Langelurillus onyx, Caleb, 2017

Caleb, John T. D., 2017, Two new species of Langelurillus Próchniewicz, 1994 from India (Araneae: Salticidae: Aelurillina), Zootaxa 4318 (1), pp. 135-146 : 143-145

Langelurillus onyx sp. nov. Caleb, Sanap, Joglekar & Prajapati

Figs 1C–D , 4 A –D , 5 A –D , 6C–D , 7 , 8 , 9 A –B

Type material: Holotype: Male (NCBS-AW254) from Aarey Milk Colony (19°08'37.4922"N, 72°52'51.459"E), alt. 61 m, Mumbai , Maharashtra, India, 16 June 2016, leg. Rajesh V. Sanap. Paratypes: 4 males ( NCBS-AW255– 258 ) (same data as holotype); 2 males (ADSH-852601) from Fulsar (21°42'24"N, 73°35'29"E), alt . 208 m, and Sagai (21°40'11"N, 73°47'49"E), alt. 382 m, both in Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary , Gujarat, India, 21 August 2015, leg. D.A. Prajapati.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition. It refers to the shiny black carapace bordered with a band of white hairs resembling an oxide mineral ( Fig. 1D ).

Diagnosis. L. onyx sp. nov. seems closely related to L. nigritus (Berland & Millot, 1941) and L. quadrimaculatus Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011 , but can be distinguished by the following characters: RTA 1 broad and much shorter with tapering and slight downwardly curved tip ( Figs 5B , 6D ) (in L. quadrimaculatus , RTA 1 with nearly uniform width and sharp pointed tip arising distally; see Wesołowska & Russell-Smith 2011: fig. 84; in L. nigritus , RTA 1 narrow and significantly curved distally; see Rollard & Wesołowska 2002: figs 12E, 12F); RTA 2 nearly twice RTA 1 length, dorso-ventrally flattened, nearly uniform in width, curved and hook shaped, clearly protruding out retrolaterally, which can be observed in dorsal view ( Fig. 5C ) (in L. quadrimaculatus , apophysis placed dorsally, long with broad base and tapering tip; see Wesołowska & Russell-Smith 2011: figs 84– 85; in L. nigritus , apophysis placed dorsally, finger-like and protruding vertically positioned in the medial vertical axis (compare Fig. 5C herein with fig. 12H in Rollard &Wesołowska 2002); embolic tip pointing at 12 o’clock position in ventral view ( Figs 5D , 6C ) (1 o’clock in L. nigritus ; see Rollard & Wesołowska 2002: fig. 12C).

Description. Male holotype. Total length: 4.67, carapace: 2.68 long, 1.90 wide; abdomen: 1.99 long, 1.64 wide. Carapace blackish, dorsally devoid of any markings ( Figs 1D , 4 A ). Anterior eyes sparsely surrounded by orangish orbital setae; clypeal region blackish ( Fig. 4D ); carapace margined by a broad patch of white hairs; outer rim of carapace lined by thin stripe of white hairs ( Figs 1C , 4C ). Eye measurements: AME 0.52, ALE 0.34, PME 0.08, PLE 0.25, AME–AME 0.06; AME–ALE 0.04; ALE–PME 0.53; PME–PME 1.55; PME–PLE 0.21; PLE– PLE 1.36. Clypeus height 0.26. Sternum oval, brownish with dark outline covered with yellow hairs ( Fig. 4B ). Chelicerae without teeth; labium and maxillae yellowish. Legs yellowish; III–IV with light brown annulations from tibiae to tarsi; venter of all femur with a thin black patch proximally. Leg measurements: I 3.58 (1.34, 0.74, 0.66, 0.44, 0.40); II 3.42 (1.19, 0.76, 0.63, 0.43, 0.41); III 5.03 (1.90, 0.76, 0.91, 0.78, 0.63); IV 4.44 (1.46, 0.67, 0.79, 0.84, 0.68). Leg formula: 3412. Leg spination: femur I 0400; II 0 500, III 1600, IV 0 400; patella III 1010, IV 1010; tibia I 2003, II 2001, III 3 133, IV 3133; metatarsus I 1004, II 1004, III 2025, IV 3033. Abdomen oval, brownish dorsally; venter yellowish with mosaic-like black spots and brownish posterior median region extending posteriorly to the spinnerets. Spinnerets moderately long; anterior pair brownish, posterior pair yellowish ( Figs 4 A –B ). Palpal femur and patella covered with white hairs; cymbium covered with pale yellowish hairs; embolus coiled; thin; RTA 1 with a broad base tapering toward the tip, slightly curved; RTA 2 long, almost right-angled to the base, dorso-ventrally flattened; VTA less conspicuous ( Figs 5 A –D , 6C–D ).

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. India: Maharashtra, Gujarat.

Natural History. Both species were primarily collected from Aarey milk colony ( Figs 8 , 9 A –B), a green patch in the suburb of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Situated at the banks of the river Mithi, the colony stretches over 1287 hectares of land. The area is connected to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) towards the north, and acts as a buffer zone to the park. The draft notification prepared by the union ministry of environment, forest and climate change for the buffer zone of SGNP has declared the entire area of Aarey milk colony as an eco-sensitive zone. The forest is mostly dry deciduous with a mixture of both indigenous and exotic species of trees. The forest is dominated by species of trees such as Acacia sp., Cassia spp, Mangifera spp, species of palms, Butea spp, Adenanthera spp, Leucaena spp, Bombax spp, Tabebuia spp, Spathodia spp etc. The understory vegetation changes greatly with seasons, but comprises mostly ferns, Costus spp, Zizipus spp, Strobilanthes spp and Lantana spp.

L. onyx was mostly found inhabiting small sandy and rocky patches by the road sides. All the males were collected from rock crevices along the road. The species was found in both dense forest cover and the open patches. On the other hand, L. lacteus was mostly found residing in the dry leaf litter on the forest floor. Naturally, this species was only found in the areas of the forest dominated by trees. Both species were collected during fall season (October–November), when the dry litter on forest floor is plenty and the weather is cool and dry. Although, observations on the seasonality of the species need to be taken, since the forest receives heavy rains during the monsoon, and summers are intense.

In recent past, five to six species were described from Aarey milk colony as new to science. The increasing anthropogenic disturbances have become a serious threat to the poorly known fauna in this area. Effective conservation strategies and management policies are required to conserve these remarkable species.

Figures

FIGURES 1 A – D. Langelurillus lacteus sp. nov., male: A latero-frontal view; B front view; Langelurillus onyx sp. nov., male: C lateral view; D dorsal view.

FIGURES 4 A – D. Langelurillus onyx sp. nov., male: A dorsal view; B ventral view; C carapace, lateral view; D front view. Scale bars A – D, 1 mm.

FIGURES 5 A – D. Langelurillus onyx sp. nov., male: A left male palp, prolateral view; B same, retrolateral view; C same, dorsal view; D same, ventral view. Scale bars A – D, 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 6 A – D. Langelurillus lacteus sp. nov., male: A left male palp, ventral view; B same, retrolateral view. L. onyx sp. nov., C left male palp, ventral view; D same, retrolateral view. Scale bars A – D, 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 7. Distributional records of Langelurillus sp. in India. Star—Aarey Milk Colony, Maharashtra; Circle— Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat.

FIGURE 8. Aerial view of Aarey Milk Colony, Mumbai from where L. lacteus sp. nov. and L. onyx sp. nov. were collected.

FIGURE 9. Habitat of L. lacteus sp. nov. and L. onyx sp. nov.