About Cosmophasis valerieae Prószyński & Deeleman-Reinhold, 2010
Cosmophasis valerieae is a sexually dimorphic species, meaning males and females have clear distinct differences from one another. Males share a similar general appearance to other well-known species in the Cosmophasis genus, such as C. thalassina and C. umbratica, but can be easily distinguished by their unique coloration. Unlike other related species that have black transverse bands on the carapace, males of this species have striking violet-gold iridescent scales. Their wide clypeus is solid jet-black, with only a small number of white clypeal setae interrupting the black color at the center. The dorsal surface of the opisthosoma has a transverse band made up of three fused circular patches of iridescent scales, rather than the long median tract seen in related species. Most of the opisthosoma is covered in dense, overlapping pitch-black scales. Females have even more unique coloration. Their carapace is entirely covered in vivid green iridescent scales, which can range from yellow to blue-green in shade, with some orange scales located around the anterior eyes. The opisthosoma has a background of bright orange scales and markings similar to those found on C. bitaeniata. However, instead of a transverse band across the dorsal opisthosoma, there are three separate white spots outlined in black. These spots stay separate and do not fuse together like the patches in males. Immature specimens have the same coloration pattern as adult females. Cosmophasis valerieae has been recorded in Indonesia, on Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands, specifically on Sumbawa Island. The species is only known from the southernmost islands of Indonesia, spanning from Java to East Nusa Tenggara.
