Stenaelurillus mardanicus Ali & Maddison

Ali, Pir Asmat, Maddison, Wayne P., Zahid, Muhammad & Butt, Abida, 2018, New chrysilline and aelurilline jumping spiders from Pakistan (Araneae, Salticidae), ZooKeys 783, pp. 1-15 : 1

Stenaelurillus mardanicus Ali & Maddison sp. n. Figs 14-21, 22-26

Holotype.

Male in UBC from Pakistan: Khyber Paktunkhwa: Mardan (Sarmalang), 34.374°N, 72.372°E, 1443 m elevation, 10 August 2016, Pir Asmat Ali, foothills of mountains (specimen PAA#2016-08-101).

Etymology.

Derived from the name of the district of the type locality.

Diagnosis.

The embolus of S. mardanicus is distinctive (Figs 18, 19), with a broad basal portion curving dorsally toward the cymbium then prolaterally, and a short terminal piece (with the opening) pointing distally. The embolus appears therefore as a hand, with the terminal piece like a thumb sticking up, and the basal portion like curved fingers. In ventral view, the base of the embolus appears as an embolar ledge (EL) (Figs 18, 19, 20, 21). An embolus of this shape is unique among known Stenaelurillus . Two species with a similar prolateral extension near the base of the embolus are S. triguttatus Simon 1886 from Nepal, and S. arambagensis (Biswas & Biswas, 1992) from Pakistan, but in both of those species the extension points distally ( Wesołowska 2014a; Logunov and Azarkina 2018) and at least in S. arambagensis it is not part of the embolus, but rather of the functional tegulum ( Logunov and Azarkina 2018: 20). The prolateral extension of S. mardanicus is clearly part of the embolic division (Figs 18, 19, 20). Stenaelurillus marusiki Logunov, 2001 also has an embolar ledge, but the embolus tip is much longer and narrower. Stenaelurillus gabrieli Prajapati, Murthappa, Sankaran & Sebastian, 2016 from India also has a short distally-pointing embolus tip, but lacks the embolar ledge as in S. mardanicus . The epigynum of S. mardanicus resembles that of the African Stenaelurillus mirabilis Wesołowska and Russell-Smith, 2000, with copulatory ducts relatively short, running from the small anteriorly-placed copulatory to join the spermathecae toward their posterior end (Figs 24, 25). S. mirabilis differs, however, in having a long pocket along the posterior margin ( Wesołowska and Russell-Smith 2000).

Description.

Male (holotype and paratype PAA#2015-07-154, Pakistan: Khyber Paktunkhwa: Malakand, Palai 34.5353°N, 72.0896°E 841 m elev. 12 July 2015 Pir Asmat Ali; measurements from that paratype): Measurements. Carapace length 2.50, width 1.97. height 1.10. ocular area widest at AER; AE length 1.61, PME width 1.40, PLE 1.55. Abdomen length 1.79, width 1.48. Leg I: coxa 0.35, trochanter 0.30, femur 1.17, patella 0.35, tibia 0.55, metatarsus 0.50, tarsus 0.43. Leg II: coxa 0.43, trochanter 0.30, femur 1.05, patella 0.55; tibia 0.63; metatarsus 0.60; tarsus 0.41. Leg III: coxa 0.49; trochanter 0.51, femur 1.50, patella 0.65, tibia 0.92, metatarsus 1.31, tarsus 0.65. Leg IV: coxa 0.90, trochanter 0.41, femur 1.77, patella 0.74, tibia 1.34, metatarsus 1.31, tarsus 0.65.

Structure. Carapace elevated at cephalic region, sloping gently down in thoracic region then abruptly before the posterior margin. Cheliceral retromargin with one long tooth; promargin with two teeth. Leg I short. Abdomen square at anterior, widest at middle and narrowing toward anal tubercle. Palp tibia swollen and having two apophyses, ventral one (somewhat hidden) and the RTA. Cymbium wide at middle. Embolus as described in diagnosis, with a basal curved portion and a short, distally-pointing tip.

Colour. Carapace brown with black hairs except for a broad bands laterally along lower margin that are paler and with white hairs, and narrow longitudinal bands dorsally of white hairs just medial to the PLE and extending from PME to the thorax; brown recumbent hairs with black bristles in the ocular area. Lateral white bands extend onto clypeus, which is pale and with a mix of long white and some brown hairs. Chelicerae pale with long white hairs. Sternum pale; labium pale brown and paler anteriorly; maxilla pale brown; palp yellow; femur with long white hairs, cymbium brown and having black bristles and scales. First leg is darkest, with whitish yellow tarsus. Other legs pale with dark stains and black hairs, except ventral coxa of leg III and IV which are pale whitish. Front of abdomen square, with long grey bristles. Abdomen black above, with sub-basal transverse band of white hairs, and with three whitish pale spots: a pair near the middle and a single smaller posterior spot. Sides of abdomen with scattered pale hairs and black hairs. Venter pale with grey hairs. Spinnerets yellow with grey hairs.

Female (paratype, specimen PAA#2015-07-114, Pakistan: Khyber Paktunkhwa: Mardan (Baroch), 34.381°N, 72.384°E, elev. 1021 m elevation, 21 July 2015, Pir Asmat Ali, mountain edges): Measurements: Carapace length 2.63, width 2.03, height 1.30. Ocular area length 0.84, width 1.50, PLE width 1.50, PME width 1.41, AE 1.59. Abdomen length 2.63, width 1.88. Leg I: coxa 0.47, trochanter 0.37, femur 1.41, patella 0.65, tibia 0.65, metatarsus 0.37, tarsus 0.47. Leg II: coxa 0.47, trochanter 0.37, femur 1.12, patella 0.65, tibia 0.65, metatarsus 0.57, tarsus 0.37. Leg III: coxa 0.75, trochanter 0.55, femur 1.78, patella 0.74, tibia 1.22, metatarsus 1.41, tarsus 0.75. Leg IV: coxa 0.93, trochanter 0.47, femur 1.97, patella 0.84, tibia 1.50, metatarsus 1.41, tarsus 0.75.

Structure. Carapace elevated at cephalic region, sloping laterally and posteriorly in thoracic region. Chelicera with one long retromarginal tooth; promargin with two teeth. Leg I strong and short. Abdomen square at anterior, widening toward the posterior, then narrowing toward anal tubercle. Epigynum (Figs 24, 25) with a central pocket displaced slightly forward from the epigastric furrow. Copulatory openings are small, anterior. Copulatory ducts proceed from the openings toward the posterior to join the spermathecae, widening as they go. Spermathecae wide and round; fertilization ducts long and wide.

Colour. Carapace marked similarly to male: brown, with broad bands laterally along lower margin that are paler and with white hairs, and narrow longitudinal bands dorsally of white hairs just inside the PLE and extending from PME to the thorax. Ocular area black with recumbent brown hairs and bristles. Lateral white bands become narrower as they extend onto clypeus, which is pale and with a mix of white and brown long hairs. Chelicerae pale, with many white hairs and a few scattered black ones. All legs pale with dark markings and black hairs except ventral coxae of leg III and IV which are pale. Sternum pale; labium brown; maxillae pale brown with paler tips. Front of abdomen square, with long grey bristles. Abdomen black with a pair of white spots just posterior to the middle. Sides with pale band extending to the spinnerets. Venter pale yellow with scattered grey hairs. Spinnerets yellow with grey hairs.

Remark.

All observed females had epigynal plugs.

Habitat.

Specimens were found on mountain edges.

Additional material examined.

The following, all paratypes: Same data as holotype (female specimen PAA#2016-08-120, and 3 additional males); Pakistan: Khyber Paktunkhwa: Manzari baba (Malakand), 34.51°N, 71.72°E, elev. 2013 m, 13 July 2015, Pir Asmat Ali, mountain edges (1 female specimen PAA#2015-07-165); Pakistan: Khyber Paktunkhwa: Mardan, 34.354°N, 72.382°E, elev. 1430 m, 10 Aug 2016, Pir Asmat Ali (10 males, 2 females, 2 juveniles); Pakistan: Khyber Paktunkhwa: Alizai (Hangu), 33.58°N, 71.28°E, elev. 1678 m, 27 July 2015, Pir Asmat Ali, foothills of mountains (female specimen PAA#2015-07-087).