On the identity of species of the huntsman spider genus Thelcticopis Karsch, 1884 (Araneae: Sparassidae: Sparianthinae) from India, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka
Author
Sankaran, Pradeep M.
Division of Arachnology, Department of Zoology, Sacred Heart College, Thevara, Cochin, Kerala 682 013, India.
Author
Sherwood, Danniella
Arachnology Research Association, 124 City Road, London, ECIV 2 NX, United Kingdom. & Fundación Ariguanabo, 4111, Calle 58, e / ave. 41 y ave. 43, San Antonio de los Baños, Provincia Artemisa c. p. 18100, Cuba.
Author
Jäger, Peter
Arachnology, Senckenberg Research Institut, Mertonstrasse 17 - 21, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
text
Zootaxa
2024
2024-06-06
5463
3
301
338
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5463.3.1
journal article
298429
10.11646/zootaxa.5463.3.1
5390ab23-704a-4644-8307-4bfc73751bcf
1175-5326
11611277
6E261F38-7196-4C87-AE81-E09996D055F4
Thelcticopis picta
(
Thorell, 1887
)
Figs 16
,
26
Seramba picta
Thorell, 1887: 254
(
♀
).
Thelcticopis pictus
(
Thorell)
:
Pocock 1900: 271
.
Jäger
2005: 87, figs 1–5 (
♀
).
Type material.
Holotype
♀
,
MYANMAR
:
Kachin
:
Schwego
[=Shwegu; ca.
24°12’N
,
96°47’E
;
116 m
a.s.l.
]
Myo, L
. Fea leg., 1885 (
MCSN
; examined).
FIGURES 16A–G.
Thelcticopis picta
(
Thorell, 1887
)
, holotype female. A Epigyne, ventral; B, D Vulva (B dorsal, D lateral); C Schematic course of internal duct system, dorsal; E Eye arrangement, dorsal; F Opisthosoma, dorsal; G Left and right chelicerae, ventral. Drawings by Peter Jäger (modified after Jäger 2005).
Additional material examined.
1 ♀
,
MYANMAR
:
Kachin
:
Myitkyina
[ca.
25°23’40.80”N
,
97°22’57.67”E
;
145 m
a.s.l.
],
D.N. Marks
leg., 1945, APO 218 (
AMNH
)
.
Diagnosis.
Females of
T
.
picta
are very similar to those of
T. severa
in having a ‘Y’-shaped median septum and a similarly shaped internal duct system with three large coils and smaller windings within the functionally last part, but can be distinguished by (1) first windings of copulatory ducts anteriorly narrow and extending distinctly beyond the rest of the duct system (vs. first windings anteriorly wide and extending only slightly beyond the rest of the internal duct system in
T. severa
); (2) median longitudinal ridge distinctly pointed posteriorly (vs. ridge not pointed in
T. severa
); and (3) epigynal posterior projections long, i.e., as long as median septum at posterior margin wide (vs. short, i.e., less long than median septum at posterior margin wide in
T. severa
) (
Figs 16A–D
vs.
Zhu
et al
. 2020
: figs 2E–F).
Male
. Unknown.
Distribution.
Myanmar
(
Kachin State
) (
Fig. 26
).
Remarks.
From the distribution records close to that of
T. bicornuta
and from the overall similarity of somatic characters, like opisthosomal colouration as well as of genitalia resemblance between males of
T. bicornuta
and
T. severa
as well as
T. picta
and
T. severa
, it might well be that
T. bicornuta
turns out as a junior synonym of
T. picta
. As pointed out in the remarks of the former species, it may theoretically also be that both species are synonyms of a widely distributed
T. severa
. Future studies should include molecular analyses as well as more material from this species complex to find out about the status of all species involved. We retain the original names until all issues are clarified.