Belisana badulla, Huber, 2019

Huber, Bernhard A., 2019, The pholcid spiders of Sri Lanka (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 4550 (1), pp. 1-57 : 5-6

Belisana badulla sp. n.

Figures 17–22 , 25–26

Belisana Benj 44: Eberle et al. 2018 (molecular data). Huber et al. 2018: fig. 8.

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from most congeners by curvature of procursus (towards ventral; Figs 17, 19 ); from two Sri Lankan species with similar procursus ( B. keyti Huber, 2005 , B. benjamini Huber, 2005 ) by bulbal apophysis (much larger and wider in B. keyti ; absent in B. benjamini ; compare Figs 22–24 ). Females are difficult to distinguish externally from similar congeners; pockets apparently consistently closer together than in B. keyti (200– 250 µm versus 260–270 µm; compare Figs 25–28 ); internal genitalia with distinctive pore plates (lateral round part with long narrow elongation towards median; Fig. 26 ; similar only in B. keyti ); without pair of internal folds as in B. keyti (cf. Fig. 28 ).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality (noun in apposition).

Type material. SRI LANKA: ♂ holotype, ZFMK (Ar 20001), Central Province, Badulla District, Ohiya (6.842°N, 80.885°E), 1280 m a.s.l., 16.x.2011 (S.P. Benjamin) .

Other material examined. SRI LANKA: 2♂ 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 20002), and 1♂ 2♀ 6 juvs in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Benj 44), same data as holotype . 3♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Benj 46), same locality , 26.v.2012 (S.P. Benjamin, N. Athukorala). 2♂, ZFMK (Ar 5199, 5396), Horton Plains [6.84°N, 80.81°E], 7/ 9.iii.2000 (S.P. Benjamin) . 1♂ 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 20003), Central Province, Nuwara Eliya District, Horton Plains N.P. [6.84°N, 80.81°E], ca. 2000 m a.s.l., 20–21.ii.2007 (S. Benjamin, Z. Jaleel) . 2♂ 4♀, ZFMK (Ar 5201), Central Province, Nuwara Eliya District, Peak Wilderness Sanctuary [6.82°N, 80.50°E], 22.ii.2007 (S. Benjamin, Z. Jaleel) . 2♂ 6♀, ZFMK (Ar 5202), Agrabopath Forest Reserve, Agrapathana [=Agrapatana-Bopathalawa Forest Reserve, 6.843°N, 80.678°E], vi.2003 (S.P. Benjamin) .

Description. Male (holotype). MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 1.9, carapace width 0.7. Distance PME- PME 140 µm, diameter PME 60 µm, distance PME-ALE 15 µm; AME absent. Sternum width/length: 0.48/0.44. Leg 1: 16.9 (4.2 + 0.3 + 4.1 + 6.7 + 1.6), tibia 2: 2.5, tibia 3: 1.7, tibia 4: 2.4; tibia 1 L/d: 63.

COLOR (in ethanol). Entire spider whitish to pale ochre-yellow, abdomen pale gray, legs without dark rings.

BODY. Habitus as in B. keyti (cf. Fig. 4 ); ocular area not raised; carapace without median furrow; clypeus and sternum unmodified.

CHELICERAE. As in Figs 20–21 , with pair of small apophyses proximally laterally and pair of larger apophyses with hooked tips distally; distance between tips of distal apophyses 0.28.

PALPS. Proximal segments very similar to B. keyti (cf. figs 617–618 in Huber 2005); coxa unmodified; trochanter with short apophysis with ventral and retrolateral rounded processes; procursus as in Figs 17–19 , membranous distal elements poorly visible in dissecting microscope; bulb as in Fig. 22 , with distinctive apophysis with curved tip and embolus with subdistal spine-like process.

LEGS. Without spines and curved hairs; few vertical hairs (proximally on metatarsi 1 and 2 in higher than usual density); retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 12%; prolateral trichobothrium apparently absent on tibia 1; tarsus 1 with ~25 pseudosegments, poorly visible in dissecting microscope.

Male (variation). Tibia 1 in 6 other males: 4.3–4.8 (mean 4.5).

Female. In general similar to male; tibia 1 in 11 females: 2.9–3.4 (mean 3.1). Epigynum externally very simple, barely distinguishable from surrounding cuticle, with pair of pockets ~200–250 µm apart, pockets in some females not visible in dissecting microscope. Internal genitalia as in Figs 25–26 , with distinctive pore plates consisting of round lateral part and long narrow elongation towards median; Fig. 26 ).

Distribution. Known from several high elevation localities in central Sri Lanka ( Fig. 220 ).

Figures

FIGURES 17–24. 17–22. Belisana badulla sp. n. (ZFMK Ar 20002). 17–19. Left procursus, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 20–21. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 22. Left genital bulb, prolateral view. 23–24. B. keyti Huber, 2005 (ZFMK Ar 20004) and B. benjamini Huber, 2005 (ZFMK Ar 20005), left genital bulbs, prolateral views (all genital bulbs at same scale). Abbreviations: ba, bulbal apophysis; e, embolus. Scale lines: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 25–30. Cleared female genitalia in ventral and dorsal views, all at same scale. 25–26. Belisana badulla sp. n. (ZFMK Ar 20002). 27–28. B. keyti Huber, 2005 (ZFMK Ar 20004); arrows point at distinctive pair of internal folds. 29–30. B. benjamini Huber, 2005 (ZFMK Ar 20005); arrows point at median folds. Abbreviations: po, pocket; pp, pore plate. Scale line: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 1–9. Belisana, live specimens. 1–3. B. minneriya sp. n., males and female with egg-sac from Minneriya. 4–5. B. keyti Huber, 2005, male and female with egg-sac from Hakgala. 6–7. B. gowindahela sp. n., male from Ethagala, female with egg-sac from Dematagala. 8–9. B. ratnapura Huber, 2005, male from Mapalena Ella, female with egg-sac from Viharekele.

FIGURES 220–221. Known distribution of Belisana in Sri Lanka.