A new species of Asceua Thorell, 1887 (Araneae, Zodariidae) from the Western Ghats of India Author Asima, A. 0000-0002-3110-262X Department of Zoology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 581, India. asimaashrafkh15@gmail.com Author Sankaran, Pradeep M. 0000-0003-0884-5625 Division of Arachnology, Department of Zoology, Sacred Heart College, Thevara, Cochin, Kerala 682 013, India. pradeepmspala@rediffmail.com Author Prasad, Gopal 0000-0003-1104-0617 Department of Zoology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 581, India. probios1@gmail.com text Zootaxa 2024 2024-08-07 5492 4 596 599 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5492.4.8 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.5492.4.8 1175-5326 13269124 14163372-6E23-4B94-9B40-07153F3E2B30 Asceua tertia sp. nov. Figs 1–2 Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjective, and indicating the third species of Asceua from India . Latin tertius = third. Type material. Holotype ♂ (ZSI/ WGRC /I. R .INV.26826) and paratypes ♂ , 3 ♀♀ ( two females damaged) (ZSI/ WGRC/1 . R .INV.26827, 26828, 26829, 26830 respectively), INDIA : Kerala : Kollam , Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary ( 8.913028°N 77.102833°E ; 780 m a.s.l. ), 12 March 2021 , leg. A. Asima , from ground, by hand. Other material examined. INDIA : Kerala : 1 ♀ (ZSI/ WGRC /I. R .INV.26831), Ernakulam , Malayatoor , Kurisumudi ( 10.183°N 76.30°E ; 40 m a.s.l. ), 04 December 2013 , leg. M.S. Pradeep , from ground, by hand . Diagnosis. Asceua tertia sp. nov. are most similar to Asceua torquata (Simon, 1909) as both share laterally compressed cymbium, cymbium with prominent posteroretrolateral cymbial process, horizontally oriented, hyaline conductor, branched median apophysis, W-shaped posterior epigynal margin, epigyne with anterior hood, and copulatory ducts with wide proximal and narrow distal parts, but can be separated by the following combination of features: males by tibia with prominent PTA ( vs . less evident in A . torquata ), prolateral branch of median apophysis anteriorly directed ( vs . retrolaterally directed in A . torquata ), and RTA without bifurcation ( vs . bifurcated in A . torquata ); females by large median epigynal depression ( vs . absent in A . torquata ), and oval spermathecae ( vs . spherical in A . torquata ) (cf. Fig. 2A–C, E–G , Zhang et al. 2012 : figs 13–17 and Zhang & Zhang 2018 : fig. 8A–B, D–E). Males of A . tertia sp. nov. can be separated from the males of A . cingulata and A . trippalurensis , the only two Indian congeners by large and bifurcated prolateral tibial apophysis ( vs . small and undivided in both species), flat and membranous conductor ( vs . stout and sclerotised in both species), and tip of embolus with thorn-like process and ventral membranous extension ( vs . absent in both species); females can be separated from the females of both species by epigyne with anterior hood and median epigynal depression with median bulging, which are absent in the latter two species (cf. Fig. 2A–B, D–F and Sankaran 2023 : figs 5A–B, E, 10A–B, E). FIGURE 1. Asceua tertia sp. nov. , holotype male (ZSI/WGRC/I.R.INV.26826; A, C, E, G, I–J) and paratype females (ZSI/ WGRC/1.R.INV.26828 & 26831; B, D, F, H, K–L). A–B live images. C–D habitus, dorsal. E–F same, retrolateral. G–H same, frontal. I–J left palp: I prolateral; J ventral. K–L genitalia of paratypes: K epigyne intact of female 2 (ZSI/WGRC/1.R.INV.26831); L vulva of female 1(ZSI/WGRC/1.R.INV.26828). Scale bars: C–J, 0.5 mm; K–L, 0.2 mm. FIGURE 2. Asceua tertia sp. nov. A–D left palp (ZSI/WGRC/I.R.INV.26826): A prolateral; B ventral; C retrolateral; D enlarged view of the tip of embolus, retrolateral. E–G female genitalia (ZSI/WGRC/1.R.INV.26828): E epigyne, ventral; F same, retrolateral; G vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations: C, conductor; CD, copulatory duct; CS, cymbial scopula; CP, cymbial process; E, embolus; EB, embolar base; ED, epigynal depression; EH, epigynal hood; FD, fertilisation duct; MA, median apophysis; PTA, prolateral tibial apophysis; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; S, spermatheca; SD, sperm duct; T, tegulum; VTA, ventral tibial apophysis. Arrows indicate retrolateral branch of PTA (1), branches of MA (2 & 3), distodorsal thorn-like process of embolus (4), ventral membranous extension of embolus (5), and median bulging of epigyne (6). Scale bars: A–G, 0.2 mm. Description. Male ( holotype ) in alcohol ( Fig. 1C, E, G ). Body length 2.54. Carapace 1.24 long, 0.10 wide. Opisthosoma 1.30 long, 0.10 wide. Prosoma overall yellow-brown. Leg and palp segments creamy white to yellow-brown, with broad brown patches and narrow longitudinal stripes on femora, patellae and tibiae of all legs; dorsum of opisthosoma with three pairs of obliquely oriented narrow, creamy white stripes and a white dot near the rear end ( Fig. 1C ), sides posteriorly with a pair of short, narrow, creamy white stripes and numerous tiny creamy white spots ( Fig. 1E ), venter creamy white, with broad brown patch posteriorly and with a pair of pale black patches anteriorly; dorsal scutum red-brown ( Fig. 1C ). Fovea short, longitudinal ( Fig. 1C ). Chilum inverted triangular, unipartite. Cheliceral promargin with two tiny teeth, retromargin without tooth visible. Sternum shield-shaped, with coxal and intercoxal extensions, former one well developed. Opisthosoma elongate-oval ( Fig. 1C ); dorsum anteromedially with narrow membranous scutum ( Fig. 1C ). Metatarsi II–III with distal preening brush. Eye diameters and interdistances: ALE 0.13, AME 0.12, PLE 0.11, PME 0.14; AME–ALE 0.04, AME–AME 0.03, AME–PME 0.12, ALE–PLE 0.03, PME–PLE 0.08, PME–PME 0.07. Clypeus height at AMEs 0.48, at ALEs 0.51. Chelicerae 0.52 long. Sternum 0.69 long, 0.75 wide. Measurements of palp and legs: palp 2.10 [0.68, 0.22, 0.20, 1.00], I 4.94 [1.24, 0.35, 1.21, 1.47, 0.67], II 4.22 [1.12, 0.38, 0.92, 1.24, 0.56], III 4.16 [1.15, 0.40, 0.86, 1.28, 0.47], IV 5.08 [1.30, 0.38, 1.10, 1.68, 0.62]. Leg formula: 4123. Spination of palp: femur pld 1 rld 1, patella spineless, tibia spineless, tarsus/ cymbium spineless; legs: femora I–IV do 2; patellae I–IV spineless; tibiae I–III spineless, IV rlv 1; metatarsus I spineless, II–IV plv 1 rlv 1; tarsi I–IV spineless. Palp ( Figs 1I–J , 2A–D ). Tibia with flat retrolateral, short, conical ventral, and broad prolateral apophyses ( Figs 1I , 2A–C ); RTA unbranched, with smoothly rounded distal part, directed at 12-o’ clock ventrally ( Figs 1J , 2B–C ); PTA distally bifurcated, with narrow, claw-like prolateral and broad, conical retrolateral branches ( Figs 1I , 2A, C ; arrow 1). Cymbium modified, with prominent cymbial retrolateral fold, with highly modified posteroretrolateral extremity forming cymbial process, dorsally with cymbial scopula ( Figs 1I–J , 2A–C ). Tegulum broad ( Figs 1J , 2B ). Median apophysis flat, with broad prolateral, and long, slender, retrolateral branches, lying adjacent to conductor ( Figs 1I–J , 2A–B ; arrows 2, 3). Conductor broad, hyaline, cup-shaped, horizontally oriented with distal curvature ( Figs 1J , 2B–C ). Embolus long, filiform, basolateral to tegulum, with short embolar base, at first running anteriorly along the prolateral side of cymbium, then turning retrolaterally, without forming distal loop, with blunt, flat tip having tiny thorn-like process distodorsally and membranous extension distoventrally ( Figs 1I–J , 2A–D ; arrows 4, 5). Female ( paratype ) in alcohol ( Fig. 1D, F, H ). Body length 3.20. Carapace 1.40 long, 1.00 wide. Opisthosoma 1.80 long, 1.50 wide. Habitus and details like male except for the following: colour of prosoma slightly dark brown. Opisthosoma widely oval, without dorsal scutum ( Fig. 1D ); dorsum with four pairs of creamy-white stripes ( Fig. 1D ); sides anteriorly with small and posteriorly with broad creamy white patches ( Fig. 1F ); venter uniformly creamy white. Eye diameters and interdistances: ALE 0.10, AME 0.12, PLE 0.09, PME 0.12; AME–ALE 0.03, AME–AME 0.04, AME–PME 0.14, ALE– PLE 0.02, PME–PLE 0.14, PME–PME 0.12. Clypeus height at AMEs 0.43, at ALEs 0.41. Chelicerae 0.50 long. Sternum 0.90 long, 0.66 wide. Measurements of palp and legs: palp 1.57 [0.68, 0.16, 0.33, 0.40], I 4.43 [1.00, 0.37, 1.10, 1.19, 0.77], II 3.73 [1.00, 0.30, 0.92, 1.01, 0.50], III 4.13 [1.00, 0.38, 0.90, 1.19, 0.66], IV 4.89 [1.01, 0.40, 1.19, 1.60, 0.60]. Leg formula: 4132. Spination of palp: femur do 1, patella spineless, tibia pl 1, tarsus pl 1 plv 2 rlv 1; legs: tibia IV spineless. Genitalia ( Figs 1L , 2E–G ). Epigyne with W-shaped posterior margin, with median broad, membranous depression, with median bulging visible only in lateral view, with anterior hood ( Fig. 2E–F ; arrow 6). Copulatory openings indistinct. Copulatory ducts long, with multiple windings, with wide proximal and narrow distal parts ( Figs 1L , 2G ). Spermathecae small, oval, lying adjacent to each other, situated posteriorly ( Figs 1L , 2G ). Fertilization ducts narrow, diverging ( Figs 1L , 2G ). Variation. Male (n=2): body length 2.30–2.54. Female (n=2) (excluding all damaged ones): body length 3.20–3.28. Distribution. Known only from India ( Kerala ).