Jacaena punctata sp. nov.

(Figures 1C, 2E, F, 5D–F, 6E, 7B, 13)

Type material

Holotype: ♂, Thailand: Nan Province: Tha Wang Pha District, Nanthaburi NP, Doi Wao, Doi Wao, evergreen hill forest near the summit, 1300–1550 m, extraction of leaf litter samples, 7 December 2005, P. Dankittipakul leg. (MHNG, PDC 5130).

Paratypes: Same data as holotype, 2♀ (TNHM). From type locality, 17 December 2002, P.J. Schwendinger leg., 1♂, 1♀ (MHNG, TH–02/21). Doi Wao, evergreen forest surrounding park bungalow, 1300 m, 9 December 2005, P. Dankittipakul leg., 1♀ (THNM, PDC 4658). Nan Province: Phu Ka District, Doi Phu Ka NP, Doi Phu Ka, evergreen forest along nature trail, 1300 m, 9 December 2005, P. Dankittipakul leg., 1♀ (THNM, PDC 4655) .

Diagnosis

Jacaena punctata sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from its congeners by the integument of the carapace, which is punctate (Figures 1C, 2F) instead of granulate. Males are easily recognised by a tuft of bristles (Figures 5D, 13A) on the retrolateral side of the cymbium – a character that is absent in other species. Females are recognised by the copulatory orifice connected to an enlarged chamber of the internal genitalia (Figure 13E), and by the elliptical spermathecae (Figure 13E).

Etymology

The specific epithet is a derived from Latin adjective (punctatus = with punctures), referring to the punctated carapace of this new species.

Description

Male (holotype). Total 7.4. Carapace 3.8 long, 2.8 wide. Opisthosoma 3.4 long, 2.0 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15; ALE 0.15; PME 0.11; PLE 0.15; AME–AME 0.08; AME–ALE 0.06; PME–PME 0.16; PME–PLE 0.23. MOQ 0.45 long; front width 0.43; back width 0.43. Leg formula 4123. Spination. Leg I: femur 1–1pl; tibia 8pl 7rl; metatarsus 5pl 5rl. Leg II: tibia 7pl 6rl; metatarsus 4pl 4rl. Leg III: tibia 2–1–1–2v; metatarsus 1–1–1v 1pl 1rl. Leg IV: tibia 1–1–1–2v 1rl; metatarsus 1–1– 1–1v 1pl 1rl. Leg measurements: Leg I 10.7 (3.1, 1.2, 2.8, 2.3, 1.3); II 9.0 (2.7, 1.0, 2.2, 1.9, 1.2); III 7.4 (2.2, 0.8, 1.5, 1.8, 1.1); IV 10.9 (3.0, 1.2, 2.5, 2.8, 1.4).

Colouration and pattern (Figure 1C): Carapace dark chestnut-brown; integument punctated, covered with punctures forming radiating striae. Carapace, chelicerae and sternum dark reddish brown. Coxae, trochanters and femora dark brown (except femora I–II brown, distally yellow); patellae, tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi orange. Opisthosoma ovoid; dorsum of opisthosoma with pattern consisting of paired, medially connected patches, followed by four chevrons and white area above spinnerets on dark grey background. Dorsal scutum orange-brown, wider in front than behind, posterior margin straight, occupying approximately half of opisthosoma length.

Palp (Figures 5D–F, 13A–C): Proximal RTA triangular, apex sharply pointed, apical surface with shallow excavation. Distal RTA subtriangular in lateral view, apex blunt, ventral surface membranous. Cymbium with group of elongated bristles situated on meso-retrolateral margin (Figures 5D, 13A). Tegulum pyriform, gradually tapered towards apex, prolateral margin slightly compressed. Conductor cylindrical, gradually tapered towards bluntly pointed apex, with shallow groove running along dorsal surface to accommodate tip of embolus. Embolus filiform. Tegular apophysis indistinct.

Female (paratype, THNM, PDC 4658). Total length 8.7. Carapace 3.6 long, 2.8 wide. Opisthosoma 4.7 long, 3.0 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15; ALE 0.15; PME 0.10; PLE 0.16; AME–AME 0.08; AME–ALE 0.05; PME–PME 0.18; PME– PLE 0.16. MOQ 0.41 long; front width 0.36; back width 0.41. Leg formula 1423. Spination. Leg I: femur 1–1pl; tibia 8pl 8rl; metatarsus 5pl 5rl. Leg II: tibia 7pl 7rl; metatarsus 4pl 5rl. Leg III: tibia 1–1–1–1–1v; metatarsus 1–1–1–1v 1rl. Leg IV: tibia 1–1–1–1pv 2v 1–1rl; metatarsus 1–1–1–1–1v 1pl 1rl. Leg measurements: Leg I 10.6 (3.0, 1.2, 2.6, 2.5, 1.3); II 9.0 (2.6, 1.1, 2.3, 1.9, 1.1); III 7.5 (2.1, 1.0, 1.5, 1.8, 1.1); IV 10.8 (2.8, 1.1, 2.4, 3.0, 1.5).

Colouration and pattern (Figure 2F): Carapace dark chestnut-brown; integument punctate, with large pits forming striae. Fovea obsolete. Chelicerae, sternum, labium and gnathocoxae dark reddish-brown. Legs I–II brown, femora slightly darker than other segments, tibiae orange-brown distally; legs III–IV orange-brown except femora dark brown, distally pale yellow. Opisthosoma elongate-ovoid; dorsum grey, with paired, irregular-shaped patches, followed by four chevrons and white area above spinnerets.

Copulatory organ (Figures 6E, 7B, 13D, E): Copulatory orifices subcircular, situated anteriorly, separated by twice their diameter, plugged with black secretory substance (Figure 7B). Internally with large, semi-transparent chamber connected to posterior tubular duct (Figure 13E), abruptly ascends anteriorly then curves along anterior margin of copulatory orifices and connects to enlarged, elliptical spermathecae. Secretory ampullae spherical, heavily perforated (Figure 6E), situated on proximal part of insemination ducts (Figures 6E, 13E).

Natural history

Jacaena punctata sp. nov. inhabits evergreen hill forests of Doi Wao and Doi Phu Kha (both localities are higher than 1300 m).

Distribution

Known from two mountains in Nan Province, northern Thailand.