Oxytate kanishkai ( Gajbe, 2008 )

Sudhin, Puthoor Pattammal & Sen, Souvik, 2023, Taxonomic notes on the crab spider genus Oxytate L. Koch, 1878 (Araneae: Thomisidae) from India, Zootaxa 5315 (6), pp. 549-558 : 553

Oxytate kanishkai ( Gajbe, 2008)

Dieta kanishkai Gajbe, 2008: 59 , figs 1–3 (description and illustrations of female).

Type material. Holotype female from INDIA: Madhya Pradesh: Jabalpur, Tilwaraghat , 02 September 2006, leg. U.A. Gajbe, not examined.

Remarks. O. kanishkai was described based on a single female specimen collected from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, and was neither recollected nor re-described after its original description. We were unable to trace the type specimen in the National Zoological Collection of ZSI, even though the author mentioned that the type would be deposited there. We inquired about the availability of the type at the Zoological Survey of India, Central Zone Regional Centre, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh because the author was working there at that time. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find the type specimen from there as well. Therefore, the type material of O. kanishkai is currently considered lost. The female copulatory organ of this species is quite distinct from other Oxytate species reported in India. Although the illustrations are poor, the laterally oriented spermathecae, and the lack of anterior hood cannot be seen in any other Indian congeners (cf. Figs 1C, G–H , 2C–D, G–H , 4 D–F , 5A–E , and 6C–D with figs 2–3 in Gajbe 2008). The available description and the illustrations might help in the identifications of freshly collected specimens from the type locality ( Gajbe 2008: figs 1–3). Therefore, we refrain to suggest this name as a nomen dubium.

Figures

FIGURES 1A–I. Oxytate chlorion (Simon, 1906) (A–D), and Oxytate greenae (Tikader, 1980) (E–I). A, E Holotype female, dorsal view; B, F Same, ventral view; C, G Epigyne ventral view; H Vulva, dorsal view; D, I Labels. Scale bars: A–B: 5 mm. C: 0.5 mm; E–F: 2 mm. G–H: 0.2 mm. Oxytate chlorion © MNHN, Paris.

FIGURES 2A–I. Oxytate elongata (Tikader, 1980) (A–D Female from Kerala and E–I Holotype female). A, E Habitus dorsal view; B, F Same, ventral view; C, G Epigyne ventral view; D, H Vulva, dorsal view; I Label. Scale bars: A–B, E–F: 2 mm. C: 0.4 mm. D, G, H: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 4A–F. Oxytate subvirens (Strand, 1907). A–C Left male palp (A prolateral, B ventral C retrolateral); D–E. Epigyne ventral (E cleared); F Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–F: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 5A–E. Oxytate chlorion (Simon, 1906) (A), Oxytate greenae (Tikader, 1980) (B–C), and Oxytate elongata (Tikader, 1980) (D–E). A–B, D Epigyne ventral view; C, E Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: A: 0.3 mm; B–E: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 6A–D. Oxytate subvirens (Strand, 1907). A–B Left male palp (A ventral, B retrolateral); C Epigyne, ventral; D Vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: A–D: 0.2 mm.