Corresponding author: Pradeep M. Sankaran (
Academic editor: J. Miller
A new species of the jumping spider genus
Sebastian PA, Sankaran PM, Malamel JJ, Joseph MM (2015) Description of new species of
The salticid spider genus
The specimens were preserved in 70% ethanol and studied under a Zeiss Stemi 2000-C stereomicroscope. All measurements are in millimetres (mm) and were made with an ocular micrometer. Length of palp and leg segments are given as: total (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus (except palp), tarsus). Spine positions are as follows: prolateral, dorsal, retrolateral and ventral. Comparison of the new
ALE–anterior lateral eye, AME–anterior median eye, CD–copulatory duct, CO–copulatory opening, E–embolus, PLE–posterior lateral eye, PME–posterior median eye, RPT–retrobasal process of tegulum, RTA–retrolateral tibial apophysis, S–spermatheca, T–tegulum, TA–terminal apophysis, VTA1 & VTA2–ventral tibial apophyses 1 & 2; VPT–ventral process of tegulum, WS–weakly sclerotized part of copulatory duct.
Medium sized spiders. Prosoma of all the known
Africa, Asia (
Holotype: Male (ADSH 83503Ai): India, Kerala, Ernakulam, Kurisumudi (
Males of
MALE (holotype, Figs
FEMALE (Paratype, Figs
Male: Body length 4.61–5.89 (n = 7). Female: Body length 5.43–6.82 (n = 8).
The specific epithet is an adjective and is derived from the whitish part of the tegulum: Latin
Rocky area covered with litter in a deciduous forest (Fig.
At present known only from the type locality.
(ADSH 83503Ai)–4 males, 5 females: India, Kerala, Ernakulam, Cherukadu (
Males of
MALE (Figs
FEMALE (Figs
Male: (n = 4) Body length 3.24–3.80. Female: (n = 5) Body length 6.15–6.46.
Rocky area having patches of grass and herbaceous vegetation in a semi-evergreen forest (Fig.
India, Sri Lanka (
Kerala (new record) and Tamilnadu (
Mating plugs, which are supposed to function as paternity protection devices (
Habitats of
We are grateful to Rev. Fr. Prasanth Palackappillil CMI, Principal, Sacred Heart College, Thevara, Cochin providing all facilities for completing this work. Many thanks to Dr. Jerzy Prószyński, Poland for his special consideration and encouragement throughout the work. We thank Dr. Norman I. Platnick, American Museum of Natural History, New York and Dr. Gabriele Uhl, Allgemeine und Systematische Zoologie, Germany for providing literature support. The second author is indebted to Dr. A. V. Sudhikumar, Christ College, Thrissur, Kerala for his valuable suggestions. Thanks to Dr. M. K. Raju and Mr. Sam Thomas for their assistance in the field. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr Jeremy A. Miller, The Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Netherlands, Dr Dmitri V. Logunov, the Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, UK and an anonymous reviewer for their constructive comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. We thank Chief Conservator of Forest, Kerala State Forest Division for permitting us to collect the specimens. We especially acknowledge Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) – DST, New Delhi for providing funding support under Major Research Project: No. SR/SO/AS-99/2012.