New data on the spider genus Steriphopus, with description of a new species from India (Araneae: Palpimanidae)

Sergei Zonstein; Yuri M. Marusik

Authors

Sergei Zonstein Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, 12 Klausner Str., Tel Aviv 6139001, Israel. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4515-0630
Yuri M. Marusik Institute for Biological Problems of the North FEB RAS, Magadan 685000, Russia. Altai State University, 61 Prospekt Lenina, Barnaul, 656049, Russia. Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4499-5148

Keywords:

Biodiversity, Aranei, Chediminae, spiders, taxonomy, Asia, India, Himachal Pradesh, new species

Abstract

The Paleotropical spider genus Steriphopus Simon, 1887, previously known from Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Seychelles, is recorded from India for the first time. In view of new data, the genus is rediagnosed and redescribed, and its diagnostic characters are reconsidered. A poorly known Seychelles species, S. lacertosus Simon, 1898, is redescribed from the conspecific female and depicted for the first time. The newly discovered Indian representative, S. benjamini n. sp., is diagnosed, depicted and described based on the holotype female and a few additional subadult specimens. The two species distinguish from each other, as well as from other congeners, in either their eye pattern or the structure of the endogyne.

To cite: Zonstein, S. & Marusik, Y. 2023. New data on the spider genus Steriphopus, with description of a new species from India (Araneae: Palpimanidae). Israel Journal of Entomology 52: 41–50.

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10435974