Oedothorax meghalaya, TANASEVITCH, 2015 INCERTAE

Lin, Shou-Wang, Lopardo, Lara & Uhl, Gabriele, 2022, Evolution of nuptial-gift-related male prosomal structures: taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of the genus Oedothorax (Araneae: Linyphiidae: Erigoninae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 195, pp. 417-584 : 548-549

‘OEDOTHORAX’ MEGHALAYA TANASEVITCH, 2015 INCERTAE SEDIS

( FIGS 19A , 22A , 24A , 77 )

Oedothorax meghalaya Tanasevitch, 2015: 389 , figs 61–69 (Dm).

Type material: Holotype: India: Meghalaya, above Shillong, Khasi Hills , near Shillong Peak , northern slope, 1850–1950 m, primary forest, sifting litter, ♂ 25.x.1978, leg. C. Besuchet & I. Löbl (examined) . Paratypes: 1♂, collected together with the holotype (examined).

Diagnosis:

Males: This species can be recognized by the elevated PME region, the setae at inter-PME and interocular region, the structure of long, dorsally directed palpal tibial prolateral apophysis, wide distal-setae-bearing area of paracymbium and the embolic division.

Description:

Male (paratype): Total length: 2.15. Prosoma: 1.00 long, 0.75 wide, PME-bearing region elevated, inter- PME region with strong setae anteriorly directed, interocular region with strong setae directed upwards ( Fig. 19A ). Eyes: AME-AME: 0.04, AME width: 0.04, AME-ALE: 0.05, ALE width: 0.09, ALE-PLE: 0.01, PLE width: 0.08, PLE-PME: 0.09, PME width: 0.08, PME- PME: 0.15. Clypeus: not hirsute, one sub-AME seta. Sternum 0.55 long, 0.57 wide. Chelicerae: mastidia absent; stridulatory striae rows compressed and evenly spaced ( Fig. 22A ). Legs: tibia chaetotaxy 2-2-1-1, dorsal proximal macroseta on tibia I 2.1 times diameter of tibia; Tm I: 0.58. All metatarsi with trichobothrium. Pedipalp: patella prolateral proximal vertical macrosetae absent; tibia with one prolateral, two retrolateral trichobothria; TPS absent; TPA largely dorsally elevated, scaly at distal part and apical side; TRA small, triangular ( Fig. 77A, B ); PC large, base not visible from dorsal view, distal setae numerous, distally situated, setae-bearing area largely wide, distal clasp without striae, clasp directed anteriorly ( Fig. 77A ); T without papillae; PT short, with long papillae; TS long, without papillae ( Fig. 77A, B ); MSA present; DSA tip round ( Fig. 77D ); EM absent; ARP absent; LER without striae, tip bent prolaterally, not extended dorsal to E; VRP bent dorsally; TP narrow at tip; E retrolaterally spiral, anterior margin at base slightly wavy ( Fig. 77C ). Opisthosoma: dorsal pattern see Fig. 24A . PMS with mAP, one AC; PLS with triad, one AC ( Fig. 77E ).

Female: Unknown.

Distribution: India, only known from the type locality.

Habitat: Forest litter.

Remarks: It is difficult to determine the homology of the two distal apophyses of the radix in this species. According to structural similarity to those in other species, we assume homology of the upper one to LER and the lower one to VRP, and ARP is considered absent. According to the results of our phylogenetic analysis, and the lack of the distinctive characteristics of Oedothorax s.s., this species is more closely related to Atypena , some ‘ Oedothorax ’ incertae sedis species and Mitrager , which, as this species, are distributed in the Himalayan region and the Oriental realm. We provisionally leave the taxonomic status of this species unchanged until further data become available.

Figures

Figure 19. Male prosomal morphology, lateral. A, ‘Oedothorax’ meghalaya Tanasevitch, 2015 (traced from photograph). B, ‘Oe.’ uncus Tanasevitch, 2015 (traced from photograph). C, Holmelgonia basalis Jocqué & Scharff, 1986 (Jocqué & Scharff, 1986, fig. 18). D, Callitrichia holmi (Wunderlich, 1978) (traced from photograph). E, Ca. picta (Caporiacco, 1949) (Holm 1962, fig. 58). F, Ca. gloriosa (Jocqué, 1984) (traced from photograph). G, Ca. convector Tanasevitch, 2014 (traced from photograph). H, Ca. sellafrontis Scharff, 1990 (traced from photograph). I, Ca. juguma (Scharff, 1990) (Scharff 1990a, fig. 164). J, Ca. uncata (Jocqué & Scharff, 1986) (Jocqué & Scharff, 1986, fig. 130). K, Ca. pilosa (Wunderlich, 1978) (traced from photograph). L, Ca. usitata (Jocqué & Scharff, 1986) (traced from photograph). M, Ca. legrandi (Jocqué, 1985) (Jocqué, 1985, fig. 21). N, Ca. macrophthalma (Locket & Russell-Smith, 1980) (traced from photograph). O, Ca. muscicola (Bosmans, 1988) (traced from photograph). P, Ca. latitibialis (Bosmans, 1988) (traced from photograph). Q, Ca. longiducta (Bosmans, 1988) (traced from photograph). R, Nasoona setifera (Tanasevitch, 1998) (Tanasevitch, 1998a, fig. 3). S, N. crucifera (Thorell, 1895) (Tu & Li, 2004, fig. 6A).

Figure 22. Male chelicerae, stridulatory striae on lateral side. A, ‘Oedothorax’ meghalaya. B, ‘Oe.’ uncus. C, Holmelgonia basalis. D, Callitrichia holmi. E, Ca. picta. F, Ca. gloriosa. G, Ca. convector. H, Ca. sellafrontis. I, Ca. juguma. J, Ca. uncata. K, Ca. pilosa. L, Ca. usitata. M, Ca. legrandi. N, Ca. macrophthalma. O, Ca. muscicola. P, Ca. latitibialis. Q, Ca. longiducta. R. Nasoona setifera. S, N. crucifera. Scale bars 0.05 mm.

Figure 24. Male opisthosoma, dorsal view. A, ‘Oedothorax’ meghalaya Tanasevitch, 2015. B, ‘Oe.’ uncus Tanasevitch, 2015. C, Holmelgonia basalis Jocqué & Scharff, 1986. D, Callitrichia holmi (Wunderlich, 1978). E, Ca. picta (Caporiacco, 1949). F, Ca. gloriosa (Jocqué, 1984). G, Ca. convector Tanasevitch, 2014. H, Ca. sellafrontis Scharff, 1990. I, Ca. juguma (Scharff, 1990). J, Ca. uncata (Jocqué & Scharff, 1986). K, Ca. pilosa (Wunderlich, 1978). L, Ca. usitata (Jocqué & Scharff, 1986). M, Ca. legrandi (Jocqué, 1985). N, Ca. macrophthalma (Locket & Russell-Smith, 1980). O, Ca. muscicola (Bosmans, 1988). P, Ca. latitibialis (Bosmans, 1988). Q, Ca. longiducta (Bosmans, 1988). R, Nasoona setifera (Tanasevitch, 1998). S, N. crucifera (Thorell, 1895). Scale bars 0.1 mm.

Figure 77. ‘Oedothorax’ meghalaya Tanasevitch, 2015. A–D, male right palp, images flipped horizontally. A, retrolateral view. B, prolateral view. C, embolic division, prolateral view. D, suprategulum, retrolateral view. E, male spinnerets. Scale bars 0.1 mm.