Pancorius athukoralai, Kanesharatnam & Benjamin, 2021

Kanesharatnam, Nilani & Benjamin, Suresh P., 2021, Phylogenetic relationships and systematics of the jumping spider genus Colopsus with the description of eight new species from Sri Lanka (Araneae: Salticidae), Journal of Natural History 54 (43 - 44), pp. 2763-2814 : 2805-2810

Pancorius athukoralai sp. nov.

( Figures 23 (a–h), Figures 24 (a–f), Figures 25 (a–e), Figures 26 (a–d))

Type material

Holotype, ♂ (IFS_SAL_321), Central Province, Kandy District, Dunumadalawa , 600 m, 07° 16ʹ 38ʺ N, 80° 38ʹ 69ʺ E, beating, 29 September 2009, leg. SP Benjamin et al.

Other material examined

Sri Lanka: 1♂ (IFS_SAL_320), Sri Lanka, Central Province, Kandy District, Udawattakelle , 580 m, 07° 17ʹ 54ʺ N, 80° 38ʹ 29ʺ E, beating, 11 May 2015, leg . NP Athukorala et al. 2♂ (IFS_SAL_1048–1049), Deltota, Loolecondera estate, 1480 m, 07° 08ʹ 45ʺ N, 80° 41ʹ 53ʺ E, beating, 15 November 2017, leg . K . Nilani . 1♂ (IFS_SAL_356), Sabaragamuwa Province, Rathnapura District , Gilimale FR, 110 m, 06° 45ʹ 55.8ʺ N, 80° 25ʹ 45.5ʺ E, hand collection, 11–II–2007, leg . SP Benjamin and Z Jaleel .

Etymology

This name is a patronym for the collector Namal Prasantha Athukorala who collected the holotype and many other specimens studied by us.

Diagnosis

The species is distinguishable from other congeners by the rounded, smooth bulbus with distinct apical tegulum, thin, short embolus, ventrally curved RTA ( Figures 24 (c,e,f), Figures 26 (a,b)). It resembles P. changricus Zabka 1990 by the presence of apical tegulum and general palpal structure, however it differs by the shape of RTA ( Figures 24 (f), Figures 26 (b)) and narrowed oval bulbus and also by shape of membranous window and spermathecae ( Figures 25 (c–e), Figures 26 (c–d)).

Description

Male: Medium-sized, hirsute spider. In life, prosoma blackish brown, sparsely dispersed with white hairs and eyes covered with brownish orange scales ( Figure 23 (a–d)). Clypeus blackish brown ( Figure 23 (c)). In ethanol preserved specimens, dark brown prosoma covered with pale brown blotch behind fovea ( Figure 24 (a)). Eye field rather elevated. ALEs, PMES and PLEs covered with black rings. Fovea distinct. Prosoma high and sloping posteriorly. Chelicerae dark brown with brown fangs. Sternum oval with prominent indentation near coxae IV ( Figure 24 (b)), pale yellow in middle, edges yellowish brown ( Figure 24 (b)). Posterior margin of prosoma steep, slightly truncated. Leg I rather robust and elongated with dense black bristles on patella I, tibia I and metatarsus I, all legs blackish brown interspersed with white hairs ( Figure 23 (a–d)).

Abdomen oval, slightly longer and narrower than prosoma, tapering posteriorly. Dorsum orangish brown, anterior margin of the dorsum densely covered with white hairs in live specimens ( Figure 23 (a,b)), greyish brown dorsum dispersed with greyish yellow small dots, a pair of rounded brown blotches in mid–abdomen in preserved specimens ( Figure 24 (a)). Ventrum greyish yellow with greyish brown dots arranged into four rows from epigastric furrow to spinnerets ( Figure 24 (b)). Spinnerets greyish brown. Measurements: TL 6.89, AL 3.38, AW 1.95, PL 3.51, PW 2.73.

Brown palp. Cymbium moderately long with gradually narrowing distal region. Embolus thin, short originating from apical region of bulbus ( Figures 24 (c,e,f), Figures 26 (a,b)). Rounded, smooth bulbus, distinct apical portion ( Figures 24 (c,e,f), Figures 26 (a, b)). Sperm duct comparably broader at distal end of tegulum, narrower at posterior end. Palpal tibia long. RTA with broad base, curved, pointed tip ventrally ( Figure 24 (f), Figures 26 (b)).

Female: Comparably paler body colouration than males and black blotches on dorsum of abdomen clearly differentiate male and females. In life, prosoma pale brown densely dispersed with black blotches and white bristles ( Figure 23 (e–h). Eyes covered with brownish orange scales. In ethanol-preserved specimens, pale yellow prosoma covered with dark grey blotches behind fovea ( Figure 25 (a). Eye field brown and elevated. PMES and PLEs covered with black rings. Fovea short, distinct. Abdominal dorsum pale brown, decorated with a pair of conspicuous black blotches in middle and anterior margin of the dorsum densely covered with white hairs in live specimens ( Figure 23 (e–h)), pale yellow dorsum dispersed with dark grey patches, a pair of rounded reddish brown dots in mid– abdomen in preserved specimens ( Figure 25 (a)). Other characters are similar to males. Measurements: TL 7.12, AL 3.80, AW 2.15, PL 3.72, PW 2.80.

Epigynum well sclerotised. Broad membranous ‘window’ near to epigastric furrow ( Figures 25 (c,d), Figures 26 (c)). Broad median septum. Copulatory ducts not visible. Spermathecae highly sclerotised with two, oval chambers ( Figures 25 (e), Figures 26 (d)). Fertilisation ducts originated from anterior wall of the receptacles. Posterior epigynal plate with shallow median indentation and a central pocket ( Figures 25 (c,d), Figures 26 (c)).

Figures

Figure 23. Photographs of live Pancorius athukoralai sp. nov. a–d. male from Deltota forest. (e–h). females.

Figure 24. Pancorisus athukoralai sp. nov. (a, b). Male habitus, (a). dorsal view, (b). ventral view. (c–f). Male palp, c. ventral view. (d). prolateral view. (e). ventral view. (f). retrolateral view. Scale bars: (a, b) = 2 mm, (c) = 0.5 mm, (d–f) = 0.2 mm.

Figure 25. Pancorius athukoralai sp. nov. (a, b). Female habitus; (a). dorsal view,(b). ventral view, (c–e). Epigynum; (c, d). ventral view, (e). dorsal view. Scale bars: (a, b) = 2 mm, (c–e) = 0.1 mm.

Figure 26. Pancorius athukoralai sp. nov. (a). Palp, ventral view, (b). retrolateral view; (c). Epigynum, ventral view, (d). dorsal view. Scale bars: (a–d) = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: alt: apical lobe of tegulum; e: embolus; t = tegulum.