Sparbambus gombakensis, Zhang & Woon & Li, 2006

Zhang, J. X., Woon, Jeremy R. W. & Li, Daiqin, 2006, A New Genus And Species Of Jumping Spiders (Araneae: Salticidae: Spartaeinae) From Malaysia, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 54 (2), pp. 241-244 : 242-244

Sparbambus gombakensis , new species

( Figs. 1-8 )

Holotype. – Male , Ulu Gombak Field Studies Centre (University of Malaya) (3°19.50'N 101°545.18'E), Selangor, Malaysia, 17 May.2005, coll. I. Agnarsson.

Paratypes. – 1 female, Ulu Gombak Field Studies Centre (University

of Malaya) (3°19.50'N 101°545.18'E), Selangor, 002/west Malaysia, Malaysia, 15 May.2004; 2 females, 17 May.2005, coll. Jeremy R. W. Woon .

Description. – Female. Total length 6.62: cephalothorax 3.06 long, 2.25 wide, 0.85 high; abdomen 3.56 long, 1.58 wide. Carapace ( Figs. 1-2 ) flat, yellow brown, lateral margins grey brown with brown short hairs, eye area black brown with pale yellow long hairs ( Fig. 9 ). Carapace with three shallow depressions behind first eye row, and a concave line between PMEs and PLEs. Fovea distinct. Eye sizes: AME 0.51, ALE 0.34, PME 0.15, PLE 0.27. First eye row 1.70 wide, second eye row 1.43 wide, third eye row 1.39 wide, eye area 1.48 long. Clypeus height 0.00. Palp pale yellow, basal part of coxa grey with long white hairs ( Fig. 9 ). Chelicerae ( Fig. 3 ) yellow brown, distal part of outer-lateral and prolateral surfaces grey, fang red brown, promargin with three teeth and retromargin with six teeth. Endites pale yellow. Labium and sternum pale grey yellow. Sternum smooth, lacking setae. Coxae, trochanters and femora of legs pale yellow, other segments yellow, with grey annulations. Legs with spines and brown hairs ( Fig. 9 ). Spination of leg I: metatarsi v 2-4- 0, p 0-1-1, r 0-1-1; tibiae v 2-4-2, p 0-1-1, r 0-1-1, d 1-1-0; patellae p 0-1-0, r 0-1-0; femora d 0-2-2. Measurements of legs: I 6.94 (1.98+0.95+1.89+1.49+0.63), II 7.27 (2.25+0.99 +1.85+1.58+0.63), III 7.93 (2.52+0.90+2.12+1.76+0.63), IV 8.20 (2.66+0.90+2.12+1.89+0.63). Leg formula: 4321. Abdomen long oval and yellow, dorsum with two lateral dark brown stripes, an anterior mesal dark brown patch and two red brown patches ( Fig. 9 ). Median septum of epigynum ( Figs. 4-5 ) long and widened posteriorly, copulatory duct with a small hump near intromittent orifice, spermatheca large.

Male. Total length 6.21: cephalothorax 2.84 long, 2.03 wide, 0.82 high; abdomen 3.38 long, 1.31 wide. Carapace black, lacking concave line ( Fig. 10). Eye sizes: AME 0.51, ALE 0.34, PME 0.17, PLE 0.26. First eye row 1.67 wide, second eye row 1.45 wide, third eye row 1.46 wide, eye area 1.39 long. Clypeus height 0.00. Legs pale yellow, with indistinct grey annulations. Spination of leg I: metatarsi v 2-4-0, p 0-1-1, r 0-1-1; tibiae v 2-4-2, p 0-1-1, r 0-1-1, d 1-1-0; patellae p 0-1-0, r 0-1-0; femora d 0-2-2. Leg I lacking minute tubercle on ventral femur. Measurements of palp and legs: palp 2.44 (0.90+0.37+0.27+0.90); I 5.35 (1.89+0.81+1.71+1.40+0.54), II 6.58 (2.07+0.81+1.76+1.40+0.54), III 7.17 (2.39+0.77+1.85+1.62+0.54), IV 7.57 (2.52+0.77+1.89+1.85+0.54). Leg formula: 4321. Abdomen long oval and pale grey yellow, with grey brown stripes and patches, ventrally with a mesal brown stripe ( Fig. 10A). Male palp ( Figs. 6-8 , 10B) with ventral, retrolateral and dorsal tibial apophyses, ventral apophysis hooked distally with a round tip near distal end, retrolateral apophysis wide, slightly sclerotized, and almost quadrate in retrolateral view, dorsal apophysis long and thin; embolus spinous, with distal part hidden by petal-like conductor; tegular furrow short.

Etymology. – The specific name refers to the type locality.

Biology. – Sparbambus gombakensis females have been collected only in the decaying internodes of fallen bamboo culms in Ulu Gombak ( Fig. 11 ) and one juvenile was found resting on the culm surface. A single male specimen was collected by beating the fallen bamboo culms but it is uncertain if it came out of the internodes of the bamboo culm or it was roaming on the surface. Extensive searching and sampling by beating and sweep netting vegetation outside of bamboo culms were carried out but no specimens were found. However, the relatively small number of specimens collected thus far indicates that we have yet to find its proper habitat. Furthermore, Kovac & Streit (1996) conducted extensive sampling of bamboo internode communities but failed to discover this species. Although S. gombakensis seems to share the same microhabitat (the hollow interior of decaying bamboo internodes) with Paracyrba wanlessi , which has been reported to prey on aquatic animals, particularly mosquito larvae and pupae, whether S. gombakensis preys upon aquatic animals is unknown.

Figures

Figs. 1-8. Sparbambus gombakensis, new species. 1. female; 2. carapace, lateral view; 3. left chelicera, retrolateral view; 4. epigynum, ventral view; 5. same, dorsal view; 6. left palp, ventral view; 7. same, retrolateral view; 8. same, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1-2 = 1.0 mm; 3- 8 = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 9. Sparbambus gombakensis females: A, dorsal view; B, front view.

Fig. 11. Habitat showing the bamboo Gigantochloa scortechinii at the Ulu Gombak Field Studies Centre, Malaysia.