Mallinella rectangulata, Zhang, Bao-Shi, Zhang, Feng & Chen, Ping, 2011

Zhang, Bao-Shi, Zhang, Feng & Chen, Ping, 2011, Species of the genus Mallinella Strand, 1906 (Araneae: Zodariidae) from Hainan Island, China, Zootaxa 2986, pp. 55-62 : 58-59

Mallinella rectangulata sp. nov.

( Figs 8–12 )

Type material. Holotype 3, CHINA, Hainan Province: Diaoluo Mountain (18°45ʹN, 109°45ʹE), 7 June 2009, leg. C. Zhang [ MHBU]. Paratypes: 1♀, data as holotype; CHINA, Hainan Province: 1♀, Jianfengling Mountain (18°37ʹN, 108°42ʹE), 26 May 2009, leg. C. Zhang [ MHBU].

Diagnosis. Male can be distinguished from all Mallinella species by the shape of conductor and the bifid retrolateral tibial apophysis ( Figs 9–10 ). Females can be distinguished from all congeners by the rectangular epigynal plate and short copulatory ducts ( Figs 11–12 ).

Etymology. The specific name is a Latin adjective and refers to the shape of epigynal plate.

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 5.51: prosoma 2.86 long, 2.65 wide; opisthosoma 1.94 long, 1.63 wide.

Color. Carapace ( Fig. 8 ) dark brown. Median furrow and radial groove black. Eyes with black ring. Chelicerae dark brown, terminal part yellowish. Endites brown, terminal part yellowish. Labium and sternum brown. Femora of legs dark brown and base ringed with black patches, coxa yellowish, other part of legs brown. Dorsum of opisthosoma sclerotized, black and with many brown minute spots and two pairs of brown lateral patches, followed by two discontinuous transverse reddish brown median patches, posterior part unsclerotized and with white median patches; lateral part gray, with black diagonal stripes; venter gray, posterior median with two irregular black patches, behind them brown. Spinnerets yellow.

Prosoma ( Fig. 8 ). Carapace longer than wide, only anterior part and clypeus with several black setae. Median furrow longitudinal. AER slight procurved and PER procurved in dorsal view. Diameters of eyes: AME 0.07, ALE 0.06, PME 0.06, PLE 0.06. Interdistances of eyes: AME–AME 0.04, AME–ALE 0.06, ALE–ALE 0.35, PME– PME 0.05, PME–PLE 0.13, PLE–PLE 0.43, ALE–PLE 0.03. MOA 0.19 long, front width 0.15, back width 0.18. Clypeus height 0.29. Chelicera without teeth on margins of fang furrow, fang very short. Apices of chelicerae and endites furnished with dense black scopula. Labium triangular, 0.19 long, 0.18 wide. Sternum 0.64 long, 0.61 wide and furnished with sparse black setae, anterior margin straight, lateral margin with small, pointed extensions fitting in coxal concavities of legs.

Legs. Metatarsi II–IV with ventral hair tufts in the apical part. Measurements of legs: leg I 7.03 (1.84, 0.71, 1.63, 1.63, 1.22), II 6.43 (1.84, 0.71, 1.33, 1.43, 1.12), III 6.32 (1.84, 0.71, 1.12, 1.53, 1.12), IV 9.18 (2.24, 0.82, 2.04, 2.65, 1.43). Leg formula: 4123.

Opisthosoma ( Fig. 8 ). Oval, longer than wide and the widest part at 2/3 place.

Male palp ( Figs 9–10 ). Retrolateral apophysis of tibia wide, apex bifid, a apophysis located just in front of retrolateral apophysis; apex of median apophysis thin and pointed prolaterad, basal fold protruding posteriorly, pointed retrolaterad; base of embolus thick, end narrow; apex of conductor long, fishtail from lateral view.

Female. Paratype (from Diaoluo Mountain). Total length 5.62: prosoma 1.84 long, 2.55 wide; opisthosoma 2.04 long, 3.06 wide.

Color. Endites yellow. Labium brown, terminal part yellow brown. Legs yellow brown, terminal part of femora darker. Dorsum of opisthosoma gray black, with three pairs of gray lateral patches, behind them with four discontinuous transverse gray median patches; venter gray, posterior median with a longitudinal black strip. Other characters as in holotype.

Prosoma. Both the eye rows procurved in dorsal view. Diameters of eyes: AME 0.06, ALE 0.06, PME 0.06, PLE 0.06. Interdistances of eyes: AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.08, ALE–ALE 0.38, PME–PME 0.05, PME– PLE 0.11, PLE–PLE 0.44, ALE–PLE 0.05. MOA 0.21 long, front width 0.15, back width 0.19. Clypeus height 0.32. Labium 0.21 long, 0.20 wide. Sternum 1.12 long, 1.12 wide.

Legs. Metatarsi II–IV with ventral hair tufts in the apical part. Measurements of legs: leg I 6.32 (1.73, 0.71, 1.33, 1.33, 1.22), II 5.61 (1.43, 0.71, 1.12, 1.33, 1.02), III 5.20 (1.43, 0.61, 1.12, 1.02, 1.02), IV 7.75 (1.94, 0.71, 1.73, 2.04, 1.33). Leg formula: 4123.

Female genitalia ( Figs 11–12 ). Epigynal plate nearly rectanglular, wider than long; spermathecae nearly oval, extending dorsad, with short copulatory ducts.

Distribution. China ( Hainan ).

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 12. Mallinella rectangulata sp. nov., 8 – 10, male holotype. 8, habitus, dorsal view; 9, left male palp, ventral view; 10, same, retrolateral view; 11 – 12, female paratype. 11, epigyne, ventral view; 12, internal genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.