Corresponding author: Nadine Dupérré (
Academic editor: Martin Husemann
In this paper, we are redescribing type material from the Zoological Museum in Hamburg that was thought to be lost. These specimens were described in 1902 by Eugène Simon from material collected in Southern Patagonia and Fireland but the species were subsequently considered
Eugène Simon (1848–1924) is considered by many arachnologists as the prime father of systematic spider research and still widely praised as the most prolific spider taxonomist of all times. Simon worked at the Muséum national d´Histoire Naturelle in Paris where most of his type specimens are deposited. Determination of type material by subsequent researchers has often been problematic, mainly because Simon did not declare type material in his original descriptions. Simon also described material from other collections but rarely stated the type depository, which was common practice back then but is an essential element of taxonomic descriptions today. Simon is not to be blamed for his approach because taxonomic standards were very different back then. It is perhaps surprising that type material described by Eugène Simon was recently rediscovered at the
In 1890, a commission was set up to plan an expedition to Southern Patagonia and Fireland, but the expedition was delayed due to political instability in Chile. Wilhelm Michaelsen left Hamburg in late July 1892 and returned to Hamburg on the 10th September 1893 with great success (
After the return of the expedition, the arachnid specimens were integrated into the invertebrate collections of the Zoological Museum in Hamburg and forwarded to the taxonomic authorities for identification and description. It was the then-director of the museum Karl Kraepelin who invited Eugène Simon to participate in the analysis of the the specimens collected of the expedition. Eugène Simon was already a well-established arachnologist and had published on arachnids from Patagonia, Cape Horn and Terre-de-Feu (
Unfortunately, Simon did not mention the number of specimens he examined and refrained from illustrating the specimens. Consequently, it has been somewhat difficult for subsequent arachnologists to recognise the species but also to determine their status (holotype or lectotypes).
The present paper re-analyses part of the spider material presented by Simon in 1902; only the species that were designated as
All specimens are deposited at the Zoological Museum (
The taxonomy follows the
Coll. Mich. 130. Süd-Feuerland, Uschuaia, Süßwassersee auf der Halbinsel, 19.XII.92.
♀. long. 1 mm.
130. Uschuaia; Süsswasser-See auf d. Halbinsel. Coll. Michaelsen. 19.XI.92.
In 2007, Miller declared this species a
Lectotype ♀ designated here (
ABDOMEN: Oval (Fig.
Argentina: Uschuaia.
The genus
Coll. Mich. 142. Süd-Feuerland, Uschuaia; 14.XII.92.
♀. long. 0,8 mm.
142 Uschuaia, 14.XII.92.
In 2007, Miller synonymised
Lectotype ♀ designated here (
Argentina: Uschuaia.
Species from the genus
Coll. Mich. 187. Süd-Feuerland, Küstenstich-Ebenen südwestlich von Kap San Pio; 27.XII.92.
♀. long. 2,7 mm.
187. Feuerld. S.K.wstl.v.Kp.S.Pio, Coll. Michaelsen. 27.XII.92.
This species was transferred by
Lectotype ♀ designated here (
Chile, Kap San Pio.
Coll. Mich. 140. Süd-Feuerland, Uschuaia, Wald, unter vermodernden Baumstümpfen; 30.X.92. Coll. Mich. 141. Süd-Feuerland, Uschuaia, Land; 14.XI.92.
♀. long. 2,4 mm.
Syntypes 1♂ penultimate (
Simon described the genus
Coll. Mich. 178. Süd-Feuerländ. Arch., Isl. Navarin, Puerto Toro, Wald; 19.XII.92.
♀. long. 2,5 mm.
178. Navarin, Puerto Toro, Wald, Coll. Michaelsen 19.XII.92.
The female specimen deposited in the
Lectotype ♀, designated here (
COLORATION (based on original description, translated from Latin): “cephalothorax dark brown, pars cephalica slightly paler, pars thoracica with thin black margin. Abdomen dorsally dark yellow-bluewish, medially with wide, darker band, anterior margin paler, in the middle part, three transverses, angular arches, apically with small spots; ventrally, dark yellow. Femur apically with brown ring”. CEPHALOTHORAX: Pyriform, longer than wide (Fig.
Chile, Puerto Toro.
Transferred to
Here again, Simon´s description of the genus is rather short and he mentions that the genus resembles
Coll. Mich. 140. Süd - Feuerländ, Uschuaia, Wald, unter vermodernden Baumstämmen; 30. X. 92.
♂.long. 2 mm.
140. Uschuaia, Wald. Coll. Michaelsen. 30.X.92.
The data from the labels found with the
Lectotype ♀ designated here (
Argentina: Uschuaia
Coll. Mich. 165. Süd-Feuerland, Harberton Harbour (Puerto Bridges); 10. I. 93. Coll. Mich. 187. Süd-Feuerland, Küstenstrich-Eben westlich von Kap San Pio; 27.xii.92.
♀ long. 4mm.
Syntypes 4♀ (
Coll. Mich. 75. Süd-Patagonien, Punta Arenas, unter Steinen und Baumstämmen; IX. 92.
♀. long. 13 mm.
75. Magelh. Str., Punta arenas; Coll. Michaelsen. IX.92.
Syntype ♀ (
This species was synonymised under
Coll. Mich. 81. Süd-Patagonien, Punta Arenas; X.-XII.92. (H. Michelsen leg.).
♀. long. 6–7 mm.
81. Magelh. Str., Punta Arenas; Coll. Michaels. Herbst 92 (Michaelsen l.).
Syntype ♀ (
Ramírez (2003:154) synonymised
Coll. Mich. 80. Süd-Patagonien, Punta Arenas; 25.II.93. Coll. Mich. 141. Süd-Feuerland, Uschuaia; 14.XI.92 Coll. Mich. 165. Süd-Feuerland, Harberton Harbour (Puerto Bridges), Wald, 10.I.93. Coll. Mich. 174. Süd-Feuerland, Arch. Isl. Picton, Banner Cove, 26.XII.92. Coll. Mich. 193. Süd-Feuerland, Puerto Pantalon, 2.I.93.
♀. long. 6 mm.
Paralectotypes 2♂, 12♀ (
Ramírez (2003: 154) synonymised
Female, Coll. Mich. 76. Süd-Patagonien, Punta Arenas, unter Baustämmen; 15.III.93.
♀. long. 5 mm.
76. Magelh. Str., Punta arenas; IX.92.
Syntype ♀ (
Ramírez (2003: 154) synonymised
Coll. Mich. 30. Chile, Putabla bei Valdivia; 20.IV.93.
Coll. Mich. 38. Chile, Valdivia; 31.III.93.
♀. long. 12-15 mm. ♂. 10 mm
The
Lectotype ♂ designated here, paralectotype ♀ (juvenile) (
Chile, Valdivia.
Coll. Mich. 28. Chile, Chamil-chamil bei Valvidia; 23.IV.93.
♀. long. 10-12 mm. ♂. 8 mm.
28. Valvidia, Chamilchamil. Coll. Michaelsen. 23.IV. 93.
Paralectotypes juveniles 1♂1♀ (
Coll. Mich. 187. Süd-Feuerland, Küstenstrich-Eben westlich von Kap San Pio; 27.XII.92.
♀. long. 2 mm.
187. Feuerld.S.K. wstl.v. Kp. S. Pio. Coll.
In 1958, Vellard described a female and a male based on specimens from Rusfin, that he believed was the species
Lectotype ♀ designated here (
Kap San Pio.
Coll. Mich. 150. Süd-Feuerland, Uschuaia, unter Steinen und zwischen Steingeröll; 15.XI.92. Coll. Mich. 178. Süd-Feuerland, Arch., Isl. Navarin, Puerto Toro, Wald; 19.XII.92. Coll. 193. Süd-Feuerland, Puerto Pantalon; 2.I.93.
♀. long. 1,3 mm.
Lectotype 1♀ designated here, paralectotypes 1♂, 1♀(
In 1957, Birabén redescribed the species based on a female topotype from Uschuaia and a male allotype from Bariloche, 1600 km away from Uschuaia. Schiapelli & Gerschman published a paper on the characters of the genus
CEPHALOTHORAX: As in female (Fig.
Argentina; Uschuaia, Chile; Puerto Toro and Puerto Pantalon.
Coll. Mich. 85. Süd-Patagonien, Punta Arenas, Wald; 18. X. 92. Coll. Mich. 179. Süd-Feuerländ. Archipel, Isl. Navarin, Puerto Toro, Wald; XI. 92 (F. Delfin leg.).
♀. long. 10 mm.
85. [Mag. Hb]. Punta Arenas, Wald. Coll. Michaelsen. 18. X. 92.
Lectotype ♀ designated here (
CEPHALOTHORAX: Longer than wide, not elevated (Fig.
Chile: Punta Arenas.
Labelling and curatorial order of the
Of the 29 spider species described by Simon in his 1902 paper, some subsequent authors correctly assigned the types and mentioned that the specimens were deposited in the Hamburg Museum (
In the case of
The current study showcases – once more – the difficulties in working with very old type collections. Whilst the documentation of old and pale types that are locked away in large collections seems little adventurous, it provides the foundation for any work to come and taxonomic chaos and redundancy results if that study is not being done. We all have to face the problem of revising and looking for types all over the world and often consider this as wasted time but documenting, redescribing and illustrating types is of significant importance to ensure taxonomic stability, as well as offering valuable historical, biological and biogeographical data.
We sincerely thank Martina Mistera (CeNak) for helping us to find the picture of Wilhelm Michaelsen and Dr. Martin Ramírez for commenting on the taxonomic status of