Mallinella dhanahami Dayananda & Benjamin, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Dayananda, Naruwan
name: Benjamin, Suresh P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Zodariidae
Mallinella
Mallinella dhanahami

description: Mallinella dhanahami sp. nov.
Figs 1, 6A, 6F, 7A, 7F, 8A, 9A–B, 10C–E
Type material. Holotype ♂: SRI LANKA: Sabaragamuwa Province: Rathnapura District, Gilimale Forest Reserve, 06º45’51’’N 80º25’40’’E, 126 m, 25 March 2024, leg. SP. Benjamin et al. (IFS_ZOD_234). Paratype: 1♀, with same data as for holotype (IFS_ZOD_235).
Etymology. This new species is named after the first author’s grandmother, Dhanahami. Used as a noun in apposition.
Diagnosis. Mallinella dhanahami sp. nov. share features such as inwardly projecting digitiform lateral borders of the epigyne, round proximal tubercle on anterior femora and pale oblong spots on the dorsum of opisthosoma with the members of the annulipes-group. Within the annulipes-group, males of M. dhanahami sp. nov. are most similar to the males of M. calilungae as both share bifurcated embolus and elongated TA but can be separated from it by beak shaped VTA (triangular shaped in M. calilungae), and digitiform RTA (broad triangular ridge in M. calilungae) (cf. Dankittipakul et al. 2012: figs. 757–759 and Figs 1F–H, 8A). Females are most similar to the females of M. annulipes as both share V-shaped epigynal plate and the digitiform lateral border of the epigyne but can be separated from it by the anterior median depression (absent in M. annulipes) and the highly sclerotized epigynal furrow of the epigyne (weakly sclerotized in M. annulipes). (cf. Dankittipakul et al. 2012: figs. 733–734 and Figs. 1C, 9A).
Description. Male in alcohol (holotype; Fig. 1A). Body length 4.92; carapace 2.70 long, 1.93 wide; opisthosoma 2.22 long, 1.67 wide. Habitus as in Figs 1A, 10C–E. Carapace ovoid, smooth and shiny; fovea straight, longitudinal, red-brown. Clypeus brown, 0.45 high. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.16, ALE 0.09, PME 0.12, PLE 0.09; AME–AME 0.11, AME–PME 0.17, AME–ALE 0.10, ALE–ALE 0.60, PME–PME 0.15, PME–PLE 0.20, PLE–PLE 0.77, ALE–PLE 0.08. MOA 0.45 long, front width 0.39, back width 0.43. Chilum unipartite, trapezoid. Chelicerae 0.92 long, light brown, without teeth. Endites yellow. Labium triangular, yellow-brown, 0.19 long, 0.38 wide. Sternum lateral margins with small semi-circular pits in front of each coxa of third and fourth pair of legs, furnished heavily with sparse black setae, 1.17 long, 0.95 wide (Fig. 6F). Legs yellowish, round proximal tubercle on anterior femora (Fig. 6A). Measurements of palp and legs: pedipalp (right) 3.45 (1.15 + 0.59 + 0.62 + 1.09), I 8.50 (2.10 + 0.70 + 1.90 + 1.95+ 1.85), II 7.40 (1.85 + 0.65 + 1.55 + 1.75 + 1.60), III 8.20 (2.05 + 0.70 + 1.60 + 2.15 + 1.70), IV 10.15 (2.30 + 0.60+ 2.25 + 3.25 + 1.75). Leg formula: 4132. Opisthosoma pear-shaped with lanceolate dorsal scutum (Fig. 1A). Pattern on dorsum of opisthosoma with five pairs of spots: first pair is represented by minute pale spots; second pair is represented by oval spots obliquely arranged; third pair by transverse pale spots; fourth pair by paired spots medially connected; fifth pairs of the pattern on opisthosoma represented by minute pale spots distinctly smaller than anterior second and third pairs (Fig. 1A). Posterior ventral spines elongated, gradually tapering with smoothly rounded apices. Spinnerets pale yellow (Fig. 1E).
Palp (Figs 1F–H, 8A). RTA digitiform, tapered towards blunt apex; VTA beak shaped (Figs 1G, 8A); Retrolateral cymbial fold broad, slightly more than half the length of cymbium (Fig. 1G). TA hook-shaped; apico-prolateral process of TA rod-shaped, directed posteromesad (Figs 1G, 8A). TS almost indistinct. TT rounded protrusion. Embolic base aligned in longitudinal direction, with narrow membranous area. Embolus medially bifurcated; mesal ramus slender, elongated, lateral ramus broad, blade-like (Figs 1G, 8A). Conductor an elevated mound with a groove to accommodate embolus (Figs 1G, 8A).
Female in alcohol (paratype; Fig. 1B). Body length 5.46; carapace 2.70 long, 1.96 wide; opisthosoma 2.76 long, 2.11 wide. Habitus and details as in male except for the following (Fig. 1B). Clypeus 0.58 high. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.16, ALE 0.10, PME 0.13, PLE 0.11; AME – AME 0.09, AME – PME 0.14, AME – ALE 0.13, ALE – ALE 0.62, PME – PME 0.16, PME – PLE 0.24, PLE – PLE 0.80, ALE – PLE 0.08. MOA 0.46 long, front width 0.40, back width 0.42. Chelicerae 0.94 long, light brown. Labium 0.29 long, 0.45 wide. Sternum; 1.20 long, 1.06 wide. Measurements of palp and legs: pedipalp (right) 2.72 (0.91 + 0.47 + 0.49 + 0.85), I 7.40 (1.90 + 0.60 + 1.75 + 1.40 + 1.75), II 6.50 (1.60 + 0.55 + 1.55 + 1.30 + 1.50), III 7.35 (1.85 + 0.60+ 1.70 + 1.65 + 1.55), IV 9.05 (2.10 + 0.60 + 1.85 + 2.80 + 1.70). Leg formula: 4132. Opisthosoma oval-shaped; dorsum covered with dense black hairs; without dorsal scutum.
Genitalia (Figs 1C–D, 7A, 7F, 9A–B). Epigynal plate narrowed, highly sclerotized, V-shaped, with anterior median depression. Lateral borders narrow, digitiform, terminally blunt. Epigynal furrow sclerotized. Spermathecae short, truncated. Insemination ducts shorter than the length of spermathecae. Fertilization ducts as in Fig. 7F.
Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 12).
description: Published as part of Dayananda, Naruwan & Benjamin, Suresh P., 2025, Five new species of the genus Mallinella Strand, 1906 (Araneae: Zodariidae) from Sri Lanka, pp. 100-118 in Zootaxa 5570 (1) on pages 101-103, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5570.1.4, http://zenodo.org/record/14734655