Hermippus inflexus, Sankaran, Pradeep M., Jobi, Malamel J., Joseph, Mathew M. & Sebastian, Pothalil A., 2014

Sankaran, Pradeep M., Jobi, Malamel J., Joseph, Mathew M. & Sebastian, Pothalil A., 2014, On the genus Hermippus Simon, 1893 (Araneae: Zodariidae, Zodariinae) in India with the description of three new species from the Western Ghats and proposing a new biogeographical hypothesis for the distribution of the genus, Zootaxa 3893 (1), pp. 114-126 : 117-120

Hermippus inflexus sp. nov.

( Figs 5a–5 d, 6a–6c, 7, 8, 9a–9c, 10a–10d, 11a–11b, 12, 13a–13c & 19)

Type material. Holotype: Male ( ADSH 1090130B): India, Kerala, Ernakulam, Kothamangalam, Salim Ali bird sanctuary (Thattekkadu bird sanctuary) (15o30'52.71''N and 73o51'26.26''E), 66 ft. alt., Pradeep M. S. leg. 22 May 2013, by hand; Paratypes: 1 adult and 3 subadult females ( ADSH 1090230B), same data as holotype.

Diagnosis. Males of H. inflexus sp. nov. can be recognized by the presence of two modified apophyses of the palpal tibia, the fusiform TA, the scar-like dorsal longitudinal, reddish, thin, transparent ridge on the palpal femur, a short, massive, ventrally flattened patella with three short spines and the characteristic dorsal opisthosomal pattern (Figs 6a–6c, 7, 9a–9c & 19). Females have epigyne with a rectangular median septum having broad lateral lobes, an inverted ‘C’ shaped, disto-laterally fused internal duct system and characteristic dorsal opisthosomal pattern (Figs 11a–11b, 13a–13b & 19).

Description. MALE (holotype, figs 5a–5d, 8 & 19): Carapace uniform chestnut brown, shiny, finely granulated, almost glabrous. Fovea longitudinal, reddish. Eyefield black. Clypeus black, finely granulated. Chilum triangular, wider than long, dark brown. Chelicerae black, promargin with two teeth, while retromargin anteriorly with a transverse row of 3 denticles. Labium and maxillae light brown; maxillae scopulated, labium not. Sternum yellowish-brown with poorly defined inter-coxal extensions. Opisthosoma oval without dorsal scutum, hairy, dorso-laterally black; dorsum provided with characteristic pattern of chalk-white patches ( Figs 5a & 19 ); lateral opisthosoma with a narrow, longitudinal, roughly zig-zag chalk-white stripe. Venter grayish with numerous irregular chalk-white spots. Spinnerets yellowish. Posterior ventral spines present, arranged in a single row (Fig 8). Legs yellowish with femora, patellae and tibiae yellowish-brown; tarsi rebordered, with 8–13 short ventral spines. Body length 4.48. Prosoma length 2.57, prosoma width (at the middle) 1.99, prosoma thickness (at the middle) 1.40. Opisthosoma length 1.91, opisthosoma width (at the middle) 1.48, opisthosoma thickness (at the middle) 1.07. Eyes diameter: AME 0.14. ALE 0.11. PME 0.07. PLE 0.10. Eye interdistance: AME–AME 0.08. PME–PME 0.19. AME–ALE 0.21. PME–PLE 0.32. AME–PME 0.05. ALE–PLE 0.02. Clypeus height at AMEs 0.56, at ALEs 0.42. Chilum length 0.10, width 0.26. Chelicera length 0.96. Measurements of palp and legs. Palp 2.28 [0.77, 0.26, 0.16, 1.09], I 7.24 [1.83, 0.67, 1.58, 1.85, 1.31], II 7.35 [1.87, 0.70, 1.55, 1.97, 1.26], II 7.38 [1.95, 0.70, 1.50, 2.07, 1.16], IV 8.66 [2.05, 0.72, 1.70, 2.74, 1.45]. Leg formula: 4321. Spination. Palp. femur 0 200, patella 0 300, tibia 0 0 0 0, tarsus 0005; legs: femora I–IV 1310; patella I 0 0 0 0, II–IV 1000; tibia I 2027 (right 2026), II 2039, III 2036, IV 2037 (right 2027); metatarsus I 3038 (right 2028), II 2038, III 50510, IV 5059; tarsus I 0 0 0 8 (right 0009), II–III 0 0 0 10, IV 0 0 0 13 (right 00012). Copulatory organ (Figs 6a–6c, 7 & 9a–9c): Palpal segments yellowish brown; cymbium olive green with five ventral spines. Femur disto-dorsally with two spines, with a dorsal longitudinal, reddish, thin transparent ridge resembling a ‘scar’ (Figs 6a, 6c, 7, 9a & 9c). Patella with flat ventral surface, with dorsal concavity (Figs 6c & 9c); patella provided with three short spines, apical one the largest. Tibia with two retrolateral apophyses (Figs 6c & 9c); first retrolateral tibial apophysis largest and highly modified to have a folded body, transparent antero-laterally, pointed posteriorly (Figs 6b–6c & 9b–9c); second retrolateral tibial apophysis short, broad with two apical arms; right arm long, thread like with a prolateral bend; left arm short, flat, perpendicular to the right arm (Figs 6c & 9c). Tegular apophysis fusiform ( Fig 9 b). Conductor broad with dorsal process, with a prolateral extension (Figs 6a–6c & 9a–9c); terminal part of the dorsal process of the conductor transparent. Embolus long, filiform with broad membranous base (Figs 6a & 9a–9b); embolar tip bifurcated, prolateral branch slightly longer and pointed ( Fig 9 c); embolus directed at 3’o clock position ( Fig 9a ).

FEMALE (Paratype, figs 10a–10d, 12 & 19): In all details like male except the following: Sternum yellowishbrown with dark lateral bands. Tarsi with 7–14 short ventral spines. Palpal segments yellowish to yellowish-brown. Body length 5.16. Prosoma length 2.84, prosoma width (at the middle) 2.16, prosoma thickness (at the middle) 1.67. Opisthosoma length 2.32, opisthosoma width (at the middle) 1.82, opisthosoma thickness (at the middle) 1.22. Eyes diameter: AME 0.14. ALE 0.12. PME 0.08. PLE 0.11. Eye interdistance: AME–AME 0.10. PME–PME 0.19. AME–ALE 0.37. PME–PLE 0.37. AME–PME 0.07. ALE–PLE 0.02. Clypeus height at AMEs 0.60, at ALEs 0.43. Chilum length 0.13, width 0.42. Chelicera length 1.18. Measurements of palp and legs. Palp 2.32 [0.75, 0.39, 0.41, 0.77], I 6.46 [1.75, 0.71, 1.37, 1.58, 1.05], II 6.79 [1.81, 0.79, 1.40, 1.71, 1.08], III 6.83 [1.82, 0.78, 1.34, 1.90, 0.99], IV 8.00 [2.01, 0.75, 1.59, 2.42, 1.23]. Leg formula: 4321. Spination. Palp. femur 0 200, patella 1000, tibia 3014, tarsus 3018 (right 3016); legs: femur I 1200, II 0 400, III 0 500 (right 0300), IV 0200; patella I 0 0 0 0, II–IV 1000; Tibia I 0 0 0 6 (right 1006), II2006, III 2136, IV 2133; metatarsi I–II 1017, III–IV 3039; Tarsus I 0 0 0 7, II 0 0 0 9 (right 0008), III 0 0 0 11, IV 0 0 0 14. Copulatory organ (Figs 11a–11b & 13a–13c): Epigyne simple and nearly rectangular (Figs 11a & 13a). Posterior border line of the epigyne straight medially, bent laterally ( Fig 13a ). Lateral lobes of median septum broad, parallel, moderately sclerotized ( Fig 13a ). Internal duct system highly sclerotized with inverted ‘C’ shape (Figs 11b & 13b). Spermathecal head short, nearly globular (Figs 11b & 13b). Copulatory ducts short, large, cylindrical, distally fused (Figs 11b & 13b–13c).

Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjective and refers to the modification of the tibial apophyses of the male palp, which is quite unusual in the entire family: L. inflexio = modification. Gender masculine.

Natural history. H. inflexus sp. nov. inhabits dry deciduous forest.

Distribution. At present known only from the type locality in Kerala, Southern India.

Figures

FIGURES 5 a – 5 d, 6 a – 6 c, 7 & 8. Hermippus inflexus sp. nov. 5 a Male (holotype) habitus, dorsal view; 5 b Male habitus, ventral view; 5 c Male habitus, retrolateral view; 5 d Male, frontal view. 6 a Left male palp, prolateral view; 6 b Left male palp, ventral view; 6 c Left male palp, retrolateral view. 7 Left palpal tibia showing the dorsal ‘ scar’. 8 Posterior ventral spines.

FIGURES 18, 19 & 20. Hermippus spp., Female opisthosoma showing the characteristic dorsal pattern. 18 H. globosus sp. nov. 19 H. inflexus sp. nov. 20 H. gavi sp. nov. Scale bars: 18, 0.47 mm; 19, 0.48 mm; 20, 0.53 mm.

FIGURES 9 a – 9 c. Hermippus inflexus sp. nov. Left male palp. 9 a prolateral view; 9 b ventral view, 9 c retrolateral view. C = Conductor; CDP = Dorsal process of conductor; E = Embolus; EB = Embolic base; lRTA 2 = Left arm of the second retrolateral tibial apophysis; PC = Prolateral extension of conductor; rRTA 2 = Right arm of the second retrolateral tibial apophysis; RTA 1 = First retrolateral tibial apophysis; RTA 2 = Second retrolateral tibial apophysis; tRTA 1 = Transparent part of the first retrolateral tibial apophysis; TA = Tegular apophysis; W = Wing-like expansion of cymbium. Scale bars: 9 a – 9 c, 0.33 mm.

FIGURES 13 a – 13 c. Hermippus inflexus sp. nov. Female copulatory organ. 13 a Epigyne; 13 b Internal duct system; 13 c Internal duct system, dorsal view. CD = Copulatory duct; FD = Fertilization duct; LL = Lateral lobe of the median septum; MS = Median septum; PB = Posterior border line of the epigyne; SH = Spermathecal head. Scale bars: 13 a, 0.35 mm; 13 b – 13 c, 0.13 mm.