Indothele amboli Kadam, Tripathi & Sherwood, 2025

Tripathi, Rishikesh, Kadam, Gautam, Sherwood, Danniella & Sudhikumar, Ambalaparambil Vasu, 2025, Revision of Indian Ischnothelidae (Arachnida: Araneae) and descriptions of two new species of Indothele Coyle, 1995, European Journal of Taxonomy 981 (1), pp. 189-212 : 191-192

Indothele amboli Kadam, Tripathi & Sherwood sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CC8A7C2A-DCD8-43AB-8CDC-8847C3ED511B

Figs 1–4 , 14 , Table 1

Diagnosis

Males of Indothele amboli sp. nov. resemble those of I. mala by the very long and slender embolus curving gently upward ( Fig. 4A–B ); metatarsus I ventral apophysis situated medially and consisting of a low retrolateral ridge ( Fig. 2F ), and distal end of metatarsus I with tiny protuberance situated basally, but can be distinguished by the following characteristics: (1) the embolus is much slender and the embolic tip longer (vs slightly broad and shorter tip in I. mala ); (2) the tibial apophysis is elongate and narrow (vs short and broad in I. mala ), and (3) the palpal tibia is incrassate (vs. unmodified in I. mala ) (cf. Fig. 4A–C vs Fig. 12A–E ). Females of Indothele amboli resemble those of I. rothi Coyle, 1995 by the weakly sclerotized spermathecal lobes, with each (opposing) median receptacle longer than lateral one, and with a correspondingly larger lobe on the median receptacle(s). However, they can be distinguished by the uniform size and shape of the receptacles (vs receptacles elongated in I. rothi ) (cf. Fig. 4E vs Coyle 1995: figs 347–354).

Etymology

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition derived from the type locality.

Type material

Holotype

INDIA • ♂; Maharashtra, Sindhudurg, Sawantwadi, Amboli village ; 15°57′34″ N, 73°59′50″ E; 746 m; 20 Aug. 2023; G. Kadam and R. Tripathi leg.; from ground burrow, by hand; NCBS, NRC-AA-9037 .

Paratype

INDIA • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; NCBS, NRC-AA-9038 .

Description

Male (holotype, Figs 2 , 4A–C )

Measurements: total length including chelicerae: 6.72. Carapace: length 3.36, width 2.93. Caput: slightly raised. Ocular tubercle: raised, length 0.45, width 0.87. Eyes: AME> ALE, ALE> PLE, PLE> PME, anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior row recurved ( Fig. 2B ). Clypeus: narrow; clypeal fringe: short. Fovea: deep, transverse. Chelicerae: length 1.49, width 0.85. Abdomen: length 3.36, width 2.21. Maxilla with 42–45 cuspules. Labium: length 0.23, width 0.62, lacking cuspules. Labio-sternal mounds: separate. Sternum: length 1.85, width 1.59. Lengths of legs and palpal segments: see Table 1 , legs 4,3,2,1. Spination: palp: femur pld 1 do 5, patella pld 2 do 3 rld 2, tibia pld 2 pl 1 plv 3 do 4 rld 2, tarsus/ cymbium plv 3 rlv 2; legs: femora I–II pld 1 do 5, III–IV pld 1 do 5 rld 1; patella I pld 3 rld 3, II pld 3 do 1 rld 3, III–IV pld 3 do 1 rld 3; tibia I pld 2 do 1 rld 2 rlv 1, II pld 1 pl 2 plv 4 rl 2 rlv 4, III pld 2 pl 3 plv 4 do 2 rld 3 rl 2 rlv 4, IV pld 2 pl 2 plv 4 rld 1 rl 2 rlv 4; metatarsus I pld 1 pl 2 rlv 1, II pld 2 pl 2 plv 3 rld 1 rl 2 rlv 3, III pld 2 pl 2 plv 3 rld 2 rl 2 rlv 3, IV pld 3 pl 3 plv 3 do 2 rld 2 rl 2 rlv 2; tarsi I–III spineless, IV plv 3 rlv 2. Tibia I retrolaterally with subterminal apophysis; long, slender and pointed ( Fig. 2F–H ). Metatarsus I: metatarsal protuberance present and situated ventroretrolaterally ( Fig. 2F ). Spinnerets: four; PLS with three segments basal 1.28, medial 1.05, digitiform 2.52 longest, segmented and flexible; PMS with one segment ( Fig. 2K ). Palpal tibia: slightly increassate. Palpal cymbium: elongate, tarsus-like. Palp bulb elongate, with slender embolus curving gently upward; sperm duct long and moderately wide ( Fig. 4A–C ). Embolus 1.38 long, 0.27 wide. Colour: carapace, clypeus, leg segments, spinnerets orange to brown with black shade; eye region dark; chelicerae, labium, maxillae, sternum pale whitish orange; opisthosoma black ( Fig. 2A ). Carapace densely covered with thin appressed hairs, with brownish streaks starting from fovea; thoracic margin with black band. Pars cephalica slightly elevated ( Fig. 2C ). One pair of foveal bristles. Eyes on low tubercles, encircled with black pigment ( Fig. 2B ). Chelicerae dorsally with band of setae, ventrally with two rows of teeth on margin; promargin with 11 teeth and retromargin with 10 teeth, and 6 tiny teeth within fang furrow ( Fig. 2I–J ).

Female (paratype, Figs 3 , 4D–E )

Measurements: total length including chelicerae: 9.93. Carapace: length 4.35, width 3.85. Caput: slightly raised. Ocular tubercle: raised, length 0.34, width 0.72. Eyes: AME> ALE, ALE> PLE, PLE> PME, anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior row recurved ( Fig. 3B ). Clypeus: narrow; clypeal fringe: short ( Fig. 3C ). Fovea: deep, transverse. Chelicerae: length 2.10, width 0.51. Abdomen: length 5.58, width 3.85. Maxilla with 85–90 cuspules. Labium: length 0.17, width 0.43, lacking cuspules. Labio-sternal mounds: separate. Sternum: length 2.55, width 2.11 ( Fig. 3D ). Lengths of legs and palpal segments: see Table 1 , legs 4,3,2,1. Spination: palp: femur pld 1 do 8, patella pld 2 do 2 rld 3 rl 1, tibia pld 2 pl 1 plv 2 rld 3 rl 2 rlv 1, tarsus plv 2 rlv 2; legs: femora I–II & IV pld 1 do 8 rld 1, III do 8 rld 1; patella I pld 2 do 1 rld 3, II pld 2 do 3 rld 2, III pld 3 do 3 rld 3, IV pld 3 do 2 rld 3; tibia I pld 2 plv 3 rld 3 rlv 3, II pld 2 pl 2 plv 2 do 2 rld 1 rlv 3, III pld 3 plv 3 do 2 rl 2 rlv 3, IV pld 3 do 2 rl 2 rlv 3; metatarsus I pld 1 plv 1 rlv 2, II plv 3 rlv 2, III pld 2 pl 2 plv 3 rl 2 rlv 3, IV pld 3 plv 3 do 2 rld 2 rlv 3; tarsi I–III spineless, IV plv 2 rlv 3. General aspects essentially as in male except: body colour darker ( Fig. 3A ), chelicerae promargin with 10 teeth and retromargin with 9 teeth, and 9 tiny teeth within fang furrow ( Fig. 3F–G ). Spinnerets: PLS with three segments, basal 1.83, median 1.75, digitiform apical 3.33. PMS with one segment ( Fig. 3H ). Spermathecae with two receptacles, each branching into two lobes; base of receptacles wider, taper of lateral lobes more abrupt than medial lobes, lobes asymmetrical ( Fig. 4E ).

Distribution

Known only from the type locality, Amboli, Maharashtra, India ( Fig. 14 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Field photographs of Indothele amboli Kadam, Tripathi & Sherwood sp. nov. A. Male. B. Female. C. Juveniles. D–E. Web, showing retreat entrance. F–G. General view of habitat at the collecting site. Photographs by Tejas Sawant.

Fig. 2. Indothele amboli Kadam, Tripathi & Sherwood sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (NCBS, NRC-AA-9037). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Ocular area, dorsal view. C. Head, frontal view D. Labium, maxillae and sternum, ventral view. E. Close-up of labium and maxillae, ventral view. F. Leg I, retrolateral view. G. Same, tibia, retrolateral view. H. Same, tibia I apophysis close-up, retrolateral view. I. Left chelicera, prolateral view. J. Same, retrolateral view. K. Spinnerets, ventral view. Scale bars: A = 2 mm; B = 0.2 mm; C, E, G–J = 0.5 mm; D, F, K = 1 mm.

Fig. 3. Indothele amboli Kadam, Tripathi & Sherwood sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NCBS, NRC-AA-9038). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Ocular area, dorsal view. C. Head, frontal view. D. Labium, maxillae and sternum, ventral view. E. Close-up of labium and maxillae, ventral view. F. Left chelicera, prolateral view. G. Same, retrolateral view. H. Spinnerets, ventral view. Scale bars: A, D, H = 2 mm; B, E–G = 0.5 mm; C = 1 mm.

Fig. 4. Indothele amboli Kadam, Tripathi & Sherwood sp. nov., genitalia of holotype, ♂ (NCBS, NRC- AA-9037, A–C) and paratype, ♀ (NRC-AA-9038, D–E). A. Left palpal bulb, retrolateral view. B. Same, prolateral view. C. Left palp with palpal bulb, retrolateral view. D. Female genital plate, undissected ventral view. E. Spermathecae, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–B = 0.2 mm; C–E = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 14. Distribution of the genus Indothele Coyle, 1995.

Fig. 12. Indothele mala Coyle, 1995 genitalia of ♂ (BMNH, A–E) and ♀ (BMNH, F). A. Left palp, retrolateral view. B. Same, ventral view. C. Same, prolateral view. D. Same, palpal bulb, retrolateral view. E. Same, prolateral view. F. Spermathecae, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–E = 1 mm; F = 0.1 mm.