First notes on reproductive biology, burrows and eggsacs of the tiny mygalomorph spider Xenonemesia platensis (Araneae, Microstigmatidae)

FERRETTI, N., G. POMPOZZI, COPPERI, S., PÉREZ-MILES, F & A. GONZÁLEZ

Siedlce, Polonia

Congreso; 18th International Congress of Arachnology; 2010

The Microstigmatidae are characterized by the rounded book-lungs openings, in conjunction with extremely shortened posterior lateral spinnerets (Goloboff, 1995). This family comprises 15 species, nine of them distributed in the New World (Platnick, 2010). Microstigmatidae are ground-dwelling and free-living spiders that appear to make minimal use of silk and could readily attack and fed upon small insects (Griswold, 1985). Some studies were done on reproductive biology of Mygalomorphae (Coyle 1985; Coyle & O´Shields 1990;Costa & Pérez-Miles 2002; Ferretti & Ferrero 2008; Yañez et al. 1999) but sexual behavior of Microstigmatidae is up to now unknown. Few records of natural history and ecology were reported for the Old World microstigmatids (Griswold, 1985) and for a Brazilian species (Indicatti et al., 2008). Xenonemesia platensis is the only microstigmatid species present in Argentina and only some comments on their habitat have been provided (Goloboff, 1988). In the present study we describe the mating behavior of X. platensis based on three successful matings under laboratory conditions and give some notes on their burrows and eggsacs.