Draconarius promontorioides, Dankittipakul, Pakawin & Wang, Xin-Ping, 2008

Dankittipakul, Pakawin & Wang, Xin-Ping, 2008, New spider species of Coelotinae (Araneae, Amaurobiidae) from northern Thailand IV, Zootaxa 1695, pp. 61-68 : 64-68

Draconarius promontorioides sp. n.

Figures 6–10

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Northern Thailand, Mae Hong Son Province, Pai District, Tham (Cave) Lord, cave entrance, 1.i.2007, P. Dankittipakul leg. [ MHNG].

Paratypes: 2♂, 3&, same data as holotype [ MHNG, TNHM].

Etymology. The specific epithet is a compound word of the latinized Greek suffix oides (eides = like) and the specific epitheton of Draconarius promontorius Dankittipakul, Sontichai & Wang, 2006 , referring to the similarities between both species; adjective.

Diagnosis. D. promontorioides sp. n. is a member of the lutulentus -group. Males are similar to D. silva Dankittipakul, Sontichai & Wang, 2006 and D. abbreviatus Dankittipakul & Wang, 2003 in having a long, slender patellar apophysis, a relatively long tibia (short RTA), and a short conductor but can be separated from both species by the long cymbial furrow (more than half of cymbial length), the well developed conductor lamella, and the relatively short conductor ( Figs 6–8 ). Females are similar to D. promotorius Dankittipakul, Sontichai & Wang, 2006 and D. abbreviatus in having small, posteriorly situated atrium but can be separated by the medially excavated anterior margin of the epigynal atrium, the distinctly enlarged and posteriorly positioned anterior extension of the spermathecae, and the broad membranous copulatory ducts being clearly distinguishable from the heavily sclerotized spermathecae. The epigynal teeth of D. promotorius are widely separated by more than the atrial width but they are separated by only the atrial width in both D. promontorioides sp. n. ( Figs 9–10 ) and D. abbreviatus .

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 6.4. Prosoma 3.5 long, 2.2 wide; opisthosoma 2.9 long, 1.7 wide.

Prosoma sparsely covered with short fine hairs. Dorsal side of prosoma yellow, lateral margin slightly yellowish brown. Ocular area pale brown. Chelicerae orange-brown. Labium and gnathocoxae yellow, distally brown. Sternum pale yellow. Legs pale yellow; anterior metatarsi and tarsi yellowish brown. Opisthosoma oblong; dorsum of opisthosoma gray, cardiac area pale yellow. Spinnerets pale yellow. Chelicerae with three promarginal and five small retromarginal denticles.

Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.18, PME 0.15, PLE 0.13, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.08, PME–PME 0.15, PME–PLE 0.18; MOQ: 0.45 long, 0.40 anterior width, 0.47 posterior width. Leg measurements:

I II III IV

Femora 4.0 3.7 3.5 4.1

Patellae + tibiae 5.2 4.5 4.0 5.3

Metatarsi 4.5 4.3 3.8 5.0

Tarsi 2.5 2.3 2.0 2.2

Total 16.2 14.8 13.3 16.6

Male palp ( Figs 6–8 ): Patellar apophysis long and curved, with sharply pointed apex. RTA short, occupying approximately half of tibial length. Lateral tibial apophysis small, situated laterally to RTA. Cymbial furrow fairly long, about 2/3 of cymbium length. Tegulum with distinct ridge. Conductor short, sharply pointed; conductor lamella medium-sized; dorsal apophysis of conductor dorsally excavated. Median apophysis elongated, distal end rounded. Embolus long, filiform, with base originating proximally.

Female (paratype). Total length 6.2. Prosoma 2.7 long, 2.2 wide; opisthosoma 3.5 long, 1.9 wide. Prosoma sparsely covered with short fine hairs. Dorsal side of prosoma yellowish brown, margin slightly darker. Chelicerae dark orange-brown. Labium and gnathocoxae pale yellow. Sternum yellowish brown, with brown extensions fitting intercoxal concavities. Legs pale yellow; anterior metatarsi and tarsi yellowish brown. Palp with tibia distinctly dark brown, other segments pale yellow. Opisthosoma oblong; dorsum of opisthosoma pale gray. Spinnerets pale yellow.

Chelicerae with three promarginal and six small retromarginal teeth.

Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.18, PME 0.16, PLE 0.15, AME–AME 0.10, AME–ALE 0.08, PME–PME 0.16, PME–PLE 0.18; MOQ: 0.47 long, 0.42 anterior width, 0.45 posterior width. Leg measurements:

I II III IV

Femora 4.3 4.1 3.7 4.3

Patellae + tibiae 5.6 5.0 2.8 5.5

Metatarsi 4.3 4.1 3.9 4.9

Tarsi 2.3 2.1 1.9 2.0 Total 16.5 15.3 12.3 16.7

Epigyne and vulva ( Figs 9–10 ): Epigynal plate trapezoid; slightly sclerotized. Epigynal atrium situated posteriorly; anterior atrial margin with semi-lunar excavation. Epigynal teeth short, located apico-laterally to epigynal atrium. Copulatory ducts membranous, relatively broad, originating posteriorly, extending mesad of spermathecae; with distinct transition zone between membranous ducts and heavily sclerotized spermathecae. Spermathecae heavily sclerotized, widely separated, anterior portions rounded, relatively enlarged, converging; spermathecal heads digitiform, short and stout, situated anteriorly.

Natural history. Draconarius promontorioides sp. n. builds tubular retreats occupying holes in the walls of cave entrances.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Mae Hong Son province, northern Thailand.

Figures

FIGURES 6 – 10. Draconarius promontorioides sp. n., male holotype (6 – 8) and female paratype (9 – 10). 6 male palp, ventral. 7 ditto, prolateral. 8 ditto, retrolateral. 9 epigyne, ventral. 10 vulva, dorsal. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.