Stenaelurillus metallicus, Caleb, John T. D. & Mathai, Manu Thomas, 2016

Caleb, John T. D. & Mathai, Manu Thomas, 2016, A new jumping spider of the genus Stenaelurillus Simon, 1886 from India (Araneae: Salticidae: Aelurillina), Zootaxa 4103 (2), pp. 185-188 : 185-188

Stenaelurillus metallicus sp. nov.

Figs 1–22

Type material: Holotype: Male (NCBS-AR103) from Madras Christian College (12.917659°N, 80.122859°E, alt. 32 m), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, 21 June 2013, leg. John Caleb T.D. Paratypes (from same location): 1 male (NCBS- AR110), 21 June 2013; 1 male (NCBS-AR109), 18 July 2013; 1 male & 1 female (NCBS-AR104 & AR113), 5 September 2013; 1 female (NCBS-AR112), 11 November 2013; 1 male (NCBS-AR111), 21 April 2015, all leg. John Caleb T.D.; 4 males & 4 females (NCBS-AR105 to AR108 & AR114 to AR117), 30 January 2014, leg. Karthy.

Etymology. The specific name, an adjective, refers to the shining spots with metallic sheen on the male abdomen.

Diagnosis. The male differs from all known Stenaelurillus species by orangish abdomen, with a pair of dark spots ( Fig. 1 ; usually darker abdomen with white spots in other species). The species seems to be closely related to S. sarojinae Caleb & Mathai, 2014 by the presence of a well-developed ventral femoral distal process in the male palp ( Fig. 11 ), but differs in having a slightly bent, short and thick embolus, not accompanied by a terminal apophysis (compare Fig. 19 herein with fig. 80 in Caleb et al. 2015). The female resembles S. sarojinae in having a pair of white spots on the abdomen, but differs in having globular spermatheca (bean-shaped in S. sarojinae ; compare Figs 18 , 22 herein with fig. 30 in Caleb & Mathai 2014).

Description. Male (holotype). Total length: 4.63; carapace: 2.37 long, 1.64 wide; abdomen: 2.26 long, 1.43 wide. Carapace dark, covered with reddish-brown hairs; a pair of thin longitudinal white stripes extending from behind the ALEs and ending at posterior slope. Posterior end of carapace blackish ( Figs 1–2 ). AMEs surrounded by white orbital setae. Short white hairs clothe the facial region from above the anterior eyes to the clypeal region ( Fig. 3 ). Broad patch of white hairs extend backwards on the lateral margins of the carapace. Outer edge of carapace lined by thin stripe of white hairs. Eye measurements: AME 0.36, ALE 0.21, PME 0.07, PLE 0.26, AME–AME 0.09; AME–ALE 0.12; PME–PME 1.22; PME–PLE 0.19. Sternum oval, darkly pigmented medially, yellowish along the margins ( Fig. 8 ). Chelicerae unident ( Fig. 9 ); labium and maxillae yellowish. Femur I with a black patch prolaterally ( Fig. 3 ). Coxae of all legs with patch of dark pigmentation ventrally ( Fig. 8 ). Leg measurements: I 3.99 (1.35, 0.82, 0.74, 0.58, 0.49); II 3.95 (1.37, 0.79, 0.72, 0.56, 0.51); III 5.87 (1.78, 0.84, 1.14, 1.32, 0.79); IV 5.71 (1.70, 0.80, 1.11, 1.32, 0.78). Leg spination: leg I: Fm d 0-1-1-5; Pt pr 0-1-0; Tb pr 1-1, v 1-1 -2ap; Mt pr 1-1, v 2-2 ap; leg II: Fm d 0-1-1-5, pr 0-1-0; Pt pr and rt 0-1-0; Tb pr 1- 1-1, rt 0-1-0, v 1-1 -2ap; Mt pr 1-1, rt 1-1, v 2 -0-2ap; leg III: Fm d 0-1-1-5, pr 0-1-0; Pt pr and rt 0-1-0; Tb d 1-2-2, pr 1- 1, rt 1-0-1, v 0-1-2ap; Mt d 1-2-1-2, pr 1-1, rt 1-1-1, v 0-0-2ap; leg IV: Fm d 0-1-1-4, pr 0-1-0; Pt pr and rt 0-1-0; Tb d 1- 2-2, pr 1-1, rt 1-1, v 1-2 ap; Mt d 2-2-2, pr 1-1, rt 1-0-1, v 0-1-2ap. Abdomen with dark orange hairs on the sides, paler mid-dorsally with whitish hairs making indistinct chevron shaped markings; a pair of large spots with metallic luster present on the dorsum; a pair of indistinct black spots present laterally further behind. Abdomen outlined laterally by a fringe of long white hairs; spinnerets moderately long, black ( Figs 1 , 7, 10 ). Palp covered with short pale yellowish hairs; embolus short, thick and slightly bent, not accompanied by anterior terminal apophysis; RTA single with a broad base tapering toward the tip, slightly curved ( Figs 19–20 ).

Female (paratype NCBS-AR112). Total length 4.85; carapace: 2.15 long, 1.68 wide; abdomen: 2.70 long, 2.01 wide. Eye measurements: AME 0.39, ALE 0.20, PME 0.07, PLE 0.22, AME–AME 0.06; AME–ALE 0.10; PME–PME 1.25; PME–PLE 0.19. Leg measurements: I 3.58 (1.30, 0.60, 0.61, 0.48, 0.59); II 3.65 (1.29, 0.65, 0.60, 0.54, 0.58); III 6.19 (1.97, 0.94, 1.29, 1.18, 0.81); IV 5.65 (1.67, 0.80, 1.17, 1.24, 0.77). Leg spination: leg I: Fm d 0-1-1-5; Pt pr 0-1-0; Tb pr 1-1, v 1-1 -2ap; Mt pr 0-2, v 2-1 ap; leg II: Fm d 0-1-1-5, pr 0-1-0; Pt pr 0-1-0; Tb, pr 1-1, v 1-1 -2; Mt d 1-2, pr 0-1, v 2- 1 ap; leg III: Fm d 0-1-1-5, pr 0-1-0; Pt pr and rt 0-1-0; Tb d 1-2-2, pr 1-1, rt 1-1, v 0-1-2ap; Mt d 1-1-2, pr 1-2, rt 1-1-2ap, v 0-1-2ap; leg IV: Fm d 0-1-1-4; Pt pr and rt 0-1-0; Tb d 1-2-2, pr 1-1, rt 1-1, v 1-2 ap; Mt d 2-1-2, pr 1-1, rt 1-1, v 0-1- 2ap. Coloration pattern as in male, but differs in the following: general body color dull reddish-brown ( Figs 4 , 12 ).

Anterior eyes outlined by reddish-brown setae on the upper half and lower half with white orbital setae ( Fig. 6 ). A pair of white spots present on the abdomen ( Figs 4 , 12 ). Epigyne placed on a poorly sclerotized plate; copulatory ducts short, leading to the lower chambers ( Figs 15, 16 , 21 ); spermathecae globular ( Figs 17, 18 , 22 ).

Distribution. Known only from type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Stenaelurillus metallicus sp. nov. 1 – 3 male (1 dorsal, 2 lateral, 3 frontal), 4 – 6 female (4 dorsal, 5 lateral, 6 frontal).

FIGURES 7 – 18. Stenaelurillus metallicus sp. nov. 7 – 11 male (7 dorsal, 8 ventral, 9 chelicerae, retrolateral, 10 abdomen, dorsal, 11 left palp, retrolateral), 12 – 18 female (12 dorsal, 13 ventral, 14 chelicerae, retrolateral, 15 epigyne, paratype NCBS-AR 114, ventral, 16 epigyne, paratype NCBS-AR 115, ventral, 17 vulva, dorsal, 18 same, cleared, dorsal. Scale bars: 1 mm (7, 8, 12, 13); 0.1 mm (9, 11, 14 – 17).

FIGURES 19 – 22. Stenaelurillus metallicus sp. nov. 19 – 20 left male palp (19 ventral, 20 retrolateral), 21 – 22 epigyne (21 ventral, 22 dorsal). Scale bars: 0.1 mm (19); 0.05 mm (21). CD: copulatory duct, CO: copulatory opening, E: embolus, FD: fertilization duct, RTA: retrolateral tibial apophysis, S: spermatheca, T: tegulum.