Marusik Y.M.
A new genus of araneoid spiders (Aranei: Araneoidea) from northern India
Number: 489, Pages: 1 - 7
A new genus and species of araneoid spiders, Bharatasoma eskovi gen. et sp. n., are described based on the holotype female from Himachal Pradesh, northern India. The new genus resembles the Neotropical genus Chthonos Coddington, 1986 (Theridiosomatidae) by having tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi of legs I and II armed with prolateral row of stiff (i.e., not flexible) setae forming catching basket, and some other shared characters. The new genus has several characters unknown in other theridiosomatid genera and therefore is placed conditionally in this family. Distribution limits of Theridiosomatidae in the Northern Hemisphere are briefly discussed.