Belisana ratnapura Huber, 2005

Huber, Bernhard A., 2019, The pholcid spiders of Sri Lanka (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 4550 (1), pp. 1-57 : 9-10

Belisana ratnapura Huber, 2005

Figs 8–9 , 34–35 , 40–41

Belisana ratnapura Huber, 2005: 108 , figs 602–616 (♂ ♀, Sri Lanka).

Notes. The unidentified locality “Kollawa” in Huber (2005) is a misspelling of Kottawa (see additional material from same collecting event below). The correct coordinates for “Kannaliya” (Kanneliya) are 6.25°N, 80.34°E (not 6°02’N, 80°13’E as in Huber 2005).

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from most congeners by long retrolateral process (‘flap’) of procursus pointing in proximal-ventral direction and curved at tip ( Figs 34–-35 ); from very similar B. gowindahela by wider procursus with different shape of prolateral distal sclerite (compare Figs 32–35 ), by smaller distance between distal male cheliceral apophyses (15 µm versus ~80 µm in B. gowindahela ; compare fig. 604 in Huber 2005 with Fig. 31 herein), and by epigynum with posterior extension and with pockets closer together (10–15 µm versus ~60 µm in B. gowindahela ; compare Figs 38–41 ).

New records. SRI LANKA: 6♂ 9♀, ZFMK (Ar 20015) , Sabaragamuwa Province, between Ratnapura and Mapalena Ella (6.762°N, 80.428°E), 100 m a.s.l., 19.iii.2017 (B.A. Huber) . 1♂ 1♀, NMSL , 12♂ 11♀ 2 juvs, ZFMK (Ar 20016) , and 2♂ 1♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK ( SL163 ), Sabaragamuwa Province, Mapalena Ella (6.774°N, 80.460°E), 270 m a.s.l., forest below waterfall, 19.iii.2017 (B.A. Huber) . ~ 19♂ 20♀, ZFMK (Ar 5195– 96) , Sabaragamuwa Province, Ratnapura District, Gilimale Forest Reserve [~ 6.76°N, 80.45°E], 11.ii.2007 (S.P. Benjamin, Z. Jaleel) . 2♂ 5♀, ZFMK (Ar 20017) , and 2♂ 1♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK ( SL104 ), Sabaragamuwa Province, near Kitulgala (6.985°N, 80.430°E), 170 m a.s.l., 7.iii.2017 (B.A. Huber) . 5♂ 4♀, ZFMK (Ar 5192) , Sabaragamuwa Province, Kegalle District, Kitulgala , degraded lowland rainforest, 14.ii.2007 (Z. Jaleel) . 3♂ 1♀, ZFMK (Ar 20018) , and 1♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK ( SL101 ), Sabaragamuwa Province, outside of Belilena Cave near Kitulgala (7.003°N, 80.436°E), 370 m a.s.l., 7.iii.2017 (B.A. Huber) . 5♂ 3♀, ZFMK (Ar 20019) , and 2♂ 3♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK ( SL99 ), Western Province, Mitirigala Forest (6.997°N, 80.175°E), 70 m a.s.l., 6.iii.2017 (B.A. Huber) . 3♂ 6♀ 3 juvs, ZFMK (Ar 20020) , and 1♂ 1♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK ( SL169 ), Western Province, Labugama Forest (6.846°N, 80.175°E), 150 m a.s.l., 20.iii.2017 (B.A. Huber) . 2♂ 3♀, ZFMK (Ar 5193) , Western Province, Kalutara District, Ingiriya, Bodhinagala Forest Reserve [6.725°N, 80.155°E], 10.ii.2007 (S.P. Benjamin, Z. Jaleel) . 3♂, ZFMK (Ar 20021) , Western Province, above Pelawatta-Tinniyawala road (6.404°N, 80.283°E), 150 m a.s.l., 18.iii.2017 (B.A. Huber) . 5♂ 3♀, ZFMK (Ar 20022) , and 2♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK ( SL160 ), Southern Province, Kottawa Forest (6.097°N, 80.308°E), 60 m a.s.l., 17.iii.2017 (B.A. Huber) . 2♂ 4♀, RMNH , Kottawa , wet evergreen forest, 15.x.1982 (F. Wanless) . 3♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Benj 39) , Southern Province, Galle District, Kottawa, Kombala-Kottawa Forest Reserve (6.098°N, 80.314°E), 60 m a.s.l., 19.v.2010 (S.P. Benjamin, S. Batuwita) . 3♂ 9♀, ZFMK (Ar 20023) , and 1♂ 1♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, ZFMK ( SL157 ), Southern Province, Viharekele Forest (6.099°N, 80.594°E), 120 m a.s.l., 17.iii.2017 (B.A. Huber) .

Natural history. The webs of this species were identical to those of B. gowindahela (see above).

Distribution. Widely distributed in southwestern Sri Lanka, apparently excluding high elevation areas ( Fig. 221 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Belisana, live specimens. 1–3. B. minneriya sp. n., males and female with egg-sac from Minneriya. 4–5. B. keyti Huber, 2005, male and female with egg-sac from Hakgala. 6–7. B. gowindahela sp. n., male from Ethagala, female with egg-sac from Dematagala. 8–9. B. ratnapura Huber, 2005, male from Mapalena Ella, female with egg-sac from Viharekele.

FIGURES 31–35. 31–33. Belisana gowindahela sp. n. (ZFMK Ar 20007). 31. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 32–33. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 34–35. B. ratnapura Huber, 2005 (ZFMK Ar 20015), left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views (all procursi at same scale). Scale lines: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 36–41. Cleared female genitalia in ventral and dorsal views. 36–37. Belisana minneriya sp. n. (ZFMK Ar 20000). 38–39. Belisana gowindahela sp. n. (ZFMK Ar 20007). 40–41. B. ratnapura Huber, 2005 (ZFMK Ar 20015). Abbreviations: po, pocket(s); pp, pore plate. Scale lines: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 220–221. Known distribution of Belisana in Sri Lanka.