Two New Lynx Spider Species of Hamadruas and Oxyopes and the First Record of Hamadruas Thorell, 1887 (Araneae: Oxyopidae) from Wai, Maharashtra, India

  Two New Lynx Spider Species of Hamadruas and Oxyopes and the First Record of Hamadruas Thorell, 1887 (Araneae: Oxyopidae) from Wai, Maharashtra, India Abstract The present study reports two oxyopid spider species from Wai, Satara District, Maharashtra, India, based on morphological examination of specimens collected from the Kisan Veer Mahavidyalaya campus. The specimens were collected using hand-collection and sweep-net methods, preserved in 70% ethanol, and examined under a stereotrinocular microscope. Diagnostic structures, including the female epigyne and male palp, were studied after dissection, and distribution maps were prepared using QGIS. Hamadruas kvmensis sp. nov. is characterised by distinct dark elongated spermathecal lobes, a rounded central region forming the median fertilisation duct, curved copulatory ducts, and a male palp with an elongated curved cymbium, large bulb, prominent tegulum, slender embolus, conductor, tibial apophysis and sensory setae. Oxyopes wai...

Novel insights on Psalmopoeinae Samm & Schmidt, 2010 (Araneae: Theraphosidae): new species, taxonomic restorations, and reversal of four erroneous synonymies

 


Novel insights on Psalmopoeinae Samm & Schmidt, 2010 (Araneae: Theraphosidae): new species, taxonomic restorations, and reversal of four erroneous synonymies

Abstract
Two new species of Tapinauchenius Ausserer, 1871 are described from Ecuador, T. dayuma sp. nov. and T. montufari sp. nov., based on distinctive spermathecae morphology, including the discovery of a novel spermathecal structure. These taxa represent new distributional records for the genus and suggest a potential trans-Andean speciation pathway for Andean thera phosids. Furthermore, four species of Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895 previously synonymized by Cifuentes & Bertani (2022) without sufficient justification and without examination of type specimens, are reinstated based on morphological and distributional evidence: Psalmopoeus intermedius Chamberlin, 1940 stat. rest. from Panama is removed from an incorrect synonymy with P. reduncus (Karsch, 1880) from Costa Rica; P. copanensis Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 stat. rest. from Honduras, P. petenensis Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 stat. rest. from Guatemala, and P. sandersoni Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 stat. rest. from Belize are all removed from incorrect synonymy with P. victori Mendoza, 2014 from Mexico. Psalmopoeus maya Witt, 1996 is validated as a legitimate name and not a nomen nudum, as erroneously claimed by Cifuentes & Bertani (2022), though it remains a species inquirenda. Two new species, P. drolshageni sp. nov. and P. zombie sp. nov., are described based on previously published but misidentified material. Notes are provided on Psalmopoeus ecclesiasticus Pocock, 1903 sensu stricto. Additionally, a third new species, Psalmopoeus wallacea sp. nov., is described from Honduras based on newly reported material. Last, the distribution patterns of the subfamily Psalmopoeinae at the genus level is discussed, based on current records.

Peñaherrera-R, Pedro & León-E, Roberto J. & Guerrero-Campoverde, Ariel & Torres, Jaime & Sherwood, Danniella. (2025). Novel insights on Psalmopoeinae Samm & Schmidt, 2010 (Araneae: Theraphosidae): new species, taxonomic restorations, and reversal of four erroneous synonymies. Arachnology. 20. 491-508.