Tissahamia kottawagamaensis ( Yao & Li, 2016 )

Huber, Bernhard A., 2019, The pholcid spiders of Sri Lanka (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 4550 (1), pp. 1-57 : 30-31

Tissahamia kottawagamaensis ( Yao & Li, 2016)

Figs 101–102 , 114–115 , 119 , 124–125

Pholcus kottawagamaensis Yao & Li, 2016 in Dong et al. 2016: 208 , figs 5–6 (♂ ♀, Sri Lanka).

Tissahamia kottawagamaensis — Eberle et al. 2018 (molecular data). Huber et al. 2018: fig. 10.

Diagnosis and Description (amendments; see Dong et al. 2016). Procursus elements in principle as in T. maturata and T. karuna , with retrolateral membrane, bifid dorsal process, ventral ridge and pocket, and distal hinged sclerite ( Figs 114–115 ). Differs from both species by prolateral ridge narrow and ending in bifid process with one part very small; by very large retrolateral membrane and distal elements; by prolateral process between proximal and distal elements weakly sclerotized. Females differ from T. maturata and T. karuna by large triangular (rather that oval or trapezoidal) epigynal plate and by large V-shaped (rather than evenly rounded) internal arc (‘valve’) visible through cuticle in front of epigynal plate ( Fig. 124 ). Tibia 1 in 8 newly examined males: 8.1–11.0 (mean 9.6); in 13 females: 6.7–8.4 (mean 7.8). Internal female genitalia long, with elongated pore plates surrounded by weakly sclerotized cuticular folds ( Fig. 125 ).

New records. SRI LANKA: 1♂ 1♀, NMSL , 5♂ 5♀, ZFMK (Ar 20072–73) and 1♀ 2 juvs in pure ethanol, ZFMK ( SL158 ), Southern Province, Kottawa Forest (6.097°N, 80.308°E), 60 m a.s.l., 17.iii.2017 (B.A. Huber) . 3♂ 2♀, RMNH , same locality, “under leaves”, 15.x.1982 (F. Wanless) . 3♂ 8♀, ZFMK (Ar 20074) and 2♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, ZFMK ( SL153 ), Southern Province, Viharekele Forest (6.099°N, 80.594°E), 120 m a.s.l., 17.iii.2017 (B.A. Huber) .

Natural history. The spiders built their domed webs with the apex connected to the undersides of live leaves. The webs were conspicuous (like in T. ethagala rather than in T. maturata ) and extended far beyond the leaf. Sometimes the webs were shared by many cecidomyiid flies.

Distribution. Known from two localities in southern Sri Lanka ( Fig. 225 ).

Figures

FIGURES 93–102. Tissahamia, live specimens. 93–96. T. ethagala (Huber, 2011), male from Ethagala, female with egg-sac from Kandalama, and females from Dematagala. 97–98. T. karuna sp. n., male and female with egg-sac from Labugama. 99– 100. T. maturata (Huber, 2011), male with mite and female with egg-sac from Hakgala. 101–102. T. kottawagamaensis (Yao & Li, 2016), male from Kottawa, female from Viharekele.

FIGURES 110–115. Left procursi in prolateral (upper row) and retrolateral views, all images at same scale. 110–111. Tissahamia karuna sp. n., from Labugama (ZFMK Ar 20066); asterisk marks area where males from Mitirigala have a small conical process. 112–113. T. maturata (Huber, 2011), from Hakgala (ZFMK Ar 20069); arrow points at distinctive prolateral process. 114–115. T. kottawagamaensis (Yao & Li, 2016), from Kottawa (ZFMK Ar 20072). Abbreviations: bp, bifid process; hs, hinged sclerite; m, membrane; po, pocket; r, ridge; ta, tarsus. Scale line: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 116–119. 116–117. Tissahamia karuna sp. n., from Labugama (ZFMK Ar 20066), male chelicerae, frontal view; and processes of left genital bulb, prolateral view. 118–119. T. maturata (Huber, 2011) from Hakgala (ZFMK Ar 20069) and T. kottawagamaensis (Yao & Li, 2016) from Kottawa (ZFMK Ar 20072), processes of left genital bulbs in prolateral views (all genital bulbs at same scale). Abbreviations: a, ‘appendix’ (main bulbal process); e, embolus. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

FIGURES 120–125. Epigyna in ventral views (upper row) and cleared female genitalia in dorsal views. 120–121. Tissahamia karuna sp. n., from Labugama (ZFMK Ar 20067); arrow points at internal arc (‘valve’). 122–123. T. maturata (Huber, 2011), from Hakgala (ZFMK Ar 20070). 124–125. T. kottawagamaensis (Yao & Li, 2016), from Kottawa (ZFMK Ar 20073). Abbreviation: pp, pore plate. At various scales.

FIGURES 224–225. Known distribution of Tissahamia in Sri Lanka; “?”, female with uncertain identity from Eastern Sinharaja.