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ABSTRACT The Sri Lankan jumping spider species first described as Colopsus cancellatus and its close relatives are an understudied yet charismatic part of the fauna of the island. Here, using… Click to show full abstract
ABSTRACT The Sri Lankan jumping spider species first described as Colopsus cancellatus and its close relatives are an understudied yet charismatic part of the fauna of the island. Here, using molecular sequence data (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and histone H3), and a variety of methods we tested the validity of this genus and recover three well-supported clades in the ML analysis: Colopsus and Evarcha in two separate clades with Burmattus in-between. In the MP analysis Colopsus and Evarcha form two separate clades. The Sri Lanka Colopsus previously misplaced in Evarcha formed a distinct clade in both the ML and MP topologies. Thus, Colopsus is restored as a distinct genus. Pancorius is recovered as non-monophyletic. We additionally describe the following new species: Colopsus cinereus sp. nov., C. ferruginus sp. nov., C. magnus sp. nov. and C. tenuesi sp. nov., Evarcha latus sp. nov., Pancorius alboclypeus sp. nov., P. altus sp. nov and P. athukoralai sp. nov. Pancorius is recorded for the first time from Sri Lanka. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:09916E07-5979-4EFF-86C4-43BDA2FC9EC2
Journal Title: Journal of Natural History
Year Published: 2020
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