Deciphering mysteries: On the identity of five enigmatic jumping spiders from Northeast India, China and Philippines (Araneae, Salticidae).

The type specimens of salticid species from Northeast India described by B. K. Biswas and K. Biswas kept in the National Zoological Collections, Kolkata were studied. Four new synonyms are recognized: Marpissa mizoramensis Biswas & Biswas, 2007 syn. nov. and Evarcha optabilis (Fox, 1937) syn. nov. with Evarcha flavocincta (C.L. Koch, 1846), and Phidippus tirapensis Biswas & Biswas, 2006 syn. nov. and Hyllus maskaranus Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 syn. nov. with Hyllus diardi (Walckenaer, 1837). A new combination is proposed: Pancorius manipuriensis (Biswas & Biswas, 2007) comb. nov. (ex. Marpissa). P. manipuriensis is illustrated for the first time and redescribed based on the type material. Detailed digital illustrations of the examined type material and distributional map are also provided.

Notes on Indian wolf spiders: II. Genus Hippasa Simon, 1885 (Araneae: Lycosidae, Hippasinae).

The species of the genus Hippasa described/recorded from India are reviewed based on type and topotype material. Hippasa pantherina Pocock, 1899 stat. rev. is resurrected from synonymy under Hippasa greenalliae (Blackwall, 1867). The following synonymies are proposed: Hippasa charamaensis Gajbe, 2004 syn. nov., Hippasa madhuae Tikader & Malhotra, 1980 syn. nov., Hippasa pisaurina Pocock, 1900 syn. nov. and Hippasa sinai Alderweireldt & Jocqué, 2005 syn. nov., all synonymised with Hippasa deserticola Simon, 1889. Four species, Hippasa fabreae Gajbe & Gajbe, 1999, H. greenalliae, Hippasa hansae Gajbe & Gajbe, 1999 and Hippasa wigglesworthi Gajbe & Gajbe, 1999 are proposed as nomina dubia. The species Hippasa haryanensis Arora & Monga, 1994 is considered as nomen nudum. All the type material examined are illustrated and supplementary descriptions and illustrations are provided for Hippasa agelenoides (Simon, 1884), H. deserticola, Hippasa himalayensis Gravely, 1924, Hippasa loundesi Gravely, 1924, Hippasa lycosina Pocock, 1900, Hippasa madraspatana Gravely, 1924, H. pantherina and Hippasa valiveruensis Patel & Reddy, 1993.

Notes on Indian wolf spiders: III. Genera Acantholycosa Dahl, 1908, Evippomma Roewer, 1959, Hippasosa Roewer, 1960 and Trochosa C.L. Koch, 1847 (Araneae: Lycosidae).

The species of the genera Acantholycosa Dahl, 1908, Evippomma Roewer, 1959, Hippasosa Roewer, 1960 and Trochosa C.L. Koch, 1847 described/recorded from India, are reviewed. The following new combinations are recognized: Arctosa dhikala comb. et nom. nov. (ex. Trochosa), Arctosa kalpiensis (Gajbe, 2004) comb. nov. (ex. Hippasosa), Evippa baltoroi (Caporiacco, 1935) comb. nov. (ex. Acantholycosa), Pardosa evippiformis Caporiacco, 1935 comb. rest. (ex. Evippomma), and Pirata punctipes (Gravely, 1924) comb. nov. (ex. Trochosa). Photographs of all the examined type material and supplementary descriptions for A. dhikala comb. et nom. nov., E. baltoroi comb. nov., P. evippiformis comb. rest., and P. punctipes comb. nov. are provided. Lectotypes have been designated for E. baltoroi comb. nov., P. evippiformis comb. rest. and P. punctipes comb. nov. With the new combination for T. punctipes, the genus Pirata Sundevall, 1833 is recorded for the first time in India, and that for A. baltoroi and E. evippiforme show the record of the genera Acantholycosa and Evippomma from India is incorrect.

Taxonomic notes on some South and Southeast Asian members of the genus Rhene Thorell, 1869 (Aranei, Salticidae, Dendryphantini).

The type materials of seven Indian Rhene species available at the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, have been studied. R. mus (Simon, 1889) is illustrated for the first time in 132 years since its first description. Eleven new synonyms and five new combinations are proposed: Zeuxippus Thorell, 1891 syn. n. with Rhene Thorell, 1869; R. biembolusa Song Chai, 1991 syn. n. with R. flavicomans Simon, 1902; R. haldanei Gajbe, 2004 syn. n. with Bianor angulosus (Karsch, 1879); R. decorata Tikader, 1977 syn. n. and R. pantharae Biswas Biswas, 1992 syn. n. with R. pallida (Thorell, 1895) comb. n.; R. citri (Sadana, 1991) syn. n., R. danieli Tikader, 1973 syn. n., R. indica Tikader, 1973 syn. n., R. khandalaensis Tikader, 1977 syn. n. and R. sanghrakshiti Gajbe, 2004 syn. n., with R. flavigera (C.L. Koch, 1846); Rhenefictus tropicus Logunov, 2021 syn. n. with Rhenefictus wandae (Wang Li, 2021) comb. n. (ex. Rhene), Rhene atellana (Thorell, 1895) comb. n., Rhene histrio (Thorell, 1891) comb. n., Rhene pallida (Thorell, 1895) comb. n., and Rhene yunnanensis (Peng Xie, 1995) comb. n. (all ex. Zeuxippus). Detailed digital illustrations and distributional maps are also provided.

Taxonomic notes on the placement of Tibellus elongatus Tikader, 1960 and Apollophanes bangalores Tikader, 1963 (Araneae: Philodromidae).

Tibellus elongatus Tikader, 1960 is redescribed, and the male is described for the first time. Examination of the types and newly collected specimens reveal that the species is misplaced in Tibellus and is hereby assigned to the genus Thanatus C. L. Koch, 1837T. elongatus (Tikader, 1960) comb. nov. Another new combination is proposed: Lycopus bangalores (Tikader, 1963) comb. nov. (ex. Apollophanes).

Three new and notes on two other jumping spider species of the genus Stenaelurillus Simon, 1886 (Salticidae: Aelurillina) from the Deccan Plateau, India.

We describe three new species of Stenaelurillus Simon, 1886 from the Deccan Plateau of India, and report on populations of S. sarojinae Caleb Mathai, 2014 and S. marusiki Logunov, 2001. One of the new species, S. shwetamukhi Marathe, Sanap, Maddison, sp. nov., has black-and-white markings, characteristic of several other Indian Stenaelurillus species. The other two new species, S. tamravarni Marathe Maddison, sp. nov., and S. vyaghri Sanap, Joglekar, Caleb, sp. nov., are colourful and with fringed male abdomens, like several other Indian species including S. sarojinae. The population of S. sarojinae from Mysuru, Karnataka, shows colours distinct from the population at the type locality. The female of S. marusiki is described for the first time.

On the taxonomic validity of Indian ground spiders: V. Genera Megamyrmaekion Reuss, 1834, Sosticus Chamberlin, 1922 and Gaviphosa gen. nov. (Araneae: Gnaphosidae).

Indian Megamyrmaekion and Sosticus species are revised, mostly based on the type material available in the National Zoological Collection, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. The following new synonymies are recognised: Megamyrmaekion ashae syn. nov. is synonymised with Megamyrmaekion caudatum Reuss, 1834, Megamyrmaekion kajalae syn. nov. with Drassodes luridus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874), Sosticus jabalpurensis syn. nov. and Sosticus sundargarhensis syn. nov., both with the liocranid species Sphingius barkudensis Gravely, 1931 and Sosticus poonaensis syn. nov. with the liocranid species Sphingius caniceps Simon, 1906. The following new combinations are recognised: Poecilochroa jodhpurense (Gajbe, 1993) comb. nov., ex. Megamyrmaekion, Urozelotes pawani (Gajbe, 1993) comb. nov., Sphingius dherikanalensis (Gajbe, 1979) comb. nov., Sphingius nainitalensis (Gajbe, 1979) comb. nov. and Sphingius solanensis (Gajbe, 1979) comb. nov., all ex. Sosticus. All the examined type material are imaged and supplementary descriptions for P. jodhpurense comb. nov. and U. pawani comb. nov. are provided. A new monotypic genus, Gaviphosa Sankaran, 2021 gen. nov. for Gaviphosa kera Sankaran, 2021 gen. et sp. nov., featured by dorsal tibial apophysis is described and illustrated in detail from the southern Western Ghats of India.

Notes on Indian wolf spiders: I. Genus Evippa Simon, 1882 (Araneae: Lycosidae, Evippinae).

Indian wolf spider species of the genus Evippa Simon, 1882 based on the type material available in the National Zoological Collection, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata are revised. One new synonymy is recognised: Evippa mandlaensis Gajbe, 2004 syn. nov. is synonymised with Wadicosa fidelis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872). All the type material examined are imaged and supplementary descriptions for Evippa shivajii Tikader Malhotra, 1980, Evippa sohani Tikader Malhotra, 1980, and Evippa solanensis Tikader Malhotra, 1980 are provided.

Revision of Indian wolf spiders: I. Genus Arctosa C.L. Koch, 1847 (Araneae: Lycosidae, Tricassinae).

Indian species in the wolf spider genus Arctosa C.L. Koch, 1847 are revised based on the type material deposited in the National Zoological Collection, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, Entomology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, and Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna. Arctosa tappaensis Gajbe, 2004 is proposed as a junior synonym of Arctosa himalayensis Tikader Malhotra, 1980. Arctosa quinquedens Dhali, Roy, Sen, Saha Raychaudhuri, 2012 is provisionally transferred to Ovia Sankaran, Malamel Sebastian, 2017 and Arctosa mulani (Dyal, 1935) is considered as species inquirenda. Digital images of all the examined type material are presented and supplementary descriptions for A. himalayensis, Arctosa indica Tikader Malhotra, 1980 and Arctosa khudiensis (Sinha, 1951) are provided.

First record of the genus Vailimia Kammerer, 2006 from India, with the description of two new species (Araneae: Salticidae: Plexippina).

The genus Vailimia Kammerer, 2006 is recorded for the first time from India. Two new species, Vailimia ajmerensis Caleb Jangid sp. nov. (♂), and V. jharbari Basumatary, Caleb Das sp. nov. (♂♀), are described and illustrated in detail. Presently, the genus is known only by the males, which means that the female of V. jharbari described herein is the first female known in the genus.

A new Indian species of the orb-weaving spider genus Glenognatha Simon, 1887, with a new combination and a new synonymy of Tylorida marmorea (Pocock, 1901) (Araneae, Tetragnathinae).

The spider genus Glenognatha Simon, 1887 (Tetragnathidae) currently has 34 nominal species distributed in Afrotropical region, Indo-Malaya, Nearctic, Neotropics, Oceania and Palearctic regions (Cabra-García Brescovit 2016; World Spider Catalog 2020). It has one representative in India: Glenognatha dentata (Zhu Wen, 1978) (World Spider Catalog 2020). The genus Pachygnatha Sundevall, 1823 currently comprises 46 nominal species distributed in Africa, Holarctic, South and South-East Asia (World Spider Catalog 2020). Biswas and Roy (2004) recorded this genus in India, while they described Pachygnatha silentvalliensis Biswas Roy, 2004. The species is known from its original verbal description only since the genitalic illustrations were apparently not published along with the description (Biswas Roy 2004), thus leaving its identity obscured. To redescribe and illustrate this species, we examined its type material and found that Biswas and Roy (2004) had misidentified the species and in fact it belongs to Tylorida Simon, 1894. In this paper, we describe a new Glenognatha species from the southern Western Ghats of India, transfer Dyschiriognatha ganeshi Bodkhe, Manthen Tanikawa, 2014 to Glenognatha and synonymise P. silentvalliensis with Tylorida marmorea (Pocock, 1901).

On a new synonymy in the spider genus Nephila Leach, 1815 (Araneidae, Nephilinae) from India with supplementary notes on colour polymorphism in the genus.

The golden orb-weaving spider genus Nephila Leach, 1815 currently has four representatives in India: Nephila dirangensis Biswas Biswas, 2006, Nephila kuhlii (Doleschall, 1859), Nephila pilipes (Fabricius, 1793) and Nephila robusta Tikader, 1962 (World Spider Catalog 2020). While N. kuhlii has its type locality in Java (Doleschall 1859) and that of N. pilipes in Australasia (Fabricius 1781), N. dirangensis and N. robusta are both confined to India (World Spider Catalog 2020). Tikader (1962) described the species N. robusta based on a single female specimen collected in West Bengal. The original genitalic illustrations of this species, however, show close resemblance to that of N. pilipes, indicating its possible synonymy with the latter. To confirm the novelty of N. robusta, we examined its type specimen and the result is presented below. Additionally, we discuss the occurrence of colour morphs in the Indian populations of N. pilipes.

The species of the genus Plator Simon, 1880 in India (Araneae: Trochanteriidae).

Plator species described in India are revised based on the type materials deposited in the National Zoological Collection, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. Five species are known in India, of which three are known only from females while the remaining two are from both sexes. All the type materials examined are imaged and redescribed.

Asianopis gen. nov., a new genus of the spider family Deinopidae from Asia.

A new genus of the spider family Deinopidae C.L. Koch, 1850 is described from Asia: Asianopis Lin & Li gen. nov., with A. zhuanghaoyuni Lin & Li sp. nov. as the type species. The new genus is divided into two species groups, of which the liukuensis-group includes two species: A. dumogae (Merian, 1911) sp. reval. comb. nov. (♀) and A. liukuensis (Yin, Griswold & Yan, 2002) comb. nov. (♂♀); and the zhuanghaoyuni-group comprises five species: A. celebensis (Merian, 1911) comb. nov. (♂), A. konplong (Logunov, 2018) comb. nov. (♂), A. wangi Lin & Li sp. nov. (♂♀), A. wuchaoi Lin & Li sp. nov. (♂♀), and A. zhuanghaoyuni Lin & Li sp. nov. All previously described species are transferred from Deinopis MacLeay, 1839. Deinopis scrubjunglei Caleb & Mathai, 2014 is treated as a junior synonym of Asianopis liukuensis comb. nov.

A review of the genus Sphingius Thorell, 1890 from India (Araneae: Liocranidae).

Indian species in the genus Sphingius Thorell, 1890 are revised, mostly based on the type material available in the National Zoological Collection, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. Sphingius barkudensis Gravely, 1931, S. nilgiriensis Gravely, 1931 and S. paltaensis Biswas Biswas, 1992 are redescribed. Two new combinations and one new synonymy are recognised: S. longipes Gravely, 1931 is transferred to the cithaeronid genus Inthaeron Platnick, 1991 and S. kambakamensis Gravely, 1931 is transferred to the corinnid genus Cambalida Simon, 1909, while S. delakharae Pawaria, Bodkhe, Kamble, Uniyal Talwar, 2018 syn. nov. is synonymised with S. barkudensis. Images of all the examined type material are provided.

Taxonomic notes on the genus Makdiops Crews amp; Harvey, 2011 in India (Araneae: Selenopidae).

The selenopid genus Makdiops Crews Harvey, 2011 was recently erected by Crews and Harvey (2011) with Selenops montigena Simon, 1889 as the type species. The genus represents medium-sized, usually high-altitude-dwelling spiders that can be diagnosed by the pattern of ventral spination of the anterior tibiae and metatarsi (4-3, 3-3 or 3-2) and by the absence of tarsal scopulae (Crews Harvey 2011). The genus is restricted to India (five species) and Nepal (one species) (Crews Harvey 2011; Caleb Sankaran 2020; World Spider Catalog 2020). While erecting the new genus, Crews and Harvey (2011) transferred two species formerly placed in Selenops Latreille, 1819: Selenops montigena Simon, 1889 and Selenops agumbensis Tikader, 1969. However, they did not examine the types of these two species due to their unavailability, and both these transfers were based either only on the original or subsequent descriptions/re-descriptions of these species. In this paper, we present images of the types of these two species and transfer Selenops shevaroyensis Gravely, 1931 to Makdiops. Additionally, we provide supplementary descriptions for the types of M. montigena, M. agumbensis and M. shevaroyensis comb. nov..

New synonymies and transfers in Castianeira Keyserling, 1879 (Araneae, Corinnidae, Castianeirinae) from India.

Indian species in the castianeirine genus Castianeira Keyserling, 1879 (Corinnidae) are partly revised based on type materials deposited in the National Zoological Collection, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. Two new synonyms are recognized: Castianeira himalayensis Gravely, 1931 syn. nov. is synonymised with Corinnomma severum (Thorell, 1877), and Castianeira bengalensis Biswas, 1984 syn. nov. with the liocranid species Oedignatha scrobiculata Thorell, 1881. Castianeira albopicta Gravely, 1931 is considered as a nomen dubium. Castianeira adhartali Gajbe, 2003 and Castianeira indica Tikader, 1981 are transferred to Oedignatha Thorell, 1881 (Liocranidae). The taxonomic status of both Castianeira tinae Patel Patel, 1973 and Castianeira quadrimaculata Reimoser, 1934 is discussed. All the examined type materials are illustrated, and the current status of the type material of each species is discussed.

The Indian net-casting spider name Deinopis goalparaensis Tikader amp; Malhotra is a nomen dubium (Araneae: Deinopidae).

The genus Deinopis was established by MacLeay (1839) with D. lamia MacLeay, 1839 as its type species. It is the most speciose deinopid genus presently comprising 51 described species, of which two are known from India (World Spider Catalog 2019). The genus was first recorded from India with the description of the species, Deinopis goalparaensis Tikader and Malhotra, 1978 from Assam, which was described based on the females only (Tikader Malhotra 1978) and the male still remains unknown. Thirty-six years later another species, Deinopis scrubjunglei Caleb Mathai, 2014 was described from Chennai, Tamil Nadu based on both sexes (Caleb Mathai 2014). Apart from these taxonomic accounts, Satam et al. (2015) provided notes on the microhabitat utilization of juvenile Deinopis spiders from Mumbai. With no other supportive studies and additional data on these spiders, Indian deinopids remain obscure and inadequately known. The goal of the present communication is to provide clarification on the taxonomic status of the poorly known Indian species D. goalparaensis, supported with illustrations.

Transfer of the Indian species formerly included in the genus Lutica Marx, 1891 to Tropizodium Jocqué amp; Churchill, 2005 and Zodarion Walckenaer, 1826 (Araneae, Zodariidae).

The Indian spider species formerly placed in the zodariid genus Lutica Marx, 1891 are revised. The following new combinations are proposed: Tropizodium bengalensis (Tikader Patel, 1975) comb. nov., Tropizodium kovvurensis (Reddy Patel, 1993) comb. nov., Tropizodium poonaensis (Tikader, 1981) comb. nov. and Zodarion deccanensis (Tikader Malhotra, 1976) comb. nov.. T. kovvurensis comb. nov. is redescribed based on freshly collected female specimens. All the examined type specimens are illustrated and the current status of each type is discussed.