Cebrenninus striatipes ( Simon, 1897 ) Simon, 1897

Suresh P. Benjamin, 2016, Revision of Cebrenninus Simon, 1887 with description of one new genus and six new species (Araneae: Thomisidae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 123 (1), pp. 179-200 : 194-195

Cebrenninus striatipes ( Simon, 1897) comb. nov.

Figs 81-91

Ascuris striatipes Simon, 1897: 9 .

Ascurisoma striatipes ( Simon, 1897) .– Strand, 1929: 14 (generic replacement name).

Type material: MNHN 17268; 1 female, 3 juvenile syntypes (examined); Sri Lanka, Central Province, Kandy (no more data given). – MNHN 11680; 1 juvenile syntype? (examined); Africa, Sierra Leone (no more data given). The adult female from Sri Lanka is here designated as the lectotype to clearly define the genus.

Other material examined: MHNG; 1 male, 2 females; Sri Lanka, Central Province, Kandy District, Knuckles Range, Corbett’s Gap, 7°23′39″N, 80°51′38″E, 1360 m; 19.08.2010, leg. S. P. Benjamin and S. Batuwita. All three specimens were collected as juveniles and reared to adulthood in the lab. The final molt of the male was on 16.10.2010 and of one female on 30.10.2010.

Remarks: The juvenile from Sierra Leone looks very much like the specimens from Sri Lanka. However, the validity of a taxon or its presence in a given locality cannot be based on a juvenile specimen. I doubt the presence of C. striatipes comb. nov. in Sierra Leone; this specimen might belong to a yet unknown species of the genus Geraesta Simon, 1889 .

Diagnosis: Distinguished from known congeners by the distinctive shape of E (broad, thickest in the upper half, stout tip; Figs 86-87 ) and C (reduced, fine tip; Fig. 86 ).

Description: Male: Total length: 2.9; prosoma length: 1.4, width: 1.4. Leg I: femur 1.4, patella 0.5, tibia 1.4, metatarsus 0.8, tarsus 0.6. Prosoma uniformly black (red-brown in preserved specimens), eight eyes surrounded by red patches ( Figs 81-82). Opisthosoma dorsally brown/black with irregular white, diffused spots, white spots very apparent in preserved specimens ( Fig. 85). Legs black with yellow-brown patches, clearly visible on femur I and II. Leg formula 1243. Palps as in Figs 86-87 . Tibia shorter than bulb, bulb oval, RTA well developed, with two large setae at its base. E broad, thickest in upper half, with stout tip ( Figs 86-87 ). C reduced, with fine tip. SDT with two turns ( Figs 86-87 Female: Total length: 4.1; prosoma length: 1.7, width: 1.8. Leg I: femur 1.6, patella 0.7, tibia 1.6, metatarsus 1.0, tarsus 0.6. In general similar to male ( Figs 83-84). Epigynum as in Figs 88-91 .

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Distribution: Known only from the Knuckles Range, Sri Lanka.

Figures

Figs 86 - 91. Cebrenninus striatipes (Simon, 1897) comb. nov. (86 - 87) Male from Knuckles Range, left palp (86 ventral, 87 retrolateral view). (88) Female lectotype, epigynum, ventral view. (89) Vulva of same specimen, ventral view. (90) Female from Knuckles Range, epigynum, ventral view. (91) Vulva of same specimen, ventral view. Scale lines = 1.0 mm (88 - 89), 0.2 mm (86 - 87, 90 - 91).