Melicymnis Simon, 1885

Sankaran, Pradeep M. & Caleb, John T. D., 2025, On the taxonomic validity of Indian ground spiders: VI. Genera Ladissa Simon, 1907, Melicymnis Simon, 1885, and Poecilochroa Westring, 1874 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae), Zootaxa 5673 (1), pp. 132-142 : 134-135

Melicymnis Simon, 1885

Melicymnis bicolor Simon, 1885 [species inquirenda]

Figs 4–7

Melicymnis bicolor Simon, 1885: 23 , plate X, fig. 22 (juvenile). Murphy 2007: 589, fig. 594 (juvenile).

Mulicymnis bicolor Simon 1893: 370 (lapsus for Melicymnis ).

Type material. Syntypes juveniles, INDIA: Andhra Pradesh: Anantapur: Vajrakarur (=Wagra Karoor) (15°01’N 77°23’E; 446 m a.s.l.), date unknown, M.M. Chaper leg., repository MNHN, Paris (AR1643 & AR9664), examined based on photographs .

Remarks. We examined the syntypes of M. bicolor , and confirmed its stage of immaturity as mentioned by Platnick (2006) ( Figs 4–5 ). The anterior lateral spinnerets of M. bicolor are not cylindrical in shape as seen in other gnaphosid genera, but are conical, indicating its misplacement under Gnaphosidae ( Murphy 2007: fig. 594). The pattern of eye group including very large posterior median eyes, shape of the sternum, and the chelicerae with more than one pro-, and single retromarginal teeth ( Murphy 2007: fig. 594; herein Figs 4–5 ) fit this genus in Cithaeronidae Simon, 1893 , but confirmation requires the examination of adult specimens of M. bicolor . Until then, we formally propose this genus and the species to be considered a species inquirenda under Gnaphosidae . The syntypes juveniles in the MNHN collection are highly bleached and damaged ( Figs 4–5 ).

Distribution. India: Andhra Pradesh (Simon 1885).

Figures

FIGURES 4–7. Melicymnis bicolor Simon, 1885, syntypes juveniles. 4 habitus, dorsal. 5 same, ventral. 6–7 original labels found in the syntypes vial. Scale bars: 4–5, 5 mm. © MNHN, Paris.