Yllenus gregoryi, Dmitri V. Logunov, 2010

Dmitri V. Logunov, 2010, A new species of Yllenus Simon, 1868 from northern India (Araneae, Salticidae), Bull. Br. arachnol. Soc. 15, pp. 91-92 : 91-92

Yllenus gregoryi sp. n. ( Figs. 1–2)

Type material: Holotype ♀ ( BMNH) from India, ‘‘1932·6·30·1/ Nurla Ladak, Leh Road/Thibet District, alt. 9,900 ft /No.2, 24.4.31 /Capt. G. E. E. Gregory’ ’ [apparently, Nurla (c. 34°20'N, 76°58'E) in the Indus river valley, Leh district of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, northern India ] .

Etymology: The species is named after the collector, Captain G. Gregory.

Diagnosis: The new species belongs to the hamifer species group (sensu Logunov & Marusik, 2003) and is most similar to Yllenus auspex (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885) from Central Asia and Y. baltistanus Caporiacco, 1935 from northern India (Jammu and Kashmir) (see Logunov & Marusik, 2003: figs. 422–424 and 443–444). From both species, the female of Y. gregoryi sp. n. di ff ers in having a deeper epigynal pocket ( Fig. 1), which is the deepest amongst all the congeners of the hamifer species group, and in the insemination ducts making two revolutions ( Fig. 2; 1–1.5 revolutions in the related species). The male of Y. gregoryi sp. n. is unknown.

Distribution: The type locality only. This new species was collected from the so-called Tibetan centre of genus diversity, from which eight species of the hamifer group have been described already (see Logunov & Marusik, 2003: map 5).

Description: Female (holotype): Measurements: Carapace 2.58 long, 2.10 wide, 1.13 high at PLE. Ocular area 1.48 long, 1.75 wide anteriorly and 1.90 wide posteriorly. Diameter of AME 0.58. Abdomen damaged, 2.00 long, 2.13 wide. Cheliceral length 0.50. Clypeal height 0.09. Length of leg segments: I 1.58+0.98+0.88 +0.63+ 0.53; II 1.53+0.88+0.83+0.60+0.55; III 1.45+0.75+0.78+ 0.80+0.55; IV 2.25+1.00+1.23+1.00+0.55. Leg spination: leg I: Fm d 1ap; Tb v 1-2 -2ap; Mt v 2 -0-2ap; leg II: Fm d 1ap; Tb pr 1-1, v 2-2 ap; Mt v 2-2 ap; leg III: Tb pr 1-1, rt 0-1, v 1 ap; Mt pr, rt and v 1 -0-2ap; leg IV: Pt pr and rt 0-1-0; Tb pr and rt 1-1-1; Mt pr, rt and v 1 -0-2ap. Coloration: Carapace red-brown, densely covered with white and orange adpressed scales. Clypeus brown, densely covered with white hairs hanging down over chelicerae. Sternum brown, densely covered with white hairs. Maxillae, labium and chelicerae red-brown. Abdomen: dorsum and sides grey, without colour pattern; venter yellow. Book-lung covers light yellow. Spinnerets yellow, tinged with brown. All legs yellow, with pale brown rings at segment joints, but Pt, Tb I and II brown, darker than remaining segments. Palps yellow. Epigyne and spermathecae as in Figs 1–2; epigyne with ovoid subparallel copulatory openings, deep epigynal pocket, insemination ducts making two revolutions, primary and secondary receptacles not separated.

Male: Unknown.