Liocheles nigripes ( Pocock, 1897 )

Mirza, Zeeshan A., 2017, Description of a new species of Liocheles Sundevall, 1833 (Hormuridae) from India, Zootaxa 4365 (2), pp. 217-230 : 219-220

Liocheles nigripes ( Pocock, 1897)

( Fig. 2 –3)

Hormurus nigripes Pocock 1897: 117

Holotype: NHM 1896.9 .26.84, female from Panch Mahals , Gujarat, India (examined).

Other material: four females AG810, AG812, AG814 & AG815 from Forsyth’s Lodge , Sohagpur, Hoshangabad district, Madhya Pradesh, India (22.585467° N, 78.133361° E, elevation 367m), collected on 15th May 2014 by Rajesh Sanap, David Raju and Zeeshan Mirza.

Diagnosis: A large species relative to other members of the genus reaching a total length of 38–41mm. Overall coloration deep blackish brown ( Fig. 2 ) slightly faded to brown in preservative. Second lateral ocellus adjacent to the first ocellus, separated from the third ocellus. Patella prolateral process absent. Chela internomedian carinae present, composed of large sparsely placed granules. Metasomal segment V with three pairs of spiniform granules on ventrolateral carinae. Metasomal segment I with a large pronounced posterior granules on ventrosubmedian and ventrolateral carinae. Metasomal segment II with medial, sub-posterior and posterior granules on ventrolateral and ventrosubmedian carinae more pronounced than the preceding segment, granules on ventrosubmedian larger than those on ventrolateral carinae. Segment II, dorso-submedian carinae lacking posterior spiniform granules. Anal arch anterior carinae composed of large, subconical teeth (Fig. 3).

Natural history and distribution: Four specimens of this species were collected from slit-like deep burrows on mud escarpments along a dry stream near Forsyth’s Lodge, Sohagpur, Hoshangabad district, Madhya Pradesh. Known from Panchmahal, Satna, Sohagpur, and Udaipur ( Fig. 1 ). Records of the species listed in literature from Udaipur in Rajasthan, Almore in Uttarakhand, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh need confirmation.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map of the genus Liocheles in India. Small black polygon- Liocheles nigripes, black triangles- Liocheles schalleri sp. nov., large black squares—unidentified Liocheles sp.

FIGURE 2. Liocheles nigripes female NCBS AG814 from central India in life.