Genus Epidius Thorell, 1877

Type species: Epidius longipalpis Thorell, 1877

Epidius Thorell, 1877: 492 (type species by monotypy Epidius longipalpis Thorell, 1877). Cupa Strand, 1906: in Bösenberg and Strand 1906: 265 (type species by monotypy Cupa typica Bösenberg and Strand, 1906). New synonymy.

Synonymy. The type species of Cupa is here considered a typical member of the genus Epidius as it fulfills criteria given in the diagnosis below (Figs 35A, B). I have examined the holotype of Cupa typica (SMF 4246); see below for details. This specimen has the, for Epidius characteristic oval, dual-chambered spermatheca connected by a Cshaped, thick-walled CD (Figs 35A, B).

Diagnosis. Species of the genus Epidiu s can be separated from all other thomisid genera by the following characters. Male palp with a elongated tibia (tibia is longer than the cymbium; Figs 33 A–C, 35C; Benjamin 2000). The distal tip of the male palpal tibia furnished with 4 to 6 thick long spines (Figs 33 B, 35C, 36A–C; Benjamin, 2000; Tang, et al., 2009); MA fixed (Figs 33 B, 35C, 36A–C). Females could be separated from all other thomisid genera by the presence of oval, dual-chambered spermatheca connected by a C-shaped, thick-walled CD (Figs 34 A–D, 35A, B, 38F). Living specimens of Epidiu s are green in color with a green yellow dorsal folium and live in green live parts of plants (Benjamin 2000; Tang et al. 2009). All species of related genera such as Angaeus, Ascurisoma, Borboropactus, Cebrenninus, Geraesta and Pharta are dark colored.

Description. See Benjamin (2000) and Tang et al. (2009).

Composition. Epidius bazarus (Tikader, 1970); Epidius binotatus Simon, 1897; Epidius denisi Lessert, 1943, Epidius gongi (Song & Kim, 1992); Epidius guineensis Millot, 1942; Epidius longipalpis Thorell, 1877; Epidius lyriger Simon, 1897; Epidius pallidus (Thorell, 1890), Epidius parvati Benjamin, 2000; Epidius rubropictus Simon, 1909; Epidius typicus (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) comb. nov.