Proszynskia, Kanesharatnam, Nilani & P. Benjamin, Suresh, 2019

Kanesharatnam, Nilani & P. Benjamin, Suresh, 2019, Multilocus genetic and morphological phylogenetic analysis reveals a radiation of shiny South Asian jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae), ZooKeys 839, pp. 1-81 : 1

Genus Proszynskia gen. n.

Type species.

Viciria diatreta Simon, 1902.

Etymology.

The name honours Jerzy Prószyński, one of the most influential salticidologists, who redescribed many type specimens and greatly contributed to our knowledge of jumping spider biodiversity.

Monophyly and phylogenetic placement.

Monophyly of Proszynskia is recovered in all molecular trees and the morphological tree (Figs 1-3) is supported by the following unambiguous putative synapomorphies: pale yellow median abdominal band bordered with two black bands (Fig. 23 E–G), more/less straight embolus (Figs 24D, 25A), large, pyriform spermathecae, mid-wall origin of FD (Figs 25D, E, 26C, D).

Diagnosis.

This genus can readily be recognised from the closely related genus Phintelloides by pale yellow, median longitudinal band bordered with blackish stripes of dorsal abdomen, short and straight embolus, absence of LP, well-developed PLT, narrowed distal part of the tegulum, mid-wall origin of FD and absence of DDC in females. Other differences are the pattern of abdominal dorsal markings and copulatory organ’s morphology including short, robust, and comparably shorter embolus and comparably short RTA in males, absence of curved CD, presence of large and highly sclerotised spermathecae and the presence of SC in females.

Description.

Large spiders (7-9mm). Prosoma longer than wide with pale yellow patches on the ocular field; white diamond-shaped mark behind eye field; white belts on lateral prosoma; leg I dark brown and robust in males; tibiae and metatarsi of first two legs with four and two pairs of ventral spines respectively; abdomen with pale yellow longitudinal median band; bordered by blackish brown lateral bands and ventrum uniform pale colour; short and straight embolus; apical portion of bulbus without lamellar process; well-developed proximal lobe of bulbus prolaterally; medium sized RTA with bent tip. Position of CO uncertain; CD short; large, pyriform-shaped spermathecae; FD originating from mid-wall of the receptacles; PEB with partially developed scapum.

Composition.

This genus encompasses two known species: Proszynskia anusuae (Tikader & Biswas, 1981) comb. n. and P. diatreta (Simon, 1902) comb. n.

Remarks.

Proszynskia diatreta was recovered as a separate lineage in all our analyses (Figs 1, 2; Suppl. material 1-3: Figs S1-S3). However, its placement within trees differed. Many more species of the lineage may remain to be discovered in the South Asian region. Proszynskia anusuae comb. n. (formerly Marpissa anusuae Tikader & Biswas, 1981: 97, text figs 18-20) is distinct from other Marpissa of the subtribe Marpissina Simon, 1901 in habitus as well as copulatory organ’s morphology. Morphologically, P. anusuae resembles P. diatreta and is thus transferred here.

Distribution.

India and Sri Lanka.