New Records of Five Orb-web Spiders of the Genera Leucauge, Mesida, and Eriovixia (Araneae: Tetragnathidae and Araneidae) from Taiwan

Abstract

Five orb-weaving species of the families Tetragnathidae and Araneidae are newly recorded from Taiwan. These include tetragnatid species Leucauge argentina (Hasselt 1882), L. tessellata (Thorell 1887), Mesida gemmea Hasselt 1882 and araneid species Eriovixia excelsa (Simon 1889), E. sakiedaorum Tanikawa 1999. The tetragnathid genus Mesida is recorded from Taiwan for the first time. The morphology of these five orb-weaving species are described and illustrated, and the synonyms and distribution accounts are given in this paper.