Allomedmassa mae, Dankittipakul & Singtripop, 2014

Dankittipakul, Pakawin & Singtripop, Tippawan, 2014, Allomedmassa, a new spider genus from evergreen forests of Southeast Asia (Araneae: Corinnidae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 121 (1), pp. 15-31 : 19-21

Allomedmassa mae sp. nov. Figs 1-6, 9-12, 15-19

HOLOTYPE: 3, Thailand, Chiang Mai Province, Chom Thong District, Doi Inthanon National Park, Doi Inthanon , 1650-1700 m, evergreen hill forest, sifting, 11 January 2006, leg. P. Dankittipakul (MHNG, PDC-258).

PARATYPES: Same data as for holotype, 2♀ (MHNG, PDC-258). – From type locality, 1-5 October 2006, leg. P. Dankittipakul, 23 (MHNG, PDC-278). – From type locality, 21-27 September 2008, leg. P. Bunlue, 13, 1♀ (MHNG, PDC-281). – From type locality, pitfall trap, 1-25 August 2002, leg. P. Dankittipakul, 53, 3♀ (MHNG, PDC-278). – Mae Hong Son Province, Huay Nam Dang National Park , Doi Chang , evergreen forest along a trail to the summit, 1700-1900 m, 21 September 2001, leg. P. Dankittipakul, 13, 1♀, 1 juvenile (TNHM) .

DIAGNOSIS: Males of A. mae sp. nov. can be recognized by the thick, relatively long and twisted embolus (Figs 9, 15), the sharply pointed RTA (Figs 9, 11, 15, 17), and the pronounced prolateral tubercle on the palpal tibia (Figs 10-11, 16-17). Females can be distinguished by the elongate-ovoid copulatory orifices (Fig. 18), and by the parallel, tubular insemination ducts connected to poorly defined posterior spermathecae (Figs 12, 19). Males and females have four pairs of reduced ventral spines on tibiae of leg I and II (Fig. 6).

ETYMOLOGY: The first author wishes to dedicate this new species to his mother, as well as every mother with a never-ending supply of unconditional love (Thai: mae = mother), invariable noun.

DESCRIPTION OF MALE (HOLOTYPE): Total length 11.2; prosoma 4.8 long, 4.2 wide; opisthosoma 6.4 long, 2.8 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 1 .0, ALE 0.8, PME = PLE 0.7, AME-AME 0.8, AME-ALE 0.5, PME-PME 1.1, PME-PLE 1.2. Leg formula 4123. Leg measurements: Leg I 19.1 (5.2, 7.0, 4.0, 2.9), leg II 17.7 (4.8, 6.2, 4.0, 2.7), leg III 16.0 (4.5, 5.0, 4.1, 2.4), leg IV 20.6 (5.6, 6.7, 6.1, 2.2). Spination: Leg I: Fe, d-11, p-1; Ti, v-2222; Mt, v-22; leg II: Fe, p-1, d-111; Ti, v-2222, Mt, v-22; leg III: Fe, d-111, p-11, r-1; Ti, p-11, v-11, r-11; Mt, v-22; leg IV: Fe, d-111, p-1, r-1; Ti, p-11, v-12, r-11; Mt, p-11, v-1111, r-11 .

Coloration and pattern (Fig. 1). Carapace black, integument finely reticulate; chelicerae, labium and palpal coxae dark brown; sternum dark reddish brown, rebordered margin reddish; legs orange, except femora dark brown. Opisthosoma elongate-ovoid; anterior median pigmentation lightly sclerotized, rectangular, occupying approximately one third of opisthosoma length; dorsum dark gray, medially with pale folium, posteriorly with three medially disconnected chevrons; venter pale brown, with dark, weakly sclerotized median band running from epigastric furrow to spinnerets.

Palp (Figs 9-11, 15-17). Palpal tibia relatively short, devoid of erect spine; ventral surface distinctly elevated, covered with numerous bristles; prolateral tubercle digitiform, well-developed, extending dorsally, distinctly broad at base, gradually tapering towards blunt apex; RTA sharply pointed, apex bent distad; tegulum pyriform,

FIGS 1-8

Allomedmassamae gen. & sp. nov. (1-6) and Allomedmassaday gen. & sp. nov. (7-8). (1, 7) Male holotype, dorsal habitus. (2, 8) Female paratype, dorsal habitus. (3) Prosoma, ventral view. (4) Ocular region, dorsal view. (5) Right chelicera, ventral view. (6) Tibiae I and II, ventral view showing pairs of reduced spines.

slightly excavated in distal half of retrolateral side; sperm duct sigmoid, running almost mid-longitudinally; embolus relatively large, corkscrew-shaped, heavily sclerotized.

DESCRIPTIONOFFEMALE (PARATYPE): Totallength 13.3; prosoma 5.7 long, 4.9 wide; opisthosoma 7.6 long, 3.4 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: As in male. Leg formula 4123. Legmeasurements: LegI 22.8 (6.2, 8.3, 4.7, 3.6), legII 21.0 (5.7, 7.4, 4.7, 3.2), legIII 18.5 (5.3, 6.0, 4.4, 2.8), legIV 24.3 (6.6, 7.9, 7.2, 2.6). Spination: Leg I: Fe, d-1; Ti, v-2222; Mt, v-22; legII: Fe, d-11; Ti, v-2222, Mt, v-22; legIII: Fe, d-111, p-11; Ti, p-11, v-12, r-11; Mt, p-1, r-1, v12; legIV: Fe, d-111, p-1, r-1; Ti, p-11, v-111, r-11; Mt, p-11, v-12, r-11.

Coloration and pattern (Fig. 2). Carapace black; chelicerae, labium and palpal coxae dark brown; sternum dark chestnut-brown; legs orange, except anterior femora dark brown. Opisthosoma ovoid; dorsum dark gray, mottled with numerous pale spots, cardiac region pale, posteriorly with series of pale chevrons; venter pale, with dark median band running from epigastric furrow to spinnerets. Dorsal scutum indistinct.

Genitalia (Figs 12, 18-19). Epigynal region heavily sclerotized, with pair of elongate-ovoid copulatory orifices situated medially; epigynal atria enlarged, subtriangular; insemination ducts heavily sclerotized, thick-walled, running parallel to mid-line then abruptly moving to lateral side, forming transverse posterior spermathecae; fertilization ducts short, elliptical, originating posteriorly; digitiform accessory sperm receptacles connected to anterior part of insemination ducts, thick-walled, apex provided with numerous pores and gland ductules.

NATURAL HISTORY: Allomedmassa mae sp. nov. inhabits evergreen hill forests at relatively high altitudes (1650-1900 m).

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from two localities in northern Thailand.