Revision of the Asian spider genus Pandava Lehtinen (Araneae: Titanoecidae): description of five new species and first record of Titanoecidae from Africa Author Almeida-Silva, Lina M. Author Griswold, Charles E. Author Brescovit, Antonio D. text Zootaxa 2010 2630 30 56 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.276087 38eecf64-5305-459a-8a52-a55b1a23153e 1175-5326 276087 Pandava Lehtinen, 1967 Pandava Lehtinen, 1967 : 255 , figs. 425–426, 440. Type-species by monotypy and original designation: Amaurobius laminatus Thorell, 1878 : 168 ; Lehtinen, 1967 : 255 ; Platnick, 2010 . Diagnosis. Males of Pandava differ from Anuvinda , Goeldia , Nurscia and Titanoeca by the reduced tegular process near the base of the embolus ( Figs. 16–17 ); by the thumb-shaped median apophysis ( Fig. 17 ), which is absent in P . shiva sp. nov. ( Fig. 72 ) and divided in all other Titanoecidae ( Griswold et al. 2005 : 275, figs. 174B, 174C; Almeida-Silva et al. 2009a : 365, figs. 2, 3; Almeida-Silva et al. 2009b : 63, figs. 1, 2, 4). Females differ from other Titanoecidae by the anteriorly positioned epigynal rims ( Figs. 21 , 36 , 48, 50 , 56 , 73 , 88 , 90 , 99 , 101 , 103 ), which sometimes cover the copulatory openings; epigynum round and elevated in the median region; spermathecae elongated and varying in number: more than six in P. laminata ( Figs. 22–25 , 37 ), P . ganesha sp. nov. ( Fig. 104 ) and P . sarasvati sp. nov. ( Figs. 89 , 91–93 ); three or four in Pandava ganga sp. nov. ( Fig. 100 ) and P. kama sp. nov. ( Fig. 102 ), or reduced to a single lobe in P. shiva sp. nov. ( Figs. 74–77 ) and P. hunanensis ( Figs. 48–52 , 57 ). Description. Total length (males and females): 4.00–8.60. Carapace: cephalic area high and thoracic fovea reduced ( Figs. 38, 39 , 46 ). Eyes round, AME smaller than ALE, PME and PLE ( Figs. 40 , 47 ). Cheliceral fang 1/3 the length of the paturon. Chilum entire, reduced, smaller than outer border of the median eyes and without setae ( Fig. 1 ). Endites oblong, with regular serrula ( Fig. 2 ), labium square ( Fig. 45 ). Cheliceral promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two ( Fig. 97 ) and retrolateral face with stridulatory setae ( Figs. 3 , 98 ). Anterior border of sternum straight, laterally round and posteriorly acute, projecting between coxae IV ( Fig. 45 ). Leg formula variable but always with leg III shortest. One spine distally positioned on prolateral surface of femur I and II, except in P. s h i v a sp. nov. and P. hunanensis . Distribution and presence of other spines variable. Male tibial crack, when present, positioned after the first spine of tibiae I and II as described by Griswold (1993: 2, figs. 3–4) in Zoropsidae and Zorocratidae ( Griswold et al. 2005 : 242, fig. 141F), and by Almeida-Silva et al. (2009b) for Anuvinda . Prolateral surface of the palpal femur with stridulatory files ( Figs. 4–5 , 19–20 ). Tarsal claw with 10 to 14 narrow denticles ( Figs. 6 , 94 ). Tarsal organ of the male palp on the prolateral distal part of the cymbium, with transverse ridges ( Fig. 7 ). Tarsal organ of legs and female palp capsulate, with small, round opening ( Fig. 8 ). One single metatarsal trichobothrium with transverse ridges on basal hood ( Fig. 9 ), trichobothria absent from tarsi. All leg claws with multiple teeth including three to four denticles on the third claw ( Figs. 10 , 95–96 ). Calamistrum uniseriate and extending the entire length of metatarsus IV ( Figs. 11–12 ). Distally curved setae present on femur, tibia and metatarsus of some males ( Figs. 13–14 ) as in Anuvinda ( Almeida-Silva et. al . 2009b : 64, figs. 8–9) and also in females of Pandava ganga sp. nov. Abdomen oval. Cribellum divided, as broad as spinneret area ( Figs. 27–28 , 78, 80 ). Two major ampullate gland spigots ( Figs. 29 , 81 ) and 21 to 38 piriform gland spigots ( Figs. 29 , 79, 81 ) on the ALS, MAP recessed into PI spinning field; PMS with one mAP, six to 12 aciniform and two to three cylindrical gland spigots, paracribellar spigots absent ( Figs. 30 , 82 ); PLS with four paracribellar, one to two cylindrical and 13 to 14 aciniform gland spigots ( Figs. 31–32 , 83 ). Palpal tibial apophysis with RLT ear-shaped; MLT divided, with an indistinct base; PLT divided as in Pandava laminata and P. sarasvati sp. nov. ( Figs. 15 , 33, 35 , 84, 87 ), or entire and enlarged as in P. hunanensis and P. s h i v a sp. nov. ( Figs. 41, 43 , 53, 55 , 58–60 , 70, 72 ). Prolateral face of femur with stridulatory files made up of small, round protuberances and with few setae ( Figs. 4–5 , 19–20 , 66–69 ). Cymbium with prolateral furrow as an inverted “L” ( Figs. 15–16 , 33, 35 , 41, 43 , 55 , 70, 72 , 84, 87 ). Median apophysis entire ( Figs. 15, 17, 18 , 33–35 , 42, 44 , 53–55 , 84–87 ) or absent ( Figs. 61–63 ). Tegular process reduced ( Figs. 16–17 , 35 , 44 , 55 , 72 , 87 ). Spermatic duct bent once as an “S” ( Figs. 35 , 44 , 55 , 72 ). Pars pendula very reduced. Tegular furrow typical of Titanoecidae ( Figs. 17 , 34 , 54 , 62–63 , 71 , 86 ), serving as a resting place for the embolus. Embolus filiform ( Figs. 16–17 , 34 , 42, 44 , 54–55 , 71–72 , 86 ). Epigynum with copulatory openings and rim anteriorly positioned ( Figs. 21 , 36 , 48–50 , 56 , 73 , 88 , 90 , 99 , 101 , 103 ). Copulatory ducts with pores ( Figs. 24–25 , 75– 76 , 93 ). Fertilization duct filiform, may be partially covered by cuticle obscuring its connection with the spermathecae, e.g., Fig. 74 . Spermathecae elongated with lobes forming a bunch ( Figs. 22–25 , 37 , 89 , 91–93 ) except in P. s h i v a sp. nov. and P. hunanensis , whose spermatheca is limited to a single lobe ( Figs. 49, 51–52 , 57 , 74–77 ). Spermathecae with two kinds of pores: one enlarged, with the edges covered by a folded tissue, here called giant pore ( Figs. 22–25 , 91–93 ), which is located in the intersection among spermathecae and copulatory ducts; the other kind is a “primary pore” according to Bennett (1992: 6 and 17, fig. 32) which in Pandava is commonly located near the giant pore ( Figs. 75–77 ), except in P. s h i v a sp. nov. The primary pore is also found in other spiders ( Bennett, 1992 : 17, fig. 32; Wang, 2002 : 16, fig. 41). Remarks. The homology of the Pandava giant pore with the so-called “dictynoid” pore described by Bennett (1992) is uncertain. The “dictynoid” pore has been described as a single, porous plate in the bottom of a shallow, circular concavity ( Bennett, 1992, figs. 2, 6 ) or recessed into a deep hole ( Bennett, 1992, figs. 7, 9, 28 ). The giant pore of Pandava is oblong and does not have an obvious flat poreplate. Notably, the “dictynoid” pore has not been described from Dictyna . Understanding the homology among such giant pores must await optimization of this character on a comprehensive phylogeny of the relevant taxa. Geographical distribution. Asia: China , Japan , India , Indonesia , Myanmar , Pakistan , Philippines , Sri Lanka , Thailand ; Pacific: Marquesas Islands, New Guinea . Introduced in Germany . New records from Africa: Kenya , Tanzania and Madagascar . Composition. Seven species: Pandava laminata ( Thorell, 1878 ) ; P. hunanensis Yin & Bao, 2001 ; P. shiva sp. nov. , P. sarasvati sp. nov. , P. ganga sp. nov. , P. kama sp. nov. , P. ganesha sp. nov.