Cheiracanthium

Dankittipakul, Pakawin & Beccaloni, Janet, 2012, Validation and new synonymies proposed for Cheiracanthium species from South and Southeast Asia (Araneae, Clubionidae), Zootaxa 3510, pp. 77-86 : 84

Other Cheiracanthium species

We agree with Deeleman-Reinhold (2001) that C. insulanum (Thorell, 1878) and C. melanostomum ( Thorell, 1895) are closely related and distinguishing between the males of these two species is almost impossible. Furthermore, the type series of C. melanostomum consists of males, females and immature spiders (deposited at NHML, examined). These males show a substantial degree of variation in palpal structure, especially in the shape of the retrolateral tibial apophysis and the size of the conductor. The designated lectotype male was obviously based on the selection of a specimen which has the most heavily sclerotized palpal morphology. However, this lectotype bears little resemblance to other male syntypes examined and included by Thorell in his original description.

The female holotype of C. insulanum is very similar to that of C. melanostomum and can only be distinguished by the insemination ducts, which are slightly narrower and more strongly bent anteriorly, and with spermathecae that are closer together. Much larger samples would be needed to corroborate these slight differences as speciesspecific rather than as individual variation.