Martensopoda sanctor 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
Sparassidae
Martensopoda
Martensopoda sanctor

description: Martensopoda sanctor sp. nov.
(Figs 1A–J, 2A–E, 3A–C)
Type material: Holotype: Male (ADSH 920134A), INDIA: Kerala: Trivandrum, Kallar in Ponmudi, 8o45'35.79''N, 77o07'00.75''E, 920 m. alt., 0 4 October 2014, M.S. Pradeep leg. by hand; Paratype: 1 female (ADSH 920234A), same data as holotype.
Diagnosis. Males of M. sanctor sp. nov. can be separated from all other described congeners by the following combination of characters: embolus with a distal, oblique twist forming a wide loop (Figs 1D, 2C), while in M. minuscula, the distal, oblique embolic twist forms a narrow loop (Figs 4D, 5C), and in M. transversa, the distal, oblique embolic twist is absent (Jäger 2006: figs. 2, 5); embolic apophysis separates medially from the embolus (Figs 1D, 2C), but in both M. minuscula (Figs 4D, 5C) and M. transversa (Jäger 2006: figs. 1, 2, 5), embolic apophysis separates distally from the embolus; conductor with a disto-retrolateral, flattened, tongue shaped extension (Figs 1C–D, 2B–D), but in both M. minuscula (Figs 4C–D, 5B–D) and M. transversa (Jäger 2006: figs. 2, 5), conductor lacks such modification; hook-like cymbial spur (Figs 1F, 2E), but in both M. minuscula (Figs 4F, 5E) and M. transversa (Jäger 2006: figs. 3, 4), it is simple and curved. Female can be recognized by median part of the internal duct system which is lying only along the posterior part of the median line (Figs 1J, 3B), but in both M. minuscula (Figs 4J, 6B) and M. transversa (Fig. 8B, Jäger 2006: fig. 10), it lies along the entire length of the median line.
Description. Male (holotype): Prosoma uniformly reddish-brown with dark, faint markings (Figs 1A–B). Eye field reddish-brown, hirsute; eyes with distinct dark patches. Clypeus reddish-brown. Chelicerae, maxillae, labium, sternum yellowish-brown. Cheliceral promargin with 3 teeth, retromargin with 4 teeth; promargin provided with a row of long, curved hairs. Maxillae with reduced scopulae. Sternum without markings. Opisthosoma elongated oval, reddish-brown, hirsute; dorsum provided with four pairs of white spots; venter yellowish-brown. Spinnerets yellowish-brown with black shades. Leg segments reddish-brown with black shades on all patellae, tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi; all trochanters notched; metatarsus IV less scopulated; all other metatarsi and all tarsi with well developed scopulae. Body length 7.53. Prosoma length 4.42, width 4.25. Opisthosoma length 3.11, width 2.47. Eye diameters: AME 0.11. ALE 0.29. PME 0.20. PLE 0.32. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.14. AME–ALE 0.06. AME–PME 0.38. ALE–PLE 0.32. PME–PME 0.32. PME–PLE 0.41. Clypeus height at AME 0.30, at ALE 0.27. Chelicera length 1.84. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 6.58 [1.98, 0.94, 0.98, 2.68], I 18.37 [5.34, 2.16, 5.05, 4.43, 1.39], II 21.5 [6.35, 2.28, 6.18, 5.03, 1.66], III 17.69 [5.31, 1.90, 4.70, 4.30, 1.48], IV 19.83 [5.73, 1.75, 5.12, 5.44, 1.79]. Leg formula: 2413. Spination. Palp: femur 131, patella 101, tibia 2111, tarsus 3000; legs: femora I–III 323, IV 322; patellae I–IV 101; tibiae I–II 2026, III–IV 2126; metatarsi I–II 0 0 0 4, III 2014 (right 1012), IV 3036 (right 3024). Pedipalp (Figs 1C–F, 2A–E): Palpal segments reddish-brown. Prolateral bulge of cymbium prominent (1D, 2C). Tip of embolic apophysis serrated (Figs 2B–C). Conductor wide, membranous, situated distally on the tegulum, provided with a disto-retrolateral, flattened, tongue shaped extension (Figs 1C–D, 2A–D). RTA slender, directed at 1-o’clock position in ventral view (Fig 2C) with a distal bifurcation forming two short, unequal branches; retrolateral branch with a distal bifurcation (Figs 1D, 2C–D). Cymbial spur slender, hook-like, directed at 2.30-o’clock position in ventral view (1F, 2E).
Female (paratype): In all details like male except the following: Prosoma uniformly yellowish (Figs 1G–H). Eye field yellowish-brown. Clypeus, chelicerae brown. Maxillae, labium, sternum yellowish-brown. Opisthosoma squarish, yellowish-brown. Leg and palpal segments yellowish-brown. Body length 9.47. Prosoma length 4.61, width 4.52. Opisthosoma length 4.86, width 2.91. Eye diameters: AME 0.16. ALE 0.30. PME 0.20. PLE 0.35. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.19. AME–ALE 0.07. AME–PME 0.38. ALE–PLE 0.30. PME–PME 0.33. PME–PLE 0.45. Clypeus height at AME 0.33, at ALE 0.29. Chelicera length 2.18. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 6.10 [1.88, 0.89, 1.24, 2.09], I 15.02 [4.41, 2.07, 3.73, 3.58, 1.23], II 17.22 [5.20, 2.24, 4.41, 4.01, 1.36], III 14.05 [4.46, 1.83, 3.39, 3.20, 1.17], IV 15.53 [4.71, 1.75, 3.70, 3.90, 1.47]. Leg formula: 2413. Spination. Palp: femur 131, patella 101, tibia 2121, tarsus 1014; legs: femur I–II 323, III 322, IV 321; patellae I–IV 001; tibia I 1026, II–III 2026, IV 2024; metatarsi I–II 0 0 0 4, III 2014, IV 3036. Copulatory organ (Figs 1I –J, 3A–C): Epigynal field nearly oval (Figs 1I, 3A). Median septum slightly narrowing distally, with a triangular posterior pit (Figs 1I, 3A). Rims around copulatory openings forming a narrow circle (Figs 1I, 3A). Lateral loops of internal duct system extending posteriorly not to receptacula (Figs 1J, 3B). Median part of the internal duct system visible only at the posterior part of the median line (Figs 1J, 3B).
Etymology. The specific epithet is a term in apposition and is derived from the combination of two Latin words: sanctus (sacred) + cor (heart), referring to the name of the home institution of the authors, Sacred Heart College.
Natural history. Both male and female of M. sanctor sp. nov. were collected from leaf litter in a semievergreen forest floor.
Distribution. Known only from the type locality, Kerala, southern India (Fig 9).
description: Published as part of Sankaran, Pradeep M., Malamel, Jobi J., Joseph, Mathew M. & Sebastian, Pothalil A., 2015, An updated review of the genus Martensopoda Jäger, 2006 (Araneae: Sparassidae: Heteropodinae), pp. 577-590 in Zootaxa 3937 (3) on pages 578-582, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3937.3.9, http://zenodo.org/record/232869