Addition to araneofauna of Andhra Pradesh, India:
occurrence of three species of Argyrodes Simon,
1864 (Araneae: Theridiidae)
S.M. Maqsood Javed 1, C. Srinivasulu 2& Farida Tampal 1
1 World
Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF), APSO, Ho.No. 818, Castle Hills, Road No. 2,
Near NMDC, Vijayanagar Colony, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500057, India
2 Wildlife
Biology Section, Department of Zoology, University College of Science, Osmania
University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500007, India
Email: 2hyd2masawa@gmail.com (corresponding author)
Date of publication (online): 26 June 2010
Date of publication (print): 26 June 2010
ISSN 0974-7907 (online) | 0974-7893 (print)
Editor: Manju Siliwal
Manuscript details:
Ms
# o2194
Received
13 March 2009
Final
revised received 20 January 2010
Finally
accepted 15 May 2010
Citation: Javed, S.M.M., C. Srinivasulu & F. Tampal (2010). Addition to
araneofauna of Andhra Pradesh, India: occurrence of three species of Argyrodes Simon, 1864 (Araneae: Theridiidae). Journal of Threatened Taxa 2(6): 980-985.
Copyright: © S.M. Maqsood Javed, C. Srinivasulu & Farida Tampal 2010.
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. JoTT allows unrestricted use
of this article in any medium for non-profit purposes, reproduction and
distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of
publication.
Acknowledgements: The authors are very much thankful to Shri Hitesh Malhotra, IFS,
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden,
Andhra Pradesh for constant support and encouragement. We express gratitude to
Shri Anil Kumar V. Epur, Chairman, WWF-AP State Committee, Hyderabad and Shri Ravi Singh, Secretary General &
CEO, WWF-India, New Delhi for constant support and encouragement. We also
express our thanks to Shri Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Managing Director and Shri P.V.
Ramana Reddy, IFS, Executive Director, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development
Corporation, Hyderabad for constant support and permitting us to conduct
biodiversity studies in APTDC Eco-tourism sites. CS thanks Prof. T. Tirupathi
Rao, Vice Chancellor, Osmania University and the Head, Department of Zoology,
Osmania University, Hyderabad for encouragement and facilities. Thanks to Dr.
Bhargavi who read the first draft and provided valuable comments. Lastly, we
would like to thank Mr. P.S.M. Srinivas, Manager Corporate for exploring new
places and all the WWF-Staff of APSO, Hyderabad for their constant support and
timely suggestions.
For Figures & Images - - click here
Spiders of the genus Argyrodes Simon, 1864 (commonly called
Argyrodes or Silver Dew Drop Spiders) can exist in a variety of relationships
with other spiders - as commensals, kleptoparasites or predators - depending on
factors such as relative size, morphology of host web, and host feeding rate
(Wise 1982; Larcher & Wise 1985). Argyrodes may live in host webs without constructing any web of their
own, but often they add fine lines between the spirals of an orb-web, and
occasionally they live independently, making their own small theridiid webs
(Exline & Levi 1962). Fourteen
species of the genus Argyrodes are known from India (Tikader 1966; Jose 2005; Siliwal &
Molur 2007), and so far no species of Argyrodes has been recorded from Andhra Pradesh. In Andhra Pradesh, the family Theridiidae is represented by
Sri Lankan Black Widow Latrodectus erythromelas Schmidt & Klaas, 1991.
Diagnosis of Argyrodes species is always a difficult task
because of their minute size and variations within the same species from different
localities. Thus many species have
been resurrected by experts from time to time. According to Exline & Levi (1962) almost all species of Argyrodes show some individual variation in
color, with some specimens being darker (all, however, are silvery). There is also some variation in shape,
slant and length of the male clypeal process. The genital plate of females does not appear to accumulate
cuticle as the spider ages. Maybe
to settle these lacunae Exline & Levi (1962) carried out the revision and
attempted to clarify the taxonomy of the genus Argyrodes. According to Chikuni (1989) the shape and coloration of the
abdomen in Argyrodes is highly variable. Further, Agnarsson (2004) carried out morphological phylogeny and
clarified that Argyrodes differs from other argyrodines by: lack of a functional triplet
in the male, tight folding of the embolus and conductor, details of male
carapace modifications, including median eyes on tubercles, details of life
history (obligate kleptoparasitism), highly characteristic palpal organs, the
theridiid tegular apophysis snug with a distinct cymbial apophysis, and embolus
and conductor intertwined.
We have been studying spiders in
Andhra Pradesh for the past decade, and over the past few months we have been
observing and collecting interesting minute silver dew drop spiders. These spiders have been found hanging
upside-down in the webs of Araneidae spiders, namely, Argiope anasuja, Cyrtophora citricola and Thelacantha brevispina. Through this paper,
we report the occurrence of the genus Argyrodes Simon, 1864 for the first time in Andhra Pradesh, along with one
species recorded for the first time from India and first report of three species from
Andhra Pradesh. We also provide
descriptions and a brief note on the natural history of all three species.
Materials and Methods
All measurements are given in
millimeters and were made with digital dial calipers and ocular micrometer with
up to 50 x magnification with an error of 0.01mm and rounded up to one
significant decimal where appropriate. Photographs of live specimens were taken
by Canon super macro digital camera, only minor color correction of the figures
has been done; line diagrams were drawn with the help of a camera lucida
attached to the stereomicroscope; epigyna were dissected and immersed in clove
oil for 48hr to study internal structures. The collected specimens are preserved in 70% alcohol and
deposited in the Natural History Museum of Osmania University, Hyderabad.
Results
We identified specimens belonging
to three species including Argyrodes nephilae Taczanowski, 1872, Argyrodes argentatus O.P.-Cambridge, 1880 and Argyrodes falvescens O.P.-Cambridge, 1880. Argyrodes argentatus is widely distributed in the state of Andhra Pradesh (right from
the coastal region to inland tracts), while Argyrodes nephilae and Argyrodes falvescens are, so far, known only from the
single locality in Andhra Pradesh (Image 1). The characteristics of males and females of each species and
notes on microhabitats are described below.
1. Argyrodes nephilae Taczanowski, 1872
(Images 2 & 3; Figures
1-3)
Material examined
14.i.2009, 1 Male
(NHM.OU.SPI.1-2009), 1 Female (NHM.OU.SPI.2-2009), 17025’N & 78023’E,
along the avenue plantation of Gacchibowli road, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh,
coll. S.M. Maqsood Javed.
Description
Male: Carapace
black or dark brown above and below. Sternum is light brown. The
basal joints of all the legs are white. The third and fourth legs are light colored, with a little brown colour
at the ends of the joints. The
second pair of legs are darker, and the first pair is almost black, except at
the ends. Abdomen solid silver
above with brownish patches laterally (in live condition, but turns solid
silver after fixation in 70% ethyl alcohol). A dark brown median patch is present on the dorsal region
and a small black spot at the tip. Ventral and lower parts of the abdomen and sides are almost black with a
pair of round silvery spots in front of spinnerets. Cephalic projection bearing median eyes is raised. Clypeal projection slender, extending
anteriorly at a slight upward angle beyond head, narrowed in middle and
expanded into a knob distally (Figure 1). Abdomen is small in size and silvery with dusky brown patches,
cone-shaped abdomen. Palpal organ as shown in Figure 2.
Measurements: Total length 1.98; carapace 0.88 long, 0.58 wide; abdomen 1.10
long, 0.90 wide, height 1.68.
Leg
formula:1,4,2,3; leg lengths: I,II,III,IV (3.99, 1.77, 1.30, 2.56).
Female
Similar to males in coloration, but
does not possess cephalic projection. They are comparatively larger in size
than males (Image 2). Epigynum as shown in Figure 3.
Measurements: Total length 4.10; carapace 1.80
long, 0.76 wide; abdomen 2.30 long, 1.30 wide, height 3.02mm.
Leg
formula:1,4,2,3; leg lengths: I,II,III,IV (8.67, 5.12, 3.90, 6.02).
Distribution
Central and southern Florida, West
Indies, eastern South America, to Galapagos Islands (Exline & Levi
1962). According to Platnick
(2009) it is distributed in USA, West Indies to Argentina and Galapagos Islands. This is the first record of the species
from India.
Micro-habitat
We recorded Argyrodes nephilae in the web of Araneidae spider Cyrtophora citricola on an avenue tree along the state
highway stretch that passes through Gachibowli area of Hyderabad.
2. Argyrodes argentatus O.P. -Cambridge, 1880
(Images 4-6a; Figures 4-6)
Material examined
25.xii.2008, 1 Male
(NHM.OU.SPI.3-2009), 1 Female (NHM.OU.SPI.4-2009), 18035’N & 84015’E,
along the bund of Dali Cheruvu, Tekkali mandal, Srikakulam District, Andhra
Pradesh, coll. S.M. Maqsood Javed; 04.i.2009, 1 Male (NHM.OU.SPI.5-2009), 1
Female (NHM.OU.SPI.6-2009), 17025’N & 78031’E,
Osmania University Campus, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, coll. C. Srinivasulu.
Description
Male: Carapace dark brown. Sternum is light brown. Legs are light to almost white, darker
at joints. Abdomen is completely
studded with silver above with a narrow dark median line on dorsal region and a
small black spot at the tip (Image 4). Ventral and lower parts of the abdomen and sides are black with a pair
of round orange spots in front of spinnerets (in live condition, but turns
solid silver after fixation in 70% ethyl alcohol). Cephalic projection bearing median eyes is raised. Clypeal projection slender, extending
anteriorly at a slight upward angle beyond head, narrowed in middle and
expanded into a knob distally (Figure 6). Abdomen is small in size and cone-shaped. Palpal organ as shown in
Figure 5.
Measurements: Total length 1.52; carapace 0.81
long, 0.30 wide; abdomen 0.71 long, 0.80 wide, height 1.02.
Leg
formula: 1,4,2,3;
leg lengths: I,II,III,IV (2.49, 1.77, 1.2,1.80).
Female
Similar to males in coloration, but
does not possess cephalic projection. They are comparatively larger in size than males (Image
5). Epigynum as shown in Figure 6.
Measurements: Total length 1.24; carapace 0.91
long, 0.50 wide; abdomen 0.33 long, 1.49 wide, height 1.84.
Leg
formula:1,4,2,3; leg lengths: I,II,III,IV (3.68, 2.62, 1.80, 2.66).
Distribution
Mexico, Lower Amazons, East Indies,
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Madagascar (Cambridge 1880), Tharrawaddy (in Burma),
Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India, Madagascar and South America (Thorell 1895) and
China (Song et al. 2001). But
locality details of specimens collected from India is not provided by Thorell
(1890). According to Platnick
(2009) it is distributed in China, East Indies and Hawaii.
Microhabitat
We recorded the specimens of Argyrodes argentatus from the webs of Araneidae spiders Argiope anasuja, Cyrtophora citricola and Thelacantha brevispina on Chromolaena odorata and Borassus flabillifer near the sea coast. The Osmania University Campus specimens were recorded on the web of Argiope anasuja on an exotic ornamental plant.
3. Argyrodes falvescens O.P. -Cambridge, 1880
(Images 7 & 7a; Figures
7-9)
Material examined
25.11.2009, 1 Male
(NHM.OU.SPI.7-2009), 1 Female (NHM.OU.SPI.8-2009),
18016’N & 83002’E, along the bank of Gostani River
near Borra Caves, Ananthagiri mandal, Vishakapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh,
coll. S.M. Maqsood Javed.
Description
Male: Carapace
reddish-brown (orange in life). Legs brown to dark brown (black in life), the fourth tarsus often yellow
and the femora sometimes with yellow annulations. Abdomen is pale yellow
(orange in life) with several pairs of silver spots on the dorsal and lateral
surfaces, and with two black spots on the top and at the posterior end
(Tanikawa et al. 1996). Clypeal
projection slender, extending anteriorly, but slightly equal or shorter than
head (Figure 7). Palpal organ as shown in Figure 8.
Measurements: Total length 2.12; carapace 0.92 long, 0.40 wide; abdomen 1.08
long, 0.90 wide, height 1.12.
Leg formula: 1,2,4,3; leg lengths: I,II,III,IV (4.59, 3.10, 1.30, 2.50).
Female
Similar to males in coloration, but
does not possess cephalic projection. They are comparatively larger in size than males (Image 7). Epigynum as shown in Figure 9.
Measurements: Total length 5.69; carapace 2.10 long, 1.11 wide; abdomen 3.59
long, 2.10 wide, height 4.97.
Leg formula: 1,2,4,3; leg lengths: I,II,III,IV (10.12, 6.72, 4.21, 6.29).
Distribution
Japan (Nansei Islands), China (Zhu
& Song 1991), Sumatra, Indonesia (Thorell 1890), Sri Lanka (O.P.-Cambridge
1880), Malaysia and Papua New Guinea and Korea (Namkung 2003). According to Platnick (2009) it is
distributed from Sri Lanka to Japan and New Guinea.
Micro habitat
We recorded the specimens of Argyrodes falvescens on the web of Araneidae spider Argiope anasuja on Bambusa arundinacea on the bank of river Gosthani.
Discussion and Conclusion
Argyrodes nephilae,
Argyrodes argentatus and Argyrodes falvescens species are kleptoparasites and hang upside-down in the webs of
their hosts (usually other araneid spiders) or on webs of their own. Their front pairs of legs are held
folded close to the body. They are
usually inconspicuous, resembling seeds, pieces of bark, or lichen attached to
the web. When disturbed they jump,
usually sideways, and drop, leaving a line attached to the resting place. They forage in the webs of their host
spiders. Some hosts, like Cyrtophora citricola and Thelacantha brevispina, do not mind their presence and
pay little attention to their activities, while Argiope anasuja reacts aggressively and on many
occasions we have observed them to feed on Argyrodes. On a few occasions
we have observed Argyrodes argentatus glean small insects from the host web. These were sometimes eaten where found or wrapped and taken
to the margin of the host’s web and eaten there. These kleptoparasitic spiders are also known to remove and eat
spiral catching silk of the host’s web, sometimes removing large sections like
in the case of Argyrodes argentatus (Alexander 2005; present study) and Argyrodes falvescens (present study), but never in case
of Argyrodes
nephilae. Argyrodes falvescens is most aggressive and has been reported to steal freshly captured
prey items from the host and damage host webs, leading to host relocation, loss
of body weight and increased juvenile mortality (Koh & Li 2002).
All three species build a separate,
small tent web away from the host web or use the abandoned portion of the host
web to place their egg sac. The
egg sacs of the three species are identical, being pale white to light brown in
appearance and spherical with a long stalk (Image 3, 6, 6a & 7a) about 8-10
mm in length (3-4 mm wide), composed of stiff yellowish-brown silk. The upper part is a cone, rounded or
tapering well to a point, at which is attached a stiff white cord, by which it
is fastened into its place among the crossed lines of the snare. The lower part of the basket terminates
in a short projection from the middle. The egg sacks are suspended by long, stout cords. When this hanging egg sac is opened the
eggs are seen loosely deposited in the middle of a little puff of flossy
silk. The bottom of the egg sac
possesses a little hole, through which the offspring comes out after
hatching. We observed several egg
sacs of these species.
The three species recorded by us
are obligate kleptoparasites and may interact with their hosts in several ways,
as a kleptoparasite stealing the host’s prey, etc. In future, there is a scope to reveal several other aspects
of the relationship between these species and their hosts, like host
specificity, territoriality, movement, invaders among host webs of the same or
of different species and others.
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