Table Of Content.
Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 104 (1), Jan-Apr 2007 58-63
CRAB SPIDERS (ARANEAE: THOMISIDAE) OF JALDAPARA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY,
JALPAIGURI, WEST BENGAL
- I1
Sumana Saha2 3 and Dinendra Raychaudhuri2 4
'Accepted April 06, 2005
’Entomology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata 700 019,
West Bengal, India.
3Email: [email protected]
4Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Thepaperdeals with thethomisidspidersrecordedsofarfromtheJaldaparaWildlifeSanctuary. Ofthese, Camaricus
(Indocamaricus) siltorsus and Xysticus bengdakus are considered as new taxa. Hitherto unknown male morphs of
MisumenanicobarensisTikaderandPistiuskalimpusTikaderhavealsobeenrecorded.Sixspecies,namelyCamaricus
khandalaensisTikader,MisumenanicobarensisTikader, PistiusbarchensisBasu. P. gangulyiBasu, P roonwaliBasu
andP. sreepanchamiiTikader,areidentifiedasnewforthestateofWestBengal andone, ThomisusbulaniTikader,for
the district.
Key words: Thomisid spiders, new subgenus, new species, new morph, new record, Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary,
Jalpaiguri,WestBengal
INTRODUCTION 1.CamaricusformosusThorell
CamaricusformosusThorell 1887.Ann. Mus.civ. stor.
ThomisidspidersofWest Bengal, sofar, are known to Nat.Gen.5(2):261.
belong to subfamilies Misumeninae and Philodrominae Material examined: Id1 ?, Jaldapara, 7.iii.2002; 2$,
(Tikader 1980; Biswas and Biswas 1992). Misumeninae is Moiradanga,7.iii.2002;3$ $,DDG25.iii.2002;39?,Sissamara,
represented by 25 species under nine genera and 25.iv.2002; 1 9,TEC,26.iv.2002;4$ 9,Bengdaki,27.iv.2002;
Philodrominae by three species under two genera (Biswas 1 9,Kunjanagar,27.iv.2002;79 9,Hollong,29.iv.2002;39 9,
and Biswas 1992; Saha and Raychaudhuri (2004). Bania,8.vi.2002;29 9,4c?<?,Chilapata,8.vi.2002;49 9,1c?,
Philodrominaeisnowconsideredasadistinctfamily(Platnick Celine, 9.vi.2002; 29 9, Mendabari, Jaldapara Wildlife
2003). Sanctuary,Jalpaiguri,9.vi.2002.
This paper deals with thomisid spider species Distribution: india: Andaman Islands, Karnataka,
1 I
(Misumeninae) belonging to the genera CamaricusThorell, Maharashtra,WestBengal(Tikader 1980;BiswasandBiswas
Xysticus Koch, Misumena Latreille, Pistius Simon and 1992; Platnick 2003); Bangladesh; China; Indonesia;
Thomisus Walckenaer recorded from Jaldapara Wildlife Myanmar;Philippines;Sumatra(Tikader 1980;Platnick2003).
Sanctuary. Of these, two species each of Camaricus and
Xysticus are considered new, and accordingly described and 2. CamaricuskhandalaensisTikader
illustrated.TheCamaricusspeciesisaccommodatedundera CamaricuskhandalaensisTikader 1980.FaunaofIndia:
new subgenus. Further, hitherto unknown morphs of Araneae: Spiders.Vol. 1,Pt. IThomisidae: 177-178.
MisumenanicobarensisTikaderandPistiuskalimpusTikader Materialexamined: 19,TEC,26.4.2002; 1 9,Mendabari,
are alsodescribed and illustrated. 9.6.2002;29 9,Celine,JaldaparaWildlifeSanctuary,Jalpaiguri,
The specimens have been deposited in the collection 9.6.2002.
ofEntomologyLaboratory,DepartmentofZoology,University Distribution: india: (Platnick 2003): Maharashtra
ofCalcutta. (Tikader 1980),WestBengal(newrecord).
MATERIALANDMETHODS 3. Camaricus (Indocamaricus)siltorsus n. gen. et sp. n.
(Figs 1-5)
Collection and preservation ofthe spidersamples was Female: Holotype: Total length 5.77; carapace length
canned out following Tikader (1987). The materials were 2.58, width 2.38;abdomenlength3.00,width2.54; legsasin
studied using a stereo zoom binocular microscope. All the Table 1
measurements are in millimetres, made with an eyepiece Cephalothorax(Fig. 1)darkreddishbrown,longerthan
graticule. wide, front wide, parallel-sided, thoracic region marginally
NEW DESCRIPTIONS
1.Wholebody,2.Chelicerae,3,Maxillaeandlabium,4.Sternum,5a. Epigynum,5b. Internalgenitalia
slightlylaminate,mediallyslightlyraised,clothedwithdense Coll. S. Bhattacharjee.Paratypes: 1 ?,Sissamara,23.iii.2002;
blackhairs;eyestransparent,intworows,bothrowsrecurved, 2$ 9,Moiradanga,27.iii.2002; 1 9,Siltorsa,24.iv.2002; 19 9,
laterals contiguous, eyes ofanteriorrow basally ringedwith Hollong,JaldaparaWildlifeSanctuary,Jalpaiguri,29.iv.2002
black band, posteromedians smallest, ocularquad squarish, (Regn.No.EZC0005-03).
posteriorly wide; chelicerae (Fig. 2) reddish brown, robust, Distribution: india: WestBengal.
innermarginonlywithsingletooth,fangsyellowishred,small, Etymology: The sub-generic and specific names are
weaklycurved; maxillaeandlabium(Fig. 3)brown,apically derived from the names of the country and type locality
whitish, both elongate and anteriorly scopulate; sternum respectively.
(Fig. 4) brown, heart-shaped, anterior margin concave, Discussion: As the middle eyes ofthe present species
posteriorlytruncate,withhairs;legsyellow,segmentsdistally areclosertoeachotherthantothelateralsitdoesnotseemto
withbrownband,robust,clothedwithhairsandspines,femora beanallyofCamaricusThorells. str. However,followingthe
distallywithblackpatch,tibiaeandmetatarsi 1 & IIprovided keytotheIndianspecies(Tikader 1980)ofCamaricusThorell,
with 3 pairs ofventral spines, leg formula 2341. Abdomen the taxon may at best be related to Camaricusformosus
yellowwithblackpatch(Fig. I),mediallywith5brownsigilla, Thorell becauseofthegeneral pattern andsomewhatsimilar
longer than wide, oval, widest behind the middle, clothed coloration. The other diagnostic features that support its
with black hairs; venter black with mid-longitudinal broad distinctionare: marginallylaminatethoracicregion,cheliceral
whitish band extending from epigastric furrow to near the innermarginwithsingletooth,apicallybluntsternum,sigilla
baseofspinnerets,withfewbrownsigilla,epigyneandinternal on abdomen, leg formula 2341 and widely distant epigyne
&
genitalia(Figs5a 5b). and internal genitalia.Therefore, the present species is
Materialexamined: Holotype: ?,Siltorsa,7.vi.2002; considered as new to science.
Table1: Lengthoflegsof $ holotypeof Camaricus(Indocamaricus)siltorsusn. gen. et. sp. n. (in mm)
Leg Femur Patella Tibia Metatarsus Tarsus Total
1 0.86/0.86 1.57/1.57 2.43/2.43 1.29/1.30 1.71/1.70 7.86/7.86
II 1.29/1.29 1.57/1.57 2.71/2.71 1.57/1.58 2.14/2.15 9.28/9.30
III 1.14/1.15 1.57/1.57 2.57/2.58 1.42/1.43 1.86/1.85 8.56/8.58
IV 1.14/1.14 1.57/1.57 2.71/2.71 1.28/1.29 1.71/1.70 8.41/8.41
J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 104 (1), Jan-Apr 2007 59
NEW DESCRIPTIONS
Figs6-11 MisumenanicobarensisTikader,male
:
6. Wholebody,7.Chelicerae,8.Maxillaeandlabium9.Sternum, 10. Malepalp(ventralview), 11. Malepalp(lateralview)
4.Misumena*nicobarensisTikader cephalic region narrower, medially lighter and raised,
(Figs6-11) mid-longitudinallywithnarrowparalleldarkbrownlines,those
MisumenanicobarensisTikader 1980. FaunaofIndia, onthethoracicregionshort,thoracicregionmediallyfoveolate,
Spiders.Thomisidae 1(1): 102. clothed with dense white pubescence; eyes pearly white, in
Male: Measurements (in mm): Total length 7.53; two rows, anteriorrow more recurved than the posteriorrow,
carapacelength3.58,width3.74;abdomenlength3.74,width anterioreyesnearlyequidistant,posteromedianssmallest,ocular
3.47;legsasinTable2. quad rectangular, longer than wide; chelicerae (Fig. 7) dark
Cephalothorax(Fig.6)brownblack,littlewiderthanlong, brown black, robust, inner margin with 3 and outer margin
60 J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 104 (1), Jan-Apr 2007
NEW DESCRIPTIONS
Table2: Lengthoflegsofc? ofMisumenanicobarensisTikader(inmm)
Leg Femur Patella Tibia Metatarsus Tarsus Total
1 5.45/5.44 1.82/1.81 5.09/5.08 2.91/2.91 1.82/1.82 17.09/17.06
II 4.55/4.55 1.80/1.80 4.90/4.91 2.73/2.74 1.64/1.63 15.62/15.63
III 2.55/2.56 1.45/1.45 2.18/2.18 0.73/0.74 1.27/1.28 8.18/8.21
IV 3.27/3.28 1.45/1.45 2.55/2.54 2.18/2.18 1.45/1.44 10.90/10.89
with 4 teeth, with long hairs, fangs reddish, small, weakly Male: Measurements (in mm): Total length 6.08;
curved;maxillaeandlabium(Fig. 8)brownishblack,maxillae carapacelength2.88,width2.77;abdomen length3.19,width
robust, apically broad, anteriorly scopulate, labium almost 2.77; legsasinTable3.
square, constricted before middle, anteriorly scopulate; Cephalothorax (Fig. 12) paleyellow with green spots,
sternum (Fig. 9) reddish, typically heart-shaped, anterior each with a pale brown hair, almost as long as wide, oval,
margin concave, posteriorly narrowing, with hairs; legs somewhat narrow in front, clypeus high, obtuse, margin
brown, femora and patella I & II brownish black, tibiae and providedwith moderatelylonghairs;eyesblack,setonwhite
metatarsi I & II with 4 and 3 pairs of ventral spines tubercles, in two rows; anteriorrow more strongly recurved
respectively,withhairsblack,setonblacksockets,legformula than posterior row, ocular quad nearly as long as wide,
1243. anteromedians slightly closer than posteromedians, laterals
Abdomen (Fig. 6) brownish with black patches, larger, contiguous; chelicerae (Fig. 13)pale yellow, dorsally
pentagonal, little longer than wide, medially broadest, with green spots, robust, inner margins devoid ofany tooth,
anteriorlylittleconcave,posteriorlynarrowed.Venteruniformly outer margin with 7 minute denticles extending throughout
palebrown.MalepalpasinFigs 10& 11. thelength,fangs lightbrown,small,weaklycurved;maxillae
Materialexamined: 2? 9/2 $ 9 Jaldapara,7.iii.2002/ and labium (Fig. 14) pale yellow, both elongate, scopulate;
,
27.iii.2002;59?,Malangi,7.iii.2002; I d'/I 9/1 9 Sissamara, sternum (Fig. 15) pale yellow,heart-shaped, anteriormargin
23.iii.2002/25.iii.2002;29 9.DDG25.iii.2002; 1 9,Kunjanagar; straight, with very few hairs; legs pale yellow, tibiae and
15.iii.2002; 49 9, TEC, 26.iii.2002; 79 9, Moiradanga, metatarsiIandIIventrallyarmedwith4and6pairsofspines
27.iii.2002; 19, Chilapata, Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, respectively,legformula 1234.
Jalpaiguri,8.vi.2002. Abdomen(Fig. 12)palewithchalkwhitepatches,mixed
Distribution: india: Nicobar Islands (Tikader 1980; with black tint, longer than wide, oval, anteriorly straight,
Platnick2002),West Bengal #newrecord). posteriorly ratherblunt, withbrown small erecthairs arising
(
from brown sockets; venterpale medially darker. Male palp
5.PistiusbarchensisBasu not developed fully, therefore not illustrated.
PistiusbarchensisBasu 1965.Proc.zool.Soc.,Calcutta Material examined: I d\ Bania, Jaldapara Wildlife
18:74. Sanctuary,Jalpaiguri,coll. S. Bhattacharjee,8.vi.2002; 3dd
Material examined: 1 9, Bania, Jaldapara Wildlife (immature),Chilapata,JaldaparaWildlifeSanctuary,Jalpaiguri,
Sanctuary,Jalpaiguri,8.6.2002. 8.vi.2002.
Distribution:india:UttarPradesh(Tikader 1980;Platnick Distribution:india:WestBengal(Tikader 1980;Platnick
2003),WestBengal(newrecord). 2003).
6.Pistiuskalimpus Tikader 7. Pistiusgangulyi Basu
(Figs 12-15) PistiusgangulyiBasu 1965. Proc.Zool. Soc.,Calcutta
PistiuskalimpusTikader 1970. Rec.Zool. Surv. India, 18:73.
Calcutta64:58. Material examined: 19, Bengdaki, 8.xi.2001; 19,
Table3: Lengthoflegsof $ PistiuskalimpusTkader(inmm)
Leg Femur Patella Tibia Metatarsus Tarsus Total
1 2.86/2.86 1.29/1.28 1.86/1.85 1.57/1.56 1.14/1.15 8.72/8.70
II 2.43/2.43 1.14/1.14 2.00/2.00 1.57/1.57 1.14/1.14 8.28/8.28
III 1.43/1.44 0.71/0.70 1.00/1.01 0.71/0.70 0.71/0.70 4.56/4.55
IV 0.86/0.86 0.71/0.71 1.14/1.14 0.71/0.70 0.71/0.71 4.13/4.12
1 Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 104 (1), Jan-Apr 2007 61
.
NEW DESCRIPTIONS
Figs 12-15: PistiuskalimpusTikader,male
12.Wholebody, 13.Chelicerae,14.Maxillaeandlabium, 15.Sternum
Moiradanga,JaldaparaWildlifeSanctuary.Jalpaiguri,9.xi.2001 Soc.57(1): 178.
Distribution:India:UttarPradesh(Tikader 1980;Platnick Material examined: 1 $, Malangi, JaldaparaWildlife
2003),WestBengal(newrecord);China(Platnick2003). Sanctuary,Jalpaiguri,23.iii.2002.
Distribution: india:WestBengal(Tikader 1980;Platnick
8. PistiusroonwaliBasil 2003)(dist.Jalpaiguri-newrecord).
Pistius roonwali Basu 1964. J. Bengal nat. Hist. Soc.,
Darjeeling32(2): 104. 1 1. Xysticus beitgdakus sp. nov.
Material examined: ld\ Bania, Jaldapara Wildlife (Figs 16-20)
Sanctuary,Jalpaiguri,7.vi.2002. Female(Holotype): Totallength5.42;carapacelength
Distribution: india: Uttar Pradesh (Tikader 1980; 1.77,width 1.77;abdomenlength 3.35,width2.85; legsasin
Platnick2003),WestBengal(newrecord). Table4.
9.PistiussreepanchamiiTikader Cephalothorax(Fig. 16): Brown, mediallypale,aslong
PistiussreepanchamiiTikader 1971.Mem.zool. Surv. as wide, cephalic region high, clothed with few long black
India 15(3):30. hairs; clypeus high, vertical, edge marked by 6 long brown
Material examined: ld\ Bania, Jaldapara Wildlife spines, eyes black situated on tubercles, in two rows, both
SanctuaryJalpaiguri,8.vi.2002. rows strongly recurved, laterals contiguous, ocular quad
Distribution: india:Meghalaya(Tikader 1980;Platnick squarish, slightly longer than wide, with 2 moderately long
2003),West Bengal(newrecord). blackhairs,anteromediansclosertolateralsthantoeachother;
chelicerae (Fig. 17) light yellow, robust, margins devoid of
10. ThomisusbulaniTikader any tooth, fangs yellow, small, weakly curved; maxillae and
Thomisus bulani Tikader 1960. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. labium (Fig. 18) light yellow, small, elongate, anteriorly
Table4: Lengthoflegsof ? holotypeofXysticusbengdakussp.n. (inmm)
Leg Femur Patella Tibia Metatarsus Tarsus Total
1 1.71/1.72 0.71/0.71 1.71/1.70 1.43/1.43 1.00/1.00 6.56/6.56
II 2.57/2.57 0.71/0.71 2.00/2.00 1.14/1.15 1.00/1.01 7.42/7.44
III 1.57/1.58 0.71/0.71 0.57/0.58 1.00/1.00 1.00/1.00 4.85/4.87
IV 1.43/1.42 0.57/0.57 1.29/1.28 0.86/0.85 1.00/1.00 5.15/5.12
62 J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 104 (1), Jan-Apr 2007
NEW DESCRIPTIONS
i mm I mm 1
0.5 0.5
Figs 16-20: Xysticusbengdakussp. n.,femaleholotype
16.Wholebody, 17.Chelicerae, 18.Maxillaeandlabium, 19.Sternum,20a. Epigynum,20b.Internalgenitalia
scopulate; sternum (Fig. 19) light yellow, typically heart oncephalothorax and 6 strong forwardly directed spineson
shaped, with hairs; legs light yellow, moderately elongate, clypeusshowsacloseaffinitytoXysticuskamakhyaiTikader
tibiaeIandIIwith2pairsofventralspines,legformula2143. but, is distinct in having anteromedian eyes close to
Abdomen(Fig. 16)lightyellow, withscatteredpatches anterolaterals, laterals closely apposed, sternum heart-
ofblack, chalk white and also brown small sigilla, globose, shaped, very different abdominal decoration, sigilla and
with black hairs; venter pale yellow, laterally margined epigyne. The species is therefore recognized as new to
by black patches, epigyne and internal genitalia as in science.
Figs20a&20b.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Materialexamined:Holotype: 1 $,Bengdaki,Jaldapara
Wildlife Sanctuary, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, India, Coll.
S.Bhattacharjee,8.11.2001 (Regn.No.EZC0006-03). WearethankfultotheUniversityGrantsCommission,
Distribution: India:WestBengal(knownonlyfromthe New Delhi for financial assistance (Project Sanction No.
typelocality). F: 3-136/2001 (SR-II) dt. 28.3.2001 & dt. 20.4.2001), the
Etymology: Species name is derived from the type authoritiesofJaldaparaWildlifeSanctuary,West Bengal,and
locality. theHead,DepartmentofZoology,UniversityofCalcutta,for
Remark: Thepresentspecieswithapale medianarea kindly providing the necessary facilities.
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Calcutta. Pp. 357-500. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 101(3): 425-428.
Platnick, N.I. (2003): The World SpiderCatalog, Version 3.5. Amer. Tikader,B.K.(1980):FaunaofIndia:AraneaePt.l,Vol.I:Thomisidae.
Mus. Nat. Hist. URL: http://research.amnh.org/entomology/ Zoological Survey ofIndia, Calcutta247 pp.
spiders/catalogS1-87/index,html. Tikader,B.K.(1987):HandBookofIndianSpiders.ZoologicalSurvey
Saha, S. & D. Raychaudhuri (2004): Hitherto unknown genera of ofIndia, Calcutta. 251 pp.
I. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 104 (1), Jan-Apr 2007 63
