THE CUTICULAR SCALES OF LYNX SPIDERS (ARANEAE, OXYOPIDAE)

An examination of the cuticular scales of the lynx spiders Oxyopes agl ossus, O. salticus, and Peucetia viridans using scanning electron micr oscopy revealed that scales in these spiders are morphologically disti nct, yet similar to the scales of the jumping spiders Eris militaris a nd Hentzia mitrata. Like the cuticular scales of jumping spiders, the cuticular scales of lynx spiders exhibit morphological differentiation in regard to location of occurrence on the body, with scales near the eyes tending to have more numerous and larger spines on the superior surface than scales on other regions of the prosoma and opisthosoma. T he functional significance of this differentiation in scale morphology is unknown. Sexual dimorphism and ontogenetic variation in scale morp hology and color were observed in the genus Oxyopes, but not in Peucet ia. In addition, the scales of P. viridans were distinguishable from t he scales of Oxyopes spp. on the basis of the number of apical spines (1 in P. viridans instead of 3-7 in Oxyopes spp.) and on the presence of spines on the inferior surface (many in P. viridans and none in Oxy opes spp.). (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.