Mallinella pseudokunmingensis, Yu & Zhang, 2019

Yu, Hao & Zhang, Jianshuang, 2019, A New Species of Mallinella Strand, 1906 (Araneae: Zodariidae) from Guizhou Province, China, Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 71 (1), pp. 3-8 : 4-6

Mallinella pseudokunmingensis sp. n.

Type specimens:

Holotype: ♂, China, Guizhou, Guiyang City, Wudang District, Guizhou Education University (26°38′53.138”N, 106°48′15.84”E, 755 m a.s.l.), 16.VI–17.VII.2017 (leg. Z. X. Li and H. B. Wan) ; Paratypes: 20 ♂♂ and 6 ♀♀, same data as holotype ; 1 ♂ and 1 ♀, same locality, 20.IV–3.V.2017 (leg. H. Yu and H. B. Wan) ; 6 ♂, same locality, 1–15. VIII.2017 (leg. Z. Q. Zeng and N. N. Lu) .

Diagnosis:

Males easily distinguished from those of all other species of Mallinella , except M. kunmingensis ( WANG et al. 2009a: 51; Figs 13–21 ), by the digitiform retrolateral tibial apophysis, needle-shaped lateral ramus of embolus and by the general shape of median apophysis, but differ from the latter by: (1) median apophysis without tooth but with three denticles in M. kunmingensis (cf. Figs. 7, 16–18; WANG et al. 2009a: 52, fig. 20); (2) tip of the median apophysis not bifid and with folded apicoRprolateral process, vs. bifid and not folded in M. kunmingensis (cf. Figs. 16–18 ; WANG et al. 2009a: 52, fig. 20); (3) shape of the embolic tip (subterminal fold of mesal ramus point ventrally in M. pseudokunmingensis sp. n., vs. point prolaterally and partly covered by embolic apex in M. kunmingensis ) (cf. Figs. 9 , 24; WANG et al. 2009a: 52, fig. 21); (4) abdominal pat- tern (1 st pair of spots fused to form trigonal patch in M. pseudokunmingensis sp. n., vs. 1 st pair separated in M. kunmingensis ) (cf. Fig. 1 ; WANG et al. 2009a: 51, fig. 13).

Female of M. pseudokunmingensis most similar to those of M. annulipes ( Thorell, 1892) by having V-shaped epigynal plate, swelling and reniform spermathecae but can be distinguished by: (1) wider lateral border (width-length ratio approximately 0.77 in M. pseudokunmingensis vs. 0.43 in M. annulipes ) (cf. Figs. 19–20 , 34–35 ; DANKITTIPAKUL et al. 2012: figs. 733–734); (2) spermathecae with wrinkled and ribbed appearance in M. pseudokunmingensis , instead of smooth in M. annulipes (cf. Figs. 21–23 , 36–38 ; DANKITTIPAKUL et al. 2012: figs. 737–738); (3) femora and tibiae without distal annulations (cf. Fig. 5; DANKITTIPAKUL et al. 2012: Fig. 103); (4) dorsal pattern of abdomen (almost all pairs of spots fused together in M. pseudokunmingensis vs. all spots situated far apart in M. annulipes ) (cf. Fig 2 ; DANKITTIPAKUL et al. 2012: fig. 713).

Description:

Male (holotype): Total length 7.86; carapace 3.46 long, 2.49 wide; abdomen 4.39 long, 2.76 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.17, ALE 0.16, PME 0.17, PLE 0.19, AME–AME 0.12, AME–ALE 0.11, PME–PME 0.15, PME–PLE 0.27; MOQ: 0.33 long, 0.53 anterior width, 0.47 posterior width. Leg measurements: I 10.41 (2.55, 3.29, 2.46, 2.13), II 10.22 (2.59, 3.08, 2.52, 2.04), III 9.92 (2.36, 3.01, 2.78, 1.78), IV 11.85 (2.92, 3.24, 3.67, 2.03).

Coloration and pattern as in Figs. 1, 4 . Carapace pear-shaped, reddish-brown anteriorly and centrally, dark posteriorly and marginally, without distinct pattern. Chelicerae orange-red. Labium red. Endites yellowish-brown, distally yellowish-white and with black tuft. Sternum orange-brown and covered with sparse black setae. Legs yellowish, except femora which darker than other segments. Dorsum of abdomen dark purple, mottled with numerous minute spots. Dorsal pattern composed of four pairs of yellow spots: 1 st pair fused to form a trigonal patch; 2 nd pair fused, represented by a transverse chevron; 3 rd pair separated, represented by two short transverse bands; 4 th pair fused, forming a W-shaped patch. Venter of abdomen yellowish, medially with four longitudinal purple bands.

Palp as in Figs. 6–18, 24–33. Tibia short, about 1/4 of cymbium length, with only retrolateral apophysis; apophysis (RTA) about as long as tibia, wine-coloured and digitiform, slightly wider at base, gradually tapering towards blunt tip. Cymbial fold (CF) well developed, about 1/3 of cymbial length. Median apophysis (MA) twice shorter than cymbium, with ros- trate and folded apico-prolateral process terminally; mesoRprolateral fold represented by a blunt flange; baso-retrolateral fold wide, triangular, tip blunted. Conductor (C) with large and beak-shaped apex and small extended dorsal process. Embolic base (EB) aligned in transverse direction, anterior membranous area narrowed. Embolus (E) arising at approximately seven o’clock position, terminating at approximately 11 o’clock position, bifurcated, branching at about 1/3 of its length; lateral ramus (LR) short and thin, needle-shaped; mesal ramus (MR) long and stout, with subterminal fold (SF) curved ventrally and prolaterally, its apex (EA) blunt and covered by conductor.

Female (one paratype): Total length 7.38; carapace 3.37 long, 2.18 wide; opisthosoma 4.03 long, 2.14 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.11, PME 0.16, PLE 0.15, AME–AME 0.10, AME–ALE 0.14, PME–PME 0.16, PME–PLE 0.27; MOQ: 0.37 long, 0.47 anterior width, 0.47 posterior width. Leg measurements: I 8.05 (2.27, 2.65, 1.78, 1.34), II 8.12 (2.23, 2.51, 1.85, 1.53), III 7.63 (1.97, 2.09, 2.16, 1.41), IV 9.62 (2.24, 2.88, 2.95, 1.56).

Coloration and pattern as in Figs. 2–3 , 5. Carapace oval, pars cephalica slightly narrowed, uniformly reddish-brown, except cephalic region: lighter than other area, without distinct pattern. Chelicerae khaki. Labium red. Endites yellowish-brown, distally yellowish-white and with black tuft. Sternum cordiform, orange-brown and covered with sparse black setae. Coxae and proximal femora yellowish, other leg segments brown. Dorsum of abdomen dark sepia. Dorsal pattern: 1 st pair represented by pale round spots, the two spots oblong and conjoined; both 2 nd and 3 rd pairs represented by narrow and transverse bands, W-shaped; 4 th pair absolutely fused, forming folium-like patch. Venter of abdomen yellowish- brown, medially with three longitudinal purple bands.

Epigyne as in Figs. 19, 21–23 , 34, 36–38 . Epigynal plate (EP) narrow and V-shaped, flanked with triangular lateral borders. Lateral border (LB) about 1.3 times longer than wide, terminally sharp about 30 degrees. Both lateral borders projecting inwards, separated by 1/2 length. Copulatory openings (CO) indistinct, located on anterolateral margin of epigynal furrow (EF) which situated on inner margin of lateral borders. Insemination ducts (ID) about as long as epigynal plate width, anteriorly thin, posteriorly thick, running transversely and then connecting with spermathecae. Spermathecae (S) reniform, about two times longer than wide, separated by two diameters, provided with subapical depression and posterolateral hump.

Intraspecific variation:

There were almost no differences between the paratype males from the holotype. Meanwhile, some intraspecific variations were found in females, most- ly related to different shape of epigynal plate and lateral borders. Epigynal plate typically V-shaped and lateral borders sharp, with acute angle (about 30 degrees) in some specimens ( Figs. 19 , 34 ), while epigynal plate more or less human lip-shaped and lateral borders blunt in other females ( Figs. 20 , 35 ).

Distribution:

Known only from the Guizhou Province of China ( Fig. 39 ).

Figures

Fig. 9–18. Left palp of Mallinella pseudokunmingensis sp. n., male holotype. 9. embolus, ventral view; 10–12. conductor, prolateral, ventral and retrolateral view; 13–15. palpal tibia, ventral retrolateral and dorsal view; 16–18. median apophysis, prolateral, ventral and retrolateral view. Abbreviations: EA, embolic apex; EB, embolic base; ET, embolic tip; LR, lateral ramus; MR, mesal ramus; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; SF, subterminal fold of embolus. Scale bars = 0.1 mm (9, 10–12, 13–15, 16–18).

Fig. 19–23. Female epigynes of Mallinella pseudokunmingensis sp. n., female paratypes. 19–20. ventral view, showing variations in shape of epigynal plate and lateral border; 21–23. dorsal, anterior and posterior view. Abbreviations: EF, epigynal furrow; EP, epigynal plate; ID, insemination duct; LB, Lateral border; S, spermathecae. Scale bars = 0.2 mm (19–21, 22–23).

Fig. 1–4. Somatic characters of Mallinella pseudokunmingensis sp. n., male (holotype) and female (paratype). 1. male habitus, dorsal view; 2–3. female habitus, dorsal view and ventral view; 4. male leg IV, prolateral view; 5. female leg IV, prolateral view; 6–8, flipped right palp, prolateral, ventral and retrolateral view. Abbreviations: C, conductor; E, embolus; MA, median apophysis; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bar 2 mm (1, 2–3, 4–5); 0.5 mm (6–8).

Fig. 34–38. Female epigynes of Mallinella pseudokunmingensis sp. n., female paratype. 34–35. ventral view, showing variations in shape of epigynal plate and lateral border; 36–38. dorsal, anterior and posterior view. Abbreviations: EF, epigynal furrow; EP, epigynal plate; ID, insemination duct; LB, Lateral border; S, spermathecae. Scale bars = 0.2 mm (34–38).

Fig. 39. Distribution record of Mallinella pseudokunmingensis sp. n. (circle).