Expanding the taxonomy of crab spiders (Araneae, Thomisidae) in Sumatra: a new genus, five new species, and regional records

The taxonomy of crab spiders (Thomisidae) has been the focus of many reviews, adding new genera such as Ibana and Crockeria while synonymising Ascurisoma with Cebrenninus, and describing many new species. A collection of crab spiders from Jambi Province (Sumatra, Indonesia) revealed further diversity, resulting in the description of a new genus, Rangkayo Dhiya’ulhaq & Benjamin, gen. nov., and five new species: Crockeria neofelis Dhiya’ulhaq & Benjamin, sp. nov.

(♂ ♀), Ibana svarnadvipa Dhiya’ulhaq & Benjamin, sp. nov. (♂ ♀), Pharta roseomaculata Dhiya’ulhaq & Benjamin, sp. nov. (♀), Rangkayo hitam Dhiya’ulhaq & Benjamin, sp. nov.

(♂ ♀), and Rangkayo perkaso Dhiya’ulhaq & Benjamin, sp. nov. (♂ ♀). Additionally, new records of Angaeus christae Benjamin, 2013 (♂), Angaeus verrucosus Benjamin, 2017 (♂), Crockeria kinabalu Benjamin, 2016 (♂), Epidius elongatus Benjamin, 2017 (♂), and Pharta bimaculata Thorell, 1891 (♂ ♀) are provided for Sumatra, as well as high-resolution images of Cebrenninus magnus Benjamin, 2016 (♂) and Cebrenninus rugosus Simon, 1887 (♀).

The present study highlights the considerable biodiversity of tropical crab spiders and underscores the importance of continued taxonomic and ecological research in Southeast Asia in general, and the Indonesian archipelago in particular.