Myrmarachne hanoii Żabka, 1985

Yamasaki, Takeshi & Ahmad, Abdul Hamid, 2013, Taxonomic study of the genus Myrmarachne of Borneo (Araneae: Salticidae), Zootaxa 3710 (6), pp. 501-556 : 526-528

Myrmarachne hanoii Żabka, 1985

( Figs 20 A–G, 21A–D)

Myrmarachne hanoii Żabka, 1985: 246 , Figs 332–336; Xiao & Wang, 2007: 1004, Figs 1–8 (cf. under Remarks). Myrmarachne topali Żabka, 1985: 419 , Figs 364–367, syn. nov.

Type material examined. Holotype male of M. hanoii (MIZ), Co Loa, 20 km NE Ha Noi, VIETNAM, 10 V 1966, R. Bielawski & B. Pisarski leg.

Non-type material examined. BORNEO: 1 male, 3 females and 1 juvenile, Sukau, Sabah, 20–21 X 2009, T. Yamasaki leg. SUMATRA: 1male, 1 female and 1 juvenile, Payakumbuh, Buluh Kasap, 14 XI 2008, Kei. Nakamura leg.

Diagnosis. Very small, brown to light brown species. In males, chelicera apically swollen and basally narrow; retrolateral tibial apophysis of palp strongly curved, and its flange very complex ( Figs 20 E–G). In females, copulatory atria oval but margins indistinct; spermathecae slender; sclerotised copulatory ducts coiled several times; lateral pockets present in front of epigastric furrow.

Measurements (male/female). Carapace length 1.40/1.18–1.22, width 1.15/0.83–0.84. Abdomen length 1.25/ 1.35–1.50. Chelicera length 2.15. Sternum length 0.82/0.65–0.68. Width of eye row I 0.90/0.76–0.79; II 0.89/0.71– 0.74; III 1.06/0.89. ALE–PLE 0.70/0.58–0.63; ALE–PME 0.34/0.30–0.33. Eye size: AME 0.29/0.25–0.26, ALE 0.10/0.13–0.14, PME 0.05/0.04, PLE 0.15/0.13–0.14.

Male ( Figs 20 A–G). Cephalic part almost flat dorsally. Dorsum of thoracic part abruptly sloping downward from behind PLE. Chelicera distinctly longer than carapace, apically swollen, with seven prolateral (basal two teeth very small) and five very small retrolateral teeth. Fang almost straight, without tooth-like apophysis. Sternum oval, slightly overlapped by coxa I. Abdomen oval with dorsal scutum that is incised on each lateral outline anteriorly.

Palp ( Figs 20 E–G). Tegulum large round with narrow U-shaped seminal reservoir in anterior part. Embolus forming two large round coils; embolus coils wider than cymbium, and occupying more than half of venter of cymbium. RTA strongly curved with complex flange.

Leg spination. Femur I md 1, pd 1; tibia I pv 3, rv 3; metatarsus I pv 2, rv 2; femur II md 1, pd 1; tibia II rv 1; metatarsus II pv 1, rv 1; femur III pd 1; femur IV pd 1.

Coloration and pilosity. Carapace light brown to dark brown; cephalic part covered with fine white hairs; thoracic part sparsely covered with white hairs. Chelicera orange to dark brown, covered with fine hairs sparsely. Maxilla and labium pale orange. Sternum pale brown tinged with black. Coxae brownish cream. Abdomen covered with fine hairs; dorsal scutum dark brown; integument except for scutum blackish grey.

Female ( Figs 21 A–D). Cephalic part almost flat or weakly convex dorsally, slightly higher and wider than thoracic part. Thoracic part weakly swollen dorsally behind PLE, and abruptly sloping downward. Chelicera with six or seven prolateral and five to seven retrolateral teeth. Sternum oval. Abdomen oval with indistinctly sclerotised dorsal scutum.

Epigyne ( Fig. 21 D). Copulatory atria oval but margins indistinct. Spermathecae slender. Sclerotised copulatory ducts coiled several times. Small lateral pockets present in front of epigastric furrow.

Leg spination. Tibia I pv 3, rv 3; metatarsus I pv 2, rv 2; tibia II rv 1–2; metatarsus II pv 1–2, rv 2.

Coloration and pilosity. Carapace light brown to brown; cephalic part covered with fine white hairs; surroundings of eyes black; thoracic part very sparsely covered with white hairs. Chelicera orange to brown. Maxilla, labium and sternum pale orange tinged with black. Coxae cream. Abdomen covered with fine hairs; dorsal scutum pale brown; integument except for scutum grey.

Distribution. China: Yunnan Province (Xiao & Wang 2007), Vietnam (Żabka 1985), Sumatra, Borneo.

Remarks. Myrmarachne hanoii was described based on a single male specimen and M. topali based on a single female specimen by Żabka (1985). In the present study, we observed that an adult male of M. hanoii made a retreat in close proximity to the retreat of a subadult female of M. topali ( Fig. 39 A). The additional subadult and adult females of M. topali collected from the same tree well agreed with the description of M. topali although we did not examine the holotype of M. topali . We therefore regard M. hanoii and M. topali as the same species. Xiao and Wang (2007) described the female of M. hanoii for the first time based on material from South China. Although their male specimens (depicted in their Figs 6–8 ) well agreed with the original description of M. hanoii and also with the specimens from Borneo, their female specimens are quite different from the Bornean specimens identified as M. hanoii in the present paper. If the male/female combination established by them is correct, then the possibility cannot be excluded that the forms of Borneo and continental Asia belong to two different species.

Biology. Myrmarachne hanoii is in external appearance very similar to Dolichoderus sp. cf. taprobanae F. Smith. In the present study, the species was collected from a tree occupied by these ants. On leaves, some retreats of adult females were connected with small satellite nests of the ants. However, we did not observe any interactions between the spiders and the ants.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Collection sites in Borneo.

FIGURE 2. M. acromegalis sp. nov., male. A, body, dorsal view; B, chelicera and carapace, lateral view; C, chelicera and fang, ventral view; D, maxillae, labium, sternum and coxae; E, palp, ventral view; F, palp, dorsal view. (Scales. A – D: 1 mm; FIGURES E – F: 0.25 mm)

FIGURE 3. M. acromegalis sp. nov., female. A, body, dorsal view; B, chelicera and carapace, lateral view; C, maxillae, labium, sternum and coxae; D – E, internal structures of epigyne, ventral view; F, internal structure of epigyne, dorsal view. (Scales. A – C: 1 mm; D, F: 0.25 mm; E: 0.10 mm)

FIGURE 4. M. alticephalon sp. nov., male. A, body, dorsal view; B, chelicera and carapace, lateral view; C, chelicera and fang, ventral view; D, maxillae, labium, sternum and coxae; E, palp, ventral view; F, palp, lateral view; G, palp, dorsal view. (Scales. A – D: 1 mm; E – G: 0.25 mm)

FIGURE 5. M. alticephalon sp. nov., female. A, body, dorsal view; B, chelicera and carapace, lateral view; C, maxillae, labium, sternum and coxae; D – E, internal structure of epigyne, ventral view. (Scales. A – C: 1 mm; D: 0.25 mm; E: 0.10 mm)

FIGURE 6. M. assimilis, male. A, chelicera, carapace and pedicel, dorsal view; B, pedicel and abdomen, dorsal view; C, chelicera and carapace, lateral view; D, chelicera and fang, ventral view; E, maxillae, labium, sternum and coxae; F, palp, ventral view; G, palp, lateral view; H, palpal tibia, dorsal view. (Scales. A – E: 1 mm; F – H: 0.25 mm)

FIGURE 7. M. assimilis, female. A, body, dorsal view; B, chelicera and carapace, lateral view; C, maxillae, labium, sternum and coxae; D and F, internal structure of epigyne, ventral view; E, internal structure of epigyne, dorsal view. (Scales. A – C: 1 mm; D – E: 0.25 mm; F: 0.10 mm)

FIGURE 8. M. biseratensis, male. A, body, dorsal view; B, chelicera and carapace, lateral view; C, chelicera and fang, ventral view; D, maxillae, labium, sternum and coxae; E, palp, ventral view; F, palp, lateral view; G, palpal tibia, dorsal view. (Scales. A – D: 1 mm; E – F: 0. 25 mm)

FIGURE 20. M. hanoii, male. A, body, dorsal view; B, carapace, lateral view; C, maxillae, labium, sternum and coxae; D, chelicera and fang, ventral view; E, palp, ventral view; F, palp, lateral view; G, palpal tibia, dorsal view. (Scales. A, C – D: 0.50 mm; B: 1 mm; E – G: 0.25 mm)

FIGURE 21. M. hanoii, female. A, body, dorsal view; B, carapace, lateral view; C, maxillae, labium, sternum and coxae; D, internal structure of epigyne, ventral view. (Scales. A – C: 0.50 mm; D: 0.10 mm)

FIGURE 39. M. shelfordii, male. A, body, dorsal view; B, chelicera and carapace, lateral view; C, maxillae, labium, sternum and coxae; D, chelicera and fang, ventral view; E, palp, ventral view; F, palp, lateral view; G, palp, dorsal view. (Scales. A – D: 1 mm; E – G: 0.25 mm)