Colopsus cinereus, Kanesharatnam & Benjamin, 2021

Kanesharatnam, Nilani & Benjamin, Suresh P., 2021, Phylogenetic relationships and systematics of the jumping spider genus Colopsus with the description of eight new species from Sri Lanka (Araneae: Salticidae), Journal of Natural History 54 (43 - 44), pp. 2763-2814 : 2779-2782

Colopsus cinereus sp. nov.

( Figures 8 (a–e), Figures 9 (a,b))

Type material

Holotype, ♂ (IFS_SAL_648), Sri Lanka, North Central Province, Anuradhapura District, Mihintale Sanctuary , 123 m, 08° 21ʹ 10.60ʺ N, 80° 30ʹ 14.54ʺ E, 12 May 2013, hand collection, leg. I Sandunika.

Etymology

The species name refers to the greyish yellow median abdominal band in the preserved male specimen.

Diagnosis

The species is distinguishable from other congeners by the greyish pale yellow median band of abdomen ( Figure 8 (a)), oval bulbus with well-developed posterior lobe, long, thin embolus ( Figures 8 (d), Figures 9 (a)), small RTA with a sharpened point ( Figures 8 (d,e), Figures 9 (a,b)).

Description

Male: Medium-sized spider. In ethanol-preserved specimens, prosoma brown and covered with greyish white blotches laterally ( Figure 8 (a)). Eye field rather elevated. Fovea distinct. ALEs, PMES and PLEs covered with black rings. Prosoma high, sloping posteriorly. Chelicerae brown, yellowish brown fangs. Sternum oval, yellowish brown centrally, edges brown ( Figure 8 (b)). Posterior margin of prosoma blackish brown, steep, slightly truncated. Leg I dark brown, rather robust, elongated, dense black bristles on patella, tibia metatarsus I, others brown with yellowish brown banding pattern.

Abdomen oval, smaller and narrower than prosoma, tapering posteriorly. Dorsum blackish grey with broad, greyish pale yellow median band dispersed with grey dots ( Figure 8 (a)). Ventrum greyish yellow with a dark grey median band comprising four rows of greyish brown dots from epigastric furrow to spinnerets ( Figure 8 (b)). Spinnerets greyish brown. Measurements: TL 5.98, AL 2.86, AW 1.69, PL 3.12, PW 2.34.

Yellowish brown palp. Moderately long cymbium with narrowest distal region. Embolus thin, long originating from posterior portion of the bulbus and partially surrounding it ( Figures 8 (d), Figures 9 (a)).Bulbus oval with a large posterior lobe ( Figures 8 (d,e), Figures 9 (a, b)). Sperm duct comparably broader at the distal end of tegulum, narrower at the posterior bulbus. Palpal tibia comparably short. Short RTA with an upper dorsal curve and a lower ventral curve terminating in a straight pointed tip ( Figures 8 (d,e), Figures 9 (a,b)).

Female: unknown.

Remarks

This species is provisionally placed here based on currently available evidence. We do not have the corresponding female or molecular sequence data for this species for a better placement. The male palp suggests that it can be possibly also placed in either Evarcha or Pancorius (not metallic green, but striped, bulb with prominent lobe). However, the origin and shape of the embolus (long thin embolus that starts at about 6:00 o’clock position) are more or less as in Colopsus . Based on the length of the embolus, we predict that the insemination duct of the unknown female could be longer than that of its congeners.

During the review process it was suggested that this holotype is the male to go with the females of E. latus . We note that this issue can only be ratified in a broader population genetic study, which is beyond the scope of the current endeavour.

Distribution

Sri Lanka; known only from the type locality .

Figures

Figure 8. Colopsus cinerea sp. nov. (a, b). Male habitus,(a). dorsal view.(b). ventral view.(c–e). Male palp, (c). prolateral view. (d). ventral view. (e). retrolateral view. Scale bars: (a, b) = 1 mm, (c–e) = 0.2 mm.

Figure 9. Colopsus cinerea sp. nov. (a, b), a. Palp, ventral view. (b). retrolateral view. Abbreviations: e = embolus; dcrta = dorsal curve of rta; sd = sperm duct; plt = posterior lobe of tegulum; t = tegulum; vcrta = ventral curve of rta. Scale bars: (a–d) = 0.2 mm.