Plexippus bhutani Zabka, 1990

Prószyński, Jerzy, 2017, Remarks on the genus Plexippus C. L. Koch, 1846 (Araneae: Salticidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 13, pp. 39-69 : 53-54

Plexippus bhutani Zabka, 1990

Figures 3 I-J, 4D, 5F-F1, 7J

Plexippus bhutani Zabka, 1990b: 173 , f. 28-33 (Dmf).

Plexippus bhutani Xie & Peng, 1993: 21 , f. 9-11 (f).

Plexippus bhutani Peng et al., 1993: 180 , f. 629-631 (f).

Plexippus bhutani Peng & Li, 2003b: 750 , f. 1A-C (f).

Plexippus clemens Caleb, 2016b: 274 , f. 6-17 (mf), (in part: synonymy with P. bhutani rejected)

Documentation studied. Summary of world's literature provided by "Monograph of Salticidae ( Araneae ) of the World 1995-2016. Part I & 2" by Prószyński (2016 a, b) and current literature.

Diagnosis. Differs from all remaining species by longer tibial apophysis, reaching level of anterior edge of bulbus ( Figs 3J , 4D ), with broad tip, while in comparable species P. clemens apophysis reach mid-length of bulbus ( Figs 3B, H ), length of apophysis in P. tectonicus ( = yinae ) is intermediate between these two, but is narrow and ends with sharp tip. Embolus relatively broad, it is strongly bent atop basis, appearing as arising from the mid point of anterior edge of bulbus, a position typical for several species of Plexippus . Embolus is also relatively thick, on original drawing followed by whitish structure of similar shape, however, not commented in original description. Epigyne with pocket moved to near anterior end of epigyne, far ahead of copulatory openings ( Figs 5 F-F1) - a pattern characteristic to part of species (see also P. clemens , P. petersi , P. similis , P. tectonicus , species otherwise differing between themselves by proportions of epigyne internal structures, especially shape of ducts, spermathecae and development of armature of scent exuding openings). Abdominal dark stripes are broad ( Fig. 7J ) in both sexes, also dark stripes on carapace are continuous, not interrupted, light median thoracal stripe ends before eyefield, which is dark. Total body length of male 4.85 mm, of female 5.65 mm (in exemplary specimens of Żabka 1990: 172).

Distribution. Bhutan, India, China: Yunnan

Remarks. Plexippus bhutani is listed in the WSC as a synonym of Plexippus clemens (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) , from which females differ by anterior position of pocket (compare Figs, 3I, 5F-F1 with 5B-B1, 5C-C1) which allows to consider them as separate species. Therefore:

Plexippus clemens (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) (in part) = Plexippus bhutani Zabka, 1990 -

reinstated as separate species.

Figures

Figure 3. Color pattern and body shape of species of Plexippus. A-D - Plexippus clemens (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) - Egypt, E-F - Plexippus clemens -Turkey, ventral view of epigyne (uncleared soft tissues embedding spermathecae and ducts hamper perception of details of structures!), G-H - Plexippus clemens - India.

Figure 4a. Diagnostic characters of species of Plexippus. A - Plexippus paykulli (Audouin, 1826) (palp 1/3 larger than remaining species), B - P. gershomi sp. n., C - P. sp. [devorans?? - unlabeled specimen in O. Pickard-Cambridge collection, from a jar with specimens from Palestine], D - P. bhutani Zabka, 1990, D1 - P. minor Wesolowska & van Harten, 2010, E- P. petersi (Karsch, 1878), F - P. tectonicus Prószyński, 2003, G - Plexippus yinae Peng X., Li S., 2003 = P. tectonicus [?], H - Plexippus strandi Spassky, 1939 - from Turkmenistan, K - P. strandi Spassky, 1939, K1 - P. dushanbinus (Andreeva, 1969), L - P. setipes-1 Karsch, 1879, L1 - "P. setipes-2" Peng & Li, 2003, [another palp, hypothetically matching holotype of P. setipes - see Figs 9R-S], M - P. setipes.

Figure 7. Body pattern diversity in Plexippus. A - Plexippus tectonicus Prószyński, 2003, - body and palpal "flag", B - P. gershomi sp. n. - body and palpal "flag, C - P. "coccineus"[?] by Metzner, D - P. strandi Sspassky, 1939 male and female abdomen by Wesołowska, E - P. strandi Spassky, 1939 - male abdomen by Adreeva, F - P. dushanbinus - male body and female abdomen by Andreeva, G - P. similis - female abdomen by Wesołowska, H-I - P. kondarensis (Charitonov, 1951) - body of male by Charitonov and by Logunov & Rakov, J - P. bhutani Zabka, 1990 - male and female, K - P. pokharae Zabka, 19, L - P. yinae Peng & Li, 2003 =[?] P. tectonicus Prószyński, 2003, L1 - P. setipes Karsch 1879 - type from Japan, Prószyński, 1973: 120, f. 61, L2 - P. setipes-2 Peng & Li, 2003, L3 - P. setipes from Vietnam, M - P. paykulli (Audouin, 1826), N - P. baro Wesolowska & Tomasiewicz, 2008, O - P. robustus (Bösenberg & Lenz, 1895), P - P. [?] rubroclypeatus (Lessert, 1927), Q - P. [?] stridulator Pocock, 1899.