Malayathele Schwendinger, 2020
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.35929/RSZ.0031 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7004841 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6D7987B4-C624-FF98-13EE-F9185790FA2C |
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treatment provided by |
Carolina |
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scientific name |
Malayathele Schwendinger |
| status |
gen. nov. |
Malayathele Schwendinger View in CoL , gen. nov.
Etymology: “Malaya” is one of the old names for Malaysia, the only county from where the new spider genus is known with certainty; “thele” (Greek for “nipple”; figurative for nipple-shaped or wart-shaped structures), refers to the long posterior lateral spinnerets of these spiders and to the close relationship with the genus Leptothele .
Type species: Malayathele kanching View in CoL sp. nov., by present designation.
Diagnosis: Distinguished from Phyxioschema by characters given in the key to Euagridae genera of Asia, most prominently by small body size in both sexes, and by tibia II of males without elongate spinules on prolateral side ( Figs 10B View Fig , 12G View Fig ) and with only a single megaspine on a low ventromedian spur ( Figs 8 View Fig H-K, 10B, 11G-J, 12G, 13J-M, 15F-H). Distinguished from Leptothele by metatarsal preening combs present on legs II-IV in both sexes. Males with only one megaspine and no transversal subdistal ridge on ventral side of tibia II, and mostly with two small conical processes (a retroventral and a proventral one, Figs 12G View Fig , 13 View Fig J- M, 15F-H; the proventral one absent in M. ulu sp. nov., Fig. 8 View Fig I-J, the retroventral one keel-shaped in M. cameronensis sp. nov., Figs 10B View Fig , 11 View Fig G-J) on metatarsus II; tarsi I-II ventrally bulged ( Fig. 10D View Fig ). Females distinguished by possessing median receptacular stalks with sclerotised walls ( Figs 9 View Fig , 11K View Fig , 14 View Fig , 16 View Fig ).
Description: Body very small (carapace length in males 1.11-1.44), with relatively thin hair cover on carapace, no colour pattern ( Fig. 12 View Fig E-F, H-I) or a dark mottled pattern on hirsute opisthosoma ( Fig. 12 View Fig A-D). Fovea pitlike, with a pair of long straight bristles anterior of it ( Fig. 12A, C, E, H View Fig ). Eye group distinctly wider than long, anterior eye row slightly or not procurved, posterior eye row moderately or slightly recurved. Clypeus present, shorter than eye group length ( Fig. 12A, C, E, H View Fig ).
Chelicerae small, without rastellum, with teeth only on promargin of groove; intercheliceral tumescence absent.
Palpal coxae rectangular, quite wide and posteriorly arched, with a bulging ventral surface, its prolateral zone glabrous and lightly pigmented; no cuspules present ( Fig. 12B, F, I View Fig ); anterior lobe indistinct, carrying a serrula formed by a narrow band of tiny denticles ( Fig. 1L View Fig ). Labium much wider than long, without cuspules; anterior edge carrying a row of bristles followed by a pallid zone without setae; posterior part pigmented, with few short setae. Sternum cordate; post-labial sigilla medially fused with quite long labiosternal suture; remaining three pairs of sigilla indiscernible.
Legs moderately long and thin, with spines on patellae to metatarsi; all tarsi aspinose and not pseudosegmented; tarsi I-II of males more or less distinctly bulged on ventral side and carrying a few scopuliform hairs ( Fig. 10 View Fig C-E); metatarsi II-IV of both sexes with preening combs; filiform trichobothria in two dorsal rows on tibiae, and in one row on metatarsi and tarsi; tarsal organ inconspicuous, cowpad-shaped, quite remote from distal margin of tarsus. Leg I of males with only two ( Fig. 11 View Fig E- F) or 6-7 ( Figs 8 View Fig F-G, 13H-I, 15D-E) ventral spines on cylindrical, not incrassate tibia; patella with a series of bristles ( Figs 8F View Fig , 10A View Fig , 11F View Fig , 13I View Fig ) or with a single spine ( Fig. 15E View Fig ) retroventrally-distally. Leg II of males with a small conical proventral process and a small conical retroventral processes ( Figs 12G View Fig , 13 View Fig J-K, M, 15F-H), or with only a small conical retroventral process ( Fig. 8 View Fig I-J), or with a small conical proventral process and a longer keel-shaped retroventral process ( Figs 10B View Fig , 11 View Fig G-J) on metatarsus; tibia with a single, slightly curved or slightly sigmoid megaspine on a low medioventral spur; area Key to the species of Malayathele gen. nov.:
1A Males with corkscrew-shaped embolus ( Fig. 11 View Fig A-D), with only two ventral spines on metatarsus I ( Figs 10A View Fig , 11 View Fig E- F) and with retroventral process on metatarsus II developed as a short blunt keel ( Fig. 11 View Fig G-J). Females with very wide, quite short spermathecal trunks bearing rudimentary (reduced to a boss) lateral receptacles ( Fig. 11K View Fig ) ....... ............................................................................................................................................ M. cameronensis sp. nov.
1B Males with more or less strongly curved embolus ( Figs 8 View Fig A-E, 13A-G, 15A-C), with 6-7 ventral spines on metatarsus I ( Figs 8 View Fig F-G, 13H-I, 15D-E) and with retroventral process on metatarsus II developed as a small cone ( Figs 8 View Fig H-K, 13J-M, 15F-H). Females with narrower spermathecal trunks and with well-developed lateral receptacles ( Figs 9 View Fig , 14 View Fig , 16 View Fig ) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2
2A Males with only slightly curved embolus ( Fig. 8 View Fig A-E) and with only one ventral process (the retroventral one) on metatarsus II ( Fig. 8 View Fig H-K). Females without dark pattern on opisthosoma; stalks of median receptacles longer than corresponding heads ( Fig. 9 View Fig ) ............................................................................................................. M. ulu sp. nov.
2B Males with slightly or strongly curved embolus ( Figs 13 View Fig A-G, 15A-C) and with two ventral processes on metatarsus II ( Figs 12G View Fig , 13 View Fig J-M, 15F-H). Females with more or less distinct dark pattern on opisthosoma ( Fig. 12 View Fig A-D); stalks of median receptacles as long as or shorter than corresponding heads ( Figs 14 View Fig , 16 View Fig ) .............................................. 3
3A Males with distally strongly curved embolus ( Fig. 15 View Fig A-C); patella I retroventrally-distally with a single spine ( Fig. 15E View Fig ). Females with dark pattern of opisthosoma indistinct and restricted to dorsal side; spermathecal trunks rectangular, lateral receptacles bent ventrad, their stalks not constricted ( Fig. 16 View Fig ) .................. M. kanching sp. nov.
3B Males with only slightly curved embolus ( Fig. 13 View Fig A-G); patella I retroventrally-distally with a series of bristles ( Fig. 13I View Fig ). Females with dark pattern of opisthosoma distinct and extending to posteroventral side ( Fig. 12 View Fig A-D); spermathecal trunks conical, lateral receptacles directed anteriad, their stalks clearly constricted ( Fig. 14 View Fig ) ........... .................................................................................................................................................. M. maculosa sp. nov. between ventral spur and distoventral margin of tibia slightly flattened and wrinkled ( Figs 8 View Fig H-K, 10B, 11H-J, 12G, 13J-M; indistinct wrinkles in M. kanching sp. nov., Fig. 15 View Fig F-H). Paired leg claws with a single row of 4-12 teeth; unpaired claws with 1-3 quite long teeth, the basal ones on posterior legs set on a common base ( Figs 1 View Fig I-J, 10C).
Palpal tarsus of males with two apical lobes, the retrodorsal lobe larger than the prodorsal one and carrying 2-3 distal spines (as in Leptothele ); palpal organ with short lenticular subtegulum and wide bulbous tegular part, embolic part thin and apically pointed, either slightly curved ( Figs 8 View Fig A-E, 13A-G), strongly curved ( Fig. 15 View Fig A-C) or corkscrew-shaped ( Fig. 11 View Fig A-D).
Four widely separated spinnerets; no australotheline crescent at base of PLS; PMS short and with only one article; PLS long and composed of three articles ( Fig. 12B, D View Fig , E-F, H-I); distal article of PLS not pseudosegmented, with a reduced pigmentation in posterior half ( Fig. 12 View Fig J- K).
Vulva with two spermathecae, each carrying two receptacles; lateral receptacles anteriad-directed ( Figs 9 View Fig , 11K View Fig , 14 View Fig ) or ventrad-directed ( Fig. 16 View Fig ), perforated by numerous gland pores for their entire length, with more or less distinctly constricted, unsclerotised stalks ( Figs 9 View Fig , 14 View Fig ), without discernible stalks ( Fig. 16 View Fig ) or altogether strongly reduced ( Fig. 11K View Fig ); median receptacles always clearly separated into a more or less strongly curved or twisted stalk with sclerotised walls and a bulbous or globular head perforated by few or no pores ( Figs 9 View Fig , 11K View Fig , 14 View Fig , 16 View Fig ).
Species and distribution: Malayathele cameronensis sp. nov., M. kanching sp. nov., M. maculosa sp. nov. and M. ulu sp. nov., all from the Titiwangsa Mountain Range (= Main Range, Banjaran Besar) of Peninsular Malaysia and its foothills ( Fig. 2 View Fig , localities 12-18). At least one undescribed species in the northeastern part of the country ( Fig. 2 View Fig , locality 19).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.