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Notes on the trapdoor spider genus Tigidia Simon
1892 (Araneae: Barychelidae: Barychelinae) with
the description of three new species from India
Zeeshan A. Mirza
To cite this article: Zeeshan A. Mirza (2023) Notes on the trapdoor spider genus Tigidia Simon
1892 (Araneae: Barychelidae: Barychelinae) with the description of three new species from
India, Journal of Natural History, 57:1-4, 159-174, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2023.2172470
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2023.2172470
Published online: 24 Feb 2023.
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Notes on the trapdoor spider genus Tigidia Simon 1892
(Araneae: Barychelidae: Barychelinae) with the description of
three new species from India
Zeeshan A. Mirza
Department of Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany
ABSTRACT
Three new species of brush-footed spiders of the genus Tigidia are
described: T. jalgaonensis sp. nov. (♀, northern Maharashtra),
T. tangerina sp. nov. (♀, eastern Karnataka), and T. fasciata sp. nov.
(♀, southern Kerala). The present descriptions constitute the rst
record of the genus outside the Western Ghats, indicating its wider
distribution in peninsular India. The discovery of the new species
raises doubts about the validity of the genus Tigidia as the newly
discovered species lls a large gap in the allopatric distribution of
the genus Tigidia and Diplothele and further shows that most of the
diagnostic characters overlap.
http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8A6630F4-F557
-4C6F-912E-020777262BDC
ARTICLE HISTORY
Received 2 April 2022
Accepted 20 January 2023
KEYWORDS
biodiversity; India;
mygalomorphae; taxonomy
Introduction
The brush-footed spider family Barychelidae contains 282 species in 40 genera largely
distributed across the tropics of the equatorial region and southern hemisphere (World
Spider Catalog 2023). Most members of this family make a trapdoor burrow and hence are
not easily detectable in a regular survey unless dedicated eorts are made to locate these
spiders. This is perhaps the reason for the grossly underestimated diversity among these
spiders (Mirza et al. 2012, 2014).
Raven (1985), in his compilation on mygalomorph spiders, grouped barychelid spiders
bearing an elongate and wide eye group on an ocular tubercle as opposed to rectangular,
in the subfamily Barychelinae Simon 1889. Three genera of this subfamily, namely Pisenor
Simon, 1889, Tigidia Simon, 1892, and Diplothele O.P-Cambridge, 1890, lack the posterior
median spinnerets, patterened abdomen, two digitiform spermathecae or mounds with
lateral lobes (Siliwal et al. (2011). In the context of the Indian subcontinent, the genera
Tigidia and Diplothele have been recorded from India, where the former is restricted to the
Western Ghats and the latter is recorded from the northern Eastern Ghats (Siliwal et al.
2009, 2011).
The genus Tigidia Simon, 1892 presently contains 11 species distributed in Madagascar,
the neighbouring islands and India (Figure 1) (Siliwal et al. 2011, World Spider Catalogue
CONTACT Zeeshan A. Mirza snakeszeeshan@gmail.com
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY
2023, VOL. 57, NO. 1–4, 159–174
https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2023.2172470
© 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
Published online 24 Feb 2023
2023). In India, it is represented by four species distributed in the Western Ghats, viz
T. konkanensis Mirza, Zende and Patil, 2016, T. rutilofronis Sanap, Mirza and Siliwal 2011 in
Siliwal et al. (2011), T. nilgiriensis Sanap, Mirza and Siliwal 2011 in Siliwal et al. (2011) and
T. sahyadri Siliwal, Gupta and Raven, 2011 in Siliwal et al. (2011) (Mirza et al. 2016).
Figure 1. Map showing the global distribution of the genus Tigidia (black star) and Diplothele (red
circles), (a) India and Sri Lanka, (b) Madagascar.
160 Z. A. MIRZA
In the course of a project documenting the mygalomorph spiders of India, I examined
specimens of the genus Tigidia from three localities. These dier from congeners pre-
viously recorded from India, based on morphology, and are herein described as new
species. The newly discovered species provide data that raises doubts about the validity
of the Tigidia and Diplothele as distinct genera (see Discussion).
Material and methods
Specimens were collected and preserved in 70% ethanol and the holotype is deposited in
the collection of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Mumbai, and Museum and
Research Collection facility of the National Centre of Biological Sciences (NCBS),
Bengaluru. Measurements were taken with a Mitutoyo
TM
digital calliper. Spermathecae
were dissected and cleaned using a needle. Specimens were examined using an Olympus
SZ40 stereo-binocular microscope. Photographs were taken with a Canon 70D camera
equipped with a 100 mm macro lens. Eye measurements were taken with the software
ImageJ (http://imagej.nih.gov/ij/). All measurements are given in millimetres, with an error
of ± 0.01. Illustrations were prepared by Rajesh Sanap.
The following abbreviations are used in the text and gures: d, dorsal; fe, femur; mt,
metatarsus; p, prolateral; pa, patella; r, retrolateral; ta, tarsus; ti, tibia; v, ventral; ALE,
anterior lateral eye; AME, anterior median eye; MOQ, median ocular quadrate; PLE, poster-
ior lateral eye; PLS, posterior lateral spinnerets; PME, posterior median eye; PMS, posterior
median spinnerets.
Taxonomy
Class ARACHNIDA Cuvier, 1812
Order ARANEAE Clerck, 1757
Family BARYCHELIDAE Simon, 1889
Genus Tigidia Simon 1892
Forsythula Pocock 1903: 244; Benoit 1965: 28.
Tructicus Strand 1907: 550; Benoit 1965: 30.
Cestotrema Simon 1902: 551; Raven 1985: 112.
Nossibea Strand 1907: 550, 1985: 113.
Acropholius Simon 1902: 598, 1985: 112.
Type species. Tigidia mauriciana Simon, 1892, based on a female specimen. The holotype
is deposited at the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris. Type not examined.
Diagnosis. The genus Tigidia resembles the genus Diplothele in having two spinnerets,
superior tarsal claw of legs I and II clearly smaller than on legs III and IV and bilobed
spermathecae. Tigidia can be distinguished from Diplothele by preening comb present on
metatarsi III–IV (in Diplothele, preening combs absent). The genus diers form Pisenor in
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 161
haing superior tarsal claw of legs I and II clearly smaller than on legs III and IV (vs superior
tarsal claw of all legs of similar size) and in the presence of preening comb present on
metatarsi III–IV (vs absent in Pisenor) (Raven 1985).
Distribution. India, Madagascar and Mauritius Islands.
Tigidia jalgaonensis sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7069A635-4963-4978-868D-9E04EA680263
(Figures 2,3 (a–f))
Type material. Holotype ♀ (NRC-AA-1606), INDIA: Maharashtra, Jalgaon District,
Ghodegaon, Chalisgaon taluka, near Gautala Wildlife Sanctuary (20.312799°N,
74.862241°E, 460 m), leg. Rajesh Sanap and Vishwanath Rathod, 26.07.2013. Paratypes:
two juveniles (NCBS AG 807 and AG808), same data as holotype.
Etymology. The specic epithet refers to District Jalgaon in the Indian State of
Maharashtra, where the types were collected.
Diagnosis. Diers from all known species of Tigidia in bearing a digitiform
spermathecal stalk with a short, balloon-like lateral lobe at distal end (Figure 9). Male
unknown.
Description. Female (holotype). Total length 11.65. Carapace 5.56 long, 4.28 wide. Fovea
0.86 wide, distance from anterior border of carapace 3.58. Abdomen 6.09 long, 4.10 wide.
Figure 2. Tigidia jalgaonensis sp. nov. showing colouration in life. Photo by Rajesh Sanap.
162 Z. A. MIRZA
Spinnerets: PLS, total length 1.19 (0.69 basal, 0.30 middle, 0.20 apical; mid widths 0.56,
0.36, 0.17, respectively), 0.24 apart.
Colour in life (Figure 2). Carapace and all legs chocolaty brown. Abdomen brownish
black, covered with golden hairs. A brown chevron marking on dorsal to lateral side.
Ventral side, light brown with small black spots mottled towards posterior end near
spinnerets. Colour in alcohol paler than in fresh specimen.
Carapace covered with golden black setae intermixed with black short and long bristles
on caput. Bristles: 7–8 long on the caput in mid dorsal line; 10 long and 15–16 short
between PME; 4 long on the border between ALE and ALE; 4–5 long between AME and
ALE. Two glabrous bands emerging from fovea and running either side of caput.
Eyes (Figure 3(c)). Ocular group front width, mid widths, back width, length, 0.78, 0.86,
1.13, 1.14, respectively. Anterior row and posterior row straight. MOQ square, front width
0.70, back width 0.79, length 0.66. Diameter of AME 0.20, ALE 0.19, PME 0.12, PLE 0.25. Eye
interspaces: AME–AME 0.15, AME–ALE 0.21, ALE–ALE 0.07, PME–PLE adjacent, PME–PME
0.39, ALE–PLE 0.47.
Sternum (Figure 3(b)). 2.60 long, 1.95 wide. Covered with hair and bristles. Sigilla
indistinct.
Chelicerae (Figure 3(d)). 3.30 long. Prolateral face glabrous, yellowish orange with a few
small hairs; 8 promarginal teeth and 12 basomesal teeth in 2–3 parallel lines; rastellum on
low mound, consists of ca. 50 short thick curved spines, of which 26 on the mound and 12
Figure 3. Tigidia jalgaonensis sp. nov. NRC-AA-1606: (a) dorsal, (b) ventral, (c) eyes, (d) prolateral face
of chelicerae, (e) spinnerets, (f) spermathecae.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 163
in anterior line, several pointed thin spines on dorsal and vertical face and upward;
dorsally two glabrous bands along the length.
Labium (Figure 3(b)). 0.70 wide, 0.40 long; labiosternal groove broad with 2 distinct
sigilla on either side. Cuspules absent.
Maxillae (Figure 3(b)). 1.38 long in front, 1.70 long in back, 0.95 wide; 2–3 cuspules on
inner angle. Posterior heel slightly produced; anterior lobe distinct.
Legs. Formula 4123, lengths (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 2.70, 1.75,
1.77, 1.02, 0.77, 8.01. II: 2.26, 1.78, 1.56, 1.04, 0.98, 7.62. III: 1.98, 1.68, 1.19, 1.28, 1.04, 7.17.
IV: 3.14, 2.00, 2.40, 2.36, 1.27, 11.19. palp: 1.40, 1.01, 1.50, -, 1.88, 5.79. Mid widths: femora I–
IV = 1.04, 1.07, 1.09, 0.84, palp = 0.70, tibia I–IV = 1.00, 0.85, 0.93, 0.88, palp = 0.99.
Legs. Brown with two glabrous yellowish bands longitudinally on femora, patellae and
tibiae (very prominent on femora and patellae), all legs moderately hairy; femora III and
tibia I thicker than rest; all legs of similar thickness; preening comb on ventrolateral
metatarsi III and IV; coxae IV widest.
Leg spination. Leg III: mt, 2p, 2 v; ti, 2p, 1 v; pa, 4p; leg IV: mt, 2p, 1 r, 2 v; ti, 2 v.
Scopulae. Ta: I–II, full, thick, lateroventral, divided with thin long hair for length, multiple
hairs mixed with scopulae at the base; ta III–IV, full, lateroventral, divided, with 8–9 rows of
spines for length. Mt III: well-developed scopulae on distal half; mt III–IV, a few scopuli-
form hairs intermixed with bristles on distal ¼.
Trichobothria. Ta: I, 8 clavate, 16–17 long and short liform; II, 11 clavate, 14–15 long and
short liform; III, 4 clavate, 14–15 long and short liform; IV, 7 clavate, 15–16 long and
short liform; palp, 12 clavate, 14–15 long and short liform. Mt: I, 6–7 long and short; II, 5–
6 long and short; III, 6–7 long and short; IV, 6–7 long and short; palp, 11 long and short. Ti:
I, 8–9 long and short; II, IV and palp, 9–10 long and short; III, 7 long and short; clavate
trichobothria conned to proximal half of ta. Short liform conned to mid-dorsal distal
half in a single row, long liform in V-shaped pattern conned to distal half on ta. Mt, only
liform in curved single row in 2/3 length.
Claws. Claw tufts on all legs and palp. All claws edentate, claws of legs I and II clearly
smaller than on legs III and IV.
Abdomen (Figure 3(a–b)). Abdomen brownish yellow with a blackish brown mottled
marking on dorsal to lateral side. Ventral side, light yellowish brown with small black spots
mottled towards posterior end near spinnerets, uniformly covered with short brown hairs
intermixed with a few black bristles; ventral side.
Spinnerets (Figure 3(e)). PLS, apical segment dome-shaped. Covered with golden
brown hair. PMS absent.
164 Z. A. MIRZA
Spermathecae (Figure 3(f)). 2 digitiform stalks, slightly broader at base, each stalk with
an outer lobe consisting of a balloon-like structure of similar length at 1/4
th
at distal end.
Natural history. The holotype and the two juveniles were found on mud escarpments
along a stream near Gautala Wildlife Sanctuary. The species makes a shallow tubular
burrow with a single trapdoor.
Tigidia tangerina sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B880308A-48DF-4ABE-BB44-6B9800E2EFC2
(Figures 4,5 (a–f))
Type material. Holotype ♀ (NRC-AA-1607), INDIA: Karnataka, Chikkaballapur District,
Nandi hills (13.372007°N, 77.680686°E, 1394 m), leg. Rajesh Sanap and Zeeshan Mirza,
28.08.2018. Paratypes: 2 ♀ (NCBS AG805 and AG806), same data as holotype.
Etymology. The specic epithet ‘tangerina’ refers to the orange colouration of the new
species in life.
Diagnosis. Diers from T. rutilofronis and T. sahyadri in possessing a digitiform stalk of
spermathecae; diers from T. fasciata sp. nov. in bearing spines only on legs III and IV.
Diers from T. jalgaonensis sp. nov. in bearing a twisted lateral spermathecal lobe.
Description. Female. Total length 11.44. Carapace 7.09 long, 6.30 wide. Fovea 1.15 wide.
Distance from anterior border of carapace 2.65. Abdomen 9.35 long, 6.56 wide.
Spinnerets: PLS, total length 1.75 (1.21 basal, 0.41 middle, 0.13 apical; mid widths 0.67,
0.50, 0.17, respectively), 0.39 apart.
Figure 4. Tigidia tangerina sp. nov. showing colouration in life.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 165
Colour in life (Figure 4). Carapace dark brown; legs orange except all legs of tarsus and
metatarsus are light orangish brown. Abdomen overall dark blackish brown, darker
anteriorly with yellowish-brown chevron marking running from dorsal to lateral side.
Colour in alcohol paler than fresh specimens.
Carapace covered with black hairs equally spread all over. Intermixed with black short
and long bristles on caput. Bristles: 6 long and 5–6 short on the caput in mid dorsal line; 13
long, 14–15 short between PME; 13–14 long and 3–4 on the border between ALE and ALE;
9–10 short between AME and ALE. Two glabrous bands emerging from fovea and running
either side of caput.
Eyes (Figure 5(c)). Ocular group front width, mid-width, back width, length, 1.0, 0.90,
1.42, 1.10, respectively. Anterior row and posterior row straight; rest transparent. MOQ
square, front width 0.76, back width 1.03, length 0.56. Diameter of AME 0.36, ALE 0.42,
PME 0.20, PLE 0.36. Eye interspaces: AME–AME 0.16, AME–ALE 0.25, PME–PLE 0.06 adja-
cent, PME–PME 0.64, ALE–PLE 0.41.
Sternum (Figure 5(b)). 3.75 long, 3.20 wide. Covered with hair and bristles projecting
from anterior border of sternum.
Chelicerae (Figure 5(d)). 3.00 long. Prolateral face glabrous, brown with a few small
hairs; 8 promarginal teeth and 13 basomesal teeth in 2–3 parallel lines; rastellum on
a mound, consists of ca. 50 short thick curved spines, of which 17–18 on the mound and
8–9 in anterior line, several normal pointed thin spines on dorsal and vertical face and
upward.
Figure 5. Tigidia tangerina sp. nov. NRC-AA-1607, (a) dorsal, (b) ventral, (c) eyes, (d) prolateral face of
chelicerae, (e) spinnerets, (f) spermathecae.
166 Z. A. MIRZA
Labium (Figure 5(b)). 1.30 wide, 0.62 long; labiosternal groove broad with two sigilla
joined medially. Cuspules absent.
Maxillae (Figure 5(b)). 1.45 long in front, 1.95 long in back, 1.44 wide; 2/3 cuspules on
inner angle. Posterior heel slightly produced; anterior lobe indistinct.
Sigilla (Figure 5(b)). Distinct/indistinct, posterior 0.20 diameter, 2.31 apart, marginal;
median 0.19 diameter, 2.50 apart, marginal; anterior 0.05 diameter, 2.26 apart, marginal.
Legs. Formula 4123, lengths (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total) I: 3.30, 2.17,
2.55, 1.64, 1.10, 10.76. II: 3.29, 2.17, 2.22, 1.17, 1.12, 9.97. III: 2.57, 1.80, 1.57, 1.72, 1.28, 8.94.
IV: 3.70, 2.34, 2.94, 3.04, 1.53, 13.55. Palp: 2.68, -, 1.71, 1.16, 1.72, 7.27. Mid widths: femora
I–IV = 1.12, 1.23, 1.32, 1.09; palp = 0.70. Tibia I–IV = 1.14, 1.07, 0.95, 0.98, palp = 1.01.
Legs. Orange, moderately hairy; femora III and tibia I thicker than rest; all legs of similar
thickness; preening comb on ventrolateral metatarsi III and IV; coxae IV widest; two
glabrous bands longitudinal on femora, patellae and tibiae (very prominent on patellae).
Leg spination. Leg III: mt, 2p, 1 r; ti, 1p; pa, 3p; leg IV: mt, 2p; ti, 1p; pa: mt, 2p.
Scopulae. Ta: I–II, full, thick, lateroventral, divided with thin long hair for length, multiple
hairs mixed with scopulae at the base; III–IV, full, lateroventral, divided with 6–7 rows of
spines for length. Mt III: well developed scopulae on distal half; III–IV, a few scopuliform
hairs intermixed with bristles on distal ¼.
Trichobothria. Ta: I, 11 calvate in 3–4 rows, 11–12 long and short liform in two rows; ta:
II, 11 calvate in 2–3 rows basal region; 10–11 long and short liform in two row; ta: III, 8
calvate in two rows; 9–10 long and short liform in 2–3 rows; ta: IV, 7 calvate in two rows;
8–9 short and long liform in three rows; mt: I 4–5 long and short on the distal region; mt:
II, 10–11 short and long liform in two rows; mt: III, 7–8 long and short liform in two rows;
mt: IV, 16–17 long and short liform in two rows; ti: I, 13–14 long and short liform in three
rows; ti: II, 9–10 long liform in two rows; ti: III, 8–9 long and short liform in two rows; ti:
IV, 12–13 long and short liform in two rows.
Claws. Claw tufts on all legs and palp. All claws edentate, claws of legs I and II clearly
smaller than on legs III and IV.
Abdomen (Figure 5(a–b)). Blackish brown with yellowish chevron mark dorsolaterally;
uniformly covered with short brown hairs intermixed with a few black bristles.
Spinnerets (Figure 5(e)). PLS, apical segment dome-shaped. Covered with golden
brown hair. PMS absent.
Spermathecae (Figure 5(f)). 2 digitiform stalks, each with a lateral balloon-like lobe
supported by a twisted sclerotised structure emerging outward from close to the base.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 167
Natural history. The type specimens were collected from Nandi hills along a trail leading
to the highest point. Burrows were mostly constructed at the base of large trees in loose
soil. The burrows are about 150 mm deep, with a single trapdoor.
Tigidia fasciata sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:47C2FBD6-DBDA-4BEF-88E3-107059AC61BA
(Figures 6,7(a–f))
Type material. Holotype ♀ (NRC-AA-1608), INDIA: Kerala, District, Neyyar Wildlife
Sanctuary (8.548032°N, 77.145361°E, 143 m), leg. Rajesh Sanap and Zeeshan Mirza,
21.12.2013. Paratypes: 2♀, NCBS AG803, same data as holotype, and NCBS AG804,
Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary (8.672902°, 77.151279°, 380 m) leg. Rajesh Sanap and
Zeeshan Mirza, 24.12.2013.
Etymology. The specic epithet ‘fasciata’ refers to the bands present on the legs of the
new species.
Diagnosis. Diers from all Indian congers in bearing spines on all legs in addition to
a digitiform spermatheca and chevron abdominal pattern.
Description. Female, total length 11.65. Carapace 4.91 long, 3.52 wide. Fovea 0.48 wide,
distance from anterior border 3.08. Abdomen 5.63 long, 3.48 wide. Spinnerets: PLS, total
length 1.36 (0.10 basal, 0.40 middle, 0.86 apical; mid widths 0.56, 0.36, 0.17, respectively), 0.24
apart.
Colour in life (Figure 6). Carapace dark blackish brown covered with golden hairs; all
legs yellow with distinct black band present on tarsus, metatarsus 2/3 and tibia ¼ on the
basal region. Abdomen yellowish with brown chevron marking running from dorsal to
Figure 6. Tigidia fasciata sp. nov. showing colouration in life.
168 Z. A. MIRZA
lateral sides. Ventral side light yellowish, two small black lines between spinnerets and
book lungs. Colour in alcohol paler than in fresh specimen.
Carapace covered with golden hairs all over. Intermixed with black short and long
bristles on caput. Bristles: 2–3 long and 3 short on the caput in mid-dorsal line; 3–4 long
and 11–12 short between PME; two glabrous bands emerging from fovea and running
either side of caput.
Eyes (Figure 7(c)). Ocular group front width, mid-width, back width, length, 0.83, 0.71,
0.91, 0.84, respectively. Anterior row strongly procurved, posterior row straight; posterior
eyes opaque, rest transparent. MOQ square, front width 0.63, back width 0.68, length 0.47.
Diameter of AME 0.19, ALE 0.26, PME 0.10, PLE 0.20. Eye interspaces: AME–AME 0.11, AME–
ALE 0.14, PME–PLE 0.07 adjacent, PME–PME 0.29, ALE–PLE 0.24.
Sternum (Figure 7(b)). 2.40 long, 2.22 wide. Covered with hair and bristles. Sigilla
indistinct.
Chelicerae (Figure 7(d)). 3.00 long. Prolateral face glabrous, yellowish orange with a few
small hairs; 10 promarginal teeth and 17–18 basomesal teeth in 2–3 parallel lines;
rastellum on low mound, consists of ca. 35–40 short thick curved spines, of which 15 on
the mound and 13–15 in anterior line, several normal pointed thin spines on dorsal and
vertical face and upward; dorsally two glabrous bands for length.
Figure 7. Tigidia fasciata sp. nov. NRC-AA-1608: (a) dorsal, (b) ventral, (c) eyes, (d) prolateral face of
chelicerae, (e) spinnerets, (f) spermathecae.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 169
Labium (Figure 7(b)). 0.39 wide, 0.57 long; labiosternal groove broad with two sigilla
joined medially. Cuspules absent.
Maxillae (Figure 7(b)). 1.23 long in front, 1.37 long in back, 0.94 wide; 4/4 cuspules on
inner angle. Posterior heel slightly produced; anterior lobe distinct.
Legs. Formula 4123, lengths (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 3.08, 1.84,
2.30, 1.47, 1.26, 9.95. II: 3.07, 1.83, 1.93, 1.25, 1.14, 9.22. III: 2.47, 1.15, 1.63, 1.54, 1.21, 8. IV:
3.57, 1.53, 3.22, 2.60, 1.40, 12.32. Palp: 2.21, 1.09, 1.34, -, 1.40, 6.04. Mid widths: femora
I–IV = 1.04, 1.07, 1.05, 0.84, palp = 0.70, tibia I–IV = 1.00, 0.85, 0.93, 0.88, palp = 0.99.
Legs. Brown, moderately hairy; femora III and tibia I thicker than rest; all legs of similar
thickness; preening comb on ventrolateral metatarsi III and IV; coxae IV widest; two
glabrous bands longitudinal on femora, patellae and tibiae (very prominent on
patellae).
Leg spination. Legs I and II: 3 v; leg III: mt, 3p, 2 r, 5 v; ti, 2p, 2 r, 5 v; pa, 4p; leg IV: mt, 2p,
2 r, 8 v; ti, 2 r, 6 v.
Scopulae. Ta: I–II, full, thick, lateroventral, divided with thin long hair for length, multiple
hair mixed with scopulae at the base; III–IV, full, lateroventral, divided with 3–4 rows of
spines for length. Mt III: well developed scopulae on distal half; III–IV, a few scopuliform
hairs intermixed with bristles on distal ¼.
Trichobothria. Ta: I, 8 clavate, 8–9 long and short liform; II, 8 clavate, 10–11 long and
short liform; III, 7 clavate, 15–16 long and short liform; IV, 7 clavate, 11–12 long and
short liform; palp, 10 clavate, 12–13 long and short liform. Mt: I, 5–6 long and short; II,
6–7 long and short; III, 14–15 long and short; IV, 12–13 long and short; palp, 12–13 long
and short. Ti: I and II, 10–11 long and short; ti: III and IV 7–8 long and short; palp, 12–13
long and short; III, 7 long and short; Clavate trichobothria is conned to proximal half of ta.
Short liform conned to mid-dorsal distal half in a single row, long liform in V-shaped
pattern conned to distal half on ta. Mt, only liform in curved single row in 2/3 length.
Claws. Claw tufts on all legs and palp. All claws edentate, claws of legs I and II clearly
smaller than on legs III and IV.
Abdomen (Figures 7(a–b)). Yellow with brown chevron mark dorsolaterally, uniformly
covered with short brown hairs intermixed with a few black bristles.
Spinnerets (Figure 7(e)). PLS, apical segment dome-shaped. Covered with golden-
brown hair. PMS absent.
Spermathecae (Figure 7(f)). 2 digitiform stalks, each with a lateral balloon-like lobe
supported by a twisted sclerotised structure emerging outward from close to the base.
170 Z. A. MIRZA
Natural history. Specimens were found on mud slopes leading to the Neyyar Lake in
Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in southern Kerala (Figure 8). The area is dominated by Tectona
grandis and is a degraded patch meant for recreational activities for tourists. Burrows were
short and in hard soil, usually vertical in orientation. Burrows were short, with two trap-
doors leading to a tubular burrow.
Discussion
The diagnostic characters to distinguish Diplothele from Tigidia are as follows: ocular
group width equal in front and back in Diplothele vs ocular group wider behind than in
front in Tigidia; preening comb absent on leg III and IV in Diplothele vs present in Tigidia
(Siliwal et al. 2011). Morphometric data presented for three species of Diplothele by Siliwal
et al. (2009) shows that the members have ocular group wider behind than in front, as
seen in members of the genus Tigidia. The spermathecae were shown to be digitiform in
Diplothele by Siliwal et al. (2009) and mound-shaped in Tigidia (Siliwal et al. 2011); the
three new species of Tigidia described herein bear digitiform spernathecae. This suggests
that the shape of the spermathecae is variable across the genus Tigidia. Presence of the
Figure 8. Map showing the distribution of Tigidia spp. in India.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 171
preening comb on metatarsi III and IV is the only character that may be used to distinguish
these genera, but this character appears to be too nebulous to distinguish the two genera.
Furthermore, discovery of T. jalgaonensis sp. nov. and T. tangerina sp. nov. indicates that
Tigidia is not restricted to the Western Ghats and may be distributed across peninsular
India. Molecular data from representatives of both the genera and most species will be
necessary to conrm whether these genera are synonymous and eventually should be
merged.
Discovery of the three new species merely reects the poor nature of documentation
of mygalomorph spiders in India, especially of trapdoor spiders. These spiders, along with
other mygalomorph spiders, are an ideal model for the study of species with limited
dispersal ability, which is conjectured based on the limited distriution of species of the
genus Tigidia and other trapdoor spiders (Siliwal et al. 2009, 2011; Mirza et al. 2012). The
similarity in the composition of the diversity of Indian mygalomorph spiders with that of
Africa and Madagascar also makes them an ideal group to study the Gondawanan origin
of Indian biota. However, dedicated eorts must be made to document the diversity of
these spiders to resolve the systematics and eventually the evolutionary history of these
spiders.
Figure 9. Spermathecae of Tigidia spp.: (a) Tigidia jalgaonensis sp. nov., (b) Tigidia tangerina sp. nov.,
(c) Tigidia fasciata sp. nov., (d) Tigidia sahyadri, (e) Tigidia nilgiriensis, (f) Tigidia rutilofronis. Scale bars:
A–C = 0.5 mm; D–F = 1 mm. Figure 9(d–f) reproduced from Siliwal et al. (2011).
172 Z. A. MIRZA
Key to Indian Tigidia (Figure 9)
1a. Spines present on legs III and IV ................................................................................................... 2
1b. Spines present on all legs ............................................................................... T. fasciata sp. nov.
2a. Spermathecal stalk mound-shaped (Figure 9(d–f))................................................................. 3
2b. Spermathecal stalk digitiform (Figure 9(a–c)) .......................................................................... 4
3a. Dorsal abdominal pattern chevron ........................................................................ T. rutilofronis
3b. Dorsal abdominal pattern mottled ............................................................................ T. sahyadri
4a. Dorsal abdominal pattern chevron .............................................................................................. 5
4b. Dorsal abdominal pattern mottled ........................................................................ T. nilgiriensis
5a. Outer lobe of spermathecae simple, balloon-like structure of similar length at 1/4
th
distal end (Figure 9(a)) ............................................................................ T. jalgaonensis sp. nov.
5b. Outer lobe of spermathecae each with a lateral balloon-like lobe supported by
a twisted sclerotised structure emerging outward from close to the base (Figure 9(b))
................................................................................................................................ T. tangerina sp. nov.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Rajesh Sanap for help with eldwork to document the mygalomorph spiders of
Western Ghats. Furthermore, for helping with data collection and sketching the new species for the
present work, I am deeply indebted to him for all his help. The work was funded by a generous grant
from the Ruord Small Grant and Singinawa Conservation Foundation to ZM. I thank Kerala (WL10-
39857/2013) and Karnataka Forest Department (GL-90/2018-19) for issuing necessary research
permits. I thank Vivek Ramachandran and Tarun Karmakar for their help in specimen registration
at the Museum and Research Collection Facility of National Centre for Biological Sciences.
Disclosure statement
No potential conict of interest was reported by the author.
Funding
This work was supported by the Ruord Foundation and Singinawa Conservation Foundation
[18723-1 & 2].
ORCID
Zeeshan A. Mirza http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1685-9816
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 173
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