Wanniyala Huber & Benjamin, 2005

Huber, Bernhard A., 2019, The pholcid spiders of Sri Lanka (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 4550 (1), pp. 1-57 : 31-32

Wanniyala Huber & Benjamin, 2005

Wanniyala Huber & Benjamin, 2005: 3311 . Type species: W. agrabopath Huber & Benjamin, 2005 ( Sri Lanka).

Notes. Wanniyala is currently considered a Sri Lankan endemic genus but its apparent absence in India and the Western Ghats in particular is difficult to interpret. With only eleven pholcid species (three of them introduced), India ranks among the most poorly studied countries in the world with respect to pholcid spiders. Wanniyala spiders are cryptic litter-dwellers and may have been overlooked by previous generalist collectors.

In Sri Lanka, Wanniyala has experienced a remarkable radiation, mainly in the southwestern wet climatic zone and the central highlands. All known species are similar to each other in their morphology (see below) and apparently also genetically (five species included in the analysis of Eberle et al. 2018), suggesting a rather recent radiation. However, available data also suggest that the closest relatives of Wanniyala are African, Madagascan, and Mediterranean taxa ( Eberle et al. 2018; Huber et al. 2018). Thus, for Wanniyala Sri Lanka might be both a ‘museum’ and a ‘cradle’ (cf. Chown & Gaston 2000).

The procursus is highly complex and species-specific but always includes the same five distal structures that are hinged against a simple proximal part (labeled in Figs 160–161 , 167–168 , 176–177 ): a retrolateral sclerite; a ventral transparent process; two prolateral sclerites; and a prolateral transparent process that usually has a bifid tip.

Figures

FIGURES 156–164. Wanniyala mudita sp. n., from Kandy (ZFMK Ar 20077). 156–157. Male chelicerae, clypeus and ocular area, frontal and lateral views. 158. Left male palpal trochanter and femur, retrolateral view. 159. Left genital bulb (proximal sclerite, bulbal apophysis and embolus), prolateral view. 160–161. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 162–163. Epigynum, ventral and lateral views. 164. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view (arrow points at anterior ‘valve’). Abbreviations: ba, bulbal apophysis; e, embolus; pbs, proximal bulbal sclerite; ps1, ps2, prolateral sclerites 1 and 2; ptp, prolateral transparent process; rs, retrolateral sclerite; vtp, ventral transparent process. Scale lines: 0.3 mm (158–161), 0.5 mm (156–157, 162–164).

FIGURES 165–171. Wanniyala orientalis sp. n., from Dimbulagala (ZFMK Ar 20079). 165. Left male palpal trochanter and femur, retrolateral view. 166. Left genital bulb (proximal sclerite, bulbal apophysis and embolus), prolateral view. 167–168. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views; arrow points at dorsal process of retrolateral sclerite that is smaller in males from Minneriya. 169–170. Epigynum, ventral and lateral views. 171. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Abbreviations: ps1, ps2, prolateral sclerites 1 and 2; ptp, prolateral transparent process; rs, retrolateral sclerite; vtp, ventral transparent process. Scale lines: 0.3 mm (165–168), 0.5 mm (169–171).

FIGURES 172–180. Wanniyala upekkha sp. n., from Dematagala (ZFMK Ar 20086). 172–173. Male chelicerae, clypeus and ocular area, frontal and lateral views. 174. Left male palpal trochanter and femur, retrolateral view. 175. Left genital bulb (proximal sclerite, bulbal apophysis and embolus), prolateral view. 176–177. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 178–179. Epigynum, ventral and lateral views. 180. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Abbreviations: ps1, ps2, prolateral sclerites 1 and 2; ptp, prolateral transparent process; rs, retrolateral sclerite; vtp, ventral transparent process. Scale lines: 0.3 mm (172–177), 0.5 mm (178–180).