Steriphopus benjamini, Zonstein & Marusik & Ras, 2023

Zonstein, Sergei, Marusik, Yuri M. & Ras, Feb, 2023, New data on the spider genus Steriphopus, with description of a new species from India (Araneae: Palpimanidae), Israel Journal of Entomology (Oxford, England) 52, pp. 41-50 : 47-49

Steriphopus benjamini n. sp.

( Figs 11–21)

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3F18A86B-8502-4A8B-A4D9-5C97064839A4 .

Etymology: The specific epithet is a patronym in honour of Dr Suresh P. Benjamin, a well-known Sri Lankan arachnologist, for his substantial contribution to the study of South Asian spiders.

Diagnosis: The new species differs from two other congeners with described females in possessing different structure of the abdominal scuta and the endogyne. Unlike S. lacertosus , where dot-like scuta (Ds) are indiscernible, in S. benjamini n. sp. these paired scuta are weak but nevertheless present ( Fig. 6 cf. Figs 16, 17, 19), as well as in S. macleayi (sensu Marusik & Zonstein 2018). However, the latter possesses concurrently a much better developed unpaired scutum (Us), which is represented by a poorly visible vestige in both S. lacertosus and S. benjamini n. sp. ( Figs 6, 8, 10, 16, 17; Marusik & Zonstein 2018, figs 4, 10). The structure of the endogyne in the new species is distinguishable due to paired bunches of several long connective stalks (Sg), where every stalk is bent only once forming a single loop, contrary to other examined congeners, where these stalks are coiled and form each several loops (cf. Figs 8, 10, 21; Marusik & Zonstein 2018, figs 21–23, 25). In S. benjamini n. sp., the median ocular quadrangle is clearly longer than wide ( Figs 13, 14), while in S. crassipalpis it is slightly wider than long, according to the original description ( Thorell 1895).

Description: Female (holotype). Habitus as in Figs 11, 12. Total length 4.16.

Colour in alcohol: Carapace, chelicerae, labium, sternum, petiolar tube and dorsal abdominal scutum light scarlet red; maxillae, coxa I, entire palp and leg I, and epigastral scutum intensely yellowish orange, while legs II–IV, including coxae, and spinnerets pale yellowish orange. Unsclerotized part of abdomen dorsally and ventrally pale yellowish grey.

Prosoma: Carapace ( Figs 13, 14), with gently sloping thoracic hump, 1.27 long, 0.92 wide. Clypeus 0.21 long. Eyes: AME 0.10, ALE 0.06, PLE 0.05, PME 0.06, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.10, ALE–PLE 0.02, PLE–PME 0.13, PME–PME 0.11. Fovea short, narrow and deep, but not slit-like. Cheliceral furrow with 5 or 6 peg teeth. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 15.

Palp and legs: Palp short and thick: femur L/ W 2.2 (0.33/0.15), patella L/ W 1.25 (0.15/0.12), tibia L/ W 1.55 (0.31/0.20), tarsus L/ W 1.77 (0.30/0.17). Femur I L/ W 2.79 (0.95/0.34). Legs and palp length as follows:

Palp I II III IV

Femur 0.33 0.95 0.82 0.70 1.06

Patella 0.15 0.67 0.43 0.37 0.51

Tibia 0.31 0.67 0.53 0.48 0.82

Metatarsus – 0.35 0.46 0.48 0.75

Tarsus 0.30 0.41 0.37 0.32 0.37

Total 1.09 3.05 2.61 2.35 3.51

Abdominal scuta:As in Fig. 16. Epigastral scutum (Es) accompanied with 3 scuta, a pair of short stripe-shaped scuta (Ss) not extending beyond epigastral scutum, a pair of rudimentary dot-like scuta (Ds) and unpaired weakly developed scutum (Us) in front of copulatory opening; posterior part of epigastral scutum arch-bow shaped. Endogyne: As in Figs 17–21. Endogyne ca. 3 times wider than long; atrium (At) triangle-shaped in caudal view ( Fig. 20); endogyne with pair of globular structures (Gs), brush of fine threads (Ft) originates from globular structure poorlu indistinct; 2 pairs of large grape-shaped glands (Gg) with long and once-bent stalks (Sg) ca. 3.5 times longer than glands ( Fig. 21).

Male. Unknown.

Holotype ♀ (ZMMU): India: Himachal Pradesh, Patlikuhl Town , 32°07.4'N 77°08.8'E, 1200 m, 17‒23.vi.1999, Y.M. Marusik.

Additional material examined: India: 2♂ suBad., Himachal Pradesh, Shimla City , university campus, 31°06.8'N 77°08.5'E, 2000–2200 m, 25‒27.v.1999, Y.M. Marusik (ZMMU) .

Distribution: Northern India (Himachal Pradesh).

Ecology: Unknown.