Mallinella banna Lu & Li, 2023

Lu, Ying, Li, Shuqiang, Yu, Hao & Yao, Zhiyuan, 2023, Three new ant-eating spiders of the family Zodariidae Thorell, 1881 (Araneae, Zodariidae) from Xishuangbanna, China, ZooKeys 1175, pp. 321-332 : 321

Mallinella banna Lu & Li sp. nov.

Figs 3 , 4 , 7A

Type material.

Holotype: 1♂ (IZCAS-Ar 44612), China, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town, XTBG, Primary tropical seasonal rain forest, 21°55.035′N, 101°16.500′E, 558 m, 4-11 May 2007, G. Zheng leg. Paratype: 1♂ (IZCAS-Ar 44613), same data as holotype, but 21°57.669′N, 101°11.893′E, 790 m, 1-15 May 2007.

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality and is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Mallinella banna sp. nov. resembles M. sena Lin & Li, 2023 (cf. Figs 3 , 4 , 7A and Lin et al. 2023: 97, figs 80A, B, 81A-C, 83A, B, 84I, J) in that the males have similar ventral tibial process, retrolateral tibial apophysis and tegular tubercle (Fig. 4A, B ). Males can be distinguished by the mesal ramus of the embolus with a semicircular subterminal flange, apex lanceolate (Fig. 4A ; vs. mesal ramus of embolus with longer, lanceolate apex), by the conductor pointing downwards, with lobular dorsal process, the prolateral side of conductor greatly excavated to accommodate embolic tip (Fig. 4A, B ; vs. conductor pointing forward, dorsal process absent, excavation of conductor shallow prolaterally), and by the tegular apophysis undulate and indistinct, with thin, sharply pointed process apically, mesal ridge and baso-prolateral tooth absent (Figs 4A, B , 7A ; vs. apical process of tegular apophysis wider, mesal ridge and baso-prolateral tooth present). Female unknown.

Description.

Male (holotype; Fig. 3A, B ). Total length 6.48; prosoma 3.56 long, 2.52 wide; opisthosoma 2.92 long, 2.29 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.16, ALE 0.14, PME 0.13, PLE 0.14, AME-AME 0.11, AME-ALE 0.16, PME-PME 0.17, PME-PLE 0.58; MOQ: 0.49 long, 0.40 anterior width, 0.41 posterior width. Leg measurements: I 10.95 (2.64, 0.86, 2.50, 2.77, 2.18), II 9.47 (2.49, 0.93, 1.97, 2.42, 1.66), III 9.21 (2.36, 0.96, 1.74, 2.67, 1.48), IV 12.86 (3.17, 0.98, 2.71, 3.85, 2.15). Spination: femora I p001, d1111, II p011, d1111, III p011, d1111, r001, IV p101, d1111, r001; patellae II-IV 101; tibiae I p100, v222, II p11 v222, III p111, d11, r11, v222, IV p11, d11, r111, v2222; metatarsi I-II v222, III p11, d11, r111, v222, IV p21, r11, v22222.

Pattern and colouration (Fig. 3A, B ). Carapace pear-shaped, in profile highest between PME and longitudinal fovea; tegument rough and granulated, dark brown. Chelicerae brown. Labium triangular, yellowish to brown, apically with narrow membranous area, basal and lateral margins slightly darker. Endites brown, with anteromesal brush of black hairs. Sternum reddish-brown, shield-shaped, precoxal triangles and intercoxal sclerites present; anterior margin straight, protruding posteriorly. Legs yellowish, but brown on femur, with distinct dorsal swelling. Opisthosoma elongate oval, covered with numerous erect spines. Dorsum of opisthosoma dark brown, mottled with numerous pale spots, with narrow brown dorsal scutum anteriorly. Venter pale, with two pairs of dark stripes laterally. Posterior ventral spines thin and elongate, apices bluntly pointed, arranged in single row. Spinnerets yellowish.

Palp (Fig. 4A, B ). Tibia with fan-shaped ventral tibial process. Retrolateral tibial apophysis digitiform, broad at base, gradually tapering towards its bluntly pointed apex. Cymbial fold approximately 1/3 length of cymbium. Tegular tubercle triangular, sharply pointed. Tegular apophysis elongated, with thin, sharply pointed apical process (AP in Fig. 7A ), also with small meso-retrolateral fold (MRF in Fig. 7A ). Conductor beak-shaped, apex sharp, pointing downwards; prolateral side of conductor greatly excavated to accommodate embolic tip; dorsal process of conductor lobular. Embolic base oval, originating at 270°, with membranous area anteriorly. Embolus branching at half its length; mesal ramus thinner than lateral one, provided with semicircular subterminal flange, apex lanceolate; lateral ramus shorter.

Variation.

Male: total body length 5.95.

Natural history.

The species was found in leaf litter.

Distribution.

China (Yunnan, type locality).

Figures

Figure 3. Mallinella banna sp. nov., holotype male A, B habitus A dorsal view B ventral view. Scale bar: 2.00 mm.

Figure 4. Mallinella banna sp. nov., holotype male A, B palp A ventral view B retrolateral view. Abbreviations: C conductor, E embolus, EB embolic base, LR lateral ramus of embolus, MR mesal ramus of embolus, RTA retrolateral tibial apophysis, TA tegular apophysis, TT tegular tubercle, VTA ventral tibial apophysis. Scale bar: 0.50 mm.

Figure 7. Ventral view of tegular apophysis, paratype male A Mallinella banna sp. nov. B Mallinella mengla sp. nov. Abbreviations: AP apical process, BPT baso-prolateral tooth, MP mesal process, MRF meso-retrolateral fold, MRP meso-retrolateral process, ST subapical tooth. Scale bars: 0.20 mm.