Castianeira furva Sankaran, Malamel, Joseph & Sebastian, 2015, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Sankaran, Pradeep M.
name: Malamel, Jobi J.
name: Joseph, Mathew M.
name: Sebastian, Pothalil A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Corinnidae
Castianeira
Castianeira furva

description: Castianeira furva sp. nov.
(Figs 1A–J, 2A–J, 3A–F, 4A–C)
Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjective and refers to the body colour of the black morph of the new species. Latin furvus = black.
Diagnosis. Both males and females of C. furva sp. nov. can be separated from C. tinae Patel & Patel, 1973 and C. zetes Simon, 1897 by the following combination of characters: dorsal opisthosoma of C. furva sp. nov. with longitudinal bands, but in both C. tinae and C. zetes dorsal opisthosoma possesses transverse bands; embolus of C. furva sp. nov. is short, while C. tinae and C. zetes with comparatively longer emboli; C. furva sp. nov. with nearly medially placed copulatory openings, while in C. tinae and C. zetes, copulatory openings lying close to the posterior border of the epigynum (compare Figs 1A–C, 2A–F, 3A–E with Patel & Patel 1973: figs 3a, 3d–f and Majumder & Tikader 1991: figs 264–266, 269, 292–294).
Description (Black morph). Male in alcohol (holotype, figs 1A, 1D). Prosoma black with three longitudinal silverywhite bands, one median, two laterals. Eye field black with silvery-white hairs. Clypeus, chelicerae, labium, maxillae, sternum dark brown. Maxillae with scopulae. Sternum granulated. Opisthosoma elongated, black with three longitudinal silvery-white bands, one median, two laterals, which are broken. Spinnerets, legs brownish-black. All leg segments except metatarsi and tarsi with longitudinal silvery white bands; all trochanters notched. Body length 10.22. Prosoma length 5.30, width (at the middle) 3.54. Opisthosoma length 4.92, width (at the middle) 2.66. Eye diameters: AME 0.21. ALE 0.13. PME 0.16. PLE 0.16. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.11. AME–ALE 0.02. AME–PME 0.18. PME–PME 0.27. PME–PLE 0.16. Clypeus height at AME 0.50, at ALE 0.48. Length of chelicerae 1.52. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 5.63 [1.69, 0.67, 0.76, -, 2.51], I 12.54 [3.43, 1.30, 3.06, 2.77, 1.98], II 12.01 [3.33, 1.34, 2.72, 2.86, 1.76], III 11.74 [3.32, 1.36, 2.43, 3.07, 1.56], IV 16.57 [4.44, 1.61, 3.60, 4.95, 1.97]. Leg formula: 4123. Spination. Palp: femur pl 1 do 2, patella pl 1 do 2, tibia pl 1 plv 1, tarsus pl 3; legs: femora I–II pl 2 do 3 rl 1, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 1; patellae I–IV spineless; tibia I plv 3 rlv 3 (right plv 3 rlv 2), II plv 3 rlv 3, III–IV pl 2 plv 2 do 1 rl 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsus I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 2 rlv 2, III–IV pl 3 plv 3 rl 3 rlv 3 vt 1; tarsi I–IV spineless.
Pedipalp (Figs 2A–D, 3A–C): Palpal segments brownish-black; tibia without apophysis (Figs 2B–C, 3B–C). Bulb with slightly elongated globose base, short distal neck with an oblique apical depression (Figs 2A–B). Retrolateral subtegulum small (Figs 2C, 3C). Sperm duct thick, prominent (Figs 2A–C, 3A–C). Embolus short, flat with median prominent twist, tip blunt, directed at 11-o’ clock position (Fig. 2D).
Female in alcohol (Paratype, figs 1B, 1E). In all details like male except the following: Prosoma elongated oval. Body length 9.86. Prosoma length 4.78, width (at the middle) 3.37. Opisthosoma length 5.08, width (at the middle) 3.65. Eye diameters: AME 0.18. ALE 0.14. PME 0.15. PLE 0.16. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.13. AME–ALE 0.06. AME–PME 0.28. PME–PME 0.24. PME–PLE 0.12. Clypeus height at AME 0.39, at ALE 0.36. Length of chelicerae 1.67. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 5.18 [1.45, 0.76, 1.12, -, 1.85], I 12.40 [3.38, 1.48, 2.91, 2.88, 1.75], II 11.55 [3.29, 1.37, 2.64, 2.63, 1.62], III 11.16 [3.16, 1.34, 2.45, 2.92, 1.29], IV 15.83 [4.16, 1.61, 3.58, 4.76, 1.72]. Leg formula: 4123. Spination. Palp: femur do 2 rl 1, patella pl 1 do 2, tibia pl 2 do 2, tarsus pl 2 plv 1 rl 1 rlv 1; legs: femora I–II pl 2 do 3 rl 1, III–IV pl 2 do 3 rl 2; patellae I–IV spineless; tibiae I–II plv 3 rlv 3, III pl 2 plv 2 do 1 rl 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 1 plv 2 do 1 rl 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi I–II plv 2 rlv 2, III–IV pl 3 plv 3 rl 3 rlv 3 vt 1; tarsi I–IV spineless. Epigynum (Figs 2E– F, 3D–F): Copulatory opening small, widely placed (Figs 2E, 3D); rim of copulatory opening with disto-prolateral thickening (Fig. 3D). Spermathecae large, sac-like, contiguous, leaving a small median separation, with medio-lateral lobe (Fig. 3E–F). Copulatory duct S-shaped, with proximal part lying parallel to the spermathecal base (Fig. 3F). Fertilization duct spatula-shaped (Fig. 3E).
Yellow morph. Male in alcohol (with left legs I, IV and right leg I missing) (Figs 1C, 1F). In all details like the male of black morph except the following: prosoma yellowish-brown. Eye field brown. Clypeus, chelicerae, labium, maxillae, sternum brown. Venter of opisthosoma provided with a broad median silvery-white patch. Spinnerets, legs brown. Legs with black annulations. Body length 9.69. Prosoma length 5.24, width (at the middle) 3.53. Opisthosoma length 4.45, width (at the middle) 2.71. Eye diameters: AME 0.22. ALE 0.12. PME 0.14. PLE 0.18. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.12. AME–ALE 0.03. AME–PME 0.22. PME–PME 0.28. PME–PLE 0.17. Clypeus height at AME 0.57, at ALE 0.55. Length of chelicerae 1.86. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 5.40 [1.75, 0.71, 0.68, -, 2.26], I missing, II 12.31 [3.42, 1.43, 2.76, 2.98, 1.72], III 11.29 [3.24, 1.40, 2.53, 2.94, 1.18], IV (right) 16.17 [3.92, 1.54, 3.70, 5.11, 1.90]. Spination. Palp: femur pl 1 do 2, patella pl 1 do 1, tibia pl 1 plv 1, tarsus pl 4; legs (both legs I missing): femur II pl 2 do 3 rl 1, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV (right) pl 2 do 3 rl 2; patellae II–IV spineless; tibia II plv 4 rlv 3, III pl 2 plv 3 rl 3 rlv 3 vt 1, IV (right) pl 2 plv 3 rl 3 rlv 3 vt 1; metatarsus II plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 plv 3 rl 2 rlv 3, IV (right) pl 3 plv 3 rl 3 rlv 3 vt 1; tarsi II–IV spineless.
Pedipalp (Figs 2G–J, 4A–C): Palpal segments brown. Retrolateral subtegulum large, membranous (Figs 2H–I, 4B– C). Sperm duct narrow, less prominent than the black morph (Figs 2G–I, 4A–C). Embolic tip close to 11-o’ clock position (Fig. 2J).
Type material (Black morph): Holotype: Male (ADSH 1810A), INDIA: Kerala: Malappuram, Akambadam, 11o18'37.42''N, 76o12'31.68''E, 41 m a.s.l., 15 May 2013, M.S. Pradeep leg., by hand; Paratype: 1 female (ADSH 1810B), same data as holotype.
Other material examined: Black morph: 1 male (ADSH 1810C), INDIA: Kerala: Thrissur, Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary, 10o25'06.80''N, 76o32'07.25''E, 709 m a.s.l., 8 May 2013, M.S. Pradeep leg., by hand. 2 males, 1 female (ADSH 1810D), INDIA: Kerala: Ernakulam, Illithodu, 10o11'55.94''N, 76o33'00.57''E, 24 m a.s.l., 26 February 2014, M.S. Pradeep leg., by hand.
Yellow morph: 2 males, 1 subadult male, 2 subadult females, 1 juvenile female (ADSH 1810E), INDIA: Kerala: Idukki, near Kuyilimalai Hills in Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, 9o50'46.91''N, 76o56'16.72''E, 825 m a.s.l., M.J. Mathew leg., 23 December 2012, by hand. 1 subadult female (ADSH 1810I), INDIA: Kerala: Pathanamthitta, Gavi, 9o26'09.07''N, 77o09'56.78''E, 1201 m a.s.l., 21 December 2013, M.S. Pradeep leg., by hand. 1 subadult male (ADSH 1810F), INDIA: Kerala: Malappuram, Akambadam, 11o18'37.42''N, 76o12'31.68''E, 41 m a.s.l., 14 May 2013, M.S. Pradeep leg., by hand. 1 subadult female (ADSH 1810G), INDIA: Kerala: Ernakulam, Illithodu, 10o11'55.94''N, 76o33'00.57''E, 24 m a.s.l., 25 February 2014, M.S. Pradeep leg., by hand. 1 subadult female (ADSH 1810H), INDIA: Kerala: Ernakulam, Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary, 0 9o 59'18.00''N, 76o16'27.63''E, 7 m a.s.l., 12 April 2014, Sr. Joicy leg., by hand. 1 subadult male (ADSH 1810J), INDIA: Kerala: Kollam, Kulathupuzha Forest Reserve, 8o54'06.37''N, 77o03'51.70''E, 134 m a.s.l., 11 January 2015, M.S. Pradeep leg., by hand.
Natural history. C. furva sp. nov. are very fast running spiders that occur in leaf litter in dry deciduous and semideciduous forest floors.
Distribution. Known only from Kerala, southern India (Fig. 5).
description: Published as part of Sankaran, Pradeep M., Malamel, Jobi J., Joseph, Mathew M. & Sebastian, Pothalil A., 2015, Castianeira furva sp. nov. (Araneae, Corinnidae, Castianeirinae), a new polymorphic ground sac spider from the southern Western Ghats of India, pp. 569-576 in Zootaxa 3964 (5) on pages 570-573, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3964.5.7, http://zenodo.org/record/243978