Phintella accentifera (Simon, 1901)

Asima, Ashraf, Caleb, John T. D. & Prasad, Gopal, 2024, On a collection of jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) from the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, India, European Journal of Taxonomy 932, pp. 252-270 : 264-267

Phintella accentifera (Simon, 1901)

Figs 46–49 , 52–56 , 59–62

Telamonia accentifera Simon, 1901: 548 (D ♂). — Prószyński 1978: 336, fig. 7.

Phintella accentifera – Prószyński 1984: 156 (♂ ♀).

Diagnosis

The species can be recognized by the short simple spine-like embolus; triangular lamellar process and conical RTA bent at the tip. Females can be readily distinguished by the placement of copulatory openings which are closely placed to each other ( Figs 52–56 , 59–62 ).

Material examined

INDIA • 1 ♂; Kerala, Kulathoopuzha, Pandimotta, Shendurney WildlifeSanctuary ; 8.827582° N, 77.217172° E; 1235 m a.s.l.; 11 May 2022; A. Asima leg.; from ground, by hand; KUDZ 2022.VI.20a • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; KUDZ 2022.VI.20b to KUDZ 2022.VI.20c .

Description

Male (KUDZ 2022.VI.20 a; Figs 46–47 , 52–53 , 59–60 )

GENERAL MORPHOLOGY. Carapace brown with patch of white scales laterally and behind fovea; black longitudinal band behind each PLEs ( Fig. 46 ). Anterior eyes surrounded by white orbital setae. Eye field dark, decorated with white band on anterior margin of prosoma behind AME; bracket-shaped white scales lateral to PLEs. Lateral sides of prosoma with white belts. Clypeus brown with white hairs at margin. Chelicerae light brown. Sternum oval, cream with black patch. Legs I–IV light yellow with black annulations. Abdomen moderately long and slightly narrower than prosoma, tapering posteriorly, dorsum brownish with pale yellow median band delimited by narrow yellow lateral bands extending longitudinally from anterior to posterior end ( Fig. 46 ). Venter brownish ( Fig. 47 ). Spinnerets black ( Figs 46–47 ).

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 2.84; prosoma 1.37 long, 1.30 wide; abdomen 1.47 long, 0.80 wide. Eye sizes and inter distances: AME 0.32, ALE 0.14, PME 0.09, PLE 0.02; AME-AME 0.02, AME-ALE 0.03, PME-PME 0.74, PME-PLE 0.18, PLE-PLE 0.93. Clypeus height at AME 0.08, at ALE 0.33. Measurement of palp and legs: palp 2.77 (0.73, 0.62, 0.40, 1.02) I 6.19 (1.77, 0.90, 1.77, 1.07, 0.68), II 4.94 (1.41, 0.34, 1.56, 1.00, 0.63), III 5.33 (1.62, 0.57, 1.12, 1.38, 0.64), IV 5.39 (1.66, 0.51, 1.30, 1.42, 0.50).

PALP ( Figs 52–53 , 59–60 ). Dark brown femur, patella, tibia, and cymbium; tibia short, RTA small, clawlike, curving inwards at tip; cymbium long, narrowing towards apex, covered with dark hairs dorsally and prolateral; tegulum long with long posterior lobe; embolus beak-like arising at 10 to 11 o’clock position, curving apically at 12 o’clock position, tapering toward tip; embolus accompanied with broad and flat lamellar process; sperm duct clearly visible at shoulder of tegulum.

Female (KUDZ 2022.VI.20 b; Figs 48–49 , 54–56 , 61–62 )

GENERAL MORPHOLOGY. Carapace creamy yellow with patch of white scales above fovea; black longitudinal dark band behind each PLEs ( Fig. 48 ). Anterior eyes surrounded by white orbital setae. Eye field dark. Clypeus yellow with white hairs at margin. Chelicerae yellow. Sternum oval, creamy white with black patches on laterally ( Fig. 49 ). Legs I–IV creamy white. Abdomen wide, tapering posteriorly, dorsum creamy yellow with two submarginal broad streaks with dark scales along edges ( Fig. 48 ). Venter creamy white with irregularly arranged dark patches ( Fig. 49 ). Posterior spinnerets greyish, anterior spinnerets yellowish brown with distinct pair of dark wedge-shaped lines above spinnerets ( Fig. 49 ).

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 3; prosoma 1.25 long, 0.96 wide; abdomen 1.75 long, 1.28 wide. Eye sizes and inter distances: AME 0.26, ALE 0.13, PME 0.01, PLE 0.10; AME-AME 0.02, AME-ALE 0.03, PME-PME 0.64, PME-PLE 0.14, PLE-PLE 0.65. Clypeus height at AME 0.03, at ALE 0.18. Leg measurements: I 3.1 (1.01, 0.41, 0.74, 0.51, 0.43), II 2.9 (1.01, 0.30, 0.76, 0.43, 0.40), III 3.78 (1.18, 0.47, 0.81, 0.90, 0.42), IV 4.28 (1.32, 0.52, 1.00, 1.01, 0.43).

COPULATORY ORGAN ( Figs 54–56 , 61–62 ). Copulatory openings antero-medially placed, copulatory ducts broad, tubular and straight; spermathecae oval, conical, fertilization duct originates from anterior part of spermathecae, diverging from each other.

Distribution

India: Tamil Nadu (Simon 1901) and Kerala (present study). The species was originally described from Tamil Nadu (Simon 1901). The specimens identified as P. accentifera from Northeast India, China and Vietnam were misidentified and have been assigned to a different species by Sudhin et al. (2024). P. accentifera is thus known only from southern India.

Figures

Figs 46–51. 46–47. Phintella accentifera, (Simon, 1901), ♂ (KUDZ 2022.VI.20a). 48–49. Phintella accentifera (Simon, 1901), ♀ (KUDZ 2022.VI.20b). 50–51. Vailimia jharbari Basumatary, Caleb & Das, 2020, ♀ (KUDZ 2022.VI.21). 46–47. Habitus. 46. Dorsal view. 47. Ventral view. 48–51. Habitus. 48, 50. Dorsal view. 49, 51. Ventral view. Scale bars =0.7 mm.

Figs 52–58. 52–53. Phintella accentifera (Simon, 1901), ♂ (KUDZ 2022.VI.20a). 54–56. Phintella accentifera (Simon, 1901), ♀ (KUDZ 2022.VI.20b). 57–58. Vailimia jharbari Basumatary, Caleb & Das, 2020. 52–53. Left palp. 52. Ventral view. 53. Retrolateral view. 54–55, 57. Epigyne, ventral view. 56, 58. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 52–53 = 0.35 mm; 54–58 =0.2 mm.

Figs 59–62. Phintella accentifera (Simon, 1901). 59–60. ♂ (KUDZ 2022.VI.20a), left male palp. 59. Ventral view. 60. Retrolateral view. 61. ♀ (KUDZ 2022.VI.20b), epigyne, ventral view. 62. ♀ (KUDZ 2022.VI.20b), vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 59– 60 = 0.35 mm; 61–62= 0.1 mm.