Stenaelurillus megamalai, Sudhin & Sen & Caleb, 2023

Sudhin, Puthoor Pattammal, Sen, Souvik & Caleb, John T. D., 2023, Two new Stenaelurillus species (Araneae, Salticidae, Aelurillina) from Western Ghats, India, Zoosystematics and Evolution 99 (1), pp. 123-133 : 123

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zse.99.97985
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C5B91980-5B33-442D-B4BE-B0D24DF5781F
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3C022979-3865-4852-841F-476C7E37E247
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:3C022979-3865-4852-841F-476C7E37E247
treatment provided by	Zoosystematics and Evolution by Pensoft
scientific name	Stenaelurillus megamalai
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Stenaelurillus megamalai sp. nov.

Figs 1A-L View Figure 1 , 2A-F View Figure 2 , 3A-D View Figure 3 , 7C View Figure 7

Type material.

Holotype ♂. India: Tamil Nadu, Theni District, Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, 09°38'34.1"N, 77°24'06.5"E, 871 m, 01.vii.2019, R. Venkitesan coll. (NZC-ZSI-7941/18). Paratypes: 12 ♀♀ & 25 ♂♂, same data as holotype, (NZC-ZSI-7942/18).

Diagnosis.

S. megamalai sp. nov. can be separated from other species of the colorful group by the following combination of characters: males with distinct three sub-equal white spots arranged in a transverse row on the abdomen (Fig. 1A View Figure 1 ); clypeus covered with grayish black hairs, medially with a tuft of pale white hairs (Fig. 1G, H View Figure 1 ); chelicerae covered with white hairs (Fig. 1G View Figure 1 ); palpal femur pale yellow, dorsal and prolateral sides with a bunch of white hairs (Fig. 2C, D View Figure 2 ); RTA ventro-basally with a short tooth-like outgrowth (Fig. 2B View Figure 2 ); cymbium with a bunch of erect white hairs prolateral (Fig. 2C, D View Figure 2 ); prolateral margin of the salticid radix not rounded but with gentle prolaterally protrusion in ventral view (Fig. 2A View Figure 2 ); distal projection short and pointed (Figs 2B-D View Figure 2 , 3B View Figure 3 ). The female with yellow spinnerets; epigyne with broad epigynal pocket and short, broad copulatory ducts (Figs 2E View Figure 2 , 3C View Figure 3 ).

Description.

Male (Holotype, NZC-ZSI-7941/18) (Figs 1A-C, G-H, J-K View Figure 1 , 2A-D View Figure 2 , 3A, B View Figure 3 ): Measurements: body length 4.76; carapace length 2.57, width 1.76; abdomen length 2.21, width 1.85. Ocular area length 1.01, width 1.35. Eye diameters: AME 0.37, ALE 0.24, PME 0.11, PLE 0.28. Eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.05, ALE-AME 0.09, ALE-ALE 0.96, ALE-PME 0.34, PLE-PLE 1.03, PME-PME 1.17, PME-PLE 0.20. Clypeus height 0.25. Length of chelicera 0.51. Measurement of legs: leg I 3.66 [1.26, 0.57, 0.86, 0.47, 0.50], II 3.27 [1.01, 0.51, 0.77, 0.52, 0.46], III 6.48 [2.15, 0.81, 1.43, 1.42, 0.67], IV 6.59 [1.96, 0.78, 1.36, 1.60, 0.89]. Leg formula: 4312. Leg setation: femur I, IV pl 2 rl 2 do 3, II-III pl 3 rl 2 do 3; patella I-II pl 1, III-IV pl 1 rl 1; tibia I pl 2 plv 2 rlv 1, II pl 3 rl 1 plv 3 rlv 1, III pl 3 rl 3 do 1 plv 2 rlv 1, IV pl 3 rl 3 do 1 plv 3 rlv 1; metatarsus I pl 2 rl 1 plv 1 rlv 1, II pl 2 rl 2 do 1 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 3 plv 3 rlv 4, IV pl 3 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 1. Carapace yellowish-brown, with yellowish-white lateral sides, covered with brown setae, carapace margin with black lines, anterolateral sides densely covered with long dull white setae (Fig. 1A, C View Figure 1 ); eye field black, densely covered with dark brown bristles, anterior row of eyes encircled with white setae, a tuft of black erect setae present at anterior margin of PLEs, they appear as short horns in front view (Fig. 1A, C View Figure 1 ). Clypeus high, covered with greyish-black setae, medially with a tuft of white setae, either side of it with a tuft of black setae, and lateral sides with lustrous scales (Fig. 1G-H View Figure 1 ). Chelicerae short, yellow, dorso-laterally with long white setae (Fig. 1H View Figure 1 ), retromargin with one and promargin with two teeth. Fangs short. Endites light yellow with pale white inner tips. Labium light yellow. Sternum oval, light yellow, covered with short white setae (Fig. 1B View Figure 1 ). Leg segments pale yellow; femur I prolaterally and dorsally provided with fringe of white setae, the dorsal one prominent, ventrally with thick black setae (Fig. 1J View Figure 1 ); patella I and tibia I ventrally with black setae (Fig. 1J View Figure 1 ); femur II prolaterally and dorsally provided with fringe of white setae (Fig. 1K View Figure 1 ), the femur I prominent. Abdomen oval, covered with black setae, dorsum with an anterior transverse white line and mid-dorsal three black patches with three white spots (Fig. 1A View Figure 1 ); abdomen lateral edges fringed with black setae interspersed with patches of white setae; abdomen posterior end covered with grey white setae (Fig. 1A View Figure 1 ). Spinnerets light grey. Venter densely covered yellowish white setae, interspersed with few light brown setae (Fig. 1B View Figure 1 ). Palpal segments pale yellow covered with white and brown setae (Fig. 2C, D View Figure 2 ); femur dorsal and prolateral sides provided with bunch of long white setae, their length decreases towards the distal region, retrolateral side with light brown setae (Fig. 2C, D View Figure 2 ); patella proximo-retrolateral region with black markings; tibia distally with a stiff and long black dorsal setae (Fig. 2D View Figure 2 ); RTA simple, basally broad with a short tooth-like outgrowth, distally narrowing, with the tip slightly bent ventrally (Figs 2B, D View Figure 2 , 3B View Figure 3 ); tibia with two ventral apophyses, VTA 1 broad, rounded, VTA 2 conical, projecting ventrally (Figs 2A, C View Figure 2 , 3A View Figure 3 ); cymbium oval, densely covered with setae (Fig. 2B-D View Figure 2 ); functional tegulum with well-developed proximal projection (Figs 2A-D View Figure 2 , 3A View Figure 3 ); tegulum with anterior transversal rim decorated with stiff bristles (Figs 2A View Figure 2 , 3A View Figure 3 ); tegular process finger shaped, directed at 10 o’clock position in ventral view (Figs 2A View Figure 2 , 3A View Figure 3 ); embolus short, with blunt tip directed at 11 o’clock position in ventral view (Figs 2A View Figure 2 , 3A View Figure 3 ).

Female (paratype) (Figs 1D-F, I, L View Figure 1 , 2E-F View Figure 2 , 3C-D View Figure 3 ): Measurements: body length 7.68; carapace length 3.34, width 2.26; abdomen length 4.05, width 3.26. Ocular area length 1.22, width 1.83. Eye diameters: AME 0.50, ALE 0.30, PME 0.12, PLE 0.27. Eye inter distances: AME-AME 0.08, ALE-AME 0.13, ALE-ALE 1.23, ALE-PME 0.36, PLE-PLE 1.49, PME-PME 1.65, PME-PLE 0.26. Clypeus height 0.40. Length of chelicera 0.85. Measurement of palp and legs: palp 2.03 [0.65, 0.36, 0.37, 0.65], leg I 4.22 [1.50, 0.60, 0.91, 0.55, 0.66], II 4.30 [1.48, 0.70, 0.90, 0.64, 0.58], III 7.08 [2.20, 0.78, 1.74, 1.60, 0.76], IV 7.12 [2.12, 0.82, 1.50, 1.66, 1.02]. Leg formula: 4321. Leg setation: femur I, IV pl 2 rl 2 do 3, II pl 3 rl 3 do 3, III pl 3 rl 2 do 3; patella I-II pl 1, III-IV pl 1 rl 1; tibia I-II pl 2 plv 2 rlv 3, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1, IV pl 4 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 1; metatarsus I-II pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 4 rl 4 do 2 plv 2 rlv 2, IV pl 4 rl 4 plv 3 rlv 3. In all details as male, except the following: eye field covered with yellowish-brown bristles, anterior row of eyes encircled by yellowish-brown setae (Fig. 1D View Figure 1 ). Clypeus light yellow, covered with yellowish-brown setae (Fig. 1I View Figure 1 ). Chelicerae slightly longer, yellowish-brown. Abdomen light yellowish brown, lightly covered with black and gray setae, dorsum medially with a triangular black patch, medially with a pair of white spots and a white spot further down, and laterally with two broad irregular black stripes extending from middle to the posterior tip (Fig. 1D View Figure 1 ); abdomen lateral sides with brown longitudinal stripes and few brown patches (Fig. 1F View Figure 1 ); venter pale white, scarcely covered with black setae (Fig. 1E View Figure 1 ). Epigyne with broad epigynal pocket located in between the copulatory openings (Figs 2E View Figure 2 , 3C View Figure 3 ); copulatory openings large, located just above the posterior margin of the epigyne, separated by a distance that is almost less than the diameter of each opening (Fig. 2E View Figure 2 ); copulatory ducts short, and broad (Figs 2E View Figure 2 , 3C View Figure 3 ); spermathecae round, separated from each other (Figs 2F View Figure 2 , 3D View Figure 3 ); fertilization ducts oriented anterolaterally, situated at anterior region of spermathecae (Figs 2F View Figure 2 , 3D View Figure 3 ).