Oedothorax khasi, Andrei V. Tanasevitch, 2017

Andrei V. Tanasevitch, 2017, Another new species of Oedothorax Bertkau, 1883 from India (Araneae, Linyphiidae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 124 (2), pp. 331-333 : 331-333

Oedothorax khasi sp. nov.

Figs 1-7

Holotype: Male; INDIA, Meghalaya, Khasi Hills , 16 km SW of Mawsynram, between Mawsynram and Balat, 1000 m a.s.l.; sifting in forest, in ravine; 27.X.1978; leg. C. Besuchet & I. Löbl [30b].

Diagnosis: The new species is characterized by an essentially unmodified carapace, by the shape of the dorsal apophysis of the palpal tibia, as well as by a relatively large, cylindrical radix and by a very short embolus.

Etymology: The specific name is a noun in apposition referring to the mountain range in which lies the type locality.

Description: Male (holotype). Total length 1.80. Carapace 0.85 long, 0.60 wide, pale greyish brown. Cephalic part of carapace somewhat elevated and protruded forward as shown in Fig. 1 . Eyes slightly enlarged. Chelicerae 0.33 long, unmodified. Legs pale brown. Leg I 3.46 long (0.93+0.25+0.85+0.78+0.65), IV 3.22 long (0.88+0.23+0.83+0.80+0.48). Chaetotaxy 2.2.1.1, length of spines about 1.5 times diameter of segment. All metatarsi with a trichobothrium. TmI 0.63. Palp ( Figs 2-7 ): Tibia carrying a wide dorsal apophysis with a small invagination apically and two small tubercles retrolaterally. Paracymbium somewhat L-shaped. Distal surface of tegulum membranous. Distal suprategular apophysis short, wide, rounded distally. Embolus very short, radix relatively large, cylindrical, with a fold on its exterior surface. Convector with a wide lateral extention and a short, pointed distal apophysis. Main body of convector long, tapering posteriorly. Abdomen 1.15 long, 0.63 wide, dorsally pale, with an indistinct grey herring-bone pattern.

Female. Unknown.

Taxonomic remarks: Oedothorax khasi sp. nov. is similar to another Oriental species, O. myanmar , recently described from mountains of the Chin State in Myanmar ( Tanasevitch, 2017). The new species is clearly distinguished by the shape of the dorsal apophysis on the palpal tibia, as well as by the relatively large and not curved radix.

Distribution: Only known from the type locality in northern India.

Figures

Figs 1 - 7. Oedothorax khasi sp. nov., holotype. (1) Carapace, lateral view. (2) Distal part of right palp, retrolateral view. (3 - 4) Palpal tibia, dorsal and retrodorsal view, respectively. (5) Paracymbium. (6) Distal suprategular apophysis and embolic division, retrolateral view. (7) Embolic division, prolateral view.