Synagelides lakmalii Kanesharatnam & Benjamin 2020, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Kanesharatnam, Nilani
name: Benjamin, Suresh P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Salticidae
Synagelides
Synagelides lakmalii

description: Synagelides lakmalii sp. nov.   
Figs 3 F–J, 4A–E, 5A–E  
 Type material. Holotype: ♂ (IFS_SAL_987), Sri Lanka, Central Province, Nuwara Eliya District, Maskeliya, Upcot, 1199 m, 06°46’N, 80°36’E, 03 October 2016, leaf litter, leg. U.G.S.L. Ranasinghe. Paratype: ♀ (IFS_SAL_ 988), same locality and collection data as in holotype.   
  Other material examined. SRI LANKA: Central Province : 1♂, 10♀ (IFS_SAL_989–999), same locality and collection data as type material.   
 Etymology. This species is named after our colleague U.G. Sasanka Lakmali Ranasinghe, who collected these specimens.   
 Diagnosis. The species is closely related to S. orlandoi sp. nov. by palpal structure, especially by the shape of the spiraled embolus. However, it is distinguishable from this and other Sri Lankan species of the genus by the larger stouter embolus (Figs 4D, 5 B–C), comparably narrower distal lobe, small proximal lobe of bulb (Figs 4D, 5B) and presence of a well-developed apical tibial apophyses (Figs 4E, 5 B–C). Further, distinguishable from Sri Lankan species of the genus by the absence of a MA (except for S. orlandoi).   
 Description. Male (holotype): in alcohol preserved specimens, prosoma sandy brown and carapace stippled (Fig. 4A). Black, square-shaped ocular quadrangle. Cervical groove behind PME. Eyes surrounded by black rings. Posterior prosoma truncated (Fig. 4A). Oval sternum (Fig. 4B). Extended front legs with enlarged femur, long and rigid spines on metatarsi and tibiae I. In leg I, Fm brown, basal half of Tb, Mt light yellow, tinged with brown, Pt and Ta pale yellow, remaining leg articles pale yellow tinged with brown. Abdomen oval, dorsum with yellowish-grey and pale-yellow transverse bands, shallow constriction at the middle dorsum. Venter pale yellow with yellowish-grey lateral sides (Fig. 4B). Palp brownish yellow, short cymbium. Bulb with narrow distal lobe, broad proximal lobe at the prolateral side, narrow, longitudinal cleft in distal bulb at the retrolateral side (Figs 4D, 5B). Embolus comparably long, spiral broad base (Figs 4D, 5 B–C). Tibia with RTA, VTA, DTA; VTA short, leaf-like (lanceolate), RTA slender hook-shaped, relatively less sclerotized; DTA digitiform, curved, blunt tip (Figs 4 D–E, 5B–C). Measurements: TL 2.49, PLe 1.10, PW at PLE 0.90, AL 1.17, AW 0.70. Leg I: Fm 0.69, Pt 0.51, Tb 0.48, Mt 0.21, Ta 0.24; Leg II: Fm 0.39, Pt 0.21, Tb 0.24, Mt 0.27, Ta 0.15; Leg III: Fm 0.42, Pt 0.21, Tb 0.18, Mt 0.30, Ta 0.18; Leg IV: Fm 0.54, Pt 0.47, Tb 0.42, Mt 0.37, Ta 0.21.   
Female (paratype): all characters as in male, except as follows: abdomen with poorly developed ‘herringbonelike’ dorsal patterns (Fig. 3F), lack of pale-yellow transverse abdominal stripes, brownish yellow legs, palps. Epigyne with two large and ovoid fossae separated by narrow median septum (Figs 3 H–J, 5D–E). CO inconspicuous, CD short, stout with thick wall. Spermathecae oval, adpressed to each other (Figs 3J, 5 D–E). FD lanceolate originated from antero-mid wall of spermathecae (Figs 3J, 5E). Measurements: TL 3.73, PLe 1.20, PW at PLE 0.84, AL 1.59, AW 0.99. Leg I: Fm 0.75, Pt 0.54, Tb 0.51, Mt 0.24, Ta 0.24; Leg II: Fm 0.45, Pt 0.27, Tb 0.30, Mt 0.27, Ta 0.18; Leg III: Fm 0.45, Pt 0.24, Tb 0.21, Mt 0.30, Ta 0.21; Leg IV: Fm 0.61, Pt 0.38, Tb 0.54, Mt 0.30, Ta 0.21.
description: Published as part of Kanesharatnam, Nilani & Benjamin, Suresh P., 2020, First record of Synagelides Strand, 1906 (Araneae: Salticidae) from Sri Lanka description of four endemic species from tropical wet forest of the island, pp. 43-56 in Zootaxa 4790 (1) on pages 47-50, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4790.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/3887835