taxonID	type	description	language	source
0E3C87C9FFF16345C0A26C06B75BD6A9.taxon	materials_examined	Type species (by monotypy) Linyphia (Leucauge) argyrobapta White, 1841, a junior synonym of Epeira venusta Walckenaer, 1841 In his field notes Darwin suggested the new genus name Leucauge for argyrobapta (see Keynes, 2000), but nevertheless White (1841) described argyrobapta as a species of Linyphia and treated Leucauge as a subgenus, not as a new genus. This should be hardly surprising given that in his paper White (1841: 471) explicitly expressed reluctance to erect new genera: “ I describe them without any systematic order, but having necessarily numbered each species, intend afterwards giving a classified index: the descriptions are in many instances prolix, and I have in most cases given the generic character of each species. I have done this because, at present, I am unwilling to propose new names if I can possibly refer the species I describe to any of ties established genera. ” There is no hint in Darwin’s field book suggesting that argyrobapta had close affinities with Linyphia. In fact, Darwin’s entry (page 38 of this particular field book, as transcribed in Keynes, 2000) starts with the following text: “ Spider, orbilates [orbitéles]; closely allied to Epeira (Leucauge. [illeg.]) ”. Thus the generic placement in Linyphia must be entirely attributed to White. Although Waterhouse’s (1902: 198) Index Zoologicus provides the first use of Leucauge as a genus name, the first arachnologists to use Darwin’s name at the genus rank were F. O. P. - Cambridge (1902 a, 1903) and E. Simon (1903). In one of his papers on the type species of the genera of Araneae, Cambridge (1902 b: 16) explicitly discusses the rank of Leucauge and quite openly expresses his dislike for Darwin’s new name: “ No one that has ever been in a tropical Brazilian forest will hesitate one moment in recognizing this as a species of the Argyroepeira group of Emerton.	en	Dimitrov, Dimitar, Hormiga, Gustavo (2010): Mr. Darwin’s mysterious spider: on the type species of the genus Leucauge White, 1841 (Tetragnathidae, Araneae). Zootaxa 2396: 19-36, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.193975
0E3C87C9FFF16345C0A26C06B75BD6A9.taxon	description	One feels sorry at the necessity of sacrificing so beautiful a name for the ugly one Leucauge proposed by Darwin, but priority lies with the latter. ” Cameron (2005: 302) deciphered the etymology of Leucauge (which means “ with a bright gleam ”, in reference to the characteristic silvery guanine abdominal marks) and pointed out how Bonnet (1957) also grumbled about the replacement of the more recent genus name Argyroepeira Emerton, 1884 by the older one Leucauge after having been forgotten for sixty years. We join Professor Cameron (2005: 302) in rejoicing the preservation of “ the only spider name which can be attributed to Charles Darwin. ”	en	Dimitrov, Dimitar, Hormiga, Gustavo (2010): Mr. Darwin’s mysterious spider: on the type species of the genus Leucauge White, 1841 (Tetragnathidae, Araneae). Zootaxa 2396: 19-36, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.193975
0E3C87C9FFF1634FC0A26B71B195D3AA.taxon	description	Neotypes: Neotype by present designation, male from Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Botanical garden of the Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, lat. - 22.90842, long. - 43.223547 21 VIII 2007, leg. Abel Pérez-González, Adriano B. Kury, Thiago S. Moreira, Dimitar Dimitrov and Gustavo Hormiga (deposited in MNRJ).	en	Dimitrov, Dimitar, Hormiga, Gustavo (2010): Mr. Darwin’s mysterious spider: on the type species of the genus Leucauge White, 1841 (Tetragnathidae, Araneae). Zootaxa 2396: 19-36, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.193975
0E3C87C9FFF1634FC0A26B71B195D3AA.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Many Leucauge species are very similar and identification can be difficult. Males of L. venusta can be distinguished from similar species [e. g., L. formosa (Blackwall, 1863)] by the orientation of the conductor, which is more parallel to the tegulum (Fig. 2 B – C) than in other similar species. The shape of the apical processes of the conductor is also characteristic (Fig. 2 A – F). Other male genitalic characters which are useful to distinguish L. venusta from similar congeners are: the size and position of the subtegulum with relation to the tegulum and the shape and size of the paracymbium. The epigynum (Fig. 3 B) is quite similar to that of L. formosa, however, size and shape of spermathecae in L. venusta is unique to this latter species (Fig. 3 A). Coloration and color pattern in both males and females of Leucauge are important and diagnostic. They often vary considerably among species with similar genitalic morphology, hence, facilitating the correct identification. In live specimens, the abdomen of L. venusta has four distinct red-orange markings (silvery when in alcohol) (Fig. 1 A – G). Two are ventral and two are dorso-lateral. The ventral markings are parallel and placed laterally on distal third of the abdomen. They join proximally to form a U shaped pattern. The dorsal markings start around the middle of the abdomen and extend parallel to each other.	en	Dimitrov, Dimitar, Hormiga, Gustavo (2010): Mr. Darwin’s mysterious spider: on the type species of the genus Leucauge White, 1841 (Tetragnathidae, Araneae). Zootaxa 2396: 19-36, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.193975
0E3C87C9FFF1634FC0A26B71B195D3AA.taxon	description	Description: Male (neotype of Linyphia argyrobapta, from Rio de Janeiro) Habitus as in Figure 4 A – D. When live, carapace (Fig. 5 D – F) yellowish with green markings along edges and center dorsally. Fovea well marked (Fig. 5 F). Leg coxae with yellowish bases, rest of legs bright green. Abdomen (Figs. 4 B – D; 5 G; 6 A) elongated, proximally with shiny silvery guanine bands and three thinner black lines dorsally – one in center, two more lateral. Two lateral dorsal lines change to red-orange coloration close to middle of abdomen and widen distally. Lateral sides of abdomen with thick shiny silver line close to its dorsal side followed by black line and another silvery line with some yellowish tones followed by bright green. Ventral side of abdomen proximally green with yellowish central mark proximally and thin yellow lateral lines. Distally with a central black area and two lateral red-orange markings forming a U-shaped pattern. Two shiny rounded spots placed just lateral to spinnerets – light yellow when alive, silvery white in alcohol. All colored lines meet on distal tip of the abdomen which is black. Total length 5.50. Cephalothorax 2.35 long, 1.95 wide, 1.16 high. Abdomen 3.15 long, 1.54 wide, 1.47 high. Clypeus height 0.7 times an AME diameter. Sternum (Fig. 5 D) dark brown; 1.05 long, 0.98 wide. Eyes almost the same size. Lateral eyes juxtaposed on short elevations (Fig. 5 A, F). Distance between PME 1.5 times their diameter. AME-ALE distance about three AME diameters. Distance between AME almost twice their diameter. PLE-PME distance three times one PME diameter. Chelicerae (Figs. 4 A; 5 A – C) yellowish, darker brown distally. Distal edge of paturon with three anterior and four posterior teeth. Femur I 1.2 times the length of cephalothorax. Pedipalp as in Figures 2 A – F; 6 C – G; 7 A – D. Palpal tibia length 0.78; cymbium length 0.58. Epiandrous fusules as in Figure 6 B. Femur of leg IV dorsally with two parallel rows of branched trichobothria extending over more than two thirds of its length. Palp as in Figures 2 A – E; 6 C – G; 7 A – D. Conductor and embolus connect to tegulum with common membrane (Fig. 2 E, F). Female (same locality and date as male neotype). Habitus and coloration as in male (Fig. 1 A – G), slightly larger than male (female total length ca. 1.3 times that of male). Total length 7.45. Cephalothorax (Fig. 8 A – C) 2.88 long, 2.06 wide, 1.32 high. Abdomen (Fig. 9 A – B) 4.57 long, 2.40 wide, 2.19 high. Clypeus height 0.5 times an AME diameter. Sternum (Fig. 9 B) dark brown; 1.39 long, 1.16 wide. Eyes sizes and distribution as in male (Fig. 9 A, E). Chelicerae as in male (Fig. 9 C – F). Tracheal system haplotracheate (Fig. 10 F – G), with median tracheal trunks shorter than lateral, neither of them entering the prosoma. Tracheal atrium with numerous accessory glands (Fig. 11 A). Tracheal spiracle immediately anterior to spinnerets. Spinnerets as in Figure 10 A – D. Femur IV dorsally with two rows of branched trichobothria as in male (Fig. 10 E). Epigynum as in Figures 2 A – B; 9 C – F; 11 B – G. Spermathecae (Figs. 3 A; 11 B, B) membranous and elongated. Fertilization ducts also membranous with numerous accessory glands (Fig. 11 C, E, F). Variation: Male cephalothorax length varies between 2.24 and 2.35 (n = 4). Females cephalothorax length varies between 2.30 and 3.00 (n = 117). Total body length in males varies between 5.11 and 5.50 (n = 4) and in females between 5.88 and 9.66 (n = 117).	en	Dimitrov, Dimitar, Hormiga, Gustavo (2010): Mr. Darwin’s mysterious spider: on the type species of the genus Leucauge White, 1841 (Tetragnathidae, Araneae). Zootaxa 2396: 19-36, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.193975
0E3C87C9FFF1634FC0A26B71B195D3AA.taxon	distribution	Distribution: Leucauge venusta is very widely distributed in the New World. Although, common in temperate areas of USA (Levi, 1980) this species has been already found in the neotropics (Panama, Colombia, see Cambridge, 1903) and its presence in Brazil extends further south its known distribution range. Leucauge venusta distribution spans from southern Canada to southern Brazil. Natural history: The natural history of L. venusta is relatively well known. Leucauge venusta spins its horizontal orb web (Fig. 12 A – F) in vegetation in humid tropical and temperate areas. Emerton (1902), Comstock (1913), Kaston (1947), Levi (1980) and Hénaut et al. (2006) describe their webs. In more temperate areas it is commonly found in irrigated orchards, gardens or vegetation along river banks. The spider usually rests in the center of the web but when disturbed it hides in an off-web retreat. Leucauge venusta webs may vary considerably and in some cases they have a mesh above the orb plane. The variability in web architecture in this species was first noted by Darwin (as quoted in White, 1841: 474): “ ... but sometimes above, the concentric web, there is an irregular or thin tissue of network ”. The web and foraging biology of L. venusta was also studied in detail by Hénaut et al. (2001). The courtship behavior is described in detail by Castro (1995). Eberhard and Huber (1998) give further details and discuss the differences in the courtship among several Leucauge species.	en	Dimitrov, Dimitar, Hormiga, Gustavo (2010): Mr. Darwin’s mysterious spider: on the type species of the genus Leucauge White, 1841 (Tetragnathidae, Araneae). Zootaxa 2396: 19-36, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.193975
