Mallinella platyrhyncha Koh & Dankittipakul, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Dankittipakul, Pakawin
name: Koh, Joseph K. H.
name: Singtripop, Tippawan
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Zodariidae
Mallinella
Mallinella platyrhyncha

description: Mallinella platyrhyncha Koh & Dankittipakul sp. nov.
(Figs 2, 11, 26–29)
Material examined. Holotype: Holotype: ♀, BRUNEI, Tutong: Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park Trail to Kem Luat Base Camp in C3, 72 m asl, foliage in missed dipterocarp forest (N04°32′ 26″, E114°39′ 08″), 24 March 2012, J.K.H. Koh leg. (BM, JK.12.03.24.0033).
Diagnosis. M. platyrhyncha sp. nov. belongs to the sobria -group. Females of this species-group can be recognised by the cone-shaped (seen anteriorly), strongly convoluted distal part of spermatheca (see also Dankittipakul et al. 2012; figs 546–556). Although the configuration of the female internal genitalia resembles that of M. vulparia Dankittipakul, Jocqué & Singtripop, 2012, the latter species belongs to the zebra -group that uniquely possesses a large opening of secretory gland on each spermatheca, a character that is absent in other species-groups of Mallinella. Both somatic and genitalic characters of this new species correspond well with descriptions of the sobria -group and confirm its placement. Mallinella platyrhyncha sp. nov. can be distinguished from other members of the sobria -group by the distal, convoluted part of spermathecae descending posteriorly instead of moving in parallel direction (see also Dankittipakul et al., 2012: figs 546, 548, 550, 552, 554, 556), the proximal part of the spermathecae is also the longest.
Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latinised combination of Greek words (platys = flat; rhynchus = bill), alluding to the duckbill projection of the epigyne.
Description. Female holotype. Total length 6.6; prosoma 3.0 long, 2.3 wide, opisthosoma 3.6 long. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.18, ALE 0.14, PME 0.12, PLE 0.12, AME–AME 0.10, AME–ALE 0.12, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.28; MOQ: 0.42 long, 0.38 anterior width, 0.36 posterior width. Leg measurements: I 11.7 (2.8, 3.6, 3.0, 2.3), II 9.7 (2.4, 2.9, 2.6, 1.8), III 10.1 (2.6, 2.9, 2.8, 1.8), IV 14.5 (3.5, 4.0, 4.4, 2.6).
Coloration and pattern (Fig. 2). Prosoma strongly convex, in profile highest in front of deep, longitudinal fovea and abruptly sloping posteriorly. Carapace dark brown, distinctly darker peripherally. Chelicerae, labium and sternum dark reddish brown. Gnathocoxae brown, distally pale. Leg trochanters black; femora proximally pale, distally dark green; patellae to tibiae reddish brown with distinctly darker proximal area on each segment.
Opisthosoma sepia, mottled with white spots: Medially with four pairs, two large irregular-shaped spots occupying anterior half, followed by two pairs of smaller spots; peripherally with three pairs of pale spots; posteriorly with two or more transverse bands fused together. Dorsal scutum indistinct.
Genitalia (Figs 11, 26–29). Tongue-shaped epigynal plate represented by broad transverse band, anterior medially slightly excavated, posteriorly protruding over epigastric furrow. Copulatory ducts triangular in anterior view. Proximal part of spermathecae distinctly elongated and heavily sclerotised, abruptly descending posteriorly at half length; distal part of spermathecae conical, internally with 4–5 coils.
Male. Unknown.
Natural history. The holotype was collected by beating foliage at eye-level in a mixed dipterocarp forest during daytime. It is however too early to regard it as an arboreal species until more collection is done, both on the ground and among foliage.
Distribution. Known only from the type locality.
description: Published as part of Dankittipakul, Pakawin, Koh, Joseph K. H. & Singtripop, Tippawan, 2014, Three new species and a new record of the spider genus Mallinella Strand, 1906 from Brunei (Araneae, Zodariidae), pp. 377-385 in Zootaxa 3826 (2) on pages 383-385, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3826.2.7, http://zenodo.org/record/225300