Indothele mala Coyle, 1995

Indothele mala Coyle, 1995 View in CoL

Figs 11–12 View Fig View Fig , 14 View Fig , Table 3 View Table 3

Indothele mala Coyle, 1995: 114 View in CoL , figs 369–370 (♀).

Indothele mala View in CoL – this work: Figs 11A–H View Fig , 12A–E View Fig (♂).

Type locality

Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, India ( Coyle 1995).

Type repository

CAS ( Coyle 1995).

Material examined

INDIA • 1 ♂; Karnataka, Kolar ; 12°45′ to 13°35′ N, 77°50′ to 78°35″ E; 2–4. Apr. 1902 –1912; G.P. Staunton leg.; BMNH • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; BMNH ( Fig. 11L View Fig ) .

Diagnosis

Males of Indothele mala resemble those of I. amboli sp. nov., by the very long and slender embolus curving gently upward; the metatarsus I ventral apophysis situated medially and consisting of a low retrolateral ridge, and the distal end of the metatarsus with a tiny protuberance situated basally. However, it can be distinguished by the following characters: (1) the embolus slightly broad with short tip (vs much slender and embolic tip longer in I. amboli ), and (2) the tibial apophysis short and broad (vs elongate and narrow in I. amboli ) (cf. Fig. 11A–E View Fig vs Figs 2 View Fig , 4A–C View Fig ).

Description

Male ( Figs 11A–H View Fig , 12A–E View Fig )

Measurements: total length including chelicerae: 8.80. Carapace: length 3.83, width 3.08. Caput: slightly raised. Ocular tubercle: raised, length 0.46, width 0.90. Eyes: AME> ALE, ALE> PLE, PLE> PME, anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior row recurved ( Fig. 11B View Fig ). Clypeus: narrow; clypeal fringe and short. Fovea: deep, transverse. Chelicerae: length 1.22, width 0.85. Abdomen: length 4.45, width 3.40. Maxilla with 20–25 cuspules covering approximately 49% of the proximal edge. Labium: length 0.25, width 0.66, lacking cuspules. Labio-sternal mounds: separate. Sternum: length 2.14, width 1.79. Lengths of legs and palpal segments: see Table 3 View Table 3 , legs 4,3,2,1. Tibia I with triangular retrolateral apophysis ( Fig. 11D–H View Fig ). Femur III: unmodified. Palpal tibia: unmodified. Palpal cymbium: elongate, tarsus-like ( Fig. 12A–C View Fig ). Metatarsus I: metatarsal protuberance present and situated ventroretrolaterally. PLS with three segments, basal 1.20, median 1.06, digitiform apical 1.32, rigid. PMS with one segment. Palpal bulb with embolus 3 times longer than base of bulb, slight dorsal curve at apex, sperm duct wide ( Fig. 12A–E View Fig ). Colour: overall brown, carapace darker than legs, opisthosoma dark brown with beige chevrons dorsally ( Fig.11A View Fig ).

Female ( Figs 11I–K View Fig , 12F View Fig )

Measurements: total length including chelicerae: 8.36. Carapace: length 2.98, width 2.69. Caput: slightly raised. Ocular tubercle: raised, length 0.39, width 0.78. Eyes: AME> ALE, ALE> PLE, PLE> PME, anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior row recurved ( Fig. 11J View Fig ). Clypeus: narrow; clypeal fringe: short. Fovea: deep, transverse. Chelicerae: length 0.80, width 0.49. Abdomen: (detached) length 4.14, width 3.15. Maxilla with 30–35 cuspules covering approximately 43% of the proximal edge. Labium: length 0.19, width 0.49, lacking cuspules. Labio-sternal mounds: separate. Sternum: length 1.85, width 1.53. Lengths of legs and spination not scored due to fragility (curatorial decision), legs 4,3,2,1. PLS with three segments, basal 1.07, median 0.73, digitiform apical 1.41, rigid. PMS with one segment. Spermathecae with four receptacles, paired on respective sides, lobes at apexes indistinguishable from receptacle neck, each rounded and unilobar ( Fig. 12F View Fig ). Colour: as in male ( Fig. 11I View Fig ).

Records from India

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka ( Coyle 1995; present work: Fig. 14 View Fig ).

Distribution

Known only from India (World Spider Catalog 2024).

Remarks

The male is described for the first time in this work. The BMNH material of I. mala was historically misidentified as I. dumicola ( Figs 11–12 View Fig View Fig ).