Epidius Thorell, 1877

SURESH P. BENJAMIN, 2011, Phylogenetics and comparative morphology of crab spiders (Araneae: Dionycha, Thomisidae), Zootaxa 3080, pp. 1-108 : 14

Genus Epidius Thorell, 1877

Type species: Epidius longipalpis Thorell, 1877

Epidius Thorell, 1877: 492 (type species by monotypy Epidius longipalpis Thorell, 1877 ). Cupa Strand, 1906 : in Bösenberg and Strand 1906: 265 (type species by monotypy Cupa typica Bösenberg and Strand, 1906 ). New synonymy.

Synonymy. The type species of Cupa is here considered a typical member of the genus Epidius as it fulfills criteria given in the diagnosis below ( Figs 35A, B ). I have examined the holotype of Cupa typica (SMF 4246); see below for details. This specimen has the, for Epidius characteristic oval, dual-chambered spermatheca connected by a Cshaped, thick-walled CD ( Figs 35A, B ).

Diagnosis. Species of the genus Epidiu s can be separated from all other thomisid genera by the following characters. Male palp with a elongated tibia (tibia is longer than the cymbium; Figs 33 A–C, 35C; Benjamin 2000). The distal tip of the male palpal tibia furnished with 4 to 6 thick long spines ( Figs 33 B, 35C, 36A–C; Benjamin, 2000; Tang, et al., 2009); MA fixed ( Figs 33 B, 35C, 36A–C). Females could be separated from all other thomisid genera by the presence of oval, dual-chambered spermatheca connected by a C-shaped, thick-walled CD ( Figs 34 A–D, 35A, B, 38F). Living specimens of Epidiu s are green in color with a green yellow dorsal folium and live in green live parts of plants ( Benjamin 2000; Tang et al. 2009). All species of related genera such as Angaeus , Ascurisoma , Borboropactus , Cebrenninus , Geraesta and Pharta are dark colored.

Description. See Benjamin (2000) and Tang et al. (2009).

Composition. Epidius bazarus (Tikader, 1970) ; Epidius binotatus Simon, 1897 ; Epidius denisi Lessert, 1943 , Epidius gongi ( Song & Kim, 1992) ; Epidius guineensis Millot, 1942 ; Epidius longipalpis Thorell, 1877 ; Epidius lyriger Simon, 1897 ; Epidius pallidus (Thorell, 1890) , Epidius parvati Benjamin, 2000 ; Epidius rubropictus Simon, 1909 ; Epidius typicus ( Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) comb. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 33. Epidius binotatus (MNHN 13670 / 1574). A ventral view of left male palp. B, C Epidius binotatus guineensis (MRAC 122567), right male palp (B ventral, C retrolateral). Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 34. Epidius binotatus. A, B MRAC 202642; C, D, Syntype series MNHN 13670 / 1574. A, C epigynum, ventral view; B, D vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 35. A, B Epidius typicus (SMF 4246). A epigynum, ventral view; B vulva, ventral view. C, D, E Epidius rubropictus. C right male palp, ventral view (MNHN 22347); D – E female from Sumatra (D epigynum, ventral view, E vulva, ventral view). Scale bars = 0.2 mm.