Tagulis mystacinus Simon, 1895

Benjamin, Suresh P. & Jalee, Ziyard, 2007, Redescription of Tagulis mystacinus (Araneae: Thomisidae) from Sri Lanka, Zootaxa 1560, pp. 63-68 : 64

Tagulis mystacinus Simon, 1895

( Figs 1 A–B, 2A–B, 3A–E)

Tagulis mystacinus Simon, 1895a: 973 , fig. 1042. Simon 1895b: 432.

Type material. Lectotype female and two other juveniles, SRI LANKA ( MNHN 17281).

Other material examined. SRI LANKA, 1ɗ 1Ψ, North Western Province, Kurunegala district, Kurunegala, Ethagala Mountains, 0 7° 45′ 0 0″ N 0 80 ° 15′ 0 0″ E, 300 m, 28 February 2007, Ziyard Jaleel ( MHNG); 1ɗ subadult, Province of Uva, Monaragala district, Udawalawe national park, 0 6° 27′ 0 0″ N 0 80 ° 50′ 0 0″ E, 28 February 1998, K. Manamendra-arachi, M. M. Bahir and S. Nanayakara ( MHNG).

Diagnosis. Tagulis may be separated from other thomisid spiders by the presence of peculiar leaf-shaped macrosetae immediately posterior to ALE and PLE. However, specialized setae on the carapace are also found in other genera of the tribes Tagulini and Apyretini. A revision of the genus and related genera would be needed before a more precise diagnosis can be provided. T. mystacinus may be separated from related species by the details of the male and female genitalia.

Description. Male. Total length: 2.4; prosoma length: 1.3, width: 1.2. Legs I: femur 0.6, patella 0.4, tibia 0.6, metatarsus 0.5, tarsus 0.4. Markings as in Figs 2 A, B. Prosoma round, black colored, no markings. Eye in two recurved rows, ALE> PLE> AME> PME, two and one conspicuous leaf-shaped macrosetae immediately posterior to ALE and PLE, respectively. Chelicera, labium and dorsal parts lighter in colour. Opisthosoma oval, tapering towards the back, black/brown colored with two pairs of parallel white lines. Legs I–IV black to shades of brown with white rings at the distal ends of femur, patella and tibia. Leg formula 2143. Femur I–IV with a single dorsal spine at about its center. Palp: tibia short, retrolateral tibial apophysis thin, beak-shaped, with a fine membranous border ( Figs 3 A, B). Cymbium rounded, tip pointed ( Fig. 3 A), bulb disk-shaped, embolus short, rests on the distal border of the tegulum ( Figs 3 A, B).

Female. Total length: 3.8; prosoma length: 1.6, width: 1.5. Legs I: femur 0.9, patella 0.5, tibia 0.7, metatarsus 0.5, tarsus 0.5. Markings as in Fig. 2 C. Prosoma dark black/brown, sides darker, with red patches in front around the AME. Opisthosoma round, light brown/reddish, dorsally with very characteristic white markings as in Figs 1 A and 2C. Legs I–IV dorsally with white markings as in Fig. 2 C. Eyes as in male. Chelicera, labium and dorsal parts lighter in colour. Leg formula 2143. Leg spination as in male. Epigynum and vulva as in Figs 3 C–E.

Distribution. This species is endemic to Sri Lanka. Known from two localities, Kurunegala and Udawalawe national park.

Life history and habitat preferences. All specimens were collected by beating shrubs and flowering plants up to a height of 3m. The two adult specimens were collected in the surroundings of Ethagala Mountains. Vegetation of the Ethagala mountain range comprises of small shrubs and trees.

Remarks. The habitus of T. mystacinus resembles some thomisids of the subfamilies “Bominae” and “Thomisinae” (cf. Ono 1988). However, Tagulis may be separated from them as follows: Avelis Simon, 1895 , Bomis L. Koch, 1874 , Holopelus Simon, 1886 and Thomisops Karsch, 1879 posses a rastellum; Holopelus and Thomisops have gaud shaped receptacles ( Dippenaar-Schoeman 1986a; Dippenaar-Schoeman 1986b; Dippenaar-Schoeman 1989; Benjamin unpublished data). Although, Pseudoporrhopis Simon, 1886 and Apyretina Strand, 1929 posses macrosetae as in Tagulis , they differ in shape and relative position on the prosoma (Benjamin unpublished data). This diagnosis is preliminary in nature and would need to be reevaluated once all mentioned genera are revised.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Photographs and line drawings of the female lectotype of Tagulis mystacinus (MNHN 17281). A, habitus of female. B, ditto, details of female prosoma. C, epigynum, ventral view. D, vulva, ventral view. Scale lines = 0.1 mm (C, D). Note the leaf-shaped macrosetae immediately posterior to anterior and posterior lateral eyes.

FIGURE 2. Photographs of live specimens of Tagulis mystacinus. A, B, male. C, female. Note the leaf-shaped macrosetae immediately posterior to anterior and posterior lateral eye.

FIGURE 3. Tagulis mystacinus. A, left male palp, ventral view. B, ditto, retrolateral view. C, epigynum, ventral view. D, vulva, ventral view. E, ditto, dorsal view. Scale lines = 0.1 mm (C, D, E); 0.2 mm (A, B).