Malayathele kanching Schwendinger, 2020

Schwendinger, Peter J., Lehmann-Graber, Christina, Hongpadharakiree, Komson & Syuhadah, Nurul, 2020, New euagrid spider species from Thailand and Malaysia, and new localities of Leptothele bencha (Arachnida: Araneae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 127 (2), pp. 423-453 : 448-451

Malayathele kanching Schwendinger , sp. nov.

Figs 1L , 12 E-K, 15-16

Holotype: MHNG (sample SIM-01/14); male (matured beginning of XI.2001); MALAYSIA, Selangor, Templer Park (= Hutan Lipur Kanching ), above Kanching Waterfall , 3°18’25”N, 101°37’10”E, rain forest, 230- 370 m; 13.VII.2001; leg. P.J. Schwendinger.

Paratypes: MHNG; 3 males (matured beginning of VIII.2001, 2.X.2001, beginning of XI.2001) and 7 females (one of them the allotype); collected together with the holotype. – NHMS (sample SIM-01/14); 1 male (matured end of IX.2001) and 1 female; collected together with the holotype. – MHNG (sample F91- 1223); 2 females; Selangor, Ulu Gombak, University of Malaya Field Centre , secondary forest along river, 200 m; 26.IX.1991; leg. D. Agosti.

Other material: MHNG and NHMS; 3 juveniles; collected together with the holotype.

Etymology: The species epithet, a name in apposition, refers to the type locality, the Hutan Lipur Kanching. It probably is the old spelling of the Malay word “kancing” = button, usually referring to a hook-like button.

Diagnosis: Males distinguished from those of all other congeners by a strongly curved embolus ( Fig. 15 A- C), by a single spine retroventrally-distally on patella I ( Fig. 15E ; in other species a series of bristles at that place), and by a pigmented, triangular area with very indistinct wrinkles retroventrally-distally on tarsus II ( Fig. 15F ; no pigmented area and more distinct wrinkles in males of other congeneric species); additionally distinct from males of M. ulu sp. nov. by the presence of two ventral processes on metatarsus II instead of only a retroventral one ( Fig. 15 F-H cf. Fig. 8 I-J), and from the male holotype of M. cameronensis sp. nov. by having numerous ventral spines on metatarsus II instead of only two ( Fig. 15 D-E cf. Fig. 11 E-F). Females distinguished from those of all other congeners by a vulva with wide, ventrad-bent lateral receptacles without constricted stalks ( Fig. 16 ). Some females with a faint dark mottled colour pattern confined to dorsal surface of opisthosoma (some females without such a pattern, Fig. 12H ; in females of M. maculosa sp. nov. pattern always present and extending to posteroventral area, Fig. 12 A-D).

Description: MALE (holotype). Colour in alcohol ( Fig. 12 E-F, slightly darker in life) mostly light brown; palps, sternum and ventral side of spinnerets slightly lighter; proximal article of chelicerae slightly darker; all membranes and prolateral zone of palpal coxae creamcoloured; cheliceral claw and palpal organ dark brown; eye mound black; carapace with two distinct dark paramedian bands between eye mound and fovea, and with indistinct dark bands on coxal elevations.

Body 3.74 long. Carapace 1.34 long, 1.03 wide, oval, almost flat, thoracic part at same level as cephalic part, quite densely covered with fine, grey, wavy hairs; few stronger bristles in front of eye mound; two long straight bristles in front of pitlike fovea. Eyes on low mound; eye group 0.15 long, anterior eye row slightly procurved, 0.24 wide, posterior eye row moderately recurved, 0.25 wide. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.10, PME 0.06, PLE 0.09; AME-AME 0.02, PME-PME 0.06. MOQ 0.12 long, 0.10 wide anteriorly, 0.16 posteriorly.

Chelicerae weak, grooves with 12/13 teeth on promargin and with a short row of tiny medioproximal denticles. Palpal coxae 0.34 long, 0.25 wide. Labium 0.12 long, 0.27 wide. Sternum 0.72 long, 0.71 wide.

Palps ( Fig. 15 A-B). Total length 1.87 (0.64 + 0.42 + 0.46 + 0.35). Several long strong bristles dorsally and ventrally on all articles, especially on femur and tibia; tarsus with 2 spines distally and with a strong bristle prolaterallydistally as well as retrolaterally-distally. Palpal organ with hook-shaped embolus, its apex strongly curved ventrad.

Legs 2314. Leg I 3.49 long (0.99 + 0.62 + 0.68 + 0.67 + 0.53); leg II 3.19 long (0.89 + 0.55 + 0.61 + 0.62 + 0.52); leg III 3.36 long (0.87 + 0.48 + 0.72 + 0.74 + 0.55); leg IV 4.16 long (1.08 + 0.60 + 0.82 + 0.99 + 0.67). Tarsi not pseudosegmented and without spines; with a few scopuliform hairs in distal portion of anterior legs. Metatarsal preening combs on legs II-IV (missing on right leg II). Leg I: Tibia carrying 6 ventral spines ( Fig. 15 D-E). Patella with a single, slightly curved retroventral-distal spine ( Fig. 15E ). Distal part of femur with short band of hooked spinules retrodorsally. Leg II: Metatarsus with two small conical processes, the proventral one slightly smaller and situated more distal than the retroventral one ( Fig. 15 F-G). Tibia ventrally with a low median spur carrying a single megaspine and with a long strong bristle situated more proximally; a pigmented triangular area with indistinct wrinkles retroventrally-distally ( Fig. 15F ). Band of hooked spinules proventrally on femur II slightly longer than corresponding retrodorsal band on femur I, remote from distal margin of article, spinules more widely spaced.

Spines, trichobothria and claws of legs. All femora with numerous long strong bristles dorsally; I: patella v1; tibia p2, v6; metatarsus v1. II: patella v1; tibia p2, v1 (megaspine); metatarsus p2, v2. III: patella d4; tibia d3, p2, r2, v5; metatarsus d5, v5. IV: patella d3; tibia d3, p2, r2, v6; metatarsus d6, v5. Trichobothria not counted (difficult to see). Paired tarsal claws with 8-9 teeth on anterior legs, 5-6 on posterior legs; unpaired claws with 2-3 teeth.

Opisthosoma 1.76 long, 1.19 wide; densely covered with fine adpressed grey hairs interspersed with longer dark bristles (longest on anterior margin; Fig. 12 E-F). PMS 0.22 long, 0.07 wide in the middle, separated from each other by 0.37. PLS 1.63 long (proximal article 0.56 long and 0.15 wide, median article 0.55 long and 0.12 wide, distal article 0.52 long and 0.09 wide in the middle), separated from each other by 0.60; distal article not pseudosegmented, weakly pigmented in distal half ( Fig. 12 J-K showing male paratype).

FEMALE (allotype). Colour in alcohol as in male, but all dark bands on carapace indistinct, no dark colour pattern on dorsal side of opisthosoma discernible ( Fig. 12 H-I).

Body 5.20 long. Carapace 1.85 long, 1.53 wide. Eye group 0.19 long, anterior eye row slightly procurved, 0.29 wide, posterior eye row slightly recurved, 0.32 wide. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.05, ALE 0.12, PME 0.08, PLE 0.09; AME-AME 0.04, PME-PME 0.06. MOQ 0.14 long, 0.12 wide anteriorly, 0.20 posteriorly.

Chelicerae stronger than in males, grooves with 15 teeth on promargin and with a short row of about 10 tiny medioproximal denticles. Palpal coxae 0.50 long, 0.36 wide; serrula composed of a band of tiny denticles ( Fig. 1L showing female paratype). Labium 0.13 long, 0.43 wide. Sternum 0.98 long, 0.96 wide.

Palps. Total length 2.74 (0.90 + 0.56 + 0.63 + 0.65). Several long strong bristles dorsally and ventrally on all articles, especially on femur and tibia; tarsus with 4 distinct ventral spines. Claw with 10 teeth.

Legs 3214. Leg I 4.20 long (1.23 + 0.76 + 0.85 + 0.78 + 0.58); leg II 3.96 long (1.23 + 0.71 + 0.71 + 0.71 + 0.60); leg III 3.91 long (1.05 + 0.65 + 0.73 + 0.85 + 0.63); leg IV 4.97 long (1.28 + 0.90 + 1.00 + 1.10 + 0.69). Tarsi not pseudosegmented and without spines; without scopuliform hairs. Metatarsal preening combs on legs II- IV.

Spines, trichobothria and claws of legs. All femora with numerous long strong bristles dorsally; I: patella p2; tibia p2 (weak), v5; metatarsus v4/5. II: patella p2; tibia p2 (weak), v4; metatarsus p2, v5. III: patella d3; tibia d4, p2, v5; metatarsus d5, v5/6. IV: patella d2; tibia d6, p2, v5; metatarsus d6, v5/6. Trichobothria not counted (difficult to see). Paired tarsal claws with 9-11 teeth on anterior legs, 7-8 on posterior legs; unpaired tarsal claws with 2-3 teeth.

Opisthosoma 2.65 long, 1.88 wide. PMS 0.30 long, 0.10 wide in the middle, separated from each other by 0.58. PLS 1.91 long (proximal article 0.68 long and 0.23 wide, median article 0.59 long and 0.19 wide, distal article 0.64 long and 0.14 wide in the middle), separated from each other by 0.88.

Spermathecae (of female paratypes, allotype not dissected; Fig. 16 ) wide, somewhat trapezoidal in shape; lateral receptacles without constricted stalks, therefore transition to spermathecae not well marked, apex bent ventrad; median receptacle with medium-long and medium-thin curved stalks with sclerotised walls.

Variation: Carapace lengths in males (n = 5) range 1.28-1.44, carapace widths 1.03-1.19. The largest female (from Templer Park) has a 1.87 long and 1.50 wide carapace. For variation in the shape of the vulvae see Fig. 16 . The lateral receptacles are bent ventrad and therefore the vulvae look quite different when seen from different angles. The stalks of the median receptacles are more or less strongly curved or twisted. Variation in the shape of palpal organs and of tibiae and metatarsi II is shown in Fig. 15 . All males possess a single retroventral-distal spine on patella I. There are 6-7 ventral spines on tibia I of males (seven spines only in two males and only on one side of the body). In all males, eleven females (including the allotype, Fig. 12H ) and two juveniles from the type locality no dark dorsal pattern on the opisthosoma is discernible. In three females and one juvenile (all with most opisthosomal hairs abraded) a very indistinct one can be seen. In two females from Ulu Gombak (also with most hairs abraded) a dark mottled dorsal pattern is clearly visible, but it is less pronounced than in females of M. maculosa sp. nov. and it does not extend to the posteroventral area. Thus the opisthosomal colour pattern appears to be usually present in these two species, but it is hidden under the hair cover.

Relationships: Geographical proximity (in horizontal, not vertical respect), similarities in male and female copulatory organs and the common presence of a more or less pronounced dark pattern on the opisthosoma of females indicate a close relationship between M. kanching sp. nov. and M. maculosa sp. nov.

Distribution: This species is known from two lowland localities (Templer Park and Ulu Gombak) near Kuala Lumpur ( Fig. 2 , localities 17-18).

Biology: The specimens examined were collected by sieving leaf litter in rain forests. The Templer Park site is near a small stream and a waterfall. Some spiders from there were kept in captivity in Geneva where they mated and reproduced. Five males (collected in mid-July) matured between the beginning of August and the beginning of November of the same year, which probably corresponds to the mating period in nature.

Figures

Fig. 1. Photos of unpaired leg claws, lateral view (A-J), and of serrula on palpal coxa, anteroventral view (K-L). (A) Masteria cf. cavicola (Simon, 1892), female (in MHNG; 13.IV.1977; leg. P. Strinati & V. Aellen) from a cave near Bagio, Luzon, the Phillipines, leg II. (B) Same, leg IV.(C) Phyxioschema huberi Schwendinger, 2009, exuvia of female paratype, leg I. (D) Same, leg IV. (E) Leptothele bencha, female from Ko Sirey, leg I. (F) Same, leg III. (G) Leptothele chang sp. nov., exuvia of female paratype, leg I. (H) Same, leg III. (I) Malayathele ulu sp. nov., exuvia of female paratype, leg I. (J) Same, leg IV. (K) Leptothele chang sp. nov., exuvia of female paratype. (L) Malayathele kanching sp. nov., exuvia of female paratype. Not to scale.

Fig. 12. Malayathele maculosa sp. nov., female paratype from Genting Highlands (A-D), M. kanching sp. nov., male holotype (E-G), female allotype (H-I) and male paratype (J-K). (A, E, H) Habitus, dorsal view. (B, F, I) Habitus, ventral view. (C) Habitus, dorsolateral view. (D) Opisthosoma, posteroventral view. (G) Tibia and metatarsus of right leg II, prolateral view. (J) Distal part of proximal article and entire median and distal articles of PLS, lateral view. (K) Same, ventral view. Not to scale.

Fig. 15. Malayathele kanching sp. nov.; male holotype (A-B, D-G) and male paratype (C, H). (A) Distal part of right palp, ventral view. (B-C) Same of left palp, prolateral view. (D) Patella to metatarsus of left leg I, prolateral view. (E) Patella and tibia of left leg I, ventral view. (F) Patella to metatarsus of left leg II, ventral view. (G-H) Same, prolateral view. Arrow indicates single spine retroventrally-distally on patella I. Scale line 0.5 mm.

Fig. 8. Malayathele ulu sp. nov.; male paratype (A-B, J-K) and male holotype (C-I). (A, C) Distal part of left palp, prolateral view. (B, D) Same of right palp, prolateral view. (E) Distal part of left palp, ventral view. (F) Patella to metatarsus of right leg I, prolateral view. (G) Right tibia I, ventral view. (H) Patella to metatarsus of right leg II, prolateral view. (I) Same, retroventral view. (J) Patella to metatarsus of left leg II, ventral view. (K) Same, prolateral view. Scale line 0.5 mm.

Fig. 11. Malayathele cameronensis sp. nov., male holotype (A-J) and female allotype (K). (A) Distal part of left palp, prolateral view. (B) Same, ventral view. (C) Distal part of right palp, proventral and slightly distal view. (D) Same, prolateral view. (E) Patella to metatarsus of right leg I, prolateral view. (F) Patella to tibia of right leg I, ventral view. (G) Patella to metatarsus of right leg II, prolateral view. (H) Same of left leg II, prolateral view. (I) Patella to metatarsus of left leg II, ventral view. (J) Same of right leg II, ventral view. (K) Vulva, dorsal view. Arrows indicate keel-shaped retroventral process on metatarsus II. Scale lines 0.5 mm (A-J), 0.1 mm (K).

Fig. 16. Malayathele kanching sp. nov.; vulvae of four female paratypes, dorsal (A-B) to increasingly more postero-dorsal view (C- D). (A, C-D) Specimens from the Templer Park. (B) Specimen from Ulu Gombak. Scale lines 0.05 mm.

Fig. 2. Localities of Leptothele spp. and Malayathele spp. on the Thai-Malay Peninsula. The coast of Sumatra is omitted. 1 - Ko Sirey (L. bencha); 2 - Ko Yao Noi (L. bencha); 3 - Khao Phanom Bencha (L. bencha, type locality); 4 - Thab Khaek - Hang Nak Hill and Khlong Jilat (L. bencha); 5 - Ban Chong Phlie (L. bencha); 6 - Ko Lanta (L. bencha); 7 - Ko Muk (L. bencha); 8 - Ko Libong (L. bencha); 9 - Ko Sukon (L. bencha); 10 - Ko Tarutao (L. bencha); 11 - Tham Khao Chang Hai (L. chang sp. nov., type locality); 12 - Ulu Groh (M. ulu sp. nov., type locality); 13 - Chenderiang (Malayathele sp.); 14 - Cameron Highlands (M. cameronensis sp. nov., type locality; M. ulu sp. nov.); 15 - Fraser’s Hill (M. maculosa sp. nov., type locality); 16 - Genting Highlands (M. maculosa sp. nov.); 17 - Templer Park (M. kanching sp. nov.; type locality); 18 - Ulu Gombak (M. kanching sp. nov.); 19 - Jeram Pasu Waterfall (Malayathele sp.); 20 - Singapore (Euagridae/Dipluridae gen. sp.).