Suffasia keralaensis, Sudhikumar, Ambalaparambil V., Jocqué, Rudy & Sebastian, Pothalil A., 2009

Sudhikumar, Ambalaparambil V., Jocqué, Rudy & Sebastian, Pothalil A., 2009, A new species of the ant spider genus Suffasia (Araneae: Zodariidae) from the Western Ghats, India with a key to the species of the genus, Zootaxa 2203, pp. 59-64 : 60-63

Suffasia keralaensis sp. nov.

Figs 1–10

Type material. Holotype: male: India, Kerala, Nilambur Forest (11°16’N, 76º15’E), 1290 m alt., 15–25 March, 2005, extraction of forest litter with Berlese funnel, Sebastian P. A; paratypes: 5 females, 3 males, same data as holotype.

Diagnosis. Females of S. keralaensis sp. nov. are characterised by the oval spermathecae ( Fig. 8 ) which is unique in the genus; males by the presence of three cymbial pits and long curved embolus of the palp ( Figs 9, 10 ).

Description. Male: Total length 6.97 mm, cephalothorax 3.35 mm long, 2.18 mm high, 2.52 mm wide. Abdomen 3.18 mm long, 2.46 mm wide, 1.86 mm high, slightly more elongate than in female. Colour of cephalothorax slightly darker than in female. Abdomen yellowish with characteristic pattern as in Fig. 6 ; dorsum covered with fine setae. Venter pale yellow, brownish around spinnerets which are light brown; anterior lateral spinnerets slightly larger than posterior ones; posterior median spinnerets very small. Eye pattern as in female. Eye diameter (mm): AME = 0.52, ALE = 0.62, PME = 0.48, PLE = 0.88. Eye separation: AME-AME = 0.28, AME-ALE = 0.38, PME-PME = 0.52, PME-PLE = 0.51, ALE-PLE = 0.42. Median ocular quadrangle wider posteriorly than anteriorly, clypeus height 2.18 mm. Sternum, labium and maxillae as in female. Legs with yellowish ventral surface and darker dorsal surface. Leg formula 4123. Length of legs [total length (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus)]: I 5.23 mm (1.42 + 0.41 + 1.32 + 1.32 + 0.76), II 4.66 mm (1.31 + 0.38 + 1.11 + 1.25 + 0.61), III 4.42 mm (1.28 + 0.36 + 0.98 + 1.22 + 0.58), IV 6.37 mm (1.62 + 0.51 + 1.35 + 2.11 + 0.78). Spination of femora as in female.

Tibia of male pedipalp ( Figs 9, 10 ), retrolateral tibial apophysis short, stout, with deep tibial groove open towards ventral side. Cymbial fold about 2/3 of cymbium length, dorsal basis with cymbial extension; sensory hairs present in the superior part, three cymbial pits in the dorsolateral side, ovoid dorsal cymbial extension overlaps tibia in lateral view; embolus long and strongly curved retrolaterally, thick base of embolus provided with short rounded ventral extension; position of tegulum somewhat unusual with strong, transverse median apophysis far ventrally; main part of tegulum with ventral rounded prong.

Female: Total length 9.46 mm, cephalothorax 4.52 mm long, 3.22 mm high, 3.38 mm wide; abdomen 4.88 mm long, 3.92 mm wide, 2.84 mm high. Cephalothorax reddish-brown, thoracic area pale brown, becoming darker in cephalic area, black eye margins and fovea, a pair of slightly slanting oval shaped dark marks just in front of fovea. Four narrow dark lines present just behind posterior eye row ( Fig. 1 ). Carapace domed; cephalic region roughened. Abdomen ovoid, yellowish with characteristic pattern as in Fig. 1 ; dorsum covered with fine setae. Venter pale yellow, brownish around light brown spinnerets; anterior lateral spinnerets slightly larger than posterior lateral spinnerets; posterior median spinnerets small. Eight eyes in two rows, anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior eye row strongly procurved. Eye diameter (mm): AME = 0.32, ALE = 0.31, PME = 0.55, PLE = 0.52. Eye separation: AME-AME = 0.22, AME-ALE = 0.38, PME- PME = 0.82, PME-PLE = 0.51, ALE-PLE = 0.33. Median ocular quadrangle wider posteriorly than aneriorly; clypeus height 2.52 mm. Sternum yellowish, with dark margin; slightly longer than wide; lateral margin with small, pointed extensions fitting in coxal concavities of legs. Labium longer than wide, darker than sternum, posterior tip with black setae. Maxillae pale yellow, posterior tip pale, longer than wide, converging apices PLATE 1. Map of south India showing the Western Ghats and collection location of Suffasia keralaensis sp. nov.

with black scopulae. Chilum a single small triangle. Chelicerae vertical, dark brown, base of fang region with black setae, promargin with two teeth, anterior lateral side strongly projecting in front. Legs with yellowish ventral surface and darker dorsal surface. Leg formula 4123. Length of legs [total length (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus)]: I 5.48 mm (1.52 + 0.55 + 1.33 + 1.36 + 0.72), II 4.77 mm (1.31 + 0.53 + 1.04 + 1.24 + 0.65), III 4.47 mm (1.22 + 0.48 + 1.02 + 1.12 + 0.63), IV 6.01 mm (1.54 + 0.58 + 1.34 + 1.81 + 0.74). Femur of all legs with one distal pair of dorsal spines; tarsi IV with one distal pair of ventral spines. Pedipalp yellowish, longer than leg femora, almost as long as combined length of patella + tibia II.

Epigyne ( Figs 7, 8 ) with well developed epigynal plate, thick-walled copulatory ducts ending in oval shaped, widely separated spermathecae; fertilization ducts behind spermathecae; tip of copulatory opening extended beyond epigynal plate ( Fig. 8 ).

Distribution. Nilambur Forest, Kerala, India (Plate 1) (at present known only from the type locality).

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the name of the state in India, from where type specimens collected.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Suffasia keralaensis sp. nov. Female and male paratypes, 1 Female dorsal view; 2 Female frontal view; 3 Female lateral view; 4 Female labium and maxillae; 5 Female sternum; 6 Male dorsal view; 7 Epigyne ventral view; 8 Internal genitalia dorsal view; 9 Left male pedipalp, ventral view; 10 Left male pedipalp, lateral view. Scale bars: 1 – 2, 2 mm; 3, 1.5 mm; 4 – 5, 0.75 mm; 6, 1.5 mm; 7 – 8, 0.1 mm; 9 – 10, 0.2 mm.