Mallinella bifurcata, Griswold, Charles, 2009

Griswold, Charles, 2009, Three new species of the genus Mallinela (Zodariidae: Araneae) from Yunnan Province, China, Zootaxa 2005, pp. 47-56 : 48-51

Mallinella bifurcata sp. nov.

Figs 1−12 , 25

Type material. Male (holotype), China, Yunnan Province, Longling County, Longjiang Township, Xiaoheishan Nature Reserve (24.82888°N, 98.7600°E), 2020m, 28 May 2005, leg. Charles Griswold and David Kavanaugh (HNU-CGY128). Paratypes: 3♂, 3Ƥ same date as holotype (HNU-CGY128); 5♂, 1Ƥ, China, Yunnan Province, Longyang Country, Bawan Township, Nangkang (24.82284ºN, 98.78217ºE), 2060m, 22 May 2005, leg. Yan Heng-mei & Guo Ke-Ji (HNU-GKJ015); 1♂, 1Ƥ, China, Yunnan Province, Longyang Country, Bawan Township, Nangkang (24.82284ºN, 98.78217ºE), 2060m, 22 May 2005, leg. Yan Heng-mei & Guo Ke-Ji (CaAS-GKJ015); 22♂, China, Yunnan Province, Jietou Township, Datang Village Daheling Ganjiao (25.75720 N °, 98.69459°E), 2078m, 16 May 2006, leg. Peng Xian-Jin, Wang Xin-Ping and Hu Peng (HNU-PWH 060516); 1♂, China, Yunnan Province, Longyang County, Bawan Township, Ganlinhe at Baihua Village (24.84100ºN, 98.89140ºE), 700m, 1 Jun 2005, leg. Yan Heng-mei and Guo Ke-Ji (HNU-GKJ035); 4♂, 2Ƥ, China, Yunnan Province, Lonyang County, Bawan District, Nankang Yakou (24.83178°N, 98.76472°E), 2180m, 22 May 2005, leg. Charles Griswold and David Kavanaugh (HNU-CGY114); 1♂,1Ƥ, China, Yunnan Province, Lonyang County, Bawan District, Nankang Yakou (24.83178°N, 98.76472°E), 2180m, 22 May 2005, leg. Charles Griswold and David Kavanaugh (CaAS-CGY114); 2Ƥ, Gongshan County, Qiqi, (27.71816°N, 98.56912°E), 2000m, 1 October 2007, leg Peng Xian-Jin.

Etymology. The specific name comes from the combination of the latin prefix “ bi- ” and the latin word “ furcata ”, meaning “two” and “fork” respectively, and referring to the longer ramus of embolus bifurcated apically, adjective in apposition.

Diagnosis. The male of the new species is similar to that of M. hoosi ( Kishida, 1935, Ono & Tanikawa, 1990:105, figs.3-7), but differs in: 1) the inner ramus of the embolus longer than outer one in M. bifurcata versus as long as outer one in M. hoosi ; 2) the inner ramus of the embolus bifurcated in M. bifurcata versus not divided in M. hoosi ; 3) the distal portion of the outer ramus of the embolus of M. bifurcata without the incision found in that of M. hoosi ; 4) median apophysis of M. bifurcata thinner, slightly wider posteriorly versus distinctly wider medially in M. hoosi . The female of the new species is similar to that of M. sadamotoi ( Ono & Tanikawa, 1990) ( Ono & Tanikawa, 1990:105, figs.10-11), but can be distinguished from the latter by: 1) atrium much longer; 2) median plate about one third length of atrium in the new species versus almost as long as atrium in M. sadamotoi ; 3) spermatheca wider than long in the new species versus longer than wide in M. sadamotoi .

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 6.70; prosoma 3.30 long; 2.70 wide; opisthosoma 3.40 long; 2.50 wide. AER and PER slightly procurved. Eyes of anterior row and PLE smaller (0.15); PME slightly larger (0.16); ALE and PLE close to each other; AME–AME (0.12) <AME–ALE (0.14), PME–PME (0.13) <PME–PLE (0.25); MOA long 0.49, front width 0.30, back width 0.42; Clypeus height 0.95. Carapace blackish brown, fovea black, the head of the carapace is slightly swollen. Sternum cordiform, yellow, as long as wide, margin with small pointed extensions fitting in coxal concavities of legs. Chelicerae reddish yellow with scopulae on both margins of fang furrow, chelicerae without teeth, fang very short. Gnathocoxae yellow, with hairs in the inner surface. Labium yellowish brown, wider than long. Femur of legs brown, other segments orange; femur, patella, tibia and metatarsus with many spines. Measurements of leg: I 9.10 (2.50, 2.80, 2.00, 1.80); II 8.90 (2.30, 2.80, 2.20, 1.60); III 9.00 (2.40, 2.70, 2.40, 1.50); IV 10.70 (2.50, 3.50, 3.30, 1.40). Formula: 4, 1, 3, 2. Opisthosoma: dorsally dark grey, with a longitudinal brown stripe in the anterior parts, followed by four pairs of white spots, with the last two pairs fused, behind them with a large white spot and some black bars. Sides grey, mottled with white. Venter yellow with 3 pairs of yellow spots anteriorly, posteriorly white.

Palp ( Figs 6 – 10 ): RTA long and digitiform, VTA small; median apophysis slender, slightly wider posteriorly; embolus with two rami, the longer ramus bifurcated apically.

Female (one of the paratypes): total length 7.95; prosoma 3.80 long; 2.50 wide; opisthosoma 4.15 long; 2.75 wide; 8 eyes of nearly the same size (0.15); AME–AME (0.13) <AME–ALE (0.27), PME–PME (0.18) <PME–PLE (0.35); MOA 0.52 long, front width 0.40, back width 0.48; clypeus height 1.15. General appearance and markings as in male. Leg measurements: I 8.25 (2.40, 2.50, 2.05, 1.30), II 7.40 (2.35, 2.50, 1.50, 1.05), III 8.30 (2.40, 2.65, 1.95, 1.30), IV 8.85 (2.50, 2.55, 2.40, 1.45); formula 4, 1, 3, 2

Epigyne-vulva ( Figs 11, 12 ): Epigyne with a T-shaped black mark on median area; posteriorly with 2 sharp sclerotized horns [qq- we could also call these “teeth”]; median plate small, about one third length of atrium; copulatory ducts small; the spermathecae large, wider than long, with distinct slender fertilization ducts.

Distribution: China (Yunnan Province) ( Fig. 25 ).

Figures

FIGURE 25. Distribution records of the species: Mallinella bifurcata sp. nov., Mallinella kunmingensis sp. nov. and Mallinella biumbonalia sp. nov.

FIGURES 1 − 5. Mallinella bifurcata sp. nov. 1, Body; 2 − 5, Left palp (2, prolateral, 3, ventral, 4, retrolateral, 5, paratype, after macerated in lactic acid for 8 hours).

FIGURES 6 − 12. Mallinella bifurcata sp. nov. 6 − 10, Left palp (6, prolateral, 7, ventral, 8, retrolateral, 9, median apophysis, 10, embolus); 11, Epigyne; 12, Vulva.