Miocene spider<i>Maevia eureka</i>nov. sp. (Araneae: Salticidae)

Abstract

A new fossil species of salticid spider (Araneae: Salticidae) is described based on an amber-embedded specimen. The specimen was collected from lignite-sandstone early-mid Miocene sediments near the town of Totolapa in Chiapas, southwestern Mexico. The diagnosis and description is supported by key characters that best match the genus <i>Maevia</i> Koch, 1846. Thus, this new fossil species has been named <i>Maevia eureka</i> nov. sp. This fossil shows closer affinities in epygine traits with extant specimens grouped around the species <i>Maevia poultoni</i> Peckham & Peckham, 1901. This represents the first known fossil species within <i>Maevia</i> and the southernmost record of the genus in North America that shows Nearctic relationships.