Spiders from Some Pacific Islands, III The Kingdom of Tonga

Spiders from Some Pacific Islands, III
The Kingdom of Tonga

B. J. MARPLES!

THE KINGDOM OF TONGA consists of some parisons can be made.
200 islands occupying an area in the south- No Uloboridae are known (not even U.
west Pacific bounded by latitudes 15°S. and
23°31'S ., and by longitudes 173°W. and geniculatus, which is commonly found in
177°W . The islands fall into three groups, houses), as compared with three in Fiji and
Vava'u in the north, Ha'apai in the centre, six in Samoa. There are five species of
and Tongatabu in the south, the overall Thomisids, against one in Samoa and one in
length being about 175 miles. All the islands Fiji, D . praetexta occurring in all three. The
are small ; Tongatabu Island , 25 by 10 miles, three Epeirid genera Gasteracantha, Argiope,
is much the largest, and the total area is about and Nephila occur in Fiji and the islands to
385 square miles. Most of them are elevated the west . Gasteracantha is not known in
coral reefs and so are very low and flat. The Tonga, but one species of Argiope is recorded
highest point of Tongatabu Island is only 60 from Tongatabu ; this is the most eastern
feet above the sea. A few are volcanic islands, record for the genus in the southwest Pacific.
and one of these reaches a height of 3,380 Five species of Nephila are present, and the
feet . During the year the maximum tempera- genus occurs also in Niue, some 200 miles to
ture varies between about 75°F. and 85°F., the east of Tonga, and doubtfully in Samoa.
and there is a rainfall of about 80 inches . Of the 49 species recorded from Tonga 32
Hurricanes occasionally occur. The principal occur also in Fiji, and 32, not all the same
adja cent island groups are Fiji to the west and species, occur also in Samoa.
Samoa to the north , each 200 or 300 miles
from Tonga. I am indebted to my wife and son for col-
lections of 14 species from each of the islands,
Spiders have been described previously Tongatabu and Vava'u , The greater part of
from Tonga by Koch (1872), Berland (1934), the collection was made on various islands by
and Marples (1955). Apparently, no spiders Dr. N. 1. H . Krauss, and I am grateful to him
have been collected on the high islands . The for the opportunity of examining it . The
present collection consists of 34 species, and specimens will be deposited in the Bernice
brings the total now recorded from 31 to 49 P. Bishop Museum in Honolulu.
species. Of the spider fauna of adjacent island
groups that of Samoa with 128 species is the In the descriptions the measurements were
best known . Sixty-six are recorded from Fiji, made with an eyepiece micrometer and are
and, though unpublished records bring the given in millimetres . The leg ind ices are de-
total to 92, there are very many more to be rived by dividing the length of each leg by
found . The present list for Tonga is also the length of the carapace, and the tibial
doubtless far from complete, but a few com- indices, which give a measu re of the stoutness
of the legs, by dividing the combined lengths
1 D epartment of Zoology, Uni versity of Otago , of the patella and tibia by the proximal
Dunedin, New Zealand . M anu script received July breadth of the patella . The eye measurements
14, 1958. are given in direct scale readings, so they
indicate proportions only .

362

Tongan Spiders - M ARPLES 363

LIST OF THE SPECIES RECORDED LYCOSIDAE
FROM TONGA
Lycosa tongatabuensis. T.
(T = Toogatabu, H =Ha'apai, V = Vava' u)
THERIDIIDAE
DICTYNIDAE
Conopistha samoensis. T.
Dictyna bifasciata. V. C. unimaculata. T.
Rhomphaea cometes. T,V.
OONOPIDAE Tberidion adamsoni. T.
T . albostriatum. T ,V.
Gamasomorpha loricata ? V. T. aleipata. T,V .

SCYTODIDAE TETRAGNATHIDAE

Scytodes marmorata. T,V. L eucauge tuberculata. T,H ,V.
S. striatipes. T,H, V. Tetragnatha macilenta. T,H, V.
T . panopea. T.
PHOLCID AE T . keyserlingi. T.

Pholcus ancoralis. T,V. EPEIRIDAE
Physocyclus globosus. T.
Smeringopus elongatus. T. Cyclosa litoralis. V.
Cyrtophora moluccensis. T,V.
CLUBIONIDAE Argiope plana. T.
Epeiraplebeja. T,H .
Chiracanthium diversum. T,V. E. tbeisi. T,V.
C. f urax. T,H ,V. N ephila flagellans. T.
C. longimanum. T. N. durvilla. T.
Clubiona aloeolata, T,V. N. prolixa. T.
N . vitiana. T.
SPARASSIDAE N. tetragnathoides. T.

Heteropoda venatoria. T,V. DIC TYNIDAE

T HOMISIDAE Dictyna bifas ciata 1. Koch

Diaeapraetexta. T,H,V . 4 Vava'u, New record, previously recorded
D . septempunctata. T. from Samoa .
D . tongatabuensis. T.
Hedana subtilis. T. O O N O PID AE
H. pallida. T.
G am asomorpha loricata 1. Koch
SALTICIDAE
1 Female. Neiafu, Vava' u, The female is not
Ascyltuspterygodes. T,H ,V. specifically identifiable but those found
Bavia aericeps. T,V. throughout the Pacific are taken to be of
Erasmia nigrovittata. T,V. ' this species. It is recorded from widespread
Hasarius insularis. T. localities, this being the first from Tonga.
H. albocircumdatus ? T.
M enemerus bivittatus. T. SCYTODI DAE
M ollicia micropbtbelma. T,H ,V.
Plexippus payculli. V. Scytodes marrnorata 1. Koch
Thorellia ensifera. T,V.
Trite longipalpis. T. 3 Female, 1 male. Neiafu, Vava'u. This has
Vitia albipalpis. T.

364 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XIII , October, 1959

been previously recorded from Tongatabu from Samoa and Fiji, C. longimanum from
and is Widespread in the Pacific. these islands and also from Tonga, New
Hebrides, and Australia. Two males, one
Scytodes striatip es 1. Koch from Tongatabu and one from Vava'u , re-
semble the others in palps and chelicerae but
1 Female and 1 imm. Neiafu, Vava'u , 1 Fe- are consi derabl y smaller, havin g a carapace
male , 1 male. Ohonua, Eua Island , Ha'apai, length about 4.5 mm . instead of 7.5 mm .
Previously recorded from Tongatabu and
widespread in the Pacific. Chiracanthium diversum 1. Koch

PHOLCIDA E 1 Female, 2 males. Nuku'alofa, Tongatabu.
1 Male. Nei afu, Vava'u . One male from
Pho Icu s ancoralis 1. Koch Tongatabu is somewhat larger and has th ree
teeth on the promargin of the groove, as has
1 Female and 3 imm ., 2 male and 1 imm . the female. The female has not previou sly
Nuku'alofa, Tongatabu. 1 M ale. Neiafu, been described.
Vava'u , First records from Tonga, widespread
in the Pacific.

Physocyclus globosus Taczanowski

1 M ale. Nuku'alofa, Tongatabu . 2 imm . pos-
sibly this species. Vava'u . First record s from
Tonga, widespread in the Pacific.

Smeringopus elongatus Vinson ----_----=:~~-----

2 Female. Nuku 'alofa, Ton gatabu , whence it FI G. 1. Chiracanthium diversum. Epig ynum .
has been record ed. With the excepti on of a
record from the M arque sas th is species is FEMALE. Length 7.36 mm. Pale yellowish
kn own from the islands in the western and brown.
central regio ns of the south Pacific.
Carapace: Length 3.60 mm ., breadth 2.40
CLUBIONIDAE mm . Low and smooth truncated in front .

Ch iracanthium furax 1. K och Eyes: Eight. From abo ve both rows slightly
recurved , the ant erior eyes project anteriorly
5 Female, 2 male . Nuku 'alofa, Ton gat abu . beyond the carapace . Clypeus very low, abou t
1 Female, 2 male. Neiafu, Vava'u. 1 Female, the diameter of AME . Breadth of eyegroup
2 male . Ohonua, Eua Island , H a'apai. Ber- 1.60 mm . Ratio of eyes and of their distances
land (1929) , who described the male of C. apart : AM , 80; AL, 85; PM , 77; PL, 80;
f urax , states that it differs from that of AM -AM, 160 ; AM-AL, 236; AM-PM , 115;
C. longimanum in having a hooked central PM -PM, 186; PM-PL, 268; L-L , 46.
apoph ysis on the palp, a cond ition found in
all the present specimens. These two species Chelicerae: Large and projecting forwards,
are very similar and it seems highl y likely th at bos s present, groove oblique. Three teeth on
th ey are synon ymous, in which case C. longi- the prom argin , the middle the largest . Three
manum has pag e precedence. A difference teeth on the retrom argin , the most dorsal the
mention ed by Koch (1872) is a dark streak on largest. Th e dorsal proma rginal tooth op -
the carapace of C. f urax , which is absent in pos ite to the vent ral retromarginal one.
th e present specimens. C. f urax is recorded
Maxillae: Much lon ger than the lip . Semi-
circular ant eriorly, concave laterally.

Tongan Spiders - MARPLES 365

Lip: Free. Longer than broad, concave males. 4 males. Vava'u. 1 Female. Ononua,
Ha'apai, This species was described from
anteriorly. Samoa, where it is very variable in colour, be-
ing frequently without the dark markings .
Sternum: Length 1.73 mm ., breadth 1.37 The very similar D. septempunctata was de-
scribed by Koch from Tonga. The present
mm . Convex. Lateral margi ns not ched for the specimens are pale, or sometimes with th ree
pairs of small spots, but their reproductive
bases of the last three legs, anterior margin organs resemble those of specimens from
Samoa and they seem to belong to this species.
slightly concave.
SALTICIDAE
Palp: Long and slender. Minute claw.
Ascyltus p terygodes (1. K och )
Legs: I II IV III Palp
3 Females, 3 males, 14 imm . Tongatabu.
4.1 3.2 3.2 2.2 1.3 1 Male, 2 imm . Eua Island, Ha'apai. 7 Fe-
males , 5 males , 24 imm . Vava 'u, Widespread
PAT ELLA T OTAL species, no t previo usly recorded from Vava'u,
FEMUR AND META- TA RSUS
4. 59
TIBI A TAR SUS 14.76
11.51
Palp .. . . . 1.69 1.55 1.34 8. 11
11.64
1. ... . . . . 4.18 5.26 4.14 1.17

11.. . . .. . . 3.42 4.00 3.13 0.95

III . . . . . . . 2.34 2.81 2.20 0.76

IV . . .. . . . 3.38 4.00 3.31 0.95

Tibial Index I 10.2

Tib ial Index IV 80 2

Claws: Two , pectin ated about 12. Tenent Bavia aericeps Simon
hairs in dense tufts on the feet and extending
along th e ventral surface of each tarsus and 1 Male, 3 imm. To ngatabu. 1 imm . Vava'u,
metatarsus, and sparsely on tibiae I and II. First records for the Tonga group. A wide -
spread species .
Spines: I. One pair at the pro ximal end of
the tibia. II. None. III. One retrolateral-distal Erasmia nigrovittata Keyserling
on the tibia ; 2 median and 4 distal on the
metatarsus . IV . One rerrolateral-distal on the 1 Female. Vava 'u, Th is species was described
tibia; 1 ventral-proximal, 2 median and 4 from a single female from Tonga . Ke yserling
distal on the meta tarsus. does not me ntion the cheliceral teeth, but
Berland (1934) places the species amongst the
Abdomen: Length 4.33 mm ., breadth 2.48 Fissidenrati, Petrunkevitch (1928) lists it as a
mm . Epigynum as in figure . synonym of Iona Peckham, one of the uni -
dentate species . The pt esent specimen agrees
Clubio na alveolata 1. Koch well with Keyserling's description, and has
four distinct teeth on each of the margins of
1 Female . Nuku'alofa, Tongatabu. 1 Male. the cheliceral groove.
Neiafu, Vava' u. Several immature specimens
which may belong to this species, which is Menemerus bivittatus Dufour
widesp read in the Pacific but not previously
recorded from Tonga. 1 Female . Nuku'alofa, Tongatabu.

SPARASSIDAE Mollicia m ic r ophthal m a 1. Koch

Heteropoda venatoria (Linn.) 1 Female, 2 imm . Tongatabu . 1 Female.
Panga, Ha'apai . 1 Male. Holonga, Vava'u.
1 Female. Tongatabu. 1 Female , 2 males . A wide spread species , first records for the
Vava'u, Tonga group.

T H O M I S I DAE Plexippus paycull i Aud uin

Diaea praetexta 1. Koch 1 Female . Vava'u . A widespread species , first
record for Tonga.
4 Females. Nuku 'alofa, Tongarabu . 17 Fe-

366 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XIII, October, 1959

Thorellia ensifera Thorell Tetragnatha macilenta L. Koch

9 Females, 3 males. Tongatabu. 2 Females, 2 Females and 2 imm . Tongatabu. 1 Female,
1 male . Vava'u. Widespread in the central 1 male. Ohonua, Ha 'apai. 3 Females and 2
and eastern regions of the Pacific as far west imm . 2 M ales. Vava'u, Widespread species
as Fiji. First record for Tongatabu. not previously recorded from Tonga .

Vitia albipalpis Marples T etragnatha panopea L. Koch

1 Male. Nuku 'alofa, Tongatabu. Described 1 Male. Tongatabu. Widespread species, first
from Fiji, first record for Tonga . record from Ton ga.

THERIDIIDAE EPEIRIDAE

Conopistha samoensis L. Koch Cyclosa litoralis (L. Koch )
2 Females . Tongatabu . Widespread species.
1 Female. Vava'u . The specimen is smaller
Conopistha unimaculata Marples than ones from Samoa and the epigynum is
1 Female. Tongatabu. Previousl y recorde d slightly different, but it seems likely to be
from Samoa and Niue, as well as Tonga. this species. It is widespread and occurs in
both Fiji and Samoa. This is the first record
Rhomphaea cometes L. Koch of a Cyc/osa from Tonga.

1 M ale. Tongatabu . 1 M ale. Falevau Island , Cyrtophora moluccensis Doleschall
Vava'u . New records for Tonga . Known also
from Fiji, Samoa, and Tahiti. 13 Females. Tongatabu. 6 Females. Vava'u .
A very widespread species.
Theridion adamsoni Berland
Epeira theisi Walckenaer
1 M ale, imm . Tongatabu. Probably belon g-
ing to this species, previousl y known from 2 Females . Ton gatabu. 7 Females, 2 males.
Tahiti, Austral Island s, and Samoa. Vava'u, Very Widespread species, new record
for Vava'u .
Theridion albostriatum L. Koch
Epeira plebeja L. Koch
1 Male. Vava'u, Widespread species, preVI-
ously recorded from Ton gatabu. 1 Female, 1 male imm. Eua Island , Ha 'apai .
1 Male imm. Tongatabu. This female has a
Theridion aleipata Marples mottled brownish abd omen who se shape and
pattern do not resemble those of E. tbeisi,
2 Females. Tongatabu. 3 Females. vava'u. though the epig ynum is similar. According
New record for Tonga, previousl y kn own to the distinctions given by Berland (1935) it
from Samoa and Aitutaki. appears to be E. plebeja, a species already re-
corded from Ton ga and from Fiji. The two
TETRAGNATHIDAE immature males probably belong to the
same species.
Leucauge tuberculata Keyserling

2 Females. Tongatabu. 2 Females. Vava'u, N ephila flagellans L. Koch
1 Female. Eua Island , Ha 'apai . Widespread in
the central and eastern parts of the Pacific. 3 Females, 1 male . Ton gatabu . Previou sly
Previously recorded from Ton gatabu. recorded .

Tongan Spiders - MARPLES 367

SUMMARY - - - 1934. Les Araignees du Pacifique. IN
Contribu tion a I' etude du peuplement
A collection of 34 species from various
islands in the Tonga g ro up includes 18 new zoologique et bo tanique des iles du Pa-
records, bringing the total to 49. The female cifique. Pub. Soc. Biogeo. 4: 155-180.
of the clubionid Chiracanthium diversum is - - - 1935. Nouvelles Araignees Marqui-
described . siennes. Bull. Bernice P. Bishop Mus. 142:
31- 63.
R E F E R E N CES
KOCH, 1., and E . K EYSERLING. 1871-1889.
BERLAND, 1. 1929. Araignees (Araneida). IN Die Arachniden A ustraliens. N urnburg.
Insects of Samoa, Pt. 8: 35- 78. Brit. Mus.
Nat. Hist. London. M ARPLES, B. J. 1955. Spiders from some Pa -

cific islands . Pacific Sci. 9(1) :69- 76.
PETRUNKEVITCH, A. 1928. Systema Aranearum,

T rans . Con n. Acad . Arts Sci. 29: 1-270.