FIRST DESCRIPTION OF MALE LYNX SPIDER OXYOPES BHARATAE GAJBE, 1999 (ARANEAE: OXYOPIDAE)

Abstract

The male of lynx spider Oxyopes bharatae Gajbe, 1999 is first time described here along with detailed taxonomic description of female. Also natural history of the species is provided.

Full text

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473
FIRST DESCRIPTION OF MALE LYNX SPIDER OXYOPES
BHARATAE GAJBE, 1999 (ARANEAE: OXYOPIDAE)
Shubhi Malik*, Sanjay Keshari Das* and Manju Siliwal**
* University School of Environment Management, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha
University, Sector 16-C, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078, INDIA. E-mails: skdasipu@gmail.com;
malik.shubh@gmail.com
** Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society, 96 Kumudham Nagar, Villankurichi
Road, Coimbatore 641035, Tamil Nadu, INDIA. E-mail: manjusiliwal@gmail.com
[Malik, S., Das, S. K. & Siliwal, M. 2016. First description of male lynx spider Oxyopes
bharatae Gajbe, 1999 (Araneae: Oxyopidae). Munis Entomology & Zoology, 11 (2): 473-476]
ABSTRACT: The male of lynx spider Oxyopes bharatae Gajbe, 1999 is first time described
here along with detailed taxonomic description of female. Also natural history of the species
is provided.
KEY WORDS: Delhi, taxonomy, Oxyopes bharatae, male
The lynx spider family Oxyopidae Thorell, 1870 is represented by nine genera
and 451 species in the world, of which, 71 species under four genera viz.,
Hamadruas Deeleman-Reinhold, 2009; Hamataliwa Keyserling, 1887; Oxyopes
Latreille, 1804; Peucetia Thorell, 1869 have been reported from India (World
Spider Catalog, 2014).
The genus Oxyopes is a diverse group with worldwide distribution that
includes 300 species from all over the world (World Spider Catalog, 2014). Of
which, 46 species have been reported from India (Gajbe, 2008; Sen et al., 2011;
Bodkhe & Vankhede, 2012; Kulkarni & Deshpande, 2012; World Spider Catalog,
2014). During our surveys in various parts of Delhi, we collected many specimens
of Oxyopes spp. The most common species in Delhi recorded was O. bharatae
Gajbe, 1999. While going to through literature, we found that so far, the male of
this species was not described. Therefore, here, we describe male of lynx spider O.
bharatae Gajbe, 1999 for the first time based on collections made in Delhi. We
also provide additional description of female.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
The specimens were collected by hand picking method and preserved in 70%
ethyl alcohol with little glycerine. Measurements of body parts, except for the
eyes, were taken with a MitutoyoTM Vernier Caliper. Eye measurements were done
with calibrated ocular micrometer. Legs and pedipalp measurements were taken
dorsally for the left side. All measurements are in millimetres. Genitalia were
dissected and cleared in concentrated lactic acid in 100oC water bath for 15–20
minutes. All illustrations were prepared with the help of a drawing attachment
attached to an Olympus SZX10 stereomicroscope.
Abbreviations: AL = abdomen length, ALE = anterior lateral eye, AME =
anterior median eye, AW = abdomen width, CD = copulatory duct; CL =
cephalothorax length, CW = cephalothorax width, PLE = posterior lateral eye,
PME = posterior median eye, ALS = anterior lateral spinnerets, PMS = posterior
median spinnerets, PLS = posterior lateral spinnerets, TL = total length (excludes
chelicerae), RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis, VTA = ventral tibial apophysis.
Abbreviations used for hair and spines count are d = dorsal, fe = femur, mt =

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metatarsus, p = prolateral, pa = patella, r = retrolateral, ta = tarsus, ti = tibia, v =
ventral. All specimens are deposited at Indraprastha University Museum (IPUM),
New Delhi, India.
RESULTS
Oxyopes bharatae Gajbe, 1999
(Plates-1.A-D, 2.A,B; Tables 1, 2)
Material examined: 2 males, IPU-ARACH-72, IPU-ARACH-73; 1 female, (IPU-
ARACH-71): Garhi Mandu city forest, Wazirabad, New Delhi, India (28º 42' 35'' N
and 77º 14' 12'' E), 24.06.2014, coll. S. Sahoo.
Description (all measurements in mm)
Male: TL 7.00-8.50, CL 3.00-3.50, CW 2.00-2.75, AL 4.00-5.00, AW 1.30-1.80.
Cephalothorax: Longer than wide, brownish-yellow, convex, clothed with
pubescence and provided with four thick dark hairy longitudinal stripes extending
between posterior median and lateral eyes to posterior end of carapace; median
stripes straight, parallel and very close to each other with small vertical
inconspicuous fovea in between them, lateral stripes curved outwards and well
separated from median stripes on each side. Eye diameters and inter-distances:
AME 0.13, ALE 0.25, PME 0.25, PLE 0.20, AME–AME 0.13, PME–PME 0.25,
PLE-PLE 0.25. Eyes black, anterior row of eyes strongly recurved, medians much
smaller than laterals and nearly equidistance from each other, posterior row of
eyes strongly procurved, equal in size and equidistance from each other, anterior
laterals and posterior row of eyes forms hexagon, all with black rim around them;
ocular quad slightly longer than wide, clypeus yellow 0.35 high, pair of dark hairy
vertical band extending from AMEs till base of fangs. Sternum heart shaped,
cordate, light yellowish-green, clothed with scattered long, black, erect hairs and
spines, chelicerae vertical, orange in colour, fangs small, yellowish-brown and
with single tooth on each margin. Labium and maxillae longer than wide, labium
slightly concave anteriorly and protrudes medially, maxillae posteromedially
constricted and apically scopulate.
Abdomen: Longer than wide, posteriorly narrow; mid-dorsally provided with
broad dark orange band running for length; laterally with yellowish-white and
black patches. Ventral side lighter than dorsal, mid ventrally provided with two
longitudinal dark green stripes starting from epigastric furrow to spinnerets.
Legs: Legs long, strong and clothed with spines, yellowish-green, reddish
annulations on joints of ti and mt of Leg IV, femora of all legs laterally provided
with black line. Leg formula 1243 (Table 1). Spines, I: fe, v=1, r=3; pa, d=1, p=2,
r=2; ti, v=1, p=3, r=3; mt, d=1, p=3, r=3, II: fe, v=2, p=2, r=2; pa, p=2, r=2, ti,
p=3, r=3; mt, p=3, r=3, III: fe, d=1, v=2, p=3, r=2; pa, p=2, r=1; ti, p=2, r=2; mt,
p=3, r=3, IV: fe, v=4, r=2; pa, p= 2, r=1; ti,p=3, r=2; mt, p=3, r=3.
Spinnerets: Dark brown, ecribellate and without colulus, three pairs: ALS,
PMS, PLS; PMS conical, single segment, smallest and hidden between ALS and
PLS; ALS and PMS cylindrical with two segments each; PLS largest.
Palp: Tibia with two tibial apophysis, RTA and VTA. RTA large, wide and
nearly pentagonal. VTA digitiform. Cymbium with two ventral spines; three long
hairs on tibia; two long hairs on patella Embolus long covered with conductor;
conductor wider with bifurcated pointed tips; median apophysis triangular with
pointed tip.

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Female: TL 9.50, CL 3.50, CW 2.50, AL 6.00, AW 2.00.
Cephalothorax and abdomen almost same to males with slight difference in
colour pattern; cephalothorax in females greenish-yellow, abdomen
anteromedially with silvery white lanceolate patch on dorsal side and laterally
bordered with silvery white stripe with black bands within. Eye diameters and
inter-distances: AME 0.12; ALE 0.25; PME 0.25; PLE 0.2; AME–AME 0.13;
PME–PME 0.25; PLE-PLE 0.25. Eye arrangement, chelicerae, sternum, maxillae,
labium and spinnerets similar as in male. Legs also similar to males except spines
(Table 2). Spines, I: fe, p=3, r=2; pa, d=1; ti, p=3, r=2; mt, d=2, p=3, r=3, II: fe,
r=3; pa, p=1, r=1; ti,v=1, p=1, r=3; mt, p=3, r=3, III: fe, r=2; pa, p=2, r=1; ti, p=3,
r=3; mt, p=3, r=3, IV: fe, r=2; pa, p=1, r=1; ti, p=3, r=2; mt, p=3, r=3, Palp: fe,
v=3, p=1, r=1; pa, p=1, r=1; ti, p=3, r=2; ta, r=2.
Epigyne: Spermathecal lobes longer, CD very prominent and twisted in S
shaped covering spermathecal lobes completely. Fertilization ducts at base near
copulatory duct openings.
Natural history: O. bharatae was observed inside scrub vegetation near water
bodies. It certainly preferred open and exposed microhabitats, as the species
found on long grasses and on leaves of shrubs. Females were found nesting during
most of August-October. Males and females found wandering together on
vegetation.
Distribution: Endemic to India.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors express their sincere thanks to Dr. B. C. Sabat, Senior Scientific
Officer, Department of Environment, Govt. of NCT of Delhi for his help and
support during the study. Due thanks also to Mr. Manish Joshi, Mr. Somanath
Sahoo, Mrs. Monalisha Paul and Ms. Mandeep Kaur for assisting during field
study.
LITERATURE CITED
Bodkhe, A. K. & Vankhede, G. N. 2012. On two new species of spiders of the genus Oxyopes Latreille from central
India (Arachnida: Araneae: Oxyopidae). Indian Journal of Arachnology, 1 (1): 150-155.
Gajbe, U. A. 2008. Fauna of India and the adjacent countries: Spider (Arachnida: Araneae: Oxyopidae), Vol. 2. Zoological
Survey of India, Kolkata, 117 pp.
Kulkarni, S. & Deshpande, V. Y. 2012. A new species of the genus Oxyopes Latrweille (Araneae: Oxyopidae) from
Sahyadri ranges of Western Ghats. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 112 (2): 35-37.
Sen, S., Saha, S. & Raychaudhury, D. 2011. New spec ies and new combination of Oxyopes Latreille 1804 (Araneae:
Oxyopidae) females from India. World Journal of Zoology, 6 (4): 339-345.
World Spider Catalog. 2014. World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern., online at http: //wsc.nmbe.ch,
version 15.5, accessed on 05. 09.2014.
Table 1. Morphometry of legs of male O. bharatae (IPU-ARACH-72, IPU-ARACH-73).
Leg I
Leg II
Leg III
Leg IV
Palp
Femur
4.25-4.50
4.00
3.00-3.25
4.25-4.50
1.25-1.50
Patella
1.00
0.50-1.00
1.00
0.75-1.00
0.25
Tibia
4.50
4.00-4.50
3.00
3.50
0.50
Metatarsus
4.00-4.50
4.00
2.75-3.00
4.00
-
Tarsus
1.50-2.00
1.50-1.75
0.75-1.00
1.25
1.75
Total
15.25-16.50
14.50-14.75
10.50-11.25
13.75-14.25
3.75-4

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Table 2. Morphometry of legs of female O. bharatae (IPU-ARACH-71).
Leg I
Leg II
Leg III
Leg IV
Palp
Femur
5.00
5.00
4.00
5.00
1.00
Patella
1.50
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.50
Tibia
6.00
5.25
4.00
4.00
1.00
Metatarsus
5.25
5.00
4.75
5.75
-
Tarsus
2.00
2.00
1.50
1.50
1.25
Total
19.75
18.25
15.25
17.25
3.75
Plate-1. Oxyopes bharatae ♂(IPU-ARACH-72) A: Dorsal view; B: Ventral view; C: Palp
retrorolateral view (scale 1mm); D: Palp ventral view (scale 1 mm).
Plate-2. Oxyopes bharatae ♀ (IPU-Arach-71) A: Ventral view; B: Internal genitalia (scale 1
mm).