Pseudopoda nandaensis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2023

Zhang, He, Zhu, Yang, Zhong, Yang, Jäger, Peter & Liu, Jie, 2023, A taxonomic revision of the spider genus Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000 (Araneae: Sparassidae) from East, South and Southeast Asia, Megataxa 9 (1), pp. 1-304 : 194-196

Pseudopoda nandaensis Zhang, Jäger & Liu , spec. nov. Figs 174–176 , Map 3

Type material. INDIA, Uttarakhand: Holotype male from Nanda Devi, Ghangria , 30.67°N, 79.59°E, 3300 m, 11 July 2009, S. Quazin leg. ( SMF, PJ3313 ) . Paratypes: 1 male, with same data as for holotype ( SMF, PJ3315 ) ; 3 females, Nanda Devi , 30.52°N, 79.56°E, 2960 m, 12 May 2010 , S. Quazin leg. ( SMF, PJ3316 ) ; 1 male, Nanda Devi, Auli , oak forest, under decomposing bark, HF, at day, 30.52°N, 79.56°E, [2956 m], 12 September 2010, S. Quazin leg. ( SMF, PJ3314 ) . Uttar Pradesh: 12 males, 1

female, Gobind Dham Village , 30.70°N, 79.49°E, 3300 m, 20 May 1999 , Yu. M. Marusik. ( SMF, IN-08) .

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality, the Nanda Devi; adjective.

Diagnosis. P. nandaensis Zhang, Jäger & Liu , spec. nov. belongs to the prompta -species group and is most similar to P. grasshoffi Jäger, 2001 (Jäger 2001) by: 1) E arising subproximally from T; 2) T with proximal swelling; 3) Cymbium narrow, with retrolateral small bulge and longer tip, but can be distinguished by: 1) E tip with subapical triangular apophysis in ventral view; 2) E tip U-shaped in retrolateral view; 3) Spermophor slightly S-shaped (E tip without distinct apophysis, without Ushaped part, and spermophor straight in P. grasshoffi ). Females can be distinguished from members of prompta - species group by the comma-shaped sclerotised part of IDS in ventral view.

MALE (PJ3313): Measurements: Medium sized. Body length 11.1–12.8, DS length 5.3, width 5.1, OS length 6.7, width 3.8. Eyes: AME 0.12, ALE 0.27, PME 0.21, PLE 0.25,AME–AME 0.16,AME–ALE0.07,PME– PME 0.29, PME–PLE 0.37, AME–PME 0.35, ALE–PLE 0.32, CH AME 0.39, CH ALE 0.35. Spination: Pp 131, 101, 2111; Fe I–III 323, IV 331; Pa I–III 100, IV 001; Ti I 2126, II 2226, III–IV 2126; Mt I–II 1014, III 3024, IV 3036. Measurements of palps and legs: Pp 6.5 (1.8, 0.9, 1.2, –, 2.6); I 25.7 (7.2, 2.6, 7.0, 6.8, 2.1); II 29.5 (8.0, 2.9, 8.6, 7.7, 2.3); III 22.9 (6.2, 2.4, 6.5, 5.9, 1.9); IV 26.1 (7.8, 2.0, 6.7, 7.4, 2.2). Leg formula: II-IV-I-III. Cheliceral furrow with ca. 18 denticles.

Palp ( Figs 174A–C ): As in diagnosis. C arising from T at 1:00 o’clock position. E arising from T at 8:00–9:00 o’clock position, with its tip apically bent, prolaterad, tip of apophysis distad in ventral view. Spermophor slightly S-shaped in ventral view. RTA arising proximally to medially, simple. dRTA finger-shaped, vRTA only weakly developed.

Colouration ( Figs 176A–B ): DS reddish brown with dark marbled pattern, fovea and margins darker. OS dorsally dark reddish-brown with lots of yellow spots, with a yellow transversal line at posterior part, ventrally brown, with two yellow lines in longitudinal axis, spinnerets yellow.

FEMALE (PJ3316): Measurements: Medium sized. Body length 18.6–19.8, DS length 7.6, width 6.7, OS length 11.3, width 7.9. Eyes: AME 0.19, ALE 0.29, PME 0.25, PLE 0.28,AME–AME 0.21,AME–ALE 0.11, PME– PME 0.33, PME–PLE 0.43, AME–PME 0.36, ALE–PLE 0.35, CH AME 0.45, CH ALE 0.40. Spination: Pp 131, 101, 2101, 1014; Fe I–III 323, IV 322; Pa I–IV 001; Ti I– IV 2126; Mt I–II 2024, III 3025, IV 3037. Measurements of palps and legs: Pp 8.1 (2.3, 1.2, 1.7, –, 2.9); I 21.7 (6.4, 2.5, 6.0, 5.3, 1.5); II 26.0 (7.1, 2.6, 7.6, 6.4, 2.3); III 18.9 (5.0, 2.4, 5.4, 4.8, 1.3); IV 22.5 (6.8, 1.9, 5.7, 6.0, 2.1). Leg formula: II-IV-I-III. Cheliceral furrow with ca. 25 denticles.

Epigyne ( Figs 175A–C ): As in diagnosis. EF wider than long, with indistinct AB. LL touching each other along the middle lines. Anterior margins of LL V-shaped, almost parallel to posterior margins. FW covered the whole IDS.

Colouration ( Figs 176C–D ): As in males, generally lighter.

Variation. Male: Some without distinctly triangular EP and gap between EP and E much narrower (PJ3314, Fig. 174D ).

Distribution. India (Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh).

Figures

FIGURE 174. Pseudopoda nandaensis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, spec. nov., holotype, male: A–C Left male palp (A. prolateral; B. ventral; C. retrolateral). Male (PJ3314), left male palp (D. ventral). Scale bars: A–D: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 175. Pseudopoda nandaensis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, spec. nov., paratype, female:A. Epigyne, ventral; B. Schematic course of IDS, dorsal; C. Vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: A–C: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 176. Pseudopoda nandaensis Zhang, Jäger & Liu, spec. nov., A–B Male habitus (A. dorsal; B. ventral); C–D Female habitus (C. dorsal; D. ventral). Scale bars: A–D: 2 mm.