Sason andamanicum (Simon, 1888)

Schwendinger, Peter J., 2003, Two New Species Of The Arboreal Trapdoor Spider Genus Sason (Araneae: Barychelidae) From Southeast Asia, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 51 (2), pp. 197-207 : 198

Sason andamanicum (Simon, 1888)

( Figs. 1-5 )

Satzicus andamanicum Simon, 1888: 287 (description of male holotype).

Sason andamanicum – Simon, 1892: 130 (synonymisation of Satzicus ); Pocock, 1900: 174; Raven, 1986: 54 (revision of Sason ).

Material examined. – Holotype - male (MHNP no. 9763 and AR 4562), Port Blair (11 40’N, 92 45’E), South Andaman Island, India, coll. R. D. Oldham, no date.

Remarks. – This species was diagnosed and the male holotype re-described in the course of a generic revision by Raven (1986), but the following details were not mentioned: cuspules in transverse row distally on labium of male (erroneously reported as absent in earlier descriptions; Simon, 1888; Pocock, 1900; Raven, 1986) long and slender (filiform), similar to nearby setae ( Fig. 5 ); prolateral megaspine inclined from axis of tibia I by about 40; retroventral spines on tibia I strong and blunt ( Fig. 2 ); embolus of left palp slightly sigmoid in ventral view ( Fig. 4 ), its base wide and abruptly narrowing beyond the proximal third ( Fig. 3 ) [right palp rather different in shape (presumably deformed)]; opisthosomal pattern faded, but dark central patch discernible on dorsum, indicating similar pattern as in the male of S. hirsutum , new species ( Fig. 33 ).

Measurements. – Body length 8.8; carapace 4.7 long, 4.4 wide; opisthosoma 4.4 long, 3.4 wide.

Figures

Figs. 1-5. Sason andamanicum (Simon), male holotype. 1, left tibia I, prolateral view; 2, the same, ventral view; 3, distal part of palpus, retrolateral view (bulb illustrated disproportionally larger than other parts); 4, the same, ventral view; 5, labium, ventral view. Scale lines (1+2; 3+4; 5) = 1.0 mm.

Figs. 33-41. Sason hirsutum, new species, male holotype. 33, body (without legs and palps), dorsal view; 34, eye group, dorsal view; 35, labium and proximal portion of maxillae, ventral view; 36, maxillae, labium and sternum, ventral view; 37, opisthosoma, ventral view; 38, left tibia I, prolateral view; 39, the same, ventral view; 40, distal part of palpus, ventral view; 41, the same, retrolateral view. Scale lines (33+37; 34; 35; 36; 38-41) = 1.0 mm.