Borboropactus asper

Marusik, Yuri M., Omelko, Mikhail M. & Benjamin, Suresh P., 2013, The first description of adult female of Borboropactus asper (O. P. - Cambridge, 1884) from Sri Lanka (Araneae: Thomisidae), Zootaxa 3737 (2), pp. 197-200 : 197-199

Borboropactus asper ( O. P.-Cambridge, 1884)

Figs 1–2, 4–8

Regillus asper O. P.-Cambridge, 1884: 204, plate 15, fig. 5 (juvenile). Regillus asper: Simon, 1895 ; 1055: figs 1094–1096.

Type material: Holotype: juvenile “ Ceylon ” [ Sri Lanka], (OUMNH 0396.1) (examined).

Other material examined. SRI LANKA: Sabaragamuwa Province: 1♀ Ratnapura District, Welladiya, moist grassy slope, 17 January 1969, P.T. Lehtinen (ZMUT, AA 5.810). Central Province: 1♀ Agrapathana, Agrabopath forest reserve, 800–1660 m, 8 March 2000, S.P. Benajmin & S. Nanayakara (MHNG).

Abbreviations: Et epigynal tooth; Po pocket; Se septum; Ul upper loop.

Diagnosis. Epigyne of B. asper is most similar to those in B. cinerascens (Doleschall, 1859) known from Malaysia to the Philippines and New Guinea ( Figs 9–10 ; Benjamin et. al. 2008: figs 8D-E, Benjamin 2011: figs 18D-E). Borboropactus asper has a wider and longer septum, a small pocket (1/2 of septal width in B. asper , and as wide as septum in B. cinerascens ) and much larger upper loops of the insemination ducts.

Description. Female (from Welladiya): Total length 8.16. Cephalothorax: carapace 3.95 long and 3.37 wide. Carapace uniformly brown, covered with whitish curled hairs and dirt. Abdomen light brown, without pattern, covered with dense whitish clavate hairs and sparse dark clavate hairs. General colouration brown. Holotype juvenile has relatively larger clavate hairs but smaller size (3.67 mm). Legs prograde. Spination: leg I: femur with 1 dorsal, 1 dorsoprolateral and 2 prolateral spines, ventrally with two rows of small (short) spines, each row with more than 10 spines; tibia with 5 proventral and 4 retroventral spines; metatarsus with 3 pairs of ventral spines. Leg II: 1 prolateral and 4 pairs of ventral spines; metatarsus with 3 pairs of ventral spines. Legs III and IV without spines. Spines on leg I much stronger than on leg II. Tibia of all legs with 2 dorso-retrolateral trichobothria in basal 1/3; metatarsi I–II and IV with 2 dorsoretrolateral trichobothria close to centre; metatarsus III with 3 trichobothria. Metatarsi of all legs flattened dorsoventrally. Femur I with shallow prolateral notch ( Fig. 1 ) which allows legs to approach each other.

Leg segments length: Epigyne as in Figs 4–8 ; with massive trunk-like septum (Se) bearing a small pocket (Po) near the tip, pocket width = ½ of septum width; epigynal teeth (Et) well sclerotized; insemination duct long, making several loops in different planes; upper loops (Ul) larger (wider) than lower.

Distribution. The exact type locality is unknown. According to O.P.-Cambridge (1884) “A single example was received many years ago, from Ceylon, from Mr. G. H. K. Thwaites”. Bonnet (1955) indicates its distribution as “ Ceylan, Inde ” (= Sri Lanka and India). This species was reported from India by Reimoser (1934), however, this record most likely refers to other Borboropactes or Cryptothele . So far it is known from two bordering provinces, Sabaragamuwa and Central in Sri Lanka.

Remarks. There might be more than one species of the genus in Sri Lanka. However, the only described species from the island is based on a juvenile. The validities of taxa based on juvenile specimens are generally difficult to assess in Thomisidae , and in Borboropactus particularly. Thus, instead of considering this name as nomen dubium we link it to the most common species found in the island.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Borboropactes asper. 1 female habitus, dorsal; 2 juvenile holotype, dorsal; 4 – 5 epigyne ventral (4 not macerated, 5 after maceration); 6 vulva, dorsal. Cryptothele alluaudi. 3 female from Seychelles, habitus dorsal.

FIGURES 7 – 10. Borboropactes asper. 7 epigyne, ventral; 8 vulva, dorsal. B. cinerascens. 9 epigyne, ventral; 10 vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations: Et epigynal tooth; Po pocket; Se septum; Ul upper loop.