Epidius armatus ( Thorell, 1895 ) Benjamin, 2017

Benjamin, Suresh P., 2017, Distributional and taxonomic notes on the crab spider genus Epidius with descriptions of five new species (Araneae: Thomisidae), Journal of Natural History 51 (9 - 10), pp. 469-485 : 473-474

Epidius armatus ( Thorell, 1895) comb. nov.

Figure 1 (a–c, e)

Type material

Pothaeus armatus Thorell, 1895: 276 . Type material (BMNH): 2 females, 1 juvenile from Burma ( Thorell 1895) . See above for details. The largest female in the type series is designated as the lectotype to define the species. The identity of the smaller female ( Figure 1 (d, f)) and juvenile specimen is unclear.

Platythomisus bazarus Tikader, 1970: 48 , figs 27a–c. Transferred by Tang et al. (2009) from Platythomisus to Epidius ; types not available for study. New synonymy.

Epidius bazarus ( Tikader, 1970) : Tang et al. (2009, p. 42, fig. 2A–F); Tang and Li (2010, p. 8–11, figs 1–3). Transfer from Platythomisus and description of male. New synonymy.

Remarks

The illustrations of Platythomisus bazarus ( Tikader 1970, fig. 27a, b) match the lectotype and other material listed herein. The markings, the lines and the two round muscle spots are found in the female specimen shown in Figure 1 (a). The outline of the epigynum shown in Tikader’ s fig. 27b matches the outline of the epigynum of the lectotype ( Figure 1 (e)).

Diagnosis

Distinguished from known congeners by the short MA and RTA. Females are distinguished by the large pointed medial projections (pointed towards the median line) of the epigynum (arrow in Figure 1 (e)) and by larger size ( Tikader 1970; Tang et al. 2009; Tang and Li 2010). Tang and Li (2010, p. 8) also note the large body size and the ‘medially shrunken’ cymbium.

Description

See Tikader (1970), Tang et al. (2009) and Tang and Li (2010).

Other material examined

1 female, Laos, Champasak Province, Muang Bachieng , Ban Lak 35, That Etu, N 15°11´37,7´´ E 106°06´06,3´´, 810 m, secondary forest, vegetation, under stones, stairway to waterfall, by night, by hand . P. Jäger leg. 22 November 2012, SMF. 1 male, 1 female, same locality and label data, leaf litter near waterfall, by hand, at night, P . Jäger & S .

Muennch leg, 1-2 August 2016. Material not seen, but drawings of the male and female genitalia were made available to me by Peter Jäger (SMF).

Distribution

Burma, China, India, Laos (new record).

Figures

Figure 1. Epidius armatus (Thorell, 1895) comb. nov. (a–c, e), the smaller adult female of the type series (d, f). (a, b) Female from Laos, in life (image courtesy of Peter Jäger, SMF). (c) The larger adult female of the type series (1971/213). (d) Smaller adult female. (e) Epigynum of c. (f) Epigynum of d. (c, d) Dorsal view. (e, f) Ventral view. Arrow points to the lateral projections of the epigynum. Scale bars: e, f = 0.2 mm; d = 1.0 mm; c = 5.0 mm.