 |
| Siler niser Caleb, Parag & Datta-Roy, 2023 DOI: 10.3897/zse.99.99285 |
Abstract
A new chrysilline jumping spider species belonging to the genus Siler Simon, 1889 is described from Odisha, India. Detailed morphological descriptions, illustrations of the male palp and female genitalia and phylogenetic relationships of the new Siler species are presented. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the new species is sister to a clade of predominantly Southeast Asian Siler species. Furthermore, the results indicate the presence of multiple cryptic species masquerading as S. semiglaucus sensu lato. We also briefly discuss some unique behavioural observations on the newly-described species.
Key Words: Jumping spider, NISER, Odisha, phylogeny, species description, taxonomy
 |
| General habitus of Siler niser sp. nov. A. Male habitus, dorsal view; B. Same, lateral view; C. Same, front view; D. Female habitus, dorsal view; E. Same, lateral view; F. Same, front view. |
Genus Siler Simon, 1889
Type species: Siler cupreus Simon, 1889.
Siler niser sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Siler niser sp. nov. resembles Siler semiglaucus (Simon, 1901) in general morphology and colour pattern (cf. Fig. 1A, B, D, E with images 1a, b in Kulkarni and Joseph (2015)), but can be easily distinguished by the morphology of the copulatory organs which are rather most similar to S. cupreus Simon, 1889 and S. severus (Simon, 1901): male palp with short beak-like embolus (slender and needle-like in S. cupreus and S. severus); relatively smaller RTA (smallest of all congeners, remaining below the small retrolateral tegular lobe); RTA directed anteriad in ventral view, with pointed tip and broad base in retrolateral view, ventral margin vertical, dorsal margin gradually sloping, gently curved (RTA directed retrolaterally in ventral view, thick, relatively long reaching beyond the retrolateral tegular lobe and curved in S. cupreus and S. severus) (cf. Figs 2E, F, 3A, B with illustrations on pg. 133, 135 in Prószyński (1984), figs 246, 247 in Bohdanowicz and Prószyński (1987) and figs 12, 13 in Prószyński (1985)); females can be recognised by the short and bent copulatory ducts and globular spermathecae separated by more than their radius (copulatory ducts relatively longer, almost straight and copulatory openings closely placed along the median in S. cupreus) (cf. Figs 2K, L, 3C, D with illustrations on pg. 134, 135 in Prószyński (1984) and figs 249, 251 in Bohdanowicz and Prószyński (1987)).
Etymology: The specific epithet is an acronym derived after the type locality, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) campus from where the specimens were collected. The name is treated as a noun in apposition.
Suggested common name: Glossy jumping spider.
John T. D. Caleb, Ayush Parag and Aniruddha Datta-Roy. 2023. A New Species of the Genus Siler Simon, 1889 (Araneae, Salticidae, Chrysillini) from India. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 99(1): 209-216. DOI: 10.3897/zse.99.99285
