Talaus Simon, 1886

Benjamin, Suresh P., 2020, Distributional and taxonomic notes on the crab spider genus Talaus Simon, 1886 with description of a new species (Araneae: Thomisidae), Zootaxa 4858 (3), pp. 405-416 : 406

Genus: Talaus Simon, 1886

Type species: Talaus triangulifer Simon, 1886 .

Diagnosis. Small to medium sized spiders, 1.9 to 9.0 mm. Leg formula 2143, Femur 1 with prolateral spines, femora 1 and 3 with dorsal spines. Male palp with RTA and VTA and in some species with DTA. Embolus spiniform, short to long (1x the circumference of tegulum), with broad-base and stout in some species. Epigynum slightly sclerotized, median septum lacking, CD short, tubular to irregular in shape, spermathecae rounded to irregular in shape. For a detailed diagnosis see Zhu & Ono (2007).

Species composition. The World Spider Catalog ( WSC 2020) lists twelve species: T. dulongjiang Tang, Yin, Ubick & Peng, 2008 , T. elegans Thorell, 1890 , T. limbatus Simon, 1895 , T. nanus Thorell, 1890 , T. niger Tang, Yin, Ubick & Peng, 2008 , T. oblitus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1899 , T. opportunus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1873) , T. samchi Ono, 2001 , T. semicastaneus Simon, 1909 , T. sulcus Tang & Li, 2010 , T. triangulifer Simon, 1886 and T. xiphosus Zhu & Ono, 2007 . The 13 th species, Talaus beccarii sp. nov. is described in this paper.

Distribution. South-East Asia ( Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Vietnam). T. limbatus from South Africa is probably misplaced in this genus.