Tapinocyboides bengalensis, V. & Tanasevitch, 2011

Tanasevitch, Andrei V., 2011, Linyphiid spiders (Araneae, Linyphiidae) from Pakistan and India, Revue suisse de Zoologie 118 (3), pp. 561-598 : 586-587

Tapinocyboides bengalensis sp. n. Figs 81-85

HOLOTYPE: Ƌ, INDIA, West Bengal, Darjeeling District, Tonglu , 3100 m a.s.l., near top, under stones; 16.X.1978; leg. C. Besuchet & I. Löbl [16a].

ETYMOLOGY: The species name, an adjective, refers to the Indian State where the new species was found.

DIAGNOSIS: The new species is characterized by the peculiar shape of the split palpal tibia.

DESCRIPTION: Male. Total length 1.40. Carapace 0.63 long, 0.53 wide, unmodified, pale brown, sulci absent. Chelicerae 0.25 long, unmodified. Legs yellow. Leg I 1.73 long (0.50+0.15+0.38+0.37+0.33), IV 1.72 long (0.52+0.17+0.43+0.35+ 0.25). Chaetotaxy 1.1.1.1, length of spines about same as diameter of segment or a little longer. TmI 0.32. Metatarsus IV without trichobothrium. Palp (Figs 81-85): Tibia dorsally deeply divided by a narrow cleft into two parts. Paracymbium simple, U-shaped. Distal suprategular apophysis weakly sclerotized, relatively short, wide and rounded, with a pale thin tooth near it base. Median membrane well developed, protruded forward, distally extended. Radical part of embolic division flat, elongated. Embolus thin, long and coiled, with a narrow membranous edge. Abdomen 0.80 long, 0.55 wide, grey.

Female unknown.

FIGS 81-85

Tapinocyboides bengalensis sp. n., Ƌ holotype. (81-83) Right palp, retrolateral, prolateral and dorso-prolateral views, respectively. (84) Palpal tibia, dorsal view. (85) Distal suprategular apophysis and median membrane.

TAXONOMIC REMARKS: This new species is probably not congeneric with the type species Tapinocyboides pygmaeus (Menge, 1869) because it has no “lamella” sensu Merrett (1963) in the embolic division and no sulci on the male carapace. Therefore so it is assigned to this genus only provisionally. In the absence of a female, and/or other possible congeners, the taxonomic position of this species is unclear.

DISTRIBUTION: Known from the type locality only.