New species of genus Hersilia Audouin, 1826 (Araneae: Hersiliidae) from India

 

G.B. Pravalikha 1, Chelmala Srinivasulu 2 & Bhargavi Srinivasulu 3 

 

1,2,3 Wildlife Biology & Taxonomy Lab, Department of Zoology, University College of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500007, India

2,3 Systematics, Ecology & Conservation Laboratory, Zoo Outreach Organization (ZOO), 96 Kumudham Nagar, Vilankurichi Road, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641035, India

3 Biodiversity Research and Conservation Society, G4 MRK Towers, Swarnadhamanagar, Old Bowenpally, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500011, India

1 prava.gunti@gmail.com, 2 hyd2masawa@gmail.com (corresponding author), 3 bharisrini@gmail.com

 

 

 

Abstract: A new species of the genus Hersilia Audouin, 1826, Hersilia aadi sp. nov. isdescribed from Andhra Pradesh, India with notes on the species known from India.  The new species differs from its congeners based on having large palpal patella in males; and having two closely adjoining circular, small median genital openings and, long and curved copulatory duct in females.

 

Keywords:  Andhra Pradesh, Arachnida, Hersilia aadi sp. nov., Hersilia savignyi species group, new species, Osmania University.

 

Abbreviations: AER - anterior eye row; ALE - anterior lateral eye; AME - anterior median eye; bs - basal segment of posterior lateral spinnerets; CD - copulatory duct; d - dorsal; DMP - dorsal muscular pits; FD - fertilization duct; fe - femur; MOQ - median ocular quadrangle; mt - metatarsus; OUNHM - Osmania University Natural History Museum; p - prolateral; PER - posterior eye row; PLE - posterior lateral eye; PLS - posterior lateral spinnerets; PME - posterior median eye; Pmt - promarginalteeth; r - retrolateral; Rmt- retromarginal teeth; SP - spermatheca; SR - seminal receptacle; Ti - tibia; ts - terminal segment of posterior lateral spinnerets; TBL - total body length (carapace + abdomen); VMP - ventral muscular pits; vs. - versus; WA - anterior width of the MOQ; WP - posterior width of the MOQ.

 

 

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o3723.5553-7   |  ZooBank:urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:984E1289-B579-4078-BEA5-7AA96D222C9C

 

Editor: Manju Siliwal, WILD, Coimbatore, India.     Date of publication:26 March 2014 (online & print)

 

Manuscript details: Ms # o3723 | Received 22 July 2013 | Final received 21 February 2013 | Finally accepted 01 March 2014

 

Citation: Pravalikha, G.B., C. Srinivasulu & B. Srinivasulu (2014). New species of genus Hersilia Audouin, 1826 (Araneae: Hersiliidae) from India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 6(3): 5553–5557; http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o3723.5553-7

 

Copyright: © Pravalikha et al. 2014. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 UnportedLicense. JoTT allows unrestricted use of this article in any medium, reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publication.

 

Funding: The study was supported by grants from Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and University Grants Commission, New Delhi

 

Competing Interest: The authors declare no competing interests.

 

Acknowledgements: We thank the Head, Department of Zoology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, for providing necessary facilities; Shri. A.V. Joseph IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Andhra Pradesh Forest Department for encouragement. We acknowledge UGC, New Delhi; DBT, New Delhi and UGC-DRS-SAP III, Deparment of Zoology, OsamaniaUniversity for research grants.

 

 

 

For figures, images, tables -- click here

 

 

 

The family Hersiliidae Thorell, 1870 comprises conspicuously long-legged, medium-sized spiders distinguished by extremely long posterior lateral spinnerets. The hersilid spiders are commonly found on tree trunks, and are known as bark spiders or two-tailed spiders. They are easily recognized by long stretched legs, raised clypeus and bi-articulation of legs I, II and IV.  The family Hersiliidae consists of 15 genera and 176 species distributed worldwide (Platnick 2013) (excluding nomina dubia); the majority of the species occurs mainly in the Afro-tropical region. The genus Hersilia Audouin, 1826 of family Hersiliidae is the largest and most widely distributed ranging from Oriental to Afrotropicalregions (Baehr & Baehr1993; Foord 2008).

Until recently, the genus Hersilia was known only by four species, namely, H. savignyi Lucas, 1836, H. sumatrana Thorell, 1890, H.striata Wang & Yin, 1985 and H. tibialis Baehr & Baehr, 1993, from India. Two new species, namely, H. orvakalensis Javed et al. 2010 (from Orvakal Village, Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh) and H. longivulva Senet al. 2010 (Jalpaiguri, West Bengal), were described recently. H. orvakalensis Javed et al. 2010 was recorded in semi urban gardens in peninsular India, while H. longivulva (Sen et al. 2010) was recorded from Jalpaiguriin the forested tracts near Darjeeling, West Bengal. Very little is known about their natural history excepting that they are arboreal forest dwellers (Javed & Tampal 2010). They are assumed to have evolved from ground-dwelling hersilids(Baehr & Baehr 1993; Rheims

& Brescovit 2004). This paper gives the description of the new species of genus Hersilia from Andhra Pradesh, India.

 

Material and Methods

A total of 13 specimens of Hersilia sp. nov. (six males, seven females) was collected between 2010 and 2012 from the Osmania University campus (17025’N & 78031’E), Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. Specimens were photographed with a Fujifilm super-macro digital camera in live condition, while photos of the preserved material were taken with a Sony Cybershot digital camera mounted on the eyepiece of a Lawrence and Mayo stereo zoom microscope. Line diagrams were drawn using camera lucida mounted on an Olympus stereo zoom binocular microscope.

All measurements presented are in millimeters, following Rheims & Brescovit(2004) and Foord (2008). Only minor colour corrections were made to the pictures. The epigynewas dissected and immersed in 50% NaOH solution (Barrion & Litsinger 1995) for 24 hours to study the internal structures. The terminology used in the current paper  partly  follows  Baehr  &  Baehr  (1993),  Rheims & Brescovit(2004), and Foord (2008). The specimens are deposited in the collection of the Natural History Museum of Osmania University, Hyderabad.

 

Taxonomy

Family Hersiliidae Thorell, 1870

Genus Hersilia Audouin, 1826

Hersilia Audouin, 1826: 317; Lucas, 1869: 1; Simon, 1893: 440; Smithers, 1945: 1; Benoit 1967: 1; Baehr & Baehr, 1993: 3; Levy, 2003: 1; Rheims & Brescovit, 2004: 1; Foord & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2006: 8; Chen, 2007: 13; Javed et al., 2010: 41.

The genus Hersilia was established by Audouin in 1826 based on H. caudata (see Pocock 1900).

Diagnosis: The genus Hersilia resembles the genus Murricia in having bi-articulation on legs I, II and IV, and having lateral eyes on distinct tubercles. However, it differs from the genus Murricia by the region between PME & PLE being not tuberculated, having oval to elongated shape of abdomen, four pairs of DMP, longer legs and PLS (Chen 2007).

Type species: Hersilia caudata (Audouin, 1826)

Distribution: Ranges from Oriental to Afrotropical regions (Baehr & Baehr 1993; Foord 2008).

 

Hersilia aadi sp. nov.

(Images 1–2 & Fig. 1)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:250CF397-7A3D-48CC-A4D8-C4D9921380EA

 

Type material: Holotype: OUNHM.ART.ARA.2011.13, male, 21.vi.2011, Osmania University campus (17025’N &   78031’E),   Andhra   Pradesh,   India,   coll.   Bhargavi Srinivasulu   and   C.   Srinivasulu.   Paratype:   OUNHM.ART.ARA.2011.14, female, same data as holotype. Other material: 10.v.2011, five males (OUNHM.ART. ARA.2011.15-19) andsix females (OUNHM.ART. ARA.2011.20-25), Osmania University campus (17025’N&  78031’E),  Hyderabad,  Andhra  Pradesh,  India,  coll. Bhargavi Srinivasulu and C. Srinivasulu.

Diagnosis:  Hersilia  aadi  sp.  nov.  belongs  to the Hersilia savignyi species group which includes H. asiatica, H.striata, H. montana, and H. taiwanensis based on the presence of truncated palpal tibia. Hersilia aadi sp. nov. differs from these species in having a large male palpal patella, leg I distinctly longer than II in males, long and curved copulatory duct, and two closely adjoining circular, small median genital openings in the female vulva (Table 1 & 2). The male palp resembles that of H. asiatica with the presence of large conical cymbium and excavate tegular apophysis, but differs in having circular embolus and pointed almond shaped tegular apophysis.

Description: Male (Holotype, Images 1a–j, 2, Fig. 1a–c.) Habitus: Medium-sized (TBL 5.90mm), two-tailed spider with four DMP and long PLS. Colour: Carapace pale yellow, dark brown laterally; clypeus pale, white anteriorly. Sternum heart-shaped with white mottling. Legs pale yellow with dark brown  bands.  Abdomen pale  yellow  with  dark  borders  anteriorly;  dark  mid longitudinal band; abdomen broad at middle, V-shaped at the apex, pale border around dorsal muscular pits; dorsum, lateral and posterior borders of abdomen with scattered, conspicuous, dark-coloured, flat leaf- like hairs; ventrum mottled white. Carapace: Rounded, as long  as  wide,  2.67  long,  2.56  wide  (length/width = 1.04); furnished with short hairs,  some  flat  leaf- like hairs between AMEs and behind ocular region; fovea longitudinal with radial striae; ocular region raised, concave behind PER, AER and PER recurved, lateral eyes situated on distinct tubercles; clypeus slightly raised, furnished with long hairs; chelicerae small, 0.92 long, distal part with long hairs, Pmt with three robust, triangular teeth (the 1stvery small, the 3rd the biggest) and Rmtwith seven on the left and six minute teeth on the right side. Maxilla 0.42 long, 0.31 wide (length/width = 1.35); labium 0.28 long, 0.44 wide (length/width = 0.63); sternum 1.30 long, 1.47 wide (length/width = 0.88). Eyes: Small; lateral eyes situated on the tubercle; AME, PME and PLE black, while ALE white; MOQ 0.58 long, 0.66 WA, 0.50 WP. Eye sizes and inter distances: AME > PLE > PME > ALE (0.26, 0.18, 0.16, 0.08) and AME-AME 0.14, AME-ALE 0.15, PME-PME 0.18, PME-PLE 0.21, ALE-PLE 0.13; AER 1.12, PER 1.28; AME, largest; ALE, smallest. Legs: Leg I longest, leg III smallest. Leg formula 1243; lengths of legs [total length (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus)]: I = 35.38 (8.73 + 1.23 + 10.53 + 13.84 + 1.05); II = 30.88 (7.52 + 1.11 + 8.96 + 12.28 + 1.01); III = 9.02 (2.73 + 0.74 + 2.15 + 2.54 + 0.86); IV = 26.27 (6.65 + 0.98 + 6.98 + 10.72 + 0.94); metatarsus of legs I, II and IV is biarticulate; leg spination: I (fe 3p,3d,2r; ti 2p,4d,2r,2v; mt 1p,2d,1r,1v); II (fe 3p,3d,3r;ti 3p,2d,2r,2v; mt 1p); III (fe 2p,1r; ti 1p,3d,1r; mt 2p,2d,2r,1v); IV (fe2p,4d,2r,1v; ti 3p,3d,2r; mt1p,2d,1r). Abdomen: Longer than wide, 3.23 long, 2.51 wide (length/width = 1.28). Dorsally with four pairs of DMP, all pairs of DMP dissimilar in size, the second pair, the largest and fourth pair smallest.  VMP arranged in a V shape. PLS 4.83 long (bs 0.83, ts 4.00), longer than the length of abdomen; posterior lateral spinnerets with no or faint annulation; spigots on the median border of the PLS dense and elongate. Pedipalp [total length (femur+patella+tibia+tarsus)]: 3.61 (1.37 + 0.52 + 0.53 + 1.19). Tibia short, as long as patella; patella truncated, dorsal  ridge  of the  patella triangular and  lacks spinoseridges.  Cymbium  conical with short and stout spines, embolus dark circular, tegular apophysis curved, narrow and apically brush-like.

 

Description   of   female (Paratype,           OUNHM.ART. ARA.2011.14, Images 3a–f))

Habitus: Medium-sized (TBL 6.39mm), two-tailed spider with four DMP and long PLS. Carapace: As male, except for size. Rounded, as long as wide, 2.92 long, 2.98 wide (length/width = 0.97); chelicerae small, 0.96 long, Pmt with three robust, triangular teeth and Rmt with eight on left and six minute teeth on the right side. Maxilla 0.59 long, 0.52 wide (length/width = 1.13); labium 0.43 long, 0.56 wide (length/width = 0.76); sternum 1.43 long, 1.65 wide (length/width = 0.86).  Eyes: MOQ 0.57 long, 0.68 WA, 0.52 WP. Eye sizes and inter distances: AME > PLE > PME > ALE (0.22, 0.17, 0.15, 0.08) and AME-AME 0.24, AME-ALE 0.17, PME-PME 0.22, PME-PLE 0.18, ALE-PLE 0.15; AER 1.18, PER 1.22; AME, largest; ALE, smallest. Legs: Leg II longest, leg III smallest. Leg formula 2143; lengths of legs [total length (femur + patella + tibia + meta tarsus + tarsus)]: I = 26.87 (7.38 + 1.34 + 6.83 + 9.12 + 1.22); II = 27.03 (7.03 + 1.39 + 6.99 + 10.44 + 1.18); III = 9.73 (3.17 + 0.84 + 2.09 + 2.52 + 1.11); IV = 23.92 (6.47 + 1.11 + 5.64 + 9.61 + 1.09; palp [total length (femur + patella + tibia + tarsus)] = 4.32 (1.35 + 0.73 + 0.86 + 1.38); metatarsus of legs I, II and IV is bi-articulate; leg spination: I (fe4p,3d,3r; ti 2p,3d,2r,1v; mt 1d,1r); II (fe 3p,2d,3r; ti 3p,2d,2r; mt 1p); III (fe 3p,2d,2r,1v; ti 2d,1r; mt 1p,1d); IV (fe 3p,3d,2r; ti 2p,2d,1r;  mt 2p,2d,2r).  Abdomen:  Almost  as  wide as long, 3.47 long, 3.26 wide (length/width = 1.06). Dorsally with four pairs of DMP, all pairs of DMP dissimilar in size, the second pair the largest and fourth pair smallest. VMP arranged in a V shape. PLS 6.35 long (bs 1.02, ts 5.33), nearly double the length of abdomen; posterior lateral spinnerets with no or faint annulation; spigots on the median border of the PLS dense and elongate. Epigyne: Epigyne weakly sclerotized, two pairs of spermathecae, ventral spermathecaesmall oval-shaped with long curved copulatory duct, dorsal spremathecae large elliptical-shaped; two copulatory openings; ventral spermathecaevisible through tegument.

 

Etymology

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition taken from the Sanskrit word ‘aadi’ meaning ‘first’.

 

Distribution

Presently known only from the type locality, Osmania University campus (17025’N & 78031’E), Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.

 

Natural History

The type specimens were collected on the bark of the Azadirachta indica and Polyalthia cerasoides trees in the Osmania University campus, Hyderabad. Many specimens of the new species described in this paper have been observed in the Osmania University Campus and other urban gardens. As opined by Javed& Tampal (2010), we feel that the species diversity in the family Hersilidae is under-represented and future research will result in discovery of new species.

 

References

 

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