Epeus exdomus Jastrzębski 2010

Magar, Kiran Thapa, Gurung, Min Bahadur, Hill, David E. & Shrestha, Bimal Raj, 2017, New record of the jumping spider Epeus exdomus from Nepal (Araneae: Salticidae: Plexippina), Peckhamia 154 (1), pp. 1-5 : 1-3

Epeus exdomus Jastrzębski 2010

Material examined. 1 ♂, Kathmandu, 27°39'41.1" N, 85°14'2.6" E, 1796 m asl, 5 July 2017, collected by Kiran Thapa Magar (specimen CDZMTU01, Central Department of Zoology Museum of Tribuvan University). All photographs presented here represent this single specimen .

Diagnosis. This species can be identified by these features of the legs: proximal light colouration increases from leg II to leg IV, whitish bristles present on the patella and tibia of all legs ( Figures 1-4 ). Two pairs of long white spots are present on the dorsal opisthosoma. These can be seen clearly in a photograph of the holotype published by Jastrzębski (2010: Fig. 9 ), although he erroneously described them as four longitudinal dark stains in the text of his description. Embolus elongated and thin. The cymbium is large, flattened, triangular, and cone-shaped at the base, with short sharply-pointed posteriolateral and dorsolateral apophyses ( Jastrzębski 2010; Prószyński 2016; Metzner 2016; see also Figures 5-8 ).

Description from life (♂, Figures 1-4 ). The carapace is black with a large diamond-shaped patch of white setae along the midline across the eye region. A triangular (pointed down) patch of white setae is present below the AME at the midline of the clypeus, and the chelicerae are dark brown or black. The PME are much closer to the AME than to the PLE. The opisthosoma, elongated and tapered toward the rear, is black above and below, dorsally bearing two pairs of white stripes. The spinnerets are black. From below the opisthosoma in front of the epigastric groove is translucent green as are the sternum and the coxae and trochanters of legs II-IV. The labium and endites are blackish. The legs are generally dark red-brown or black except for the proximal segments as follows: The coxae and trochanters of legs II, the coxae, trochanters and proximal end of the femora of legs III, and the coxae, trochanters and proximal half of the femora of legs IV are bright, translucent green. Legs I-III, and legs IV to a lesser extent, have fringes of long black setae around the femora to metatarsi. The patellae and tibiae of legs I-III, and legs IV to a lesser extent, are fringed with long white setae. From above the pedipalps are dark red-brown to black.

Pedipalp ( Figures 5-8 ). The pedipalps are dark brown and triangular except for the elongated tip of each cymbium. The embolus is elongated and thin, originating posterolaterally from the tegulum. The tegulum is oval and the retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) is short with a pointed tip. As figured by Jastrzębski (2010), three sharply pointed apophyses extend from the proximal end of each cymbium, two oriented in a proximal direction and one in a ventral direction just behind the RTA.

Dimensions. For reference the dimensions of this specimen are given in Tables 1 and 2. Habitat and locality ( Figures 9-10 ). This spider was found living on dense vegetation in Kathmandu District, Nepal.

Figures

Figures 1-4. Adult male Epeus exdomus. 1-2, Dorsal views of spider in life. 3-4, Anterodorsal (3) and ventral (4) views of spider prior to preservation, showing natural colouration. The scale at right is in mm.

Figures 9-10. Locality for Epeus exdomus southwest of Kathmandu, Nepal. 9, This male was found living on dense vegetation in this open area. Note the access path and steps at lower left. 10, Satellite map of Nepal (October 2002) showing Katmandu area (green rectangle, enlarged in inset at upper right), and collection locality (small rectangle at lower left of inset). Satellite images courtesy of NASA Visible Earth.

Figures 5-8. Pedipalps of adult male Epeus exdomus preserved in alcohol. Images of the right pedipalp (5-6, 8) are flipped horizontally (mirror image) to support comparison with other published figures based on a left pedipalp standard. 5, Medial view of right pedipalp. 6, Ventral view of right pedipalp. 7, Ventral view of detached left pedipalp, showing proximal orientation of two of the three apophyses of the cymbium (arrows). 8, Lateral view of the right pedipalp. The arrow shows the position of the ventrally-oriented (to the left) apophysis of the cymbium. In front of and below this is the RTA.