Eagle-faced Maratus Maratus aquilus Schubert, 2019
Fauna Portal species: 8608
Maratus aquilus male, dorsal (WAM T147349; Mount Romance, Western Australia)
Image: Schubert (2019; fig. 3B)
Fauna Portal Image No. 4875Diagnosis
(after Schubert 2019): This species belongs to the Maratus vespa group, with respect to the presence of many long bristle-like setae on legs III of the male, and the courtship display of the male which rapidly turns from side to side with a raised opisthosoma and extended large, lobate lateral opisthosomal flaps, displaying to females at close proximity (within millimetres). Maratus aquilus can be distinguished from other males of the group by its unique dorsal opisthosomal pattern. Females of M. aquilus are similar to other females in the M. vespa clade and identification is not possible without association with a male. The structures of the external male and female genitalia of M. aquilus are of no use in distinguishing them from other south-western Australian endemic Maratus species.
Status
- native
Linnean Holotype
Australia
- Western Australia
Fauna Portal Records
The map shows all records that have been verified as part of the Fauna Portal project and may not represent the true distribution of a species. Specifically, for described species, check the link to the Atlas of Living Australia on this page for potential wider distributions. Fauna Portal Reference specimens and Linnean types are shown in red. If you identified a specimen that exceeds the distribution of an undescribed species as illustrated here, please contact the Fauna Portal team who can assist with the lodgement of the specimen in a public institution and display on the map.
Publications
(2019): Three new peacock spiders from Southwestern Australia (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryini: Maratus Karsch, 1878). Zootaxa. 4564: 81 - 100DOI