Colopsus ferruginus, 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 : 2782-2786

Colopsus ferruginus sp. nov.

( Figures 5 (f–j), Figures 6 (c,d), Figures 7 (b,e), Figures 10 (a–l), Figures 11 (a–f))

Type material

Holotype, ♂ (IFS_SAL_800): Sri Lanka, North Western Province, Kurunegala District, Kurunegala, Ethagala , 190 m, 07° 29ʹ 11.23ʺ N, 80° 22ʹ 21.64ʺ E, beating, 7 June 2016, leg. K Nilani.

Paratype, ♀ (IFS_SAL_801): Same locality and collection data as in holotype.

Other material examined

3♀ (IFS_SAL_802-804): Same locality and collection data as in type materials . 1♀ (IFS_SAL_167), same locality and collection data, 8 April 2015, leg . SP Benjamin et al. 1♂, 3♀ (IFS_SAL_107–110), Sri Lanka: Central Province: Nuwara Eliya District: Agarapatana , Bopattalawa FR, 1665 m, 06° 50ʹ 36ʺ N, 80° 40ʹ 40ʺ E, hand collection, 18–21 February 2007, leg . SP Benjamin and Z Jaleel . Kandy District: 1♂ (IFS_SAL_144) Dunumadalawa , 701 m, 07° 16ʹ 38ʺ N, 80° 38ʹ 69ʺ E, beating, 29 October 2009, leg . SP Benjamin and S Batuwita; 1♂ (IFS_SAL_352), same locality and collection data, 7 October 2009, leg . SP Benjamin, RMGN Tilakarathna and PMH Sandamali; 1♂, 2♀ (IFS_SAL_1019–1021), same locality and collection data, 6 November 2017, leg . NP Athukorala et al.; 1♀ (IFS_SAL 173), Knuckles range, 1446 m, 07° 26ʹ 32.6ʺ N, 80° 46ʹ 51.5ʺ E, beating, 7 April 2015, leg . NP Athukorala; 1♂ (IFS_SAL_208), Knuckles range, 1446 m, 07° 26ʹ 32.6ʺ N, 80° 46ʹ 51.5ʺ E, 7 April 2015, leg . NP Athukorala; 4♂, 2♀ (IFS_SAL_870–875), Udawattakelle , 580 m, 07° 17ʹ 54ʺ N, 80° 38ʹ 29ʺ E, beating, 24 August 2016, leg . K Nilani; 1♂ (IFS_SAL_248), same locality and collection data, 08- VI -2015, leg . S Ranasinghe and K Nilani . 3♂, 1♀ (IFS_SAL_ 884–887), Gannoruwa forest , 575 m, 07° 17ʹ 16ʺ N, 80° 35ʹ 47ʺ E, beating, 30 August 2016, leg . K Nilani . 2♂ (IFS_SAL_ 1152–1153), Knuckles, Along Dothalugala Nature Trail , 1202 m, 07° 20ʹ 19ʺ N, 80° 51ʹ 3ʺ E, beating, 3 May 2018, leg . SP Benjamin at al. Matale District: 1♂, 2♀ (IFS_SAL_233–235) IFS Arboretum , 180 m, 07° 51ʹ 34ʺ N, 80° 40ʹ 28ʺ E, beating, 28 May 2015, leg . NP Athukorala et al.; 1♂ (IFS_SAL_590) same locality and collection data, 20 January 2016, leg . K Nilani . 1♂ (IFS_SAL_238) Gammaduwa , knuckles range, 918 m, 07° 34ʹ 45.6ʺ N, 80° 41ʹ 55.3ʺ E, hand collection, 19 February 2015, leg . SP Benjamin; 1♂ (IFS_SAL_244) Illukkumbura, Knuckles range, 505 m, 07° 32ʹ 20.04ʺ N, 80° 46ʹ 31.85ʺ E, beating, 3 June 2015, leg . NP Athukorala et al.; 1♂, 2♀ (IFS_SAL_601–603), Bowatenna, Reservoir area , 252 m, 07° 39ʹ 37ʺ N, 80° 41ʹ 18ʺ E, beating, 10 February 2016, leg . SP Benjamin, K Nilani and I Sandunika; 1♂ (IFS_SAL_1026), same locality and collection data, 15 February 2017, NP Athukorala et al .; 1♂ (IFS_SAL_612), Elahera Pallegama Road, 3 km to Pallegama , 267 m, 07° 32ʹ 16ʺ N, 80° 40ʹ 20ʺ E, 3 February 2016, leg . SP Benjamin and NP Athukorala . Southern Province: (IFS_SAL_761–764), Galle District, Hiyare , Kombala – Kottawa FR, 252 m, 06° 03ʹ 53ʺ N, 80° 18ʹ 05ʺ E, beating, 24–26 May 2016, leg . K Nilani and I Sandunika . Uva Province: 1♂ (IFS_SAL_294), Moneragala District, Westminster Abbey , 120 m, 07° 02ʹ 42ʺ N, 81° 32ʹ 16ʺ E, hand collection, 10 February 2010, leg . SP Benjamin and S Batuwita et al. Eastern Province: 1♂ (IFS_SAL_1075), Ampara District , Nilgala FR, 341 m, 07°15ʹ 39ʺ N, 81° 22ʹ 05ʺ E, beating, 22 January 2013, leg . SP Benjamin et al. North Central Province: Anuradhapura District: 3♂, 1♀ (IFS_SAL_807–810), Mihinthale Sanctuary , 123 m, 08° 21ʹ 10.60ʺ N, 80° 30ʹ 14.54ʺ E, beating, 14 June 2016, leg . NP Athukorala et al. 2♂ (IFS_SAL_1126–1127), Allepothana , Kok-ebe FR, 88 m, 08° 26ʹ 58.17ʺ N, 80° 46ʹ 39.75ʺ E, beating, 24 April 2017, leg . N .P. Athukorala et al.

Etymology

The species name is an arbitrary combination of letters formed to be used as a word and refers to the reddish–brown markings on the abdomen in females. Used as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis

The species is distinguishable from other congeners by prosomal and abdominal marking in both sexes as in Figure 10 (a–l), long pointed RTA ( Figures 7 (b,e), Figures 11 (c,e,f)), thin and long embolus ( Figure 7 (b, e), Figures 11 (c, e–f), very long palpal tibia ( Figure 11 (c), broad median septum ( Figure 5 (h) three-chambered receptacles ( Figures 5 (j), Figures 6 (d)), triangular unusual structure on the anterior portion of epigynum in females ( Figures 5 (j), Figures 6 (d)).

Description

Male: Large spiders. In life, prosoma blackish–brown, covered with metallic brownish green scales ( Figures 10 (a,b), (d,e), (h–j)). Clypeus with long, white hairs ( Figure 10 (e,i). Eye field rather elevated. ALEs, PMES and PLEs covered with blackish brown rings ( Figure 10 (b,e,i). Prosoma high, broader than abdomen and sloping posteriorly. Chelicerae dark brown, covered with pale white, tough hairs ( Figure 10 (b,e,i), reddish brown fangs, one tooth on promargin and two teeth on retromargin. Sternum oval with prominent indentation near coxae IV, pale yellow in middle, edges yellowish brown colour in ethanol-preserved specimens ( Figure 11 (b). Posterior margin of prosoma steep, slightly truncated. Leg I rather robust, elongated, dense black bristles on patella, tibia, metatarsus I, others greenish brown. Abdomen longer and narrower than prosoma, tapering posteriorly. Anterior portion of dorsum covered with metallic brownish green markings followed with reddish brown posterior portion ( Figure 10 (a,b,d,h). Ventrum yellowish brown with pale brown dots arranged in four rows from epigastric furrow to spinnerets ( Figure 11 (b). Spinnerets brownish green. Measurements: TL 11.70, AL 6.50, AW 2.73, PL 4.81, PW 4.42.

Brown palp. Long cymbium, gradually narrowing at distal region. Embolus thin, long originated from posterolateral portion of the bulbus, partially encircling it ( Figures 7 (b), Figures 11 (c,e)). Bulbus oval and smooth without any projection ( Figures 7 (b), Figures 11 (c,e)). Sperm duct comparably broader at the distal end of tegulum,narrower at posterior end. Palpal tibia much longer.Medium sized,RTA straight with pointed tip ( Figures7 (b,e), Figures 11 (c,e, f).

Female: In life, prosoma brown with pale yellow and black diagonal stripes radiating from fovea extending towards posterior prosoma ( Figure 10 (c,f,k)). Eye field rather raised. PLEs covered with pale white rings ( Figure 10 (c,f,g,k,l)). Chelicerae pale brown covered with pale white hairs ( Figure 10 (g,l)), brown fangs. Shape of sternum as in males. Front pairs of legs brown and less strong than males, other pairs pale brown in colour.

Abdomen longer and narrower than prosoma, tapering posteriorly. Anterior dorsum decorated with similar pale yellow and black stripe patterns as in posterior prosoma ( Figure 10 (c,f,k)). Large, reddish brown and black markings at the posterior half of abdomen ( Figure 10 (c,f,k)). Ventrum as in males ( Figure 5 (g)). Measurements: TL 9.49, AL 4.81, AW 2.60, PL 4.29, PW 4.03.

Epigynum moderately sclerotised. Large, membranous ‘window’ at epigastric furrow ( Figure 5 (h–i), 6(c). Broad median septum. Copulatory opening could open inside of membranous depression. Copulatory ducts indistinct. Spermathecae highly sclerotised with three oval-shaped chambers ( Figures 5 (j), Figures 6 (d)). Triangular unusual structures (accessory glands?) connected to anterior portion of receptacles ( Figures 5 (j), Figures 6 (d)). Fertilisation ducts lanceolate, originated from first chamber at the anterior portion. Posterior epigynal plate broad, well-developed with two lateral pockets ( Figures 5 (h,i), Figures 6 (c)).

Remarks

Females collected from Mihintale Sanctuary differ considerably from the paratype by the colouration of prosoma, lack of stripe pattern and abdominal markings ( Figure 10 (f–g). Males also differ from females by the abdominal markings and colouration ( Figure 10 (d–e).

Figures

Figure 5. Colopsus cancellatus (a–e); a–b. Female habitus, a. dorsal view. b. ventral view. c–e. Epigynum, c–d. ventral view. e. dorsal view and Colopsus ferruginus sp. nov. (f–j); f–g. Female habitus, f. dorsal view. g. ventral view. h–j. Epigynum, h–i. ventral view. j. dorsal view. Scale bars: a–b, f– g = 2 mm, c, h = 0.2 mm, d–e, i–j = 0.1 mm.

Figure 6. Epigynum, ventral view (a, c), dorsal view (b, d). Colopsus cancellatus (a–b) and Colopsus ferruginus sp. nov. (c–d). Abbreviations: cp = central pocket; fd = fertilisation duct; lp = lateral pocket; mw = membranous window; pep = posterior epigynal plate; s = spermathecae. Scale bars: (a– d) = 0.1 mm.

Figure 7. Colopsus cancellatus (a, d), Colopsus ferruginus sp. nov. (b, e) and Colopsus tenuis sp. nov. (c, f). (a–c). palp, ventral view. (d–f). palp, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: e = embolus; dcrta = dorsal curve of rta; sd = sperm duct; t = tegulum; vcrta = ventral curve of rta. Scale bars: a–f = 0.2 mm.

Figure 10. Photographs of live Colopsus ferruginus sp. nov. (a, b, d, e, h–j). males. (c, f–g, k–l). females; (a–c). from Ethagala, (d–g). Mihintale sanctuary, (h–i). Gannoruwa forest. (j–l). Dambulla arboretum.

Figure 11. Colopsus ferruginus sp.nov.(a, b). Male habitus, (a). dorsal view. (b). ventral view. (c–f). Male palp, c. ventral view. d. prolateral view. (e). ventral view. (f). retrolateral view. Scale bars: (a, b) = 2 mm, (c) = 0.5 mm, (d–f) = 0.2 mm.