Eriovixia gryffindori, Javed Ahmed, Rajashree Khalap & Sumukha J. N., 2016

Javed Ahmed, Rajashree Khalap & Sumukha J. N., 2016, A NEW SPECIES OF DRY FOLIAGE MIMICKING Eriovixia ARCHER, 1951 FROM CENTRAL WESTERN GHATS, INDIA (ARANEAE: ARANEIDAE), Indian Journal of Arachnology 5 (1), pp. 24-27 : 25-27

Eriovixia gryffindori sp. nov.

( Figures 1- 6 )

Type specimen

Holotype female, Hosanagara taluk, Shivamogga district , Karnataka. 13.92°N 75.07°E, 19.x.2015. Sumukha J. N .

Etymology

This uniquely shaped spider derives its name from the fabulous, sentient magical artifact, the sorting hat, owned by the (fictitious) medieval wizard Godric Gryffindor, one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and stemming from the powerful imagination of Ms. J. K. Rowling, wordsmith extraordinaire, as presented in her beloved series of books, featuring everyone’s favorite boy-wizard, Harry Potter. An ode from the authors, for magic lost, and found, in an effort to draw attention to the fascinating, but oft overlooked world of invertebrates, and their secret lives.

Diagnosis

Eriovixia gryffindori sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners by the following characteristics: epigyne sub-triangular, lateral sclerites large, distinct; scape long & stout, prominent, slightly recurved towards the tip, when viewed laterally; boundary between base of epigynum and scape clearly demarcated. Spermathecae small, oblong. Copulatory ducts stout, strongly arched, and inwardly curved, bearing a distinct coiled appearance; copulatory openings large, prominent, disk shaped, located posteriad.( Figures 3-5 ).

Ostensibly resembles E. pseudocentrodes (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) but can be separated by the differing genital structure of the latter, namely; scape small, indistinct, not clearly demarcated from the base of epigynum; copulatory ducts long & curved; spermathecae ovoid ( Tanikawa, 1999; Jäger & Praxaysombath, 2009; Han & Zhu, 2010; Mi, Peng, & Yin, 2010; Mi & Wang, 2016).

Also, similar to E. huwena Han & Zhu, 2010 , but can be distinguished by the latter’s dissimilar genitalia, namely; epigynum bearing a triangular scape; copulatory ducts twisted near narrow copulatory openings, expanding near kidney bean shaped spermathecae ( Mi & Wang, 2016).

Description

Female Holotype: Prosoma 1.80mm long, 1.78mm wide. Opisthosoma 5.22mm long, 3.18mm wide. Leg measurements: I 6.81 (2.36, 2.59, 1.37, 0.49), II 5.86 (2.01, 2.17, 1.18, 0.50), III 3.03 (1.10, 1.04, 0.62, 0.27), IV 4.35 (1.27, 1.73, 0.96, 0.39).

Opisthosoma gray-brown, longer than wide, tapering posteriad, with small, irregularly spaced brown spots. A broad, dark-brown longitudinal median band, with eight distinctive, paired dark spots, irregularly edged with green, extending to the caudal tip. Prosoma orange-brown; legs following a similar color scheme.

Habitus lightly covered in two distinctive shades of setae: short, and light yellow; longer and white in coloration.

Epigyne as in Diagnosis. Male unknown.

Distribution

Presently known only from Shivamogga district, Karnataka, India.

Natural History

A small, cryptic, nocturnal araneid which takes refuge in, and mimics dried foliage, during daylight hours ( Figure 6 ).

Holotype female located among dried leaves of an unidentified shrub, 4 feet from ground level (approx). Web Vertical; orb-shaped.

Remarks

Tanikawa (1999) mentions a certain variability in the epigynal structure of E. pseudocentrodes , which though profusely illustrated by various authors ( Tanikawa, 1999; Jäger & Praxaysombath, 2009; Han & Zhu, 2010; Mi, Peng, & Yin, 2010), has never been succinctly compared and described.

Figures

Figure 1 Eriovixia gryffindori sp. nov . - Anterodorsal view

Figure 3 Epigyne - Ventral view

Figure 4 Epigyne - Dorsal view

Figure 5 Epigyne - Lateral view

Figure 6 Eriovixia gryffindori sp. nov. showing resemblance to dried foliage