Brancus calebi, Kanesharatnam & Benjamin, 2018

Kanesharatnam, Nilani & Benjamin, Suresh P., 2018, A new genus and three new species of jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) from Sri Lanka, European Journal of Taxonomy 444, pp. 1-24 : 9-12

Brancus calebi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:71A16523-CB0E-4023-B654-3C46DF092CFE

Figs 4 , 5 C–D

Thyene bivittata – Caleb & Mathai 2014: 65, figs 31–37. Misidentification.

Remarks

Brancus calebi sp. nov. was misidentified and described as Thyene bivittata Xie & Peng, 1995 by Caleb & Mathai (2014). However, it differs considerably from T. bivittata as well as from other species of Thyene by the general habitus (see Discussion). Our specimen, a male collected from Ethagala, is conspecific with the Indian specimen illustrated and described as Thyene bivittata in Caleb & Mathai (2014) . We were unable to examine the Indian specimen for further study and confirmation.

Diagnosis

Brancus calebi sp. nov. can be readily distinguished from its congeners by the finger-shaped membranous outgrowth on the anterolateral position of the bulbus ( Figs 4D , 5C ), moderately long RTA with blunt tip ( Figs 4 D–E, 5C–D; Caleb & Mathai 2014) and embolus originating from the upper-lateral part of the bulbus. Brancus muticus Simon, 1902 might be related to B. calebi sp. nov. However, B. calebi sp. nov. can be distinguished by its finger-shaped membranous outgrowth and blunt tipped RTA (see Discussion for details).

Etymology

Named after our colleague T.D. John Caleb, the original discoverer of this species.

Material examined

Holotype

SRI LANKA: Ƌ, North Western Province, Kurunagala District, Ethagala , hand collection, 28 Jul. 2007, Z. Jaleel leg. (IFS_SAL 675).

Description

Male

MEASUREMENTS. TL 4.38, PL 2.10, PW at PLEs 1.50, AL 2.25, AW 1.80. Eye field: diameter of AME 0.60, PLE 0.15, ALE 0.30, PME 0.03, PME–PME 1.35, PLE–PLE 1.45, ALE–PME 0.46, ALE–PLE 0.58. Leg I: Tr 0.35, Fm 1.15, Pt 0.55, Tb 1.00, Mt 0.65, Ta 0.50; Leg II: Tr 0.30, Fm 1.20, Pt 0.50, Tb 0.90, Mt 0.53, Ta 0.50; Leg III: Tr 0.35, Fm 1.35, Pt 0.55, Tb 0.65, Mt 0.80, Ta 0.60; Leg IV: Tr 0.40, Fm 1.35, Pt 0.65, Tb 1.00, Mt 0.65, Ta 0.65.

COLOR AND BODY. Oval shaped prosoma with orange pale-yellow posterior median band extending laterally above PLEs ( Fig. 4A ). A pair of brown stripes run from edge of eye field to posterior margin of cephalothorax. Lateral prosoma covered with tuft of pale yellow scales. Anterior eyes surrounded by white scales anteriorly and reddish orange scales posteriorly, clypeus reddish brown, covered with stripes of white scales. Fovea indistinct. Chelicerae reddish black, with 2 promarginal and 1 retromarginal tooth with bifurcated tip ( Caleb & Mathai 2014). Sternum oval in shape. Posterior prosoma rather steep and its margin slightly truncated. Legs dark brown, enclosed with spines, other than pale brown metatarsus and tarsus. Abdomen dark brown and elongated oval-shaped. Dorsum decorated with a greyish yellow longitudinal median band densely covered with fine grey-white hairs ( Fig. 4A ); three or four chevrons posteriorly extending from anterior to spinnerets. Venter yellowish brown with brown longitudinal markings in preserved specimens ( Fig. 4B ). Lateral abdomen dark brown along its length. Spinnerets dark brown.

PALP. Brown with reddish brown cymbium. Cymbium shorter and narrower at distal region. Thin and very long embolus originating perpendicular to bulbus at anterolateral position and encircling bulbus completely in one circle ( Figs 4 C–E, 5C–D). Bulbus rounded, with small, finger-shaped and membranous flap-like structure on anterolateral position of bulbus ( Figs 4D , 5C ). Spermatophore loop clearly visible at antero-retrolateral portion of bulbus and running along outline of bulbus. RTA moderately long, broader at the base and bent dorsally, with blunt tip ( Figs 4 D–E, 5C–D).

Distribution

India, Sri Lanka.

Figures

Fig. 4. Brancus calebi sp. nov., Ƌ. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Palp, prolateral view. D. Palp, ventral view. E. Palp, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A–B = 1 mm; C–E = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 5. A–B. Mogrus frontosus Simon, 1871, Ƌ. C–D. Brancus calebi sp. nov., Ƌ. A, C. Palp, ventral view. B, D. Palp, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: see Material and methods. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.