Stenaelurillus digitus, Prajapati, Dhruv A., Murthappa, Prashanthakumara S., Sankaran, Pradeep M. & Sebastian, Pothalil A., 2016

Prajapati, Dhruv A., Murthappa, Prashanthakumara S., Sankaran, Pradeep M. & Sebastian, Pothalil A., 2016, Two new species of Stenaelurillus Simon, 1886 from India (Araneae: Salticidae: Aelurillina), Zootaxa 4171 (2), pp. 321-334 : 327-330

Stenaelurillus digitus sp. nov.

Figs 1C–D , 6A–D , 7A–E , 8A–C , 9A–D , 11

Type material. Holotype: male ( ADSH 83503 Di) from Vijaynagar in Sabarkantha, 23°59'56.24"N, 73°16'48.79"E, Gujarat, India, 307 m. alt., 27 June 2014, D. A. Prajapati leg., by hand from the ground . Paratypes: 2 males, 3 females ( ADSH 83503 Dii), same data as holotype, except 21 May 2016.

Diagnosis. Stenaelurillus digitus sp. nov. is similar to S. albus Sebastian et al., 2015 (see Sebastian et al. 2015: figs 1–3, 8–9) and to S. jagannathae Vidhel et al., 2015 (see Vidhel et al. 2015: figs 3–6, 9–11), but can be distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: males can be easily distinguished from those of S. albus by its opisthosomal pattern (blackish opisthosoma without any pattern in S. albus ); long and prolaterally bend embolus, directed at 11 o’clock position in ventral view (left palp) and not visible from retrolateral view (short and directed at 12 o’clock position in S. albus ; straight and directed at 12 o’clock position and clearly visible in retrolateral view in S. jagannathae ); VTA massive, triangular in shape (short and blunt in S.

albus ); RTA blunt, directed at 1 o’clock position in ventral view in left palp (pointed and directed at 1 o’clock position in S. albus and 12 o’clock position in S. jagannathae ); depressed apical region of tegulum can be visible in retrolateral view (bulky in the case of S. jagannathae ); proximal retrolateral lobe of tegulum significantly curved at retrolateral side ( Figs 6B , 7D ). Females can be distinguished by short and moderately broad epigynal pocket with two sclerotized lateral lobes, which form a “w-shaped” mark ( Figs 8A , 9C ); simple, linear copulatory duct ( Fig 8C ); contiguous spermathecae ( Figs 8B , 9D ) (separated in S. jagannathae ).

Description. Male (holotype, Figs 1C , 7A–B ): In all details like the males of S. gabrieli sp. nov., except for the following: prosoma antero-laterally without additional white hairs. Fovea less prominent, located medially between PLEs. Thoracic region with few scattered bristles. Dorsum of opisthosoma anteriorly with a thick transverse white band; posteriorly with three white spots, which together form an inverted triangle ( Fig. 7A ). Body length 3.95. Prosoma length 2.04, width (at the middle) 1.63, height (at the middle) 0.98. Opisthosoma length 1.91, width (at the middle) 1.40, height (at the middle) 0.60. Eye diameter: ALE 0.26, AME 0.40, PLE 0.20, PME 0.08. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE‒ALE 0.90, ALE–PME 0.31, PLE–PLE 1.05, PME– PME 1.23, PME–PLE 0.21. Clypeus height at ALE 0.46, at AME 0.19. Chelicera length 0.76. Measurements of palp and legs. Palp 1.48 [0.51, 0.24, 0.20, 0.53], I 3.07 [1.05, 0.41, 0.70, 0.44, 0.47], II 2.95 [1.09, 0.35, 0.63, 0.45, 0.43], III 4.57 [1.49, 0.69, 0.91, 1.04, 0.44], IV 4.60 [1.32, 0.58, 0.95, 1.23, 0.52]. Spination. Palp 0 100, 0 0 0 0, 0 0 0 0, 0000; femora I 0 700, II 0 800, III 2600, IV 0500; patellae I 0 0 10, II 1000, III–IV 0200; tibiae I 2005, II 2124, III 2323, IV 2523; metatarsi I 2014, II 1314, III 2613, IV 2514; tarsi I–IV 0 0 0 0. Pedipalp ( Figs 6A–D , 7C–E ): palpal femur with single dorsal spine. Ventral tibial apophysis massive, triangular, directed at 2 o’ clock position in ventral view ( Figs 6B , 7D ). Retrolateral tibial apophysis simple with less prominent base, with blunt tip ( Figs 6C , 7E ). Retrolateral creamy-white region of tegulum extends up to the base of proximal retrolateral lobe of tegulum ( Figs 6B , 7D ); tegulum lacks disto-median sclerotized plate; proximal retrolateral lobe of tegulum with a sharp baso-retrolateral curve, with narrow distal part; embolus long with prolateral bend resembling the ‘thumb finger’, its tip directed at 11 o’clock position in ventral view in left palp ( Figs 6D , 7D ); terminal apophysis short, originated apico-medially, directed at 12 o’clock position in ventral view in left palp ( Figs 6D , 7D ).

Female (paratype, Figs 1D , 9A–B ): In all details like male, except for the following: variation in colour and opisthosomal pattern. Body length 7.11. Prosoma length 3.09, width (at the middle) 2.38, height (at the middle) 1.79. Opisthosoma length 4.02, width (at the middle) 3.54, height (at the middle) 3.10. Eye diameter: ALE 0.33, AME 0.50, PLE 0.31, PME 0.10. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.09, AME–ALE 0.05, ALE‒ALE 1.23, ALE– PME 0.26, PLE–PLE 1.43, PME–PME 1.59, PME–PLE 0.20. Clypeus height at ALE 0.51, at AME 0.28. Chelicera length 0.79. Measurements of palp and legs. Palp 2.01 [0.64, 0.25, 0.43, 0.69], I 4.27 [1.50, 0.70, 0.91, 0.62, 0.54], II 4.24 [1.61, 0.63, 0.84, 0.65, 0.51], III 6.99 [2.26, 0.99, 1.52, 1.62, 0.60], IV 7.01 [2.02, 0.82, 1.52, 1.88, 0.77]. Leg formula: 4312. Spination. Palp 0 0 0 0, 0 0 0 0, 0 0 0 0, 0211; femora I 1510, II 1520, III 2510, IV 0510; patellae I– II 1000, III–IV 1010; tibiae I–II 2005, III–IV 2523; metatarsi I 0 104, II 2004, III 1714, IV 2624; tarsi I–IV 0 0 0 0. Epigynum ( Figs 8A–C , 9C–D ): simple, slightly bulging, which can be seen in lateral view ( Fig. 8C ); copulatory openings large; copulatory ducts simple, thin and linear, with highly sclerotized, spherical and contiguous spermathecae ( Figs 8A–C , 9C–D ); epigynal pocket moderately broad, short, with two sclerotized lateral lobes that form a “w-shaped” mark ( Figs 8A , 9C ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition due to the finger-like embolus (Latin digitus = finger).

Figures

FIGURE 11. Distributional records of S. digitus sp. nov. and S. lesserti Reimoser, 1934 in India.

FIGURES 1 A – G. Field photographs. Stenaelurillus gabrieli sp. nov.: A male (from Wilson Hills); B female (from Vansda); Stenaelurillus digitus sp. nov.: C male (from Vijaynagar); D female (from Vijaynagar); Stenaelurillus albus Sebastian et al., 2015: E male (from Cherukadu; photo credit K. S. Nafin); F female (from Cherukadu); Stenaelurillus lesserti Reimoser, 1934: G male (from Kuchimudi; photo credit K. S. Nafin).

FIGURES 6 A – D. Stenaelurillus digitus sp. nov., left male palp. A prolateral view; B ventral view; C retrolateral view; D embolic division, ventral view. Abbreviations: E = embolus; PRLT = proximal retrolateral lobe of tegulum; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; SD = sperm duct; TA = terminal apophysis; VTA = ventral tibial apophysis. Scale bars A – C, 0.2 mm; D, 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 7 A – E. Stenaelurillus digitus sp. nov., male. A dorsal view; B lateral view; C left male palp, prolateral view; D same, ventral view; E same, retrolateral view. Scale bars A – B, 1 mm; C – E, 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 8 A – C. Stenaelurillus digitus sp. nov., female copulatory organ. A Epigyne, ventral view; B vulva, dorsal view; C epigyne, lateral view. Abbreviations: CO = copulatory opening; CD = copulatory duct; EP = epigynal pocket; S = spermatheca; SLL = sclerotized lateral lobe. Scale bars A – B, 0.2 mm; C, 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 9 A – D. Stenaelurillus digitus sp. nov., female. A dorsal view; B lateral view; C epigyne, ventral view; D vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars A – B, 2 mm; C – D, 0.2 mm.