Mallinella limushan Lu & Li & Yao 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Lu, Ying
name: Li, Shuqiang
name: Yao, Zhiyuan
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Zodariidae
Mallinella
Mallinella limushan

description: Mallinella limushan Lu & Li, sp. nov.
Figs 3, 4, 5B, 6E–H
Type material. Holotype: male (IZCAS-Ar 44641), Quling Ancient Forest Park (19°10.686′N, 109°44.490′E, elevation 655 m), Limushan Nature Reserve, Hainan, China, 12 August 2007, C. Wang leg. Paratypes: 1 male (IZCAS-Ar 44642), Jianfengling National Forest Park (18°44′39.3′′N, 109°50′33.7′′E, elevation 977 m), Ledong, Hainan, China, 26 April 2009, G. Tang leg; 1 female (IZCAS-Ar 44643), same data as previous, but (18°44.415′N, 108°51.802′E, elevation 819 m), 16 May 2011, Y. Zhou leg.
Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality and is a noun in apposition.
Diagnosis. Mallinella limushan sp. nov. resembles M. lisongi Lin & Li, 2023 (cf. Figs 3, 4, 5B, 6E–H and Lin et al. 2023: 90, figs 76A–B, 77A–C, 82A, 84E–F) in that the males have similar apically pointed conductor and filiform embolus (Fig. 3A–B), and the females have similar cylindrical spermathecae (Fig. 4B–C). Males can be distinguished by the cymbial fold approximately total length of cymbium (Fig. 3B; vs. cymbial fold approximately 2/3 length of cymbium), by the tegular apophysis ear-shaped in ventral view, with triangular apico-prolateral fold, indistinct transverse mesal ridge and elevated basal ridge (Figs 3A–B, 5B; vs. tegular apophysis with anterior-prolateral flange blunt at tip and triangular anterior-prolateral tooth, with broad base), and by the retrolateral tibial apophysis without dorsal ramus (Fig. 3B; vs. dorsal ramus of retrolateral tibial apophysis present, shorter and dentiform); females can be distinguished by the median plate relatively narrow, excavated medially on both anterior and posterior margins, posterior margin with semi-circular tubercle at center (Fig. 4A; vs. median plate broad, posterior edge slightly recurved, posterior margin slightly protruding over epigastric furrow), and by the spermathecae with 9 spirals, base of spermathecae seperated (Fig. 4C; vs. spermathecae stout, with 8 spirals, base of spermathecae connected). The new species can also be easily distinguished from other sobria -group species by the shape of tegular apophysis and spirals of spermathecae.
Description. Male (holotype; Fig. 6E–F): Total length 6.57; prosoma 3.43 long, 2.36 wide; opisthosoma 3.14 long, 2.16 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.21, ALE 0.15, PME 0.13, PLE 0.16, AME-AME 0.06, AME-ALE 0.17, PME-PME 0.14, PME-PLE 0.34; MOQ: 0.66 long, 0.96 anterior width, 0.41 posterior width. Leg measurements: I 8.03 (2.03, 0.84, 1.84, 1.79, 1.53), II 6.86 (1.83, 0.88, 1.48, 1.58, 1.09), III 6.82 (1.84, 0.84, 1.31, 1.68, 1.15), IV 8.89 (2.20, 0.91, 1.78, 2.48, 1.52). Spination: femora I–II p001, d111, III p001, d111, r001, IV d1111, r001; patellae III–IV 101; tibiae I p11, v112, II p11 v22122, III p11, d01, r121, v2222, IV p2211, d11, r121, v2122; metatarsi I v212, IIv222, III p112, r112, v222, IV p012, r012, v2222.
Pattern and colouration (Fig. 6E–F). Carapace oval, in profile highest between PME and longitudinal fovea; tegument rough and granulated, black. Chilum present, single, triangular, sclerotized, and reddish-brown. Chelicerae reddish-brown to dark brown. Labium triangular, dark brown, basal and lateral margins slightly darker. Endites reddish-brown, with anteromesal brush of black hairs. Sternum reddish-brown, shield-shaped, precoxal triangles and intercoxal sclerites present; anterior margin straight, protruding posteriorly. Legs reddish-brown, femora I–II with distinct dorsal swelling. Opisthosoma elongate oval, covered with numerous erect spines. Dorsum of opisthosoma dark brown, mottled with numerous pale spots. Venter pale, with dark spots centrally and dark stripes laterally. Posterior ventral spines thin and short, apices bluntly pointed, arranged in single row. Spinnerets yellowish.
Palp (Fig. 3A–B). Retrolateral tibial apophysis digitiform, broad at base, gradually tapering towards its bluntly pointed apex. Cymbial fold occupying more than half the length of cymbium but never reaching its apex. Tegular apophysis rostrated and ear-shaped in ventral view; apico-prolateral fold triangular, directed mesad (APF in Fig. 5B); transverse mesal ridge indistinct (MR in Fig. 5B); basal ridge elevated (BR in Fig. 5B). Conductor thick, apex sharp in retrolateral view, pointing anteriorly; base of conductor with sclerotized plate sitting in membranous area. Embolic base oval, originating at 180° position, with membranous area anteriorly. Embolus elongated and filiform.
Female (paratype; Fig. 6G–H): Total length 7.60; prosoma 3.32 long, 2.25 wide; opisthosoma 4.28 long, 2.91 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.14, ALE 0.13, PME 0.13, PLE 0.13, AME-AME 0.11, AME-ALE 0.23, PME-PME 0.14, PME-PLE 0.37; MOQ: 0.59 long, 0.93 anterior width, 0.36 posterior width. Leg measurements: I 6.70 (1.80, 0.83, 1.45, 1.31, 1.31), II 6.07 (1.62, 0.82, 1.22, 1.24, 1.17), III 6.02 (1.62, 0.82, 1.10, 1.37, 1.11), IV 7.92 (2.03, 0.83, 1.57, 2.08, 1.41). Spination: femora I–II p001, d1111, III p001, d211, r001, IV d1111, r001; patellae III–IV 101; tibiae I v2112, II v2222, III p11, d010, r11, v2222, IV p111, d11, r111, v2222; metatarsi I v2122, II v2222, III p1121, r111, v222, IV p112, r1111, v222.
Pattern and colouration (Fig. 6G–H). Colour and somatic morphology as in male, except as noted. Carapace reddish-brown. Endites yellowish to brown. Legs brown to reddish-brown, femora I–II, IV with distinct dorsal swelling.
Genitalia (Fig. 4A–C). Median plate excavated medially on both anterior and posterior margins, posterior margin provided with semi-circular tubercle at center. Spermathecae heavily sclerotized, three times longer than wide, with 9 spirals. Fertilization ducts originating posteriorly between boundary of insemination ducts and spermathecae.
Variation: Male: total body length 6.41.
Natural history. The species was found in leaf litter.
Distribution. China (Hainan, type locality; Fig. 7).
Note. The new species Mallinella limushan sp. nov. can be classified into the sobria species group based on the following characteristics: the elongated posterior ventral spines are sharply pointed; the retrolateral tibial apophysis is widest at half its length and laterally constricted at base; the embolic base is round, the filiform embolus is bladelike; the triangular ventral sclerite of the conductor is sharply pointed and directed anteriad; the epigynal plate is broad and slightly excavated anteriorly; the modified distal part of spermathecae is strongly convoluted.
description: Published as part of Lu, Ying, Li, Shuqiang & Yao, Zhiyuan, 2023, Two new ant-eating spiders of the genus Mallinella Strand, 1906 (Araneae, Zodariidae) from Hainan Island, China, pp. 245-254 in Zootaxa 5374 (2) on pages 249-253, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5374.2.5, http://zenodo.org/record/10152457