Phanuelus gladstone, Caleb & Mathai, 2015

Caleb, John T. D., Mungkung, Soriephy & Mathai, Manu Thomas, 2015, Four new species of jumping spider (Araneae: Salticidae: Aelurillinae) with the description of a new genus from South India, Peckhamia 124 (1), pp. 1-18 : 7-10

Phanuelus gladstone sp. nov. Caleb & Mathai

( Figs. 26 - 46 )

Type material. Holotype: male, scrub jungle regions, Madras Christian College , Tamil Nadu, India (12°92′04.28″ N, 80°12′38.75″ E, 32m, 13 SEP 2013, coll. John Caleb T.D., NCBS-QA474) . Paratypes from same location: 1 female allotype (13 SEP 2013, coll. John Caleb T.D., NCBS-QA475), 1 male (27 JUN 2013, coll. John Caleb T.D., NCBS-QA476), 1 male (27 OCT 2014, coll. John Caleb T.D., NCBS-QA477); 1 male (28 OCT 2014, coll. John Caleb T.D., NCBS-QA478) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, a patronym after Late Dr. M. Gladstone (former Head, Dept. of Zoology and Principal, MCC).

Diagnosis. Species can be recognized by general body color, size and abdominal pattern ( Figs. 26 , 32 ). Palpal femur with distal white patch dorsally in both sexes ( Figs. 27 , 37 ), palpal organ with thin embolus, two RTA one long and bent at tip, other short, thick. Epigynum with copulatory openings placed laterally ( Figs. 40, 43 ), copulatory ducts rising upward and bending inwards forming a loop, leading to spermathecae ( Fig. 44 ).

Description of male. Total length 3.03; carapace 1.80 long, 1.44 wide; abdomen 1.23 long, 1.50 wide. Cephalothorax high, dark with reddish brown hairs and blackish scutum ( Figs. 26, 27 ). Anterior region of

AME lined by a thick curved patch of white hairs, median region of clypeus black, front edge of cephalothorax covered with white hairs. Sparse white hairs cover the regions below ALE and cheek region ( Figs. 28, 29 ). Eye measurements: AME 0.33, ALE 0.21, PME 0.07, PLE 0.17, PME-PLE 0.14, PME- ALE 0.30. Clypeus height 0.27. Chelicerae small, toothless, promargin slightly protruding outward with 5 long hairs. Posterior slope of cephalothorax steep. A pair of white hairs remain at the posterior edge of the cephalothorax. Chelicerae blackish, sternum oval. Legs short, reddish brown with sparse white hairs intermittently, leg III longest ( Fig. 27 ). Abdomen small, round, covered with reddish brown hairs with white spots near mid-dorsal region and one posteriorly, near spinnerets. Long black hairs present at anterior region ( Figs. 26 , 30 ). Palp with white patch of hairs on distal region of femur dorsally ( Fig. 27 ).

Description of female. Total length 4.05; carapace 2.03 long, 1.8 wide; abdomen 2.02 long, 2.0 wide. Coloration as in male but differs in the following: Anterior eyes surrounded by reddish brown hairs. Clypeus devoid of any white hairs ( Figs. 35, 36 ). Eye measurements: AME 0.41, ALE 0.23, PME 0.09, PLE 0.19, PME-PLE 0.16, PME-ALE 0.36. Clypeus height 0.44. Abdomen round, faint chevron-shaped markings on mid-dorsal region. Lighter regions near lateral sides adjacent to white spots in mid-dorsal region. Another pair of white spots placed posteriorly, one median white spot at posterior tip of abdomen ( Figs. 32, 33 ). Epigynum placed on a sclerotized plate ( Figs. 40, 43 ), internal view as in Fig 44 .

Distribution. Chennai, India.

Natural history. This species is a cryptically coloured, tiny, active jumping spider found near dry regions in the scrub jungle floor of Madras Christian College campus.

view.

female. Scale bars 1 mm.

palp, retrolateral view. 40, Epigynum. 41, Left male palp, ventral view. 42, Left maple palp,

retrolateral view. 43, Epigynum. 44, Vulva, dorsal view. 45, Expanded male palp,

ventrolateral view. 46, Expanded male palp, retrolateral view. Scale bars 0.1 mm.

Figures

Figures 26-29. Male Phanuelus gladstone sp.nov. 26, Dorsal view. 27, Lateral view. 28-29, Front

Figures 30-31. Phanuelus gladstone sp.nov. 30, Dorsal view of male. 31, Dorsal view of

Figures 32-37. Female Phanuelus gladstone sp.nov. 32, Dorsal view. 33, Abdomen. 34-36, Front view. 37, Lateral view.

Figures 38-46. Phanuelus gladstone sp.nov. 38, Left male palp, ventral view. 39, Left male