Conothele Thorell, 1878

K, Sunil Jose, 2021, A new species of the trapdoor spider genus Conothele Thorell, 1878 (Araneae: Halonoproctidae) from Western Ghats, Kerala, India, Zoological Systematics 46 (3), pp. 258-263 : 259

Genus Conothele Thorell, 1878

Conothele Thorell, 1878: 303 . Type specie s: Conothele malayana (Doleschall, 1859) .

Diagnosis. The genus is distinguished from all other Halonoproctidae genera except Ummidia by the presence of a saddle depression on tibia III ( Fig. 2E ). It differs from Ummidia by their burrowing habits ( Fig. 3 ). The Conothele constructs a short, superficial burrow, which lies parallel to the surface of ground; whereas the Ummidia digs a several centimetres long burrow in the soil (Haupt, 2006). Moreover, Conothele is restricted to Oriental and Australian Regions, while Ummidia has restricted to New World and Mediterranean Regions ( Godwin et al., 2018)

Figures

Figure 2. Conothele chinnarensis sp. nov., legs and spermatheca. A. Prolateral view of maxillae; B. Prolateral view of rastellum; C. Ventral view of maxillae; D. Spinnerets; E. Saddle like depression of tibia III; F. Spermathecae.

Figure 3. Conothele chinnarensis sp. nov., habit, showing burrow and trap door.