of them are elevatedcoral reefs and so are very low and flat. Thehighest point of Tongatabu Island is only 60feet above the sea. A few are volcanic islands,and one of these reaches a height of 3,380feet . During the year the maximum tempera-ture varies between about 75°F. and 85°F.,and there is a rainfall of about 80 inches .Hurricanes occasionally occur. The principaladjacent island groups are Fiji to the west andSamoa to the north , each 200 or 300 milesfrom Tonga.Spiders have been described previouslyfrom Tonga by Koch (1872), Berland (1934),and Marples (1955). Apparently, no spidershave been collected on the high islands . Thepresent collection consists of 34 species, andbrings the total now recorded from 31 to 49species. Of the spider fauna of adjacent islandgroups that of Samoa with 128 species is thebest known. Sixty-six are recorded from Fiji,and, though unpublished records bring thetotal to 92, there are very many more to befound . The present list for Tonga is alsodoubtless far from complete, but a few com-1 Department of Zoology, Uni versity of Otago,Dunedin, New Zealand . M anu script received July14, 1958.parisons can be made.No Uloboridae are known (not even U.geniculatus, which is commonly found inhouses), as compared with three in Fiji andsix in Samoa. There are five species ofThomisids, against one in Samoa and one inFiji, D . praetexta occurring in all three. Thethree Epeirid genera Gasteracantha, Argiope,and Nephila occur in Fiji and the islands tothe west . Gasteracantha is not known inTonga, but one species of Argiope is recordedfrom Tongatabu ; this is the most easternrecord for the genus in the southwest Pacific.Five species of Nephila are present, and thegenus occurs also in Niue, some 200 miles tothe east of Tonga, and doubtfully in Samoa.Of the 49 species recorded from Tonga 32occur also in Fiji, and 32, not all the samespecies, occur also in Samoa.I am indebted to my wife and son for col-lections of 14 species from each of the islands,Tongatabu and Vava'u , The greater part ofthe collection was made on various islands byDr. N. 1. H . Krauss, and I am grateful to himfor the opportunity of examining it . Thespecimens will be deposited in the BerniceP. Bishop Museum in Honolulu.In the descriptions the measurements weremade with an eyepiece micrometer and aregiven in millimetres . The leg ind ices are de-rived by dividing the length of each leg bythe length of the carapace, and the tibialindices, which give a measu re of the stoutnessof the legs, by dividing the combined lengthsof the patella and tibia by the proximalbreadth of the patella . The eye measurementsare given in direct scale readings, so theyindicate proportions only .362Tongan Spiders - M ARPLESLIST OF THE SPECIES RECORDEDFROM TONGA(T = Toogatabu, H =Ha'apai, V = Vava' u)DICTYNIDAEDictyna bifasciata. V.OONOPIDAEGamasomorpha loricata ? V.SCYTODIDAEScytodes marmorata. T,V.S. striatipes. T,H,V.PHOLCIDAEPholcus ancoralis. T,V.Physocyclus globosus. T.Smeringopus elongatus. T.CLUBIONIDAEChiracanthium diversum. T,V.C. furax. T,H,V.C. longimanum. T.Clubiona aloeolata, T,V.SPARASSIDAEHeteropoda venatoria. T,V.THOMISIDAEDiaeapraetexta. T,H,V .D. septempunctata. T.D. tongatabuensis. T.Hedana subtilis. T.H. pallida. T.SALTICIDAEAscyltuspterygodes. T,H,V.Bavia aericeps. T,V.Erasmia nigrovittata. T,V. 'Hasarius insularis. T.H. albocircumdatus ? T.Menemerus bivittatus. T.M ollicia micropbtbelma. T,H,V.Plexippus payculli. V.Thorellia ensifera. T,V.Trite longipalpis. T.Vitia albipalpis. T.363LYCOSIDAELycosa tongatabuensis. T.THERIDIIDAEConopistha samoensis. T.C. unimaculata. T.Rhomphaea cometes. T,V.Tberidion adamsoni. T.T. albostriatum. T,V.T. aleipata. T,V.TETRAGNATHIDAELeucauge tuberculata. T,H,V.Tetragnatha macilenta. T,H,V.T. panopea. T.T. keyserlingi. T.EPEIRIDAECyclosa litoralis. V.Cyrtophora moluccensis. T,V.Argiopeplana. T.Epeiraplebeja. T,H .E. tbeisi. T,V.Nephila flagellans. T.N. durvilla. T.N. prolixa. T.N . vitiana. T.N. tetragnathoides. T.DICTYNIDAEDictyna bifasciata 1. Koch4 Vava'u, New record, previously recordedfrom Samoa .OONOPIDAEGamasomorpha loricata 1. Koch1 Female. Neiafu, Vava' u, The female is notspecifically identifiable but those foundthroughout the Pacific are taken to be ofthis species. It is recorded from widespreadlocalities, this being the first from Tonga.SCYTODI DAEScytodes marrnorata 1. Koch3 Female, 1 male. Neiafu, Vava'u. This has364been previously recorded from Tongatabuand is Widespread in the Pacific.Scytodes str iatip es 1. Koch1 Female and 1 imm. Neiafu, Vava'u , 1 Fe-male , 1 male. Ohonua, Eua Island , Ha'apai,Previously recorded from Tongatabu andwidespread in the Pacific.PHOLCIDA EPhoIcus ancoralis 1. Koch1 Female and 3 imm ., 2 male and 1 imm .Nuku'alofa, Tongatabu. 1 Male. Neiafu,Vava'u , First records from Tonga, widespreadin the Pacific.Physocyclus globosus Taczanowski1 Male. Nuku'alofa, Tongatabu . 2 imm . pos-sibly this species. Vava'u . First records fromTonga, widespread in the Pacific.Smeringopus elongatus Vinson2 Female. Nuku 'alofa, Ton gatabu , whence ithas been recorded. With the exception of arecord from the Marque sas th is species isknown from the islands in the western andcentral regio ns of the south Pacific.CLUBIONIDAECh iracanthium furax 1. Koch5 Female, 2 male . Nuku 'alofa, Tongatabu .1 Female, 2 male. Neiafu, Vava'u. 1 Female,2 male . Ohonua, Eua Island , Ha'apai. Ber-land (1929) , who described the male of C.furax , states that it differs from that ofC. longimanum in having a hooked centralapoph ysis on the palp, a condition found inall the present specimens. These two speciesare very similar and it seems highl y likely thatthey are synonymous, in which case C. longi-manum has page precedence. A differencementioned by Koch (1872) is a dark streak onthe carapace of C. furax , which is absent inthe present specimens. C. furax is recordedPACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XIII , October, 1959from Samoa and Fiji, C. longimanum fromthese islands and also from Tonga, NewHebrides, and Australia. Two males, onefrom Tongatabu and one from Vava'u , re-semble the others in palps and chelicerae butare considerabl y smaller, havin g a carapacelength about 4.5 mm . instead of 7.5 mm .Chiracanthium diversum 1. Koch1 Female, 2 males. Nuku'alofa, Tongatabu.1 Male. Neiafu, Vava'u . One male fromTongatabu is somewhat larger and has th reeteeth on the promargin of the groove, as hasthe female. The female has not previou slybeen described.----_----=:~~-----FI G. 1. Chiracanthium diversum. Epig ynum.FEMALE. Length 7.36 mm. Pale yellowishbrown.Carapace: Length 3.60 mm ., breadth 2.40mm . Low and smooth truncated in front .Eyes: Eight. From above both rows slightlyrecurved , the anterior eyes project anteriorlybeyond the carapace . Clypeus very low, abou tthe diameter of AME . Breadth of eyegroup1.60 mm . Ratio of eyes and of their distancesapart : AM , 80; AL, 85; PM , 77; PL, 80;AM-AM, 160; AM-AL, 236; AM-PM, 115;PM-PM, 186; PM-PL, 268; L-L , 46.Chelicerae: Large and projecting forwards,bos s present, groove oblique. Three teeth onthe prom argin , the middle the largest . Threeteeth on the retromargin , the most dorsal thelargest. The dorsal proma rginal tooth op -posite to the vent ral retromarginal one.Maxillae: Much longer than the lip . Semi-circular ant eriorly, concave laterally.Tongan Spiders - MARPLESLip: Free. Longer than broad, concaveanteriorly.Sternum: Length 1.73 mm ., breadth 1.37mm . Convex. Lateral margi ns not ched for thebases of the last three legs, anterior marginslightly concave.Palp: Long and slender. Minute claw.Legs: I II IV III Palp4.1 3.2 3.2 2.2 1.3PAT ELLAFEMUR AND META- TA RSUS TOTALTIBI A TAR SUSPalp .. . . . 1.69 1.55 1.34 4.591. ... . . . . 4.18 5.26 4.14 1.17 14.7611.. . . .. . . 3.42 4.00 3.13 0.95 11.51III . . . . . . . 2.34 2.81 2.20 0.76 8.11IV . . .. . . . 3.38 4.00 3.31 0.95 11.64Tibial Index I 10.2Tib ial Index IV 80 2Claws: Two , pectin ated about 12. Tenenthairs in dense tufts on the feet and extendingalong the ventral surface of each tarsus andmetatarsus, and sparsely on tibiae I and II.Spines: I. One pair at the proximal end ofthe tibia. II. None. III. One retrolateral-distalon the tibia ; 2 median and 4 distal on themetatarsus . IV . One rerrolateral-distal on thetibia; 1 ventral-proximal, 2 median and 4distal on the meta tarsus.Abdomen: Length 4.33 mm ., breadth 2.48mm . Epigynum as in figure .Clubio na alveolata 1. Koch1 Female . Nuku'alofa, Tongatabu. 1 Male.Neiafu, Vava'u. Several immature specimenswhich may belong to this species, which iswidesp read in the Pacific but not previouslyrecorded from Tonga.SPARASSIDAEHeteropoda venatoria (Linn.)1 Female. Tongatabu. 1 Female , 2 males .Vava'u,THOMISIDAEDiaea praetexta 1. Koch4 Females. Nuku 'alofa, Tongarabu . 17 Fe-365males. 4 males. Vava'u. 1 Female. Ononua,Ha'apai, This species was described fromSamoa, where it is very variable in colour, be-ing frequently without the dark markings .The very similar D. septempunctata was de-scribed by Koch from Tonga. The presentspecimens are pale, or sometimes with th reepairs of small spots, but their reproductiveorgans resemble those of specimens fromSamoa and they seem to belong to this species.SALTICIDAEAscyltus p terygodes (1. Koch )3 Females, 3 males, 14 imm . Tongatabu.1 Male, 2 imm . Eua Island, Ha'apai. 7 Fe-males , 5 males , 24 imm . Vava 'u, Widespreadspecies, no t previo usly recorded from Vava'u,Bavia aericeps Simon1 Male, 3 imm. To ngatabu. 1 imm . Vava'u,First records for the Tonga group. A wide-spread species .Erasmia nigrovittata Keyserling1 Female. Vava 'u, Th is species was describedfrom a single female from Tonga . Keyserlingdoes not mention the cheliceral teeth, butBerland (1934) places the species amongst theFissidenrati , Petrunkevitch (1928) lists it as asynonym of Iona Peckham, one of the uni -dentate species . The ptesent specimen agreeswell with Keyserling's description, and hasfour distinct teeth on each of the margins ofthe cheliceral groove.Menemerus bivittatus Dufour1 Female . Nuku'alofa, Tongatabu.Mollicia m icrophthalm a 1. Koch1 Female, 2 imm . Tongatabu . 1 Female.Panga, Ha'apai . 1 Male. Holonga, Vava'u.A widespread species , first records for theTonga group.Plexippus paycull i Aud uin1 Female . Vava'u . A widespread species , firstrecord for Tonga.366Thorellia ensifera Thorell9 Females, 3 males. Tongatabu. 2 Females,1 male . Vava'u. Widespread in the centraland eastern regions of the Pacific as far westas Fiji. First record for Tongatabu.Vitia albipalpis Marples1 Male. Nuku 'alofa, Tongatabu. Describedfrom Fiji, first record for Tonga .THERIDIIDAEConopistha samoensis L. Koch2 Females . Tongatabu . Widespread species.Conopistha unimaculata Marples1 Female. Tongatabu. Previously recordedfrom Samoa and Niue, as well as Tonga.Rhomphaea cometes L. Koch1 Male. Tongatabu . 1 Male. Falevau Island ,Vava'u . New records for Tonga . Known alsofrom Fiji, Samoa, and Tahiti.Theridion adamsoni Berland1 M ale, imm . Tongatabu. Probably belong-ing to this species, previousl y known fromTahiti , Austral Island s, and Samoa.Theridion albostriatum L. Koch1 Male. Vava'u, Widespread species, preVI-ously recorded from Ton gatabu.Theridion aleipata Marples2 Females. Tongatabu. 3 Females. vava'u.New record for Tonga, previousl y knownfrom Samoa and Aitutaki.TETRAGNATHIDAELeucauge tuberculata Keyserling2 Females. Tongatabu. 2 Females. Vava'u,1 Female. Eua Island , Ha 'apai . Widespread inthe central and eastern parts of the Pacific.Previously recorded from Tongatabu.PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XIII, October, 1959Tetragnatha macilenta L. Koch2 Females and 2 imm. Tongatabu. 1 Female,1 male. Ohonua, Ha 'apai. 3 Females and 2imm . 2 M ales. Vava'u, Widespread speciesnot previously recorded from Tonga .T etragnatha panopea L. Koch1 Male. Tongatabu. Widespread species, firstrecord from Tonga.EPEIRIDAECyclosa litoralis (L. Koch )1 Female. Vava'u . The specimen is smallerthan ones from Samoa and the epigynum isslightly different , but it seems likely to bethis species. It is widespread and occurs inboth Fiji and Samoa. This is the first recordof a Cyc/osa from Tonga.Cyrtophora moluccensis Doleschall13 Females. Tongatabu. 6 Females. Vava'u .A very widespread species.Epeira theisi Walckenaer2 Females . Ton gatabu. 7 Females, 2 males.Vava'u , Very Widespread species, new recordfor Vava'u .Epeira plebeja L. Koch1 Female, 1 male imm. Eua Island , Ha 'apai .1 Male imm. Tongatabu. This female has amottled brownish abdomen whose shape andpattern do not resemble those of E. tbeisi,though the epig ynum is similar. Accordingto the distinctions given by Berland (1935) itappears to be E. plebeja, a species already re-corded from Tonga and from Fiji. The twoimmature males probably belong to thesame species.N ephila flagellans L. Koch3 Females, 1 male . Ton gatabu . Previouslyrecorded .Tongan Spiders - MARPLESSUMMARYA collection of 34 species from variousislands in the Tonga group includes 18 newrecords, bringing the total to 49. The femaleof the clubionid Chiracanthium diversum isdescribed .REFERENCESBERLAND, 1. 1929. Araignees (Araneida). INInsects of Samoa, Pt. 8: 35- 78. Brit. Mus.Nat. Hist. London.367--- 1934. Les Araignees du Pacifique. INContribution a I' etude du peuplementzoologique et bo tanique des iles du Pa-cifique. Pub. Soc. Biogeo. 4: 155-180.- - - 1935. Nouvelles Araignees Marqui-siennes. Bull. Bernice P. Bishop Mus. 142:31- 63.KOCH, 1., and E. K EYSERLING. 1871-1889.Die Arachniden Australiens. N urnburg.M ARPLES, B. J. 1955. Spiders from some Pa-cific islands . Pacific Sci. 9(1) :69- 76.PETRUNKEVITCH, A. 1928. Systema Aranearum,Trans . Conn. Acad . Arts Sci. 29: 1-270.

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Spiders from Some Pacific Islands, III: The Kingdom of Tonga

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