A new genus and new species of diplurid spider (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Dipluridae) from northeast India

• Main Authors: Zeeshan A. Mirza, Rajesh V. Sanap, Krushnamegh Kunte
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2017-03-01
• Series: Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity
• Subjects: mygalomorphae; new genus; northeast India; Orientothele gen. nov.; Orientothele alyratus sp. nov.
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2287884X1630022X

A new diplurid genus and species is described from northeast India based on a single female specimen from Jampui hills. Orientothele gen. nov. is placed in the subfamily Diplurinae based on the presence of one row of teeth on the chelicerae. The new genus and species can be diagnosed from most diplurid genera in lacking lyra on the prolateral face of maxilla, paired claw with one row of teeth, maxilla with numerous cuspules, scopulae absent on all legs, and spermathecae consisting of two elongate stalks with bulbous receptacles at their tips which are bent inwards. Ischnothele indicola Tikader, 1969 is here treated as incertae sedis with regards to its generic placement in light of the discovery of Orientothele gen. nov.