Amauropelma fungifer ( Thorell 1890 ) Jäger, Peter, 2012

Jäger, Peter, 2012, Asian species of the genera Anahita Karsch 1879, Ctenus Walckenaer 1805 and Amauropelma Raven, Stumkat & Gray 2001 (Arachnida: Araneae: Ctenidae), Zootaxa 3429 (1), pp. 1-63 : 60-61

Amauropelma fungifer ( Thorell 1890) comb. nov.

Figs 179 , 266 –275

Ctenus fungifer Thorell 1890: 309 (Description of female; holotype female examined).

Type material. Holotype female ( MCSN), Malaysia, Pulau Penang, Loria and Fea leg.

Diagnosis. Small Ctenidae (total length female 9.0). Distinguished from all other Amauropelma species known so far by the shape of the epigynal plate: an anterior part with parallel margins is separated by deep indentations from the lateral lobes ( Figs 266 , 274).

Redescription. Female (holotype). PL 4.2, PW 3.3, AW 2.0, OL 4.8, OW 3.0. Spination of palp and legs: palp 131, 000, 1211, 1013; femora I p021, d111, r111, II p112(3), d111, r111, III p112, d111, r112, IV p112, d111, r001; patellae I–II 000, III–IV 001; tibiae I missing, II v22222, III p11, d111(11), r11, v222, IV p11, d111, r11, v222;

metatarsi I missing, II v222, III p112, d01(0)0, r112, v222, IV p112, d010, r112, v12212. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal, 5 retromarginal teeth, with elongated field (distally ending as single row) with 25–30 denticles. Retromargin of chelicerae close to fang base with 5 bristles.

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis ( Figs 266–268 , 274. Epigynal field with 3 slit sense organs anterior to epigynal plate (only seen in dissected epigyne). Posterior part of epigynal plate narrow with distinct lateral margins. Distal part of lateral teeth posteriorad. Internal duct system with two round chambers as spermathecae, one large and one small; widely separated from each other; fertilisation ducts mediad.

Colour (Figs 270–273). Faded in holotype with remnants of dark lateral longitudinal bands on dorsal prosoma.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 179 : 7).

Note. The small size and colour pattern and especially the shape of the epigynal plate as well as the patellar spination support that this species belongs to the genus Amauropelma . It was compared in the original description ( Thorell 1890) with Ctenus valvularis Hasselt 1882 from Java and Sumatra. For comparative purposes, the original illustration by Hasselt (1882) is depicted here ( Fig. 269 ).

Figures

FIGURE 179. Records of Amauropelma spp. in South and Southeast Asia. 1–3 India (1 Shimla, Himachal Pradesh; 2 Dhanolti, Uttar Pradesh, 3 Rongdanggai, Meghalaya). 4–6 Laos (4 Ban Tavan/Nam Ha protected area, Luang Nam Tha; 5 Nong Khiao, Luang Prabang; 6 Nam Khan, Luang Prabang). 7 Pulau Penang, Malaysia.

FIGURES 266–269. 266–268 Amauropelma fungifer (Thorell 1890), holotype female from Pulau Penang, Malaysia. 269 Ctenus valvularis Hasselt 1882, holotype(?) female from Sumatra, Indonesia. 266, 269 Epigyne, ventral. 267 Epigyne, posterior. 268 Vulva, dorsal. [269 modified after Hasselt 1882].