Mallinella superba, Dankittipakul & Jocqué & Singtripop, 2012

Dankittipakul, Pakawin, Jocqué, Rudy & Singtripop, Tippawan, 2012, Systematics and biogeography of the spider genus Mallinella Strand, 1906, with descriptions of new species and new genera from Southeast Asia (Araneae, Zodariidae) 3369, Zootaxa 3369 (1), pp. 1-327 : 220-223

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3369.1.1
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5254357
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/933EDA4C-B9FE-FF43-CBC2-FB98FDB63934
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Mallinella superba
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Mallinella superba View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 988–989 View FIGURES 988–992. 988 , 993–997 View FIGURES 993–997. 993–994, 996 , 1006, 1010–1011, 1045–1051)

Material examined. Holotype: ♂, MALAYSIA, Borneo, Sabah State: West Coast Residency, Mt. Kinabalu NP, Poring Hot Springs , 500 m, forêt de Dipterocarpacae relativement humide, tamisage dans la forêt, 7 May 1987, leg. D. Burckhardt & I. Löbl ( MHNG, 15a) . Paratypes: 1 juvenile, same data as holotype ( MHNG). MALAYSIA, Borneo, Sabah State : 1♀, Poring Hot Springs, Mamut River en aval du pont, 500 m, tamisage de feuilles assez sèches au pied de vieux arbres, 13 May 1987, leg. D. Burckhardt & I. Löbl ( MHNG, 23) .

Diagnosis. Mallinella superba sp. nov. can be easily recognized by its somatic characters in which the reddish carapace is smooth and shiny, the anterior reniform spots are absent, and the dorsum of the opisthosoma is bright bluish ( Figs 988–989 View FIGURES 988–992. 988 ). The male palp is recognized by the peculiar TA carrying a large basal tooth (Fig. 1045).

Etymology. The specific Latin epithet refers to the extraordinary beauty of this new species.

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 8.70; prosoma 4.20 long, 3.25 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.32, ALE 0.22, PME 0.20, PLE 0.22, AME–AME 0.30, AME–ALE 0.46, PME–PME 0.22, PME–PLE 0.56; MOQ: 0.62 long, 0.50 anterior width, 0.52 posterior width. Leg measurements: I 19.90 (4.78, 6.26, 5.00, 3.88), II 16.54 (4.18, 5.20, 4.16, 3.00), III 16.64 (4.38, 5.00, 4.46, 2.78), IV 22.98 (5.56, 6.78, 7.18, 3.48).

Coloration ( Figs 988 View FIGURES 988–992. 988 , 993–994 View FIGURES 993–997. 993–994, 996 ). Carapace orange. Sternum yellowish. Chelicerae orange-brown. Legs yellowish. Dorsum of opisthosoma pale sepia, cardiac region with pale longitudinal band. Dorsal pattern: first and second pairs absent; third to fifth represented by pairs of transverse, pale, oval spots.

Palp (Figs 1045–1047). RTA digitiform, lateral margins parallel, apex sharply pointed. TA with thin apical and elongated prolateral ridges; apico-prolateral process sickle-shaped in lateral view, rather broad, apex sharply pointed; apico-retrolateral fold represented by slightly elevated ridge directed mesad; basal tooth pronounced, sharply pointed, directed anteriad. Embolic base aligned in oblique direction; anterior margin straight, posterior margin excavated medially; membranous area broad, triangular. Embolus bifurcated, branching proximally; apex of lateral ramus triangular, bending ectad; mesal ramus with short medial process and semi-transparent distal flange.

Female (paratype). Total length 8.02; prosoma 4.27 long, 3.10 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.30, ALE 0.22, PME 0.20, PLE 0.22, AME–AME 0.28, AME–ALE 0.42, PME–PME 0.22, PME–PLE 0.54; MOQ: 0.60 long, 0.46 anterior width, 0.48 posterior width. Leg measurements: I 18.20 (4.36, 5.70, 4.56, 3.54), II 15.08 (3.80, 4.74, 3.80, 2.72), III 15.16 (3.98, 4.56, 4.06, 2.54), IV 20.96 (5.06, 6.18, 6.54, 3.16).

Coloration ( Figs 989 View FIGURES 988–992. 988 , 995 View FIGURES 993–997. 993–994, 996 ). Carapace orange. Sternum yellowish. Chelicerae orange-brown. Legs yellowish orange. Dorsum of opisthosoma pale sepia, mottled with numerous minute spots; cardiac region with pale longitudinal band. Dorsal pattern: first and second pairs absent; third to fifth represented by pairs of transverse, pale, oval spots.

Genitalia (Figs 1006, 1010–1011, 1048–1051). Epigynal plate elongate-ovoid, wider than long. Lateral border blunt, protruding over epigastric furrow. Spermathecae cylindrical, apically with simple ducts.

Natural history. Mallinella superba sp. nov. was collected from an evergreen forest at relatively low altitude (500 m asl) in the Mt. Kinabalu NP.

Distribution. Northeastern Borneo.