Bathippus digitalis, Zhang & Song & Li, 2003

Zhang, J. X., Song, D. X. & Li, Daiqin, 2003, Six New And One Newly Recorded Species Of Salticidae (Arachnida: Araneae) From Singapore And Malaysia, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 51 (2), pp. 187-195 : 189-190

Bathippus digitalis , new species

( Figs. 2 A-D)

Material examined. – Holotype – male ( ZRC.ARA.50), Bukit Timah Nat. Res., Singapore, 17 Mar.1968.

Diagnosis. – The arrangement of cheliceral teeth resembles that of Bathippus palabuanensis Simon, 1902 (see Simon, 1902: 419; 1903: 726, f. 876-877), but differs from the latter in the femur I with ventral scopulae; the large tooth on retromargin finger-like, rather than dagger-like; the palpal organ of the new species is similar to that of Bathippus molossus ( Thorell, 1881) ( Plexippus molossus Thorell, 1881: 553 , 708; Bathippus molossus - Prószynski´, 1984: 8), but can be distinguished from the latter by the relatively longer embolus and the tibial apophysis which is not hook-like.

Description. – Male. Total length 7.20. Cephalothorax 3.33 long, 3.06 wide; abdomen 3.87 long, 1.85 wide. Carapace ( Fig. 2A ) orange yellow, eye area reddish brown. Eye sizes: AME 0.82, ALE 0.60, PME 0.07, PLE 0.51. Anterior eye row 2.61 wide, posterior row 2.43 wide, eye area 1.58 long. Chelicera ( Fig. 2B ) long, dark reddish brown, with 3 teeth on promargin and 1 large, finger-like tooth on retromargin, back surface of chelicera with a process near the fang. Endites and labium orange yellow, sternum yellow. Legs I and II orange yellow, III and IV lighter in color. Tibiae I and II each with 3 pairs of ventral spines, metatarsi I and II each with 2 pairs of ventral spines. Femur I and tibia I ventrally with dense scopulae. Leg measurements: I 9.05 (2.70+3.69 +1.89+0.77); II 6.98 (2.16+2.70 +1.35+0.77); III 9.64 (3.15+3.38+2.34+ 0.77); IV 7.35 (2.03+2.43+2.12+0.77). Leg formula: 3142. Dorsum of abdomen yellowish brown, centrally with a pair of small reddish brown spots; venter yellow. Embolus of palpal organ ( Figs. 2C, D ) slender, its basal part elliptic; end of tibial apophysis not hook-like.

Etymology. – The specific name refers to the large fingerlike tooth on retromargin.

Figures

Fig. 2. Bathippus digitalis, new species, holotype (ZRC.ARA.50). A. male; B. left chelicera, ventral view (the black arrow refers to the large and finger-like retromarginal tooth); C. left palp, ventral view; D. same, lateral view. Scales: A, B = 1.0 mm, C, D = 0.5 mm.