Arachnologische Mitteilungen 55

Arachnologische Mitteilungen / Arachnology Letters 55: 46-51 Karlsruhe, April 2018 New spider species to science continue to be discovered all over the world. Their descriptions are usually based on mor- phology, whereas bionomy, ecology or behaviour are rarely considered. However, behavioural data can contribute to the spider taxonomy, not only for distinguishing morphologically similar species (e.g., Kronestedt 1990, Töpfer-Hofmann et al. 2000) but also for placing them in correct genera (e.g., Rov- ner 1973). Surprisingly, we often lack basic information even about common, widespread species known to everybody. Re- cent research on long neglected animal species brought sur- prising results. For instance, large common (and even edible) European animals, such as the slow worm Anguis fragilis Lin- naeus, 1758, the Turkish snail Helix lucorum Linnaeus, 1758 and the Roman snail Helix pomatia Linnaeus, 1758, were split up into five, two and two species respectively (Gvoždík et al. 2010, 2013, Korábek et al. 2014, 2016). Zorocrates guerrerensis Gertsch & Davis, 1940 is also a re- latively large, common, hemisynanthropic animal ( Jiří Král pers. observ.), which seems to be of potential clinical impor- tance (Sánchez-Vega et al. 2016). Despite this, Z. guerrerensis is a rarely studied species. Its name has appeared in only three publications: in its description (Gertsch & Davis 1940), a ge- neric revision that provided its distribution in Mexico (Plat- nick & Ubick 2007) and a report on its bites (Sánchez-Vega et al. 2016). Based on morphological (Dahl 1913, Lehtinen 1967, Griswold et al. 1999, Raven & Stumkat 2005) or com- bined (Polotow et al. 2015) analyses, the genus Zorocrates has been transferred among various families (Miturgidae, Ten- gellidae, Zorocratide, Zoropsidae) several times. In the latest treatment (Wheeler et al. 2017), the genus was assigned to the subfamily Tengellinae of the family Zoropsidae, being considered a member of the superfamily Lycosoidea or the Oval Calamistrum clade. Biological and ethological observa- tions that could support its correct taxonomic placement are, however, completely absent.Thus the aim of the present paper is to provide initial, basic information on the life history of this Mexican cribellate species. Material and methods Several specimens were collected by Jiří Král in Mexico, Que- rétaro State, Juriquilla, in the campus UNAM (20.7036°N, 100.4474°W, 1920 m a.s.l.) on 20.vi.2009. The further bree- ding of Z. guerrerensis was carried out by Jaromír Hajer at the Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic. Fourteen spiderlings of the third instar from this breeding were reared from four egg sacs (constructed in 3.VII.-12.IX.2013). Exuviae of the previous two instars were available to us. Juveniles were held individually in plastic tu- bes (length 100 mm, diameter 15 mm; later length 115 mm, diameter 28 mm) supplied with wet cotton wool as a source of water. Spiders were reared at room temperature (20-23 °C) under natural photoperiod and fed weekly with wingless Dro- sophila melanogaster , Tenebrio larvae, crickets of appropriate size and seasonally available insects. Beginning with the third ecdysis, i.e. the fourth free instar, dates of each moult were recorded and the length of all shed carapaces was measured using a stereomicroscope (PZOWarszawa: MST 127) equip- ped with an ocular micrometer. To calculate the relative per- cent growth between subsequent instars for each individual, the equation of Mallis & Miller (2017) was used: 100 × L N / L N-1 – 100 (L = carapace length, N = instar). From these va- lues, the population mean was calculated. The nomenclature and numbering of ontogenetic stages follow Downes (1987): the first instar is the stage that left the egg sac. We did not count the postembryonic moults inside the egg sacs (i.e. bet- ween the postembryo and the first nymphal instar), therefore we treated the first ecdysis as the one terminating at the first instar (after Dolejš et al. 2014). After reaching a maturity, mating of nine females and four males (one reared juvenile died accidentally during manipu- Ontogenetic development and reproduction of Zorocrates guerrerensis (Araneae: Zoropsidae) Petr Dolejš & Mojmír Hanko doi: 10.30963/aramit5508 Abstract: Zorocrates guerrerensis Gertsch & Davis, 1940 is a Mexican cribellate spider with almost no information about its biology. As the species could potentially be of medical interest, it was decided to study basic aspects of its life history under laboratory conditions. The life cycle lasts a year, with spiders undergoing up to 12 instars to reach maturity. The courtship behaviour includes tactile communica- tion. Copulation consists of two palpal insertions, each with a single haematodochal expansion. Both males and females can mate more than once; components of the first and second copulation do not differ. On average, the total copulation duration lasts for more than five minutes. Some details of the copulation process are discussed and compared with those of other lycosoids. Keywords: copulation, courtship, cribellate spider, instar, life history, Mexico, polyandry, polygyny, tactile communication Zusammenfassung. Ontogenese und Reproduktion von Zorocrates guerrerensis (Araneae: Zoropsidae). Die Biologie der mexi- kanischen cribellaten Spinne Zorocrates guerrerensis Gertsch & Davis, 1940 ist nahezu unbekannt. Da die Art potentiell medizinisch in- teressant ist, wurde ihr Lebenszyklus und ihre Lebensweise unter Laborbedingungen studiert. Ihr Zyklus dauert ein Jahr, in dem die Spinnen nach bis zu 12 Häutungen erwachsen werden. Beim Paarungsverhalten spielt taktile Kommunikation eine Rolle. Die Kopulation besteht aus zwei Insertionen der Palpen, jede mit einer einmaligen Expansion der Hämatodocha. Sowohl Männchen als auch Weibchen können sich mehr als einmal paaren; die Komponenten der ersten und zweiten Kopulation unterscheiden sich nicht. Durchschnittlich ist die Dauer der gesamten Kopulation länger als fünf Minuten. Details des Kopulationsprozesses werden diskutiert und mit dem anderer Lycosoidea verglichen. This contribution was presented at the 30th European Congress of Arachnology, Nottingham, 2017 August 20-25 Petr Dolejš, Department of Zoology, National Museum – Natural History Museum, Cirkusová 1740, CZ – 193 00 Praha 9 – Horní Počernice, Czechia; E-mail: petr_dolejs@nm.cz Mojmír Hanko, Christian Grammar School, Kozinova 1000, CZ – 120 00 Praha 10, Czechia; E-mail: moj.hanko@seznam.cz submitted 15.12.2017, accepted 13.2.2018, online 30.4.2018