First record of Rhomphaea labiata (Zhu & Song, 1991) from India (Araneae: Theridiidae)

Abstract

Studies on Theridiid spider fauna of Indian region especially Kerala is very less. Hence large number of our spiders in Western Ghats of Kerala remains undiscovered and unrecorded. The theridiidae is diverse family in India with 58 known species belonging to 19 genera. Only a few genera such as Argyrodes, Chrysso, Nesticodes, Parasteotoda and Theridula are recorded from Kerala so far. Rhomphaea is one of the species rich genera of the family Theridiidae with 34 known species worldwide. First record of Rhomphaea labiata (Zhu & Song, 1991) is reported from India. It shows close similarity with Argyrodes flavescens O. P. Cambridge, 1880 but can be distinguished by its boomerang-shaped abdomen, elongated ocular projection and oval shaped spermathecae with a posterolateral arch touching spermthecae. Descriptions and illustrations based on a female collected from Peechi-Vazhani wild life sanctuary, Kerala are given.