Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5796 No. 1: 20 Apr. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-04-20
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5796.1.6
Page range: 124-134
Abstract views: 89
PDF downloaded: 3

Two new species of Psechrus Thorell, 1878 (Araneae: Psechridae) from India

Zoological Survey of India; Prani Vigyan Bhawan; M-Block; New Alipore; Kolkata – 700053; West Bengal; India
Zoological Survey of India; Prani Vigyan Bhawan; M-Block; New Alipore; Kolkata – 700053; West Bengal; India
Zoological Survey of India; Prani Vigyan Bhawan; M-Block; New Alipore; Kolkata – 700053; West Bengal; India
Araneae Lace-sheet-weavers taxonomy Nagaland northeastern India Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot

Abstract

Two new species of Psechrus Thorell, 1878, P. ntu sp. nov. (♀) and P. phenshunyu sp. nov. (♀) are described from the Indian state of Nagaland. Additionally, P. himalayanus Simon, 1906 is recorded for the first time from northeastern India. The record of P. himalayanus is based on a male specimen found cohabiting a web of P. phenshunyu sp. nov., suggesting that heterospecific association may occur among the members of this genus. Detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations of the copulatory organs of the new species are provided along with the natural history observations and distribution map of the Psechrus species currently known from India.

 

References

  1. Bayer, S. (2012) The lace-sheet-weavers—a long story (Araneae: Psechridae: Psechrus). Zootaxa, 3379 (1), 1–170. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3379.1.1
  2. Bayer, S. (2014) Seven new species of Psechrus and additional taxonomic contributions to the knowledge of the spider family Psechridae (Araneae). Zootaxa, 3826 (1), 1–54. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3826.1.1
  3. Bosselaers, J. & Jocqué, J. (2000) Studies in Corinnidae: transfer of four genera and description of the female of Lessertina mutica Lawrence 1942. Tropical Zoology, 13, 305–325. https://doi.org/10.1080/03946975.2000.10531138
  4. Caleb, J.T.D. & Sankaran, P.M. (2026) Araneae of India. Version 2022. Available from: http://www.indianspiders.in (accessed 12 March 2026)
  5. Doleschall, L. (1857) Bijdrage tot de kennis der Arachniden van den Indischen Archipel. Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch-Indie, 13, 399–434, pls. 1–2. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.66068
  6. Eberhard, W.G. (2022) Biological challenges to conclusions from molecular phylogenies: behaviour strongly favours orb web monophyly, contradicting molecular analyses. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 137 (3), 389–408. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blac101
  7. Hu, C.H. (2025) On Psechrus species from Xizang, China (Araneae: Psechridae). Journal of Plateau Agriculture, 9 (4), 498–504. https://doi.org/10.19707/j.cnki.jpa.2025.04.010
  8. Hubert, M. (1973) Araignées du Népal 1. Description d’Amaurobius milloti n. sp. (Amaurobiidae) et répartition de Psechrus himalayanus Sim. (Psechridae). Bulletin du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris, Series 3, No. 125 (Zoologie 97), 675–682. https://doi.org/10.5962/p.272634
  9. Levi, H.W. (1982) The spider genera Psechrus and Fecenia (Araneae: Psechridae). Pacific Insects, 24, 114–138.
  10. Myers, N., Mittermeier, R.A., Mittermeier, C.G., Fonseca, G.A.B. & Kent, J. (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, 403, 853–858. https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501
  11. Pickard-Cambridge, O. (1869) Catalogue of a collection of Ceylon Araneida lately received from Mr J. Nietner, with descriptions of new species and characters of a new genus. I. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology, 10 (46), 373–397, pls. 11–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1869.tb00667.x
  12. QGIS Development Team (2023) QGIS Geographic Information System. Version 3.34.14. Prizren. QGIS Association, Lyon. [program]
  13. Simon, E. (1887) Observation sur divers arachnides: synonymies et descriptions. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, Series 6, 7 (Bulletin), 158–159 + 167 + 175–176 + 186–187 + 193–195.
  14. Simon, E. (1890) Etudes arachnologiques. 22e Mémoire. XXXIV. Etude sur les arachnides de l’Yemen. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, Series 6, 10, 77–124.
  15. Simon, E. (1906) Etude sur les araignées de la section des cribellates. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique, 50, 284–308. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.19947
  16. Sudhin, P.P., Mali, S., Sarma, P.D. & Sen, S. (2025) Two new species of the spider genus Psechrus Thorell, 1878 (Araneae: Psechridae) from northeastern India. Zootaxa, 5609 (3), 419–429. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5609.3.7
  17. Thorell, T. (1878) Studi sui ragni Malesi e Papuani. II. Ragni di Amboina raccolti Prof. O. Beccari. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, 13, 5–317.
  18. Thorell, T. (1897) Viaggio di Leonardo Fea in Birmania e regioni vicine. LXXIII. Secondo saggio sui Ragni birmani. I. Parallelodontes. Tubitelariae. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, 37, 161–267.
  19. World Spider Catalog (2026) World Spider Catalog. Version 27. Natural History Museum Bern. Available from: http://wsc.nmbe.ch (accessed 12 March 2026) https://doi.org/10.24436/2

How to Cite

Sudhin, P.P., Mali, S. & Sen, S. (2026) Two new species of Psechrus Thorell, 1878 (Araneae: Psechridae) from India. Zootaxa, 5796 (1), 124–134. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5796.1.6