Carrhotus taprobanicus Simon, 1902

Satkunanathan, Abira & Benjamin, Suresh P., 2022, Phylogenetic placement of Carrhotus Thorell, 1891 with three new species from Sri Lanka (Araneae: Salticidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 817 (1), pp. 78-110 : 99-102

Carrhotus taprobanicus Simon, 1902

Figs 2E–F , 13A–G , 14A–D , 17

Carrhotus taprobanicus Simon, 1902: 394 .

Diagnosis

Males of C. taprobanicus can be separated from those of C. viduus by their body colour pattern with no longitudinal stripes on the carapace and abdomen (present in C. viduus ) ( Fig. 15A, C ). Further, the cheliceral front part is more wrinkled in C. viduus ( Fig. 13B ). The palpal conformation of C. taprobanicus closely resembles that of C. viduus ; however, it can be distinguished by the shorter embolus and its rounded base ( Fig. 13E ). Further, the RTA is more slanted ventrally in C. taprobanicus ( Fig. 14A–B ). Females can be separated from those of C. viduus by the narrower ML and stouter CD and FD ( Fig. 14C–D ).

Type material

Carrhotus taprobanicus Simon, 1902 ; ♂ ♀ syntypes from Colombo and Kandy, Sri Lanka; should be in MNHN, not examined.

Material examined

SRI LANKA – Central Province • 1 ♂; Kandy District, Knuckles Range, along Dothalugala Nature Trail; 07°20′19″ N, 80°51′3″ E; 1202 m a.s.l; 3 Mar. 2018; S.P. Benjamin et al. leg.; beating; NIFS_ SAL_1143 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 3 May 2018; NIFS_SAL_1155 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; SAL_1156 • 6 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 17–18 Oct. 2019; NIFS_SAL_1241 to SAL_1246 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; NIFS_SAL_1248 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; NIFS_SAL_1275 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding but 17–18 Nov. 2019; NIFS_SAL_1252 • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but 18 Jun. 2020; NIFS_SAL_1308 , SAL_1309 • 1 ♀; Gomaraya ; 07°23′10″ N, 80°44′30″ E; 600 m a.s.l; 2 Feb. 2010; S. Batuwita and P.M.H. Sandamali et al. leg.; hand collection; NIFS_SAL_660 • 1 ♀; Nuwara Eliya District, Victoria, Randenigala , Rantembe Sanctuary ; 07°08′42″ N, 80°51′28″ E; 436 m a.s.l; 22 Sep. 2018; N.P. Athukorala et al. leg.; beating; NIFS_SAL_1273 . – Uva Province • 1 ♂; Badulla District, Ohiya ; 06°50′32″ N, 80°53′05″ E; 26 May 2012; S.P. Benjamin et al. leg.; beating; NIFS_SAL_279 . – Western Province • 1 ♂; Panadura, Mahabellana, along Bolgoda South Lake; 06°42′48″ N, 79°54′09″ E; Jul. 2008; S.P. Benjamin et al. leg.; NIFS_SAL_694 .

Description

Male

MEASUREMENTS. TL 4.7, PL 2.1, PW at PLEs 1.8, AL 1.95, AW 1.32. Eye field: diameter of AME 0.4; ALE 0.24; PME 0.2; PLE 0.08; PME–PME 1.06; PLE–PLE 1.1; ALE–PME 0.5; ALE–PLE 0.3. Leg I: Tr 1.3, Fm 0.9, Pt 1.4, Tb 0.7, Mt 0.44; Leg II: Tr 1, Fm 0.8, Pt 0.84, Tb 0.4, Mt 0.36; Leg III: Tr 1.04, Fm 0.86, Pt 0.8, Tb 0.7, Mt 0.6; Leg IV: Tr 0.7, Fm 0.8, Pt 0.7, Tb 0.72, Mt 0.6.

COLOR AND BODY. Live spider with carapace blackish-brown, covered with iridescent hairs providing a metallic sheen; lateral margins of carapace lined by broad patches of white hairs; posterior region black ( Fig. 2E–F ). Clypeal region blackish; eyes surrounded by yellowish orbital setae. Chelicerae brown with curved outer margins and excavated inner margins: two promarginal and one retromarginal teeth. Sternum pentagonal, blackish brown; labium and maxillae yellowish brown, with paler outer margins. Abdomen ovoid, densely covered with black hairs; lateral sides of anterior margin with two white longitudinal lines; pattern present on black background with three pairs of white transverse stripes lateral margins of mid-dorsum. Mid-dorsum covered with scales of metallic sheen; venter yellowish, with a broad black median region covered with two broad whitish longitudinal bands. Spinnerets brownish, covered with a patch of white hairs dorsally ( Fig. 13A–B ). Leg I robust; femora I–IV dark brown dorsally; other segments covered with sparse black hairs and black annulations.

PALP. Dark brown; embolus thinner and cone-shaped, its base separated from tegulum. PLP shorter and similar to that of C. viduus , angle between RTA and tibia about 45º vs about early 20º in C. viduus ( Figs 13E–F , 14A–B ).

Female MEASUREMENTS. TL 4.9, PL 2.07, PW at PLEs 1.68, AL 2.1, AW 1.06. Eye field: diameter of AME 0.48; ALE 0.24; PME 0.22; PLE 0.08; PME–PME 1.4; PLE–PLE 1.44; ALE–PME 0.72; ALE–PLE 0.34. Leg I: Tr 1.1, Fm 0.9, Pt 0.8, Tb 0.5, Mt 0.4; Leg II: Tr 0.9, Fm 0.46, Pt 0.8, Tb 0.6, Mt 0.5; Leg III:

Tr 1.5, Fm 0.42, Pt 0.82, Tb 0.34, Mt 0.42; Leg IV: Tr 1.6, Fm 0.5, Pt 1.02, Tb 0.6, Mt 0.34.

COLOR AND BODY. Abdomen ovoid, sparsely covered with black hairs; lateral sides of anterior margin with four pairs of white herringbone-shaped pattern present on brown background with two pairs of white spots in mid-dorsum. ALEs surrounded by blackish orbital setae; clypeus covered with white hairs ( Fig. 13C–D ).

EPIGYNUM. Epigyne with a pair of copulatory openings, long copulatory ducts move anteriorly and almost sub-parallel to elongated, pear-shaped spermathecae. Accessory glands open at 2 o’clock position of mid-region of lateral walls of spermathecae ( Figs 13G , 14C–D ). Resembles the epigynes of C. viduus but differs in relative proportions of spermathecae, rather kidney-shaped in C. taprobanicus ( Fig. 14C–D ), PEB less curved inwards and margins of CO less sclerotized than in C. viduus ( Fig. 13G ).

Remarks

Our identification is based on Simon’s (1902) description of the male and female syntypes. Though we were unable to examine the types of C. taprobanicus , the description by Simon (1902) was clear enough for an unambiguous identification of the species, which we translate here to English:

“ ♂. Length 6.5 mm. Cephalothorax darkened upper part, bronze-colour-haired, white hair belts at the thoracic margins, short clypeus and yellowish-red hairs around the eyes. Chelicerae long, planar and hairless with bronze and leathery transverse folds; curved outer margins and excavated inner margins: promarginal and one retromarginal teeth. Sternum; black, white-haired. Abdomen shorter and ovalshaped. Venter greyish and covered on both sides with white margins. Legs I, II darkened, tarsi lightened, metatarsi, lower tibia very slightly black-haired, patella inwardly white-haired. Legs: coxa, trochanter, metatarsi darker, metatarsi dark annulated.

♀. Length 7.8 mm. Cephalothorax black, bronze-colour-haired, reddish-white hair belts at the thoracic margins and around the eyes. The males can be distinguished from those of C. viduus (C.L. Koch, 1846) by their body colour pattern with no longitudinal stripes on the carapace and abdomen and the cheliceral front part is more wrinkled in C. viduus ”.

Distribution and habitat

This species occurs in the montane and submontane forests of the central highlands of Sri Lanka ( Fig. 17 ). Specimens were collected by beating vegetation up to a height of 1– 2 m.

Figures

Fig 2. Photographs of liveCarrhotus spp.A–B. Carrhotus albosetosussp. nov., female from Pillikutuwa. C–D. C. viduus, male from Mandaitivu. E–F. C. taprobanicus, female from Gomaraya.

Fig 13. Carrhotus taprobanicus Simon, 1902. A–B. Male habitus. A. Dorsal view. B. Ventral view. C–D. Female habitus. C. Dorsal view. D. Ventral view. E–F. Palp. E. Ventral view. F. Retrolateral view. G. Epigynum, ventral view. Abbreviations: E = embolus; PEB = posterior epigynal border; PLP = posterior lateral protrusion; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; TE = tegulum. Scale bars: A–D = 2 mm; E–F = 0.2 mm; G = 0.1 mm.

Fig 14. Carrhotus taprobanicus Simon, 1902. A–B. Palp. A. Ventral view. B. Retrolateral view. C–D. Epigynum. C. Ventral view. D. Dorsal view. Abbreviations: AG = accessory gland; CO = copulatory opening; E = embolus; FD = fertilization duct; PEB = posterior epigynal border; PLP = posterior lateral protrusion; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; S = spermatheca; TE = tegulum. Scale bars: A–B = 0.2 mm; C–D = 0.1 mm.

Fig 15. Carrhotus viduus (C.L. Koch, 1846). A–B. Male habitus. A. Dorsal view. B. Ventral view. C–D. Female habitus. C. Dorsal view. D. Ventral view. E–F. Palp. E. Ventral view. F. Retrolateral view. G. Epigynum, ventral view. Abbreviations: E = embolus; PEB = posterior epigynal border; PLP = posterior lateral protrusion; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; TE = tegulum. Scale bars: A–D = 2 mm; E–F = 0.2 mm; G = 0.1 mm.

Fig 17. Distribution of Carrhotus spp. of Sri Lanka.