Rhene pallida ( Thorell, 1895 ) Caleb & Sanap & Tripathi & Sampathkumar & Dharmaraj & Packiam, 2022

Caleb, John T. D., Sanap, Rajesh V., Tripathi, Rishikesh, Sampathkumar, M., Dharmaraj, Jayaraman & Packiam, Soosaimanickam Maria, 2022, Taxonomic notes on some South and Southeast Asian members of the genus Rhene Thorell, 1869 (Aranei, Salticidae, Dendryphantini), Zootaxa 5125 (4), pp. 389-407 : 398-402

Rhene pallida ( Thorell, 1895) comb. n.

Figs 42–56 , 72

Zeuxippus pallidus Thorell, 1895: 333 (D ♀); Prószyński, 1984: 123 (♀); Żabka, 1985: 456, figs 639–645 (♀, D ♂).

Rhene argentata Wesołowska, 1981: 47 , figs 5–8 (D ♀).

Rhene decoratus Tikader, 1977: 276 , figs 4–6 (D ♀); holotype ♀ in NZC-ZSI, examined; syn. n.

Rhene pantharae Biswas & Biswas, 1992: 399 , figs 29–31 (D ♀); holotype ♀ in the NZC-ZSI, examined; syn. n.

For a complete list of taxonomic references see WSC (2022).

Types. Rhene decoratus Tikader, 1977 : Holotype ♀ (NZC-ZSI) from INDIA, Maharashtra, Poona (presently Pune) Distr., Karla Govt. Rest House, 04.11.1963, leg. B.K. Tikader. Paratype: 1 ♀ (NZC-ZSI), together with the holotype.

Rhene pantharae Biswas & Biswas, 1992 : Holotype ♀ (NZC-ZSI 5369/18) from INDIA, West Bengal, Nadia Distr., Ranaghat , 16.02.1986, leg. K. Biswas.

Comments. R. decoratus Tikader, 1977 was originally described from Maharashtra and was later recorded from West Bengal ( Tikader & Biswas, 1981; Roy et al., 2016) and R. pantharae Biswas & Biswas, 1992 was described from West Bengal ( Biswas & Biswas, 1992). Based on the detailed examination of the types of both species, they were found to be identical to Rhene pallida ( Thorell, 1895) comb. n. in the following characters: the abdominal colour pattern with transverse black streaks and the genitalia morphology with comma-shaped sclerotized rims and central epigynal pocket; proximal portion of insemination ducts membraneous and bent S-like, mid-portion strongly sclerotized, running parallel along the median portion longitudinally; small spermathecae (cf. Figs 42–48 and Figs 51–55 with figs 5–8 in Wesołowska (1981), illustrations in Proszynski (1984: 123) and figs 643–645 in Zabka (1985)). Therefore, both the species R. decoratus and R. pantharae are treated as junior synonyms of R. pallida .

Distribution. Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Vietnam ( WSC, 2022), India (Maharashtra, West Bengal) ( Fig. 72 ).

Figures

FIGURE 72. Type localities (solid black) and distributional records (solid white) of Rhene species studied in this work.

FIGURES 42–50. Somatic morphology and copulatory organs of Rhene decorata Tikader, 1977: 42—holotype female habitus, dorsal view; 43—ditto, front view; 44—epigyne, ventral view; 45—vulva, dorsal view; 46—paratype female habitus, dorsal view; 47—ditto, front view; 48—ditto, epigyne, ventral view; 49, 50—label. Scale bars: (44, 45, 48) 0.1 mm, (42, 43, 46, 47) 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 51–56. Somatic morphology and copulatory organs of Rhene pantharae Biswas & Biswas, 1992, holotype female: 51—habitus, dorsal view; 52—ditto, lateral view; 53—ditto, front view; 54—epigyne, ventral view; 55—vulva, dorsal view; 56—label. Scale bars: (54, 55) 0.05 mm, (51–53) 0.5 mm.