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| Titanidiops kolhapurensis Gangalmale, Thackeray, Khandekar & Gaikwad, 2026 |
ABSTRACT
A new species, Titanidiops kolhapurensis sp. n., is described on the basis of six adult female and three adult male specimens collected from the outskirts of Kolhapur City, western Maharashtra, India. Specimens of both sexes are described in detail and they are distinguished from all other known peninsular Indian congeners of Titanidiops and Idiops in several non-overlapping morphological characters. Notes on natural history, and on intraspecific variation of genital characters, as well as measurements and meristic data of the new species are provided. Additionally, we present preliminary observations on occurrence of the new species and other sympatric habitat specialist taxa in natural and altered/modified habitats from the type locality and nearby localities. We emphasise the urgent need to halt further alteration or modification of the natural habitat of T. kolhapurensis sp. n. and to implement habitat restoration measures to safeguard the new species and other habitat specialists from the imminent risk of local extinction.
KEYWORDS: Anthropogenic pressure, grassland and savanna, habitat loss, morphology, taxonomy, urban biodiversity
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| Live habitus of Titanidiops kolhapurensis: (A) holotype, (NRC-AA-1191) and (B) paratype, (NRC-AA-1196). Photos by: Akshay Khandekar. |
Titanidiops kolhapurensis sp. n.
Satpal Gangalmale, Tejas Thackeray, Akshay Khandekar and Sunil M. Gaikwad. 2026. A New Species of the Trapdoor Spider Genus Titanidiops Simon (Araneae: Idiopidae) from western Maharashtra, India. Journal of Natural History. 60(5-8); 401-421. DOI: doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2025.2603654 [28 Jan 2026]
