Oxytate subvirens ( Strand, 1907 )

Sudhin, Puthoor Pattammal & Sen, Souvik, 2023, Taxonomic notes on the crab spider genus Oxytate L. Koch, 1878 (Araneae: Thomisidae) from India, Zootaxa 5315 (6), pp. 549-558 : 554-557

Oxytate subvirens ( Strand, 1907)

Figs 3A–D , 4A–F , 6A–D , 7

Dieta subvirens Strand, 1907: 198–199 (description of female).

Oxytate subvirens (Strand) . Benjamin 2001: 154–157, figs 1a–b, 4a–b, 5a–b, 6a–c (description and illustrations of male and female); Benjamin 2011: 19, figs 61A–E.

Material examined. 1♁ from INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Kanyakumari district, Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary (8°22’42.88”N 77°24’53.36”E), 119 m, 13 February 2020, leg. S. Sen., by hand

(NZC-ZSI-8093/18). 1♀, Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary (8°27’23.48”N 77°18’11.26”E), 91 m, 15 February 2020, leg. S. Sen, by hand (NZC-ZSI-8094/18).

Diagnosis. For diagnostic features of the species, see Benjamin (2001).

Redescription. Male (NZC-ZSI-8093/18) ( Figs 3A–B , 4A–C , 6A–B ): Measurements: Body length 5.88. Carapace length 2.18, width 2.01. Abdomen length 4.05, width 1.06. Eye diameters: ALE 0.09, AME 0.06, PLE 0.08, PME 0.07. Eye interdistances:AME–AME 0.12,ALE–AME 0.11, PME–PME 0.11, PLE–PME 0.26, ALE–PLE 0.21, AME–PME 0.20, ALE–ALE 0.42, PLE–PLE 0.70, AME–PLE 0.39, ALE–PME 0.18. Clypeus height 0.25. Length of chelicerae 0.43. Measurements of legs: I 11.11 [3.28, 1.20, 3.22, 2.40, 1.01], II 10.65 [3.18, 1.07, 3.08, 2.31, 1.01], III 5.08 [1.48, 0.48, 1.46, 1.10, 0.56], IV 4.64 [1.64, 0.43, 1.06, 0.97, 0.54]. Leg formula: 1234. Spination. Legs: femur I pl 6 rl 4 do 5 plv 2, II pl 5 rl 5 do 5, III–IV pl 3 rl 3 do 3; patella I–IV pl 1 rl 1 do 1; tibia I–II pl 2 rl 2 do 2 plv 4 rlv 4, III pl 2 rl 2 do 2 plv 2 rlv 1, IV pl 2 rl 2 do 2; metatarsus I pl 4 rl 4 plv 3 rlv 3, II pl 2 rl 2 plv 3 rlv 3, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 1 rlv 1, IV pl 3 rl 2; tarsus I–IV spineless. Carapace pale yellow ( Fig. 3A ). Eyes located on tubercles ( Figs 3A ). Clypeus and chelicerae pale yellow. Endites and labium dull white ( Fig. 3B ). Sternum white ( Fig. 3B ). Abdomen covered with fine hairs ( Fig. 3A ); dorsum pale yellow to dull white, posterior region with regular transverse rows of strong spines ( Fig. 3A ); venter dull white ( Fig. 3B ). Palp as shown in Figs 4A–C , 6A–B : tegulum and cymbium light yellow, rest of the segments dull white; tibia slender, longer than broad, covered with few long setae and hairs; VTA broad, with a small hook shaped tip ( Figs 4A–C , 6A–B ); RTA long, slightly upwardly directed, with its narrowing distal region slightly curving ventrally in retrolateral view ( Figs 4C , 6B ); cymbium nearly ovoid, covered with setae, tapering distally ( Figs 4A–C , 6A–B ); tegulum oval ( Fig. 4B , 6A ); embolus thick, distally narrowing, resting on tegulum, with the subacute tip directed at 1:30 o’clock position in ventral view ( Figs 4B , 6A ).

Female (NZC-ZSI-8094/18) ( Figs 3C–D , 4D–F , 6C–D ): Measurements: Body length 7.62. Carapace length 2.42, width 2.21. Abdomen length 4.82, width 1.95. Eye diameters: ALE 0.09, AME 0.05, PLE 0.07, PME 0.06. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.12, ALE–AME 0.14, PME–PME 0.08, PLE–PME 0.30, ALE–PLE 0.24, AME–PME 0.18, ALE–ALE 0.46, PLE–PLE 0.78, AME–PLE 0.43, ALE–PME 0.20. Clypeus height 0.22. Length of chelicerae 0.39. Measurements of legs: I 10.74 [3.11, 1.29, 3.37, 2.01, 0.96], II 10.41 [3.12, 1.17, 3.04, 2.16, 0.92], III 5.43 [1.51, 0.61, 1.54, 1.13, 0.64], IV 5.23 [1.89, 0.57, 1.20, 0.99, 0.58]. Leg formula: 1234. Spination. Legs: femur I pl 4 do 4 plv 2, II pl 3 rl 2 do 2, III–IV pl 2 do 1; patella I–IV pl 1 rl 1 do 1; tibia I–II pl 2 rl 2 do 1 plv 4 rlv 4, III–IV pl 2 rl 2 do 1; metatarsus I–II pl 2 rl 2 plv 3 rlv 3; III pl 2 rl 1 rlv 1, IV pl 3 rl 3 do 4; tarsus I–IV spineless. In all respects as the male, except as follows: carapace light reddish-yellow, marginally with narrow dark brown lines; endites, labium, and sternum light yellow; abdomen longer, wider and yellowish in colour. Epigyne as shown in Figs 4D–F , 6C–D : epigyne with deeply divided anterior hood ( Figs 4D–E , 6C ); copulatory opening broad ( Figs 2D–E , 6C–D ); copulatory duct long, distal part broad proximal part well sclerotized, bent, and connected to the anterior part of spermathecae ( Figs 4D–F , 6C–D ); spermathecae nearly oval and separated from each other ( Figs 4F , 6D ).

Distribution. India (New record) and Sri Lanka ( Benjamin 2001) ( Fig. 7 ).

Figures

FIGURES 2A–I. Oxytate elongata (Tikader, 1980) (A–D Female from Kerala and E–I Holotype female). A, E Habitus dorsal view; B, F Same, ventral view; C, G Epigyne ventral view; D, H Vulva, dorsal view; I Label. Scale bars: A–B, E–F: 2 mm. C: 0.4 mm. D, G, H: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 3A–D. Oxytate subvirens (Strand, 1907). A Male from Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, dorsal view; B Same, ventral view; C Female from Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, dorsal view; D Same, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B: 1 mm. C–D: 2 mm.

FIGURES 4A–F. Oxytate subvirens (Strand, 1907). A–C Left male palp (A prolateral, B ventral C retrolateral); D–E. Epigyne ventral (E cleared); F Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–F: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 6A–D. Oxytate subvirens (Strand, 1907). A–B Left male palp (A ventral, B retrolateral); C Epigyne, ventral; D Vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: A–D: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 7. Records of Oxytate species in India.