Ghatippus paschima Marathe & Maddison, 2024

Marathe, Kiran, Maddison, Wayne P. & Kunte, Krushnamegh, 2024, Ghatippus paschima, a new species and genus of plexippine jumping spider from the Western Ghats of India (Salticidae, Plexippini, Plexippina), ZooKeys 1191, pp. 89-103 : 89

Ghatippus paschima Marathe & Maddison sp. nov.

Figs 2-5 , 6, 7 , 8-17 , 18-25 , 26-40

Type materials.

All from India: Karnataka: Kodagu: Yavakapadi, Honey Valley area and deposited in Biodiversity Lab Research Collections, NCBS. Holotype: Male, IBC-BP817, 12.2202°N, 75.6581°E, 1190-1230 m elev., 24 June 2019, K. Marathe & W. Maddison, WPM#19-071. Paratypes: 5 ♂♂ and 5 ♀♀ (IBC-BP818 - IBC-BP827), data same as the holotype • 4 ♂♂ and 1 ♀ (IBC-BP828 - IBC-BP832), buildings and roadside, 12.22°N, 75.66°E, 1100 m elev., 23-28 June 2019, W. Maddison & K. Marathe, WPM#19-069 • 4 ♂♂ and 4 ♀♀ (IBC-BP833 - IBC-BP840), along stream, 12.220 to 12.221°N, 75.657 to 75.658°E, 1190 m elev., 24 June 2019, W. Maddison & K. Marathe, WPM#19-070 • 3 ♂♂ (IBC-BP841 - IBC-BP843), forest & grassland, 12.2156 to 12.2157°N, 75.6597 to 75.6606°E, 1300 m elev., 25 June 2019, W. Maddison & K. Marathe, WPM#19-075 • 2 ♂♂ (IBC-BP844 - IBC-BP845), forest & edge, 12.215 to 12.216°N, 75.659 to 75.661°E, 1300 m elev., 25 June 2019, W. Maddison & K. Marathe, WPM#19-077 • 1 ♀ (IBC-BP846), grassland, 12.2145°N, 75.653-75.654°E, 1280-1380 m elev., 26 June 2019, W. Maddison & K. Marathe, WPM#19-080 • 1 ♂ (IBC-BX501), Chingara Falls, 12.232°N, 75.653°E, 970 m elev., 27 June 2019, Maddison/ Marathe/ Abhijith/ Pavan, WPM#19-084 • 1 ♂ (IBC-BX502), open woodland, 12.216°N, 75.661°E, 1320 m elev., 28 June 2019, K. Marathe & W. Maddison, WPM#19-088.

Etymology.

The specific epithet paschima, a noun in apposition, means “west” in both Sanskrit and Kannada.

Diagnosis.

As there is only one species in the genus, see the generic diagnosis.

Description.

Male (focal specimen, holotype, IBC-BP817). Measurements: Carapace 3.9 long, 3.3 wide. Abdomen 4 long, 2.5 wide. Leg measurements: I-9.4 (3.1, 1.9, 2.3, 1.2, 0.9); II-6.9 (2.1, 1.6, 1.3, 1, 0.9); III-7.1 (2.6, 1.5, 1.7, 0.6, 0.7); IV-7.2 (2.2, 1.2, 1.7, 1.3, 0.8). Leg formula I-III-IV-II. Carapace mostly brown mottled with black. Ocular area dark brown, sparsely covered with lustrous yellowish-golden hairs. Distinct black bulge behind each ALE (Figs 8 , 9 , 22 ). Black around PMEs and PLEs. Thorax with steep slope, brown, sparsely covered with black hairs. Black along edges. Clypeus narrow, brown, covered in white hairs appearing like a moustache. Chelicerae dark brown. Vertical, about as wide as carapace, bulging. Fangs bifid, with second fork near true tip (bearing venom duct) and almost as long as tip (Figs 6 , 12 ). Palp (Figs 2 , 3 , 18 , 19 ) yellowish brown. Tibia about as long as patella. Relatively narrow cymbium. Medium-long embolus arising from base at about 7-8 o’clock. Retrolateral edge of embolus extended as firm transparent membrane. Simple kidney-bean-shaped tegulum, gently curved proximally. RTA short and wide blade, simple. Legs mostly yellowish, brownish near joints, generally robust. Femur I and II distinctively dark brown, robust, and stout, with vertical fringe of short black hairs dorsally and, near patella, posteriolaterally. Metatarsus I with ventral fringe of black hairs, and weaker fringe on metatarsus II. Abdomen ovoid, medium to dark brown, covered with scales that in life have golden or reddish sheen. Indistinct basal band paler, as are muscle attachment points and posterior medial chevron. Two distinct pale spots in posterior half, one on either side of chevron, and two smaller spots just in front of spinnerets. Spinnerets yellowish, covered with black hairs.

Female (focal specimen, paratype, IBC-BP818). Measurements: Carapace 3.4 long, 2.8 wide. Abdomen 4.2 long, 2.4 wide. Leg measurements: I-5.4 (1.7, 1.1, 1.2, 0.9, 0.5); II-4.9 (1.7, 0.8, 1.2, 0.8, 0.4); III-6.9 (2, 1.2, 1.5, 1.5, 0.7); IV-6.3 (1.7, 1, 1.5, 1.5, 0.6). Leg formula III-IV-I-II. Carapace yellow (thorax) to brown (head). Ocular area dark brown, sparsely covered with lustrous white hairs. Distinct black bulge behind each ALE. Black around PMEs and PLEs. Thorax with steep slope, yellowish brown, sparsely covered with black hairs. With origin near front, brown band encircles carapace close to transition between ocular area and thorax. Brown along edges. Clypeus narrow, brown, covered with white hairs but more sparsely than in male. Chelicerae yellowish brown. Vertical, narrower than extent of carapace, not bulging as in male, with simple unbifurcated fangs (Figs 7 , 13 ). Legs mostly yellowish and some brown near joints. Abdomen ovoid, dark brown but with paler basal band (extended posteriorly to encircle the abdomen), muscle attachment points, and posterior medial chevron. On either of the chevron the brown is especially dark, almost black, and contains distinct pale spot (Fig. 24 ). Epigyne (Figs 4 , 5 , 20 , 21 ): two crescent-shaped anterior copulatory openings share common atrium. No epigynal coupling pocket visible, though there is slight medial indentation of the epigastric furrow. Simple round spermathecae with flattened (lamellar) copulatory ducts ventrally. Fertilizations ducts broad, placed anteriorly on spermathecae.

Additional materials.

All from India: Kerala: near Thalappuzha, Fringe Ford , and deposited in Biodiversity Lab Research Collections , NCBS. 1 ♂ (IBC-BX503), forest path, 11.888°N, 75.692 -75.963 °E, 1020 m elev., 1 July 2019, W. Maddison & K. Marathe, WPM#19-095 • 1 ♀ (IBC-BX504), camp area, 11.884°N, 75.965°E, 990 m elev., 1-2 July 2019, W. Maddison & K. Marathe, WPM#19-099 • 3 ♂♂ and 1 ♀ (IBC-BX505 - IBC-BX508), forest, 11.88°N, 75.97°E, 1150 m elev., 2 July 2019, K. Marathe & W. Maddison, WPM#19-102 .

Natural history.

Ghatippus paschima sp. nov. was found commonly in both Kodagu and Kerala. Most collecting days in both locations were rainy and overcast. The spiders seemed to be exclusively vegetation dwellers, often found on small to medium-sized trees. Although they were collected from diverse habitats, they were mostly collected in the understorey, edge, and disturbed habitats of the evergreen forests of Honey Valley Estate in Kodagu. In Fringe Ford, Kerala, they were collected from the secondary evergreen growth of an inoperative tea estate.

While male and female salticids typically differ in colour, sexual dimorphism in the fangs is noteworthy. Male fangs are bifid, but female fangs are not (Figs 6 , 7 , 12 , 13 ). The bifid fangs may possibly be used to hold females during mating, in male-to-male combat, or have a sex-limited ecological function.

Discussion.

Plexippines account for about ~9% of the total salticid diversity worldwide, with about ~8% of the world’s plexippine diversity documented in India ( World Spider Catalog 2023). The 45 plexippine species previously known from India, out of 566 species worldwide, belong to 16 genera ( Caleb 2019; World Spider Catalog 2023): Anarrhotus Simon, 1902 (1 sp. in India, of 2 worldwide), Burmattus Prószyński, 1992 (1 in India, of 5 worldwide), Colopsus Simon, 1902 (3 of 8), Dexippus Thorell, 1891 (3 of 4), Epeus G. W. Peckham & E. G. Peckham, 1886 (5 of 19), Evarcha Simon, 1902 (3 of 92), Hyllus C. L. Koch, 1846 (4 of 67), Orientattus Caleb, 2020 (1 of 4), Pancorius Simon, 1902 (9 of 45), Plexippus C. L. Koch, 1846 (4 of 42), Pseudamycus Simon, 1885 (1 of 10), Ptocasius Simon, 1885 (1 of 68), Telamonia Thorell, 1887 (3 of 40), Thyene Simon, 1885 (3 of 55), Vailimia Kammerer, 2006 (2 of 6), and Yaginumaella Prószyński, 1979 (1 of 14).

While we are beginning to see a steady uptick in the number of new plexippines being described ( World Spider Catalog 2023), the unique endemic lineages and their radiations in India are still largely unexplored. With the addition of Ghatippus paschima sp. nov., potentially an endemic lineage, the number of plexippines stands at 46 species and 17 genera for India.

Figures

Figures 2 - 5. Ghatippus paschima sp. nov. genitalia 2 male left palp, ventral view (holotype IBC-BP 817) 3 ditto, retrolateral view (holotype IBC-BP 817) 4 epigyne, ventral view (paratype IBC-BP 818) 5 vulva, dorsal view (paratype IBC-BP 818). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figures 6, 7. Ghatippus paschima sp. nov., dorsal view of left chelicerae 6 paratype male, IBP-BP 819 7 paratype female, IBC-BP 820 (arrow points to the true tip on the male chelicera bearing the venom duct). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figures 8 - 17. Ghatippus paschima sp. nov. 8 male (paratype IBC-BP 819) carapace, dorsal view 9 ditto, side view 10, 11 male endite, ventral and dorsal view respectively (paratype IBC-BP 819) 12 male right chelicera, dorsal view (paratype IBC-BP 819) 13 female left chelicera, dorsal view (paratype IBC-BP 820) 14 male left femur of leg I, prolateral view (paratype IBC-BP 819) 15 female left femur of leg I, prolateral view (paratype IBC-BP 820) 16 male left femur of leg I, retrolateral view (paratype IBC-BP 819) 17 female left femur of leg I, retrolateral view (paratype IBC-BP 820). Scale bars: 1.0 mm (6, 7); 0.1 mm (8 - 15).

Figures 18 - 25. Ghatippus paschima sp. nov. genitalia (top row) and alcohol preserved types habitus (bottom row) 18 male (holotype IBC-BP 817) left palp, ventral view 19 ditto, retrolateral view 20 epigyne, ventral view (paratype IBC-BP 818) 21 vulva, dorsal view (paratype IBC-BP 818) 22 male (holotype IBC-BP 817), dorsal view 23 ditto, ventral view 24 female (paratype IBC-BP 818), dorsal view 25 ditto, ventral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm for genitalia; 1.0 mm for bodies.

Figures 26 - 40. Habitus of Ghatippus paschima sp. nov. 26 - 31 male (IBC-BP 828 / AS 19.4384) 32 - 34 male (IBC-BP 833 / AS 19.3805) 35 - 38 female, (IBC-BP 834 / AS 19.3814) 39, 40 (IBC-BP 835 / AS 19.3821). Scale bar: 1.0 mm.