Stenaelurillus gabrieli, 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 : 322-326

Stenaelurillus gabrieli sp. nov.

Figs 1A–B , 2A–C , 3A–F , 4A–C, 5A–D, 10

Type material. Holotype: male ( ADSH 83503 Ci) from Wilson Hills in Dharampur, 20°29'41.52"N, 73°19'52.19"E, Gujarat, India, 456 m. alt., 30 October 2014, D. A. Prajapati leg., by hand from the ground ; Paratypes: 1 male, 1 female ( ADSH 83503 Cii), same data as holotype.

Additional material examined. INDIA: Gujarat: Vansda , 20°41'37.27"N, 73°32'09.07"E, 227 m . alt., 30 October 2014, D. A. Prajapati leg., by hand from the ground, 1 female, 2 juvenile females ( ADSH 83503 Ciii); Gujarat University Campus in Ahmedabad , 23°02'19.90"N, 72°32'35.79"E, 52 m .alt., 3 December 2014, D. A. Prajapati leg., by hand from the ground, 1 female (ADSH 83503Civ).

Diagnosis. Stenaelurillus gabrieli sp. nov. is similar to S. natalensis Haddad & Wesołowska (see Haddad & Wesołowska 2006: figs. 22–26, 28), but can be separated from the latter and all other congeners by the following combination of characters: males by the terminally bifurcated and thick embolus resembling the ‘trunk’ of an elephant ( Figs 2C , arrow, 3F), the short, sclerotized plate lying between the basal parts of embolus and terminal apophysis ( Figs 2C , 3F ), the single disto-dorsal and long median spine on the palpal femur ( Fig 3C , arrows) (this feature has not been recorded in any other described species, except S. albus , which has only a single disto-dorsal spine), the size and shape of terminal apophysis ( Figs 2A, C ). Females are distinguished by the thick and S-shaped copulatory duct, and the size and position of epigynal pocket (Figs 4A–B, 5C–D).

Description. Male (holotype, Figs 1A , 3A–C ): Prosoma blackish-brown with white marginal bands of nearly uniform thickness; antero-lateral sides of prosoma provided with additional white hairs; thoracic region dorsally with paired white longitudinal bands extending back from the PLE. Eye field black; anterior row of eyes encircled by tiny black hairs; anterior margin of eye field with thick dense bristles. Clypeus, chelicerae brownish, sparsely covered by long, white hairs. Cheliceral promargin with two teeth, one large and one small, and retromargin with one large tooth. Fangs short, yellowish-brown. Endites, labium, sternum brownish; maxillae with scopulae. Opisthosoma shield-shaped; dorsum blackish-brown with an anterior somewhat ‘spectacle’- shaped pattern and posterior two white spots and short, median, longitudinal patch, which together form an inverted triangle; lateral opisthosoma and venter brown with numerous black striae and patches of white hairs. Spinnerets blackish-brown. Leg segments brownish with black patches. Body length 5.66 (variation: 5.25–5.66, n=2). Prosoma length 2.92, width (at the middle) 2.13, height (at the middle) 1.81. Opisthosoma length 2.74, width (at the middle) 2.03, height (at the middle) 1.78. Eye diameter: ALE 0.32, AME 0.56, PLE 0.25, PME 0.07. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.06, ALE‒ALE 1.22, ALE–PME 0.28, PLE–PLE 1.48, PME–PME 1.65, PME–PLE 0.26. Clypeus height at ALE 0.30, at AME 0.20. Chelicera length 0.72. Measurements of palp and legs. Palp 2.08 [0.79, 0.27, 0.23, 0.79], I 4.63 [1.54, 0.83, 0.89, 0.73, 0.64], II 4.51 [1.59, 0.76, 0.84, 0.63, 0.69], III 6.55 [2.07, 0.77, 1.42, 1.48, 0.81], IV 6.82 [2.06, 0.78, 1.43, 1.72, 0.83]. Leg formula: 4312. Spination. Palp: 0 200, 0 0 0 0, 0 0 0 0, 0000; legs: femora I 0 500, II 0 710, III 2600, IV 0700; patellae I–II 1000, III–IV 0200; tibiae I–II 2004, III 2323, IV 3133; metatarsi I 3204, II 2024, III 3234, IV 2534; tarsi I–IV 0 0 0 0. Pedipalp ( Figs 2A–C , 3D–F ): palpal segments pale yellow; femur and patella with black blotches; femur with two dorsal spines; a short distal spine encircled by short black hairs, a long median spine; dorsally and prolaterally with long yellowish hairs ( Fig 3C ); patella with black hairs dorsally, yellowish hairs ventrally; tibia laterally with long yellowish-white hairs; cymbium dorsally with yellowish-white hairs, laterally with long black hairs. Ventral tibial apophysis short with blunt end, directed at 1 o’clock position in ventral view ( Figs 2A , 3D ). Retrolateral tibial apophysis simple with broad base, pointed end, directed at 1 o’ clock position in ventral view, left palp ( Figs 2A , 3D ). Bulb yellowish-brown, with a retrolateral creamy-white region running from the base of the terminal apophysis up to the anterior curving of sperm duct ( Figs 2A–B ); tegulum disto-medially provided with a short, sclerotized plate, lying between embolus and terminal apophysis ( Figs 2C , 3F ); proximal retrolateral lobe of tegulum not fused with tibia; embolus short, directed at 12 o’clock position in ventral view, with ‘lip-like’ tip resembling the ‘trunk’ of elephant ( Figs 2A, 2C , 3F ); conductor apparently absent; terminal apophysis thick, short, nearly as long as the embolus, directed at 10 o’clock position in ventral view ( Figs 2A, 2C , 3F ).

Female (paratype, Figs 1B , 5A–B ): In all details like male, except the following: Prosoma brown. Anterior row of eyes encircled by tiny white hairs. Clypeus pale yellow. Fangs reddish-brown. Sternum pale yellow. Opisthosoma oval; dorsum brown to blackish-brown, provided anteriorly with a pair of large irregular, pale yellow patches and three small patches lying below the larger patches that roughly forming a triangle; posterior spots are brown. Palpal segments dull yellow with black patches. Body length 7.02 (variation: 6.50–7.02, n=3). Prosoma length 3.28, width (at the middle) 2.19, height (at the middle) 1.69. Opisthosoma length 3.74, width (at the middle) 3.01, height (at the middle) 2.70. Eye diameter: ALE 0.32, AME 0.57, PLE 0.26, PME 0.08. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.06, ALE‒ALE 1.23, ALE–PME 0.45, PLE–PLE 1.47, PME–PME 1.65, PME– PLE 0.24. Clypeus height at ALE 0.64, at AME 0.24. Chelicera length 0.79. Measurements of palp and legs. Palp 2.23 [0.82, 0.24, 0.45, 0.72], I 4.57 [1.63, 0.74, 0.79, 0.78, 0.63], II 4.6 [1.64, 0.78, 0.91, 0.67, 0.60], III 6.79 [2.36, 0.81, 1.48, 1.38, 0.76], IV 7.23 [2.19, 0.75, 1.46, 1.97, 0.86]. Leg formula: 4321. Spination. Palp: 0 100, 0 0 0 0, 0 0 0 0, 0201; legs: femora I–II 1600, III 2510, IV 0510; patellae I–II 1000, III–IV 1010; tibia I 2005, II 2004, III 4133, IV 3333; metatarsus I 2004, II 1024, III 2634, IV 2524; tarsi I–IV 0 0 0 0. Epigynum (Figs 4A–C, 5C–D): simple, represented by triangular sclerotized plate (Figs 4A, 5C). Copulatory openings large, obliquely placed, situated near the posterior epigynal margin (Figs 4A, 5C). Copulatory ducts thick, S-shaped with small, nearly spherical spermathecae (Figs 4B–C, 5D). Epigynal pocket narrow, elongated, reaching nearly up to the anterior epigynal margin (Figs 4A, 5C).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym in honor of Padma Bhushan Fr. Gabriel Chiramel CMI, the founder of the Department of Zoology, for his great contributions to the Sacred Heart College, on the occasion of his 102th birthday.

Figures

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 2 A – C. Stenaelurillus gabrieli sp. nov., left male palp. A ventral view; B retrolateral view; C embolic division, prolatero-ventral view. Abbreviations: E = embolus; PRLT = proximal retrolateral lobe of tegulum; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; SP = sclerotized plate; T = tegulum; TA = terminal apophysis; VTA = ventral tibial apophysis. Scale bars A – B, 0.2 mm; C, 0.05 mm.

FIGURES 3 A – F. Stenaelurillus gabrieli sp. nov., male. A dorsal view; B lateral view; C left palpal femur, prolateral view (arrows showing dorsal spines); D left male palp, ventral view; E same, retrolateral view; F embolic division, prolatero-ventral view. Scale bars A – B, 2 mm; C – F, 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 5 A – D. Stenaelurillus gabrieli sp. nov., female. A dorsal view; B lateral view; C epigyne, ventral view; D internal duct system, dorsal view. Scale bars A – B, 2 mm; C – D, 0.2 mm.