Palpimanus maldhok Kuni, Tripathi & Sankaran 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Tripathi, Rishikesh
name: Sankaran, Pradeep M.
name: Kuni, Nikhil
name: Sudhikumar, Ambalaparambil V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Palpimanidae
Palpimanus
Palpimanus maldhok

description: Palpimanus maldhok Kuni, Tripathi & Sankaran sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: BFCF6789-CD2B-4FFA-A91F-A44D6FDFE0EA
Figs 1C–F, H, 7–11, 13
Diagnosis
Males of P. maldhok sp. nov. are similar to those of P. carmania Zamani & Marusik, 2021 as they both share the embolic stalk having narrow distal half in retrolateral view, and distomedian process of dorsal arm of the embolic stalk with smoothly rounded tip, but can be separated from the latter species by long distomedian process of dorsal arm of the embolic stalk (vs short in P. carmania), broad retrolateral arm of embolic stalk (narrow in P. carmania), and short, median arm of embolic stalk without serrated margin (vs broad with marginal serration in P. carmania) (cf. Figs 10B–C, 11A–C; Zamani & Marusik 2021: figs 15a–c, 16e–g). Females resemble those of P. godawan sp. nov. as both share elongate-oval receptacles that are contiguous only anteriorly, and accessory glands being originated distolaterally to posterior parts of receptacles, but can be separated by receptacles without wrinkles (vs wrinkled in P. godawan), and receptacles with cylindrical and less twisted posterior parts (vs flat and highly twisted in P. godawan) (cf. Figs 5F, 6E / Figs 10F, 11E). Females of P. maldhok sp. nov. can be distinguished from those of P. vultuosus by the absence of long whitish setae on the sternum (vs present in P. vultuosus; Simon 1897).
Etymology
The specific epithet is a noun in apposition and is the vernacular name of the Great Indian Bustard in Maharashtra, where the type locality of the new species is located.
Type material
Holotype INDIA • ♂; Maharashtra, Solapur, Solapur south, Boramani; 17.763° N, 76.04616° E; 523 m a.s.l.; 29 Jul. 2020; N. Kuni leg.; from under rock; by hand; NRC-AA-4176.
Paratypes
INDIA • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; NRC-AA-4177.
INDIA • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype except 1 km from Boramani; 17.77258° N, 76.04697° E; 532 m a.s.l.; 13 Jun. 2022; NRC-AA-4178, 4179.
Description
Male (holotype, NRC-AA-4176; Figs 1C–D, 7, 9A–D)
COLOUR. In alcohol: prosoma, leg I and scuta maroon; opisthosoma, spinnerets yellowish orange; legs II–IV yellowish brown.
GENERAL MORPHOLOGY. Carapace, clypeus, dorsum of chelicerae, coxae and trochanters of legs and abdominal scuta thickly clothed with fine white setae; carapace, sternum, chelicerae and leg I clothed with scattered black setae. Carapace rugose, sub-oval in dorsal view, with indistinct cephalic groove (Fig. 7A, C); cephalic part evenly rounded and noticeably elevated than thoracic part (Fig. 7A); thoracic part gently sloping (Fig. 7C). Fovea short, prominent, bipartite, with two separate sulci closely located side by side (Fig. 7F). Clypeus rugose. Chelicerae with prolateral concavity, surface covered with numerous small tubercles (Fig. 9A); cheliceral promargin with a broad keel, with a single row of short setae, retromargin without tooth or keel (Fig. 9A). Sternum rugose, rebordered, clothed with fine setae, with coxal and intercoxal extensions, truncated between coxae IV (Fig. 7H); intercoxal extensions fused with carapace (Fig. 7H). Femur, patella and tibia of leg I prolaterally with numerous tubercles, scattered on femur, clustered along the entire length on patella, restricted to proximal part of tibia (Fig. 9B), tibia, metatarsus and tarsus with well-developed prolateral scopula, that on tarsus proximally restricted (Fig. 9C); patella I very long, longer than tibiae I–III and metatarsi I–III (Fig. 9B–C); metatarsi II–IV with distal preening brush (Fig. 9D, arrow); tarsi with paired claws, scopulate, with less-developed claw tufts (Fig. 9D). Pedicel completely encircled with collar that is fused with abdominal scuta (Fig. 7B–C, H, J). Opisthosoma oval, hirsute, with numerous red spots (Fig. 7I); abdominal scuta remain fused together; dorsal part of abdominal scuta absent (Fig. 7C, I). Epigastral scutum nearly circular, with strongly sclerotised posterior edge, partly encircled by six thin scuta, two stripe-like laterals and two tiny and two slightly large dot-like medians (Fig. 7J; ES, SS, DMS). Tracheal spiracle prominent (Fig. 7K). AMS short, bi-segmented, cylindrical, not encircled by sclerotised ring (Fig. 7K).
MEASUREMENTS. Body length 5.52. Carapace 2.49 long, 2.07 wide. Opisthosoma 3.03 long, 2.05 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.08, AME 0.13, PLE 0.07, PME 0.06; AME–ALE 0.13, AME–AME 0.10, AME–PME 0.42, PME–PLE 0.35, PME–PME 0.26. Clypeus height at ALEs 0.13, at AMEs 0.18. Chelicerae 0.98 long. Measurements of palp and legs: palp 1.61 [0.56, 0.19, 0.32, 0.54], I 5.37 [1.79, 1.26, 1.19, 0.59, 0.54], II 4.13 [1.35, 0.68, 1.01, 0.65, 0.44], III 3.57 [1.17, 0.55, 0.87, 0.66, 0.32], IV 4.97 [1.46, 0.77, 1.24, 1.06, 0.44].
PALP (Figs 10A–C, 11A–C). Tibia swollen, as wide as long. Cymbium narrow (Figs 10A–C, 11A–C; Cy). Bulb almost pear-shaped (Figs 10A–C, 11A–C; B). Embolic stalk originates in distal half of bulb (Figs 10B–C, 11B–C; ES), with narrow distal part in retrolateral view (Figs 10C, 11C), with a weak prolateral curvature in ventral view (Figs 10B, 11B), with dorsal, prolateral, retrolateral and median arms (Fig. 11B; DAE, PAE, RAE, MAE); dorsal arm with one large distomedian and two tiny distolateral processes (Fig. 11B–C); prolateral arm with smooth edges (Fig. 11A–C), with a prominent prolateral folding (Fig. 11A–B); retrolateral arm broad and wrinkled (Fig. 11B–C); median arm short, cone-shaped, hyalin, flat, retrolaterally directed ventrally (Fig. 11A–C).
Female (paratype, NRC-AA-4177; Figs 1E–F, 8, 9E –H)
Like male except for the following:
COLOUR. In alcohol: legs light brown.
GENERAL MORPHOLOGY. Chelicerae with less developed prolateral concavity (Fig. 9E). Opisthosoma elongate-oval, without red spots (Fig. 8I); venter with two dot-like median scuta (Fig. 8J).
MEASUREMENTS. Body length 6.31. Carapace 2.93 long, 2.17 wide. Opisthosoma 3.38 long, 2.05 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.07, AME 0.12, PLE 0.06, PME 0.05; AME–ALE 0.12, AME–AME 0.07, AME–PME 0.39, PME–PLE 0.36, PME–PME 0.29. Clypeus height at ALEs 0.20, at AMEs 0.26. Chelicerae 0.99 long. Measurements of palp and legs: palp 1.57 [0.52, 0.18, 0.36, 0.51], I 5.49 [1.84, 1.33, 1.25, 0.58, 0.49], II 4.29 [1.32, 0.80, 1.02, 0.70, 0.45], III 3.81 [1.13, 0.70, 0.89, 0.75, 0.34], IV 5.41 [1.56, 0.88, 1.37, 1.15, 0.45].
GENITALIA (Figs 10D–F, 11D–E). Epigastral scutum hirsute (Fig. 10D), with mediolateral and posterior folds, former one incomplete (Figs 10D–E, 11D; MFE, PFE); posterior edge of epigastral scutum thick, W-shaped (Figs 10D–E, 11D). Endogyne with large receptacles, elongate-oval, balloon-like, longer than wide, lying adjacent to each other, with cylindrical, twisted posterior parts (Figs 10F, 11E; RE, PRE). Accessory glands elongate-oval, arise distolaterally to posterior parts of receptacles, with thin stalks, with varying number from four to five (Figs 10F, 11E; AG).
Variation
Male (n = 2): body length 5.29–5.52. Female (n = 2): body length 6.31–7.01.
Distribution
Currently known only from Maharashtra (Figs 1H, 13).
Natural history
Palpimanus maldhok sp. nov. is found under rocks. Like P. godawan sp. nov., this species also moves slowly, is shy by nature and always tries to hide under stones when disturbed.
description: Published as part of Tripathi, Rishikesh, Sankaran, Pradeep M., Kuni, Nikhil & Sudhikumar, Ambalaparambil V., 2023, New species of Palpimanus Dufour, 1820 from India (Araneae: Palpimanidae, Palpimaninae), with a catalogue of the Indian palpimanid fauna, pp. 26-50 in European Journal of Taxonomy 891 on pages 36-43, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2023.891.2265, http://zenodo.org/record/8334945