Suresh P. Benjamin

Model mimics: antlike jumping spiders of the genus Myrmarachne from Sri Lanka

All nominal species of ant-mimicking jumping spiders of the genus Myrmarachne from Sri Lanka are redescribed, based on type and newly collected material. Three new species are described: Myrmarachne aurantiaca sp. nov., M. dishani sp. nov. and M. morningside sp. nov. Panachraesta Simon, 1900 is shown to be a junior synonym of Myrmarachne MacLeay, 1839, syn. nov. The following species are synonymized: Myrmarachne orientales Tikader, 1973 = Myrmarachne melanocephala MacLeay, 1839 syn. nov., Myrmarachne paivae Narayen, 1915 and Myrmarachne bengalensis Tikader, 1973 = Myrmarachne prava (Karsch, 1880) syn. nov., Myrmarachne hanoii Zabka, 1985 = Myrmarachne pumilio (Karsch, 1880) syn. nov., Myrmarachne maratha Tikader, 1973 = Myrmarachne robusta (Peckham & Peckham, 1892). One new combination is proposed: Myrmarachne paludosa (Simon, 1900) comb. nov. Myrmarachne ramunni Narayan, 1915 is recorded for the first time in Sri Lanka. A total of 12 valid species are now known from the island; six of them are endemic. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B723C180-996B-471D-B920-4D08E7A8CD53

An annotated checklist and a family key to the pseudoscorpion fauna (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is part of the Western Ghats & Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot. Thus, the conservation of Sri Lankas unique biodiversity is crucial. The current study is part of an ongoing survey of pseudoscorpion fauna of Sri Lanka. We carried out an island-wide survey of pseudoscorpions using a range of collection methods to sample a diverse set of habitats around the country. This produced 32 species, four of which might be new to science, belonging to 25 genera. The family Cheiridiidae was discovered on the island for the first time. One new combination, Indogarypus ceylonicus (Beier, 1973) comb. nov., is proposed. Out of the 47 species now recorded, 20 (43 %) are potentially endemic to Sri Lanka. We provide a checklist of all known species, document their distribution and give a key to the families.

On the New World spiders previously misplaced in Leptopholcus: molecular and morphological analyses and descriptions of four new species (Araneae:Pholcidae)

Abstract. The generic placement of New World pholcids assigned to the genus Leptopholcus Simon, 1893 has long been questioned and recent molecular data have shown that Caribbean (Hispaniolan) representatives are more closely related to the Old World genus Micropholcus Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987 than to ‘true’ African Leptopholcus (Dimitrov, Astrin and Huber 2013, Cladistics 29: 132–146). Here we provide new molecular (16S, 18S, 28S, COI, H3, WNT1) and morphological data about Caribbean (Cuban, Puerto Rican) and South American (Brazilian) representatives, supporting the sister-group relationship with Micropholcus and suggesting a monophyletic New World clade that in turn consists of a Caribbean and a South American clade. The ten New World species previously assigned to Leptopholcus are thus transferred to Micropholcus for which an emended diagnosis is provided: M. baoruco (Huber, 2006), comb. nov.; M. brazlandia (Huber, Pérez & Baptista, 2005), comb. nov.; M. dalei (Petrunkevitch, 1929), comb. nov.; M. delicatulus (Franganillo, 1930), comb. nov.; M. evaluna (Huber, Pérez & Baptista, 2005), comb. nov.; M. hispaniola (Huber, 2000), comb. nov.; M. jamaica (Huber, 2000), comb. nov.; M. kiskeya (Huber & Wunderlich, 2006), comb. nov.; M. pataxo (Huber, Pérez & Baptista, 2005), comb. nov.; M. toma (Huber, 2006), comb. nov. Four Brazilian species are newly described: M. piaui, sp. nov.; M. piracuruca, sp. nov.; M. crato, sp. nov.; M. ubajara, sp. nov. Natural history data are provided for M. piaui and M. ubajara.

The pholcid spiders from Sri Lanka: redescription of Pholcus ceylonicus and description of a new genus (Araneae: Pholcidae)

The pholcid spiders of Sri Lanka have never been revised in any detail. Most species previously known from the island are widespread synanthropics. However, recent collecting has revealed a rich native fauna, with new taxa at species and genus levels. In this paper we redescribe Pholcus ceylonicus O. Pickard‐Cambridge, 1869, present the first record of Modisimus culicinus (Simon, 1893) for Sri Lanka, and describe two new species of a new genus, Wanniyala agrabopath n. sp. and Wanniyala hakgala n. sp. Both new species appear to be restricted to relatively undisturbed forests, where they inhabit the leaf‐litter. Several new Sri Lankan species tentatively assigned to Belisana Thorell will be described in a forthcoming revision of that genus. These studies suggest that a rich pholcid fauna may await discovery in Sri Lanka.

The Goblin spider genus Xestaspis in Sri Lanka (Araneae: Oonopidae)

Three new species of the genus Xestaspis Simon, 1884: X. nuwaraeliya sp. nov., X. padaviya sp. nov. and X. pophami sp. nov. are described based on both sexes. Xestaspis kandy Eichenberger, 2012 is illustrated based on new material. A key and a distribution map for Sri Lankan Xestaspis is provided. Phylogenetic placement of Sri Lankan Xestaspis spp. obtained by the analysis of 43 morphological characters is presented and discussed. In all our analysis Gamasomorpha species appear paraphyletic suggesting that Xestaspis is most probably a junior synonym of Gamasomorpha. Thus, forming monophyletic group of oriental hard bodied oonopids.

A review of Sri Lankan Brignolia including the description of four new species (Araneae: Oonopidae).

Sri Lankan species of the genus Brignolia Dumitrescu & Georgescu, 1983 are reviewed and four new species are described: B. carlmulleri sp. nov., B. meemure sp. nov., B. ondaatjei sp. nov. and B. shyami sp. nov. All new species are described based on both sexes. New data on B. ambigua (Simon, 1893), B. parumpunctata (Simon, 1893), B. ratnapura Platnick et al., 2011 and B. trichinalis (Benoit, 1979) are given. A total of 10 species are now known from Sri Lanka. B. ambigua, B. carlmulleri sp. nov., B. meemure sp. nov., B. ondaatjei sp. nov., B. ratnapura, B. shyami sp. nov. and B. sinharaja are endemic to the island. A key and a distribution map for Sri Lankan Brignolia are provided.

Two new species of Pharta Thorell, 1891 with the description of Ibana senagang gen. et sp. nov. (Araneae: Thomisidae)

Two new species of Pharta, P. sudmannorum sp. nov. (♂♀, Borneo) and P. koponeni sp. nov. (♂, Thailand) are described. Furthermore, Ibana senagang gen. nov. & sp. nov. from Malaysia is described based on its exceptional palp, which has a reduced, movable conductor and thick-long spines on the distal, ventral surface of the tibia, reminiscent of Epidius Thorell, 1877.

Three new species of Aprusia (Araneae: Oonopidae) from Sri Lanka with a phylogenetic analysis of the genus

ABSTRACT The South Asian goblin spider genus Aprusia Simon, 1893 currently consists of five species. All species are narrow endemics with very restricted distributions. In this paper, the Sri Lankan species are revised and three new species described from both sexes: Aprusia koslandensis n. sp., Aprusia rawanaellensis n. sp. and Aprusia vankhedei n. sp. We also provide some notes on the poorly known species A. strennus and A. vestigator. In addition, we present a key to adult Aprusia and a distribution map of the Sri Lankan species, highlighting their diversity in the highly fragmented forests of the island. To test the monophyly of Aprusia and infer relationships among its species, a matrix of 49 morphological characters scored for 11 taxa (seven ingroup and four outgroup) was assembled and analysed. The monophyly of Aprusia is recovered and supported by three unambiguous synapomorphies: the presence of smooth male endites, the presence of leg spines on the prolateral side of the femur I and the procurved ridge of the postepigastric scutum. www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:40352A9B-F455-4F41-B293-FF57BACA2997

Description of three new species of the tropical Asian jumping spider genus Onomastus Simon, 1900 from high altitude cloud forests of Sri Lanka (Araneae: Salticidae)

Spiders of the tropical Asian jumping spider genus Onomastus Simon, 1900 are small to medium-sized, delicate, translucent, commonly found inhabitants of Asian evergreen forest foliage. In this paper, three new species of the genus, O. jamestaylori sp. nov. (♂♀), O. corbetensis sp. nov. (♂♀) and O. maskeliya sp. nov. (♂♀) are described from Sri Lanka. The three new species are added to the matrix of a previous study to assess their phylogenetic position. The resulting cladistic analysis, based on 35 morphological characters from 18 taxa (13 Onomastus species and 5 outgroups) supports the monophyly of the genus. Additionally, a monophyletic, well-supported South Asian clade (India, Sri Lanka), which is restricted to the Sri Lanka-Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, is recovered in most analysis. The three newly described species might be endangered due to their small population size and restricted distribution in high altitude cloud forest.

The first description of adult female of Borboropactus asper (O. P.-Cambridge, 1884) from Sri Lanka (Araneae: Thomisidae)

Regillus, a new genus of spiders with R. asper as its type species, was described by O.P.-Cambridge (1884) from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) on the basis of a subadult female. The genus was placed in Cryptothelidae (now considered a subfamily of Zodariidae) due to its similarity with Cryptothele ceylonica O.P.-Cambridge, 1877. However, the new genus had a different eye arrangement, differently shaped maxillae and six spinnerets instead of two (O.P.-Cambridge 1884). Soon after, Simon (1895) recognized that this genus belonged to Thomisidae and synonymised his Borboropactus Simon, 1884 with Regillus . When it was found that Regillus was a junior homonym of the name used by Macgillivray in 1839 (for kinglets) Borboropactus was revalidated. Since the original description R. asper was redescribed only once, by Simon (1895), who illustrated its leg, chelicera and labium-maxilla complex (Simon 1895: figs 1094–1096). Wunderlich (2004) transferred Borboropactus to a new family Borboropactidae, which was rejected by Benjamin et al. (2008) and Benjamin (2011). However, the type species was never studied in any detail.