Epocilla pakhtunkhwa 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

Epocilla pakhtunkhwa Ali & Maddison sp. n. Figs 1-4

Holotype.

Male in UBC from Pakistan: Khyber Paktunkhwa: Malakand (Agra), 34.589°N, 71.713°E, 2500 m elevation, 7 July 2015, Pir Asmat Ali, from maize crop fields (specimen PAA#2015-07-146).

Etymology.

The name of the province of the type locality, treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Epocilla pakhtunkhwa is most similar to E. sirohi ( Caleb et al. 2017a) in having a long embolus curving retrolaterally, but differs in having an expanded flange near the tip of the embolus (lacking in E. sirohi ; Caleb et al. 2017a) and a narrower and deeper cleft between the embolus and tegulum. Two other species with a long embolus are E. aurantiaca and E. blairei , but these have an embolus that is sinuous, curving toward the retrolateral but then reversing the curve to point toward the tip of the cymbium ( Prószyński 1984; Żabka 1985).

Description.

Male (holotype): Measurements. Carapace length 2.63, width 2.35, height 1.50. Ocular area widest at AER; length 1.31, width of PLE row 1.54, width of PME row 1.50, AER width 1.59. Abdomen length 3.95, width 1.16. Leg I: coxa 0.94, trochanter 0.56, femur 2.06, patella 1.41, tibia 1.69, metatarsus 1.50, tarsus 0.56. Leg II: coxa 0.75, trochanter 0.27, femur 1.88, patella, 0.86; tibia, 1.69; metatarsus, 1.43, tarsus, 0.56. Leg III: coxa 0.75, trochanter 0.37, femur 1.88, patella 0.84, 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. Ocular area with a distinct integumental bump in front of the fovea and between the PLE (Figure 1, triangle). Carapace sides extend laterally with gentle slope in thoracic and cephalic regions, making the thoracic area broad. Posterior to fovea, thoracic area slopes gently before sloping more abruptly near back margin. Chelicera with one simple retromarginal tooth and 2 promarginal teeth; basal segment more or less vertical, relatively long, narrowing toward the tip but then expanding just before the fang (Figure 1). Palp tibia swollen retrolaterally, with dual apophysis as typical of Epocilla . The more prolateral of these is the RTA itself, somewhat hidden (Figs 3, 4, "RTA"). End of cymbium fairly wide, blunt. Embolus long, with an expanded flange near the tip, though the tip itself is narrow and curves slightly toward the ventral. Leg I stout, with tibia ventrally having 4 pairs of macrosetae, the anterior of each of which is much larger. Abdomen squared at the anterior margin, somewhat cone-shaped to the posterior.

Colour. Carapace edges are dark brown, above which are broad lateral bands of yellow white scales extending from beneath the ALE on the clypeus to the posterior edge and lying over orange-brown integument. Centrally the thoracic region is reddish brown with a medial paler area, with traces of brown hairs and scales present. Ocular area black to dark brown, with fringe of orange hairs at front extending over the AER, appearing from the front as two eyebrows. Posterior to that is a patch of white scales centrally in the ocular area, surrounded by darker scales. Clypeus dark brown below AME, having a few orange hairs, contrasting strongly with white scales under ALE that belong to the lateral carapace bands. Chelicerae yellowish brown near fangs, darker brown otherwise. Palp coxa and trochanter light brown; femur, patella and tibia paler orange-yellow; cymbium brown with orange-yellow tip. Sternum whitish yellow with edges brown. Leg I medium brown except for a much darker longitudinal brown band along the prolateral side of the coxa, trochanter and femur, a lighter patch on the tibia, and pale yellow-white metatarsus and tarsus. Legs II, III, IV pale yellow-white. Abdomen longitudinally striped, with wide brown band running medially, lateral to which is a band of yellow-white scales, lateral and ventral to which are reflective transparent or grey scales. Spinnerets are yellow-brown with grey hairs.

Female: unknown.

Habitat.

Specimens were collected by hand picking from maize, both living and cut, in maize fields.

Additional material examined.

One male paratype from Pakistan: Khyber Paktunkhwa: Malakand (Manzari Baba), 34.49°N, 71.71°E, 1613 m elevation, 13 July 2015, Pir Asmat Ali (specimen PAA#2015-07-134).