Draposa atropalpis, Kronestedt, Torbjörn, 2010

Kronestedt, Torbjörn, 2010, Draposa, a new wolf spider genus from South and Southeast Asia (Araneae: Lycosidae), Zootaxa 2637, pp. 31-54 : 34-38

Draposa atropalpis (Gravely, 1924) comb. nov.

Figs 1, 2, 8, 9, 12-14, 19, 20, 23, 29

Pardosa atropalpis Gravely , 1924: 610, fig. 5B (♂♀). Tikader & Malhotra 1980: 325-326, figs 153-156 (♂♀).

Type material. Syntypes of Pardosa atropalpis Gravely , 1924: 1♂, 1♀, India, Tamil Nadu, Madras City (13°04'N 80°17'E) ( National Zoological Collection, Kolkata), not examined ; 1♂, 1♀, India, Madras (ex Madras Museum, BM 1924.V.13.18-19 ) ( BMNH), examined .

Other material examined. SRI LANKA. Eastern: Kuchchaveli, 20 mi NW Trincomalee (8°49'N 81°06'E), under branch on sandy ground, 10 February 1962 (loc. 60, Lund University Ceylon Expedition, MZLU), 1♀ . Southern: Hambantota (6°07'30''N 81°07'10''E), dry grazed grassy area (short grass with scattered bushes), 23 February 1974 (T. Kronestedt, NHRS), 6♂ 9♀ ; E of Hambantota (6°08'05''N 81°08'30''E), dry ground with very short vegetation and scattered bushes close to salt channel, 22 January 1974 (T. Kronestedt, NHRS), 3♂ 1♀ .

Diagnosis. Male distinguished by configuration of palp, notably shape of tegular apophysis with two acute protrusions wide apart (Fig. 8; cf. D. oakleyi : Fig. 10); female by shape of epigyne, notably short median septum in front (Fig. 9; cf. D. oakleyi : Fig. 11).

Description. Male (from Hambantota, Sri Lanka). Total length 4.1. Carapace 2.20 long, 1.70 wide.

Prosoma (Fig. 1). Dorsum brown with yellow median band from fovea, widening backwards. Lateral bands yellow, wide, posteriorly confluent with median band. Marginal bands absent, only weak greyish spots above each leg coxa. Brown sides of thoracic part with pubescence of short dark and recumbent light hairs. Lateral bands mainly with recumbent whitish pubescence. Clypeus yellowish except for dusky brown spot below each ALE. Chelicerae yellowish, each with a longitudinal dusky brown stripe in front, confluent with dark spot on clypeus. Sternum light yellow, with recumbent white hairs and scattered erect greyish hairs.

Eyes. Width of row I 39, row II 59, row III 70, row II-III 58. Diameter of AME 10, ALE 7, PME 21, PLE 18. Distance between AME 5, between AME and ALE 2.

Opisthosoma (Fig. 1). Dorsum mottled in greyish and brownish shades with symmetrical pattern of scattered black dots. Lanceolate stripe indistinct, greyish-brown. Dorsum with dark erect and recumbent light hairs. Sides and venter yellowish with light pubescence (erect as well as recumbent hairs).

Legs (Table 1). Yellow, without annulation. Hairiness of leg I as in the other legs. Ti I with two retrolateral spines.

Palp (Figs 8, 12-14). Pt 0.45, Ti 0.50, Cy 1.10. All segments dusky brown with dark pubescence (hairs of varying length). Cymbium and bulbus comparatively narrow. Tegular apophysis with two well-separated and pointed projections (Fig. 13, cf. D. oakleyi : Figs 48, 49) and subapical protrusion (Fig. 13; latter hardly visible in ventral view). Protruding processes of subpaleal sclerite specific in shape (Fig. 12). Embolus widened in distal part before tapering to apex (Fig. 14).

Female (from Hambantota, Sri Lanka). Total length 4.5. Carapace 2.40 long, 1.80 wide.

Prosoma and opisthostoma (Fig. 2). Carapace with yellowish median band widening in front behind PLEs. Thoracic flanks lighter brown than in male. Lateral bands yellowish, wide, at margin with darker spots above coxae. Opisthosoma dorsally with wide median light brownish lanceolate spot, edges indented. Dorsal median band, sides and venter of opisthosoma light yellowish, with numerous whitish guanocytes visible through the cuticle. Sides of dorsum more or less brownish with scattered black dots.

Eyes. Width of row I 43, row II 64, row III 78, row II-III 63. Diameter of AME 10, ALE 7, PME 23, PLE 20. Distance between AME 6, between AME and ALE 2.

Legs (Table 1). Colour and spines as in male, Mt IV usually with dark brown ring apically.

Epigyne (Figs 9, 19, 20, 23, cleared Fig. 29). Median cavity opening comparatively narrow, in front divided by short narrow septum. Head of spermatheca close to base of spermatheca. Bottom of cavity characteristically shaped when seen in dorsal view (Fig. 20).

Size variation. Carapace length in males 2.00-2.35 (n=9), in females 2.15-2.50 (n=10); tibia I vs. carapace length in Fig. 50.

Remarks. Gravely (1924) neither illustrated nor documented any particular details of the male apart from mentioning that "the palps [...] appear black throughout in spirit, but have the upper surface of the femora covered with ash-coloured pile, which shows only on drying". Tikader & Malhotra (1980) did illustrate the male palp, but without showing enough specific details.

Distribution. India, Sri Lanka (Tikader & Malhotra 1980).