Clubiona melanosticta Thorell, 1890

Dankittipakul, Pakawin & Singtripop, Tippawan, 2008, Five new species of the spider genus Clubiona Latreille (Araneae: Clubionidae) from Thailand, Zootaxa 1747, pp. 34-60 : 42

Clubiona melanosticta Thorell, 1890

( Figs 8–10 , 52–54 )

Clubiona melanosticta Thorell, 1890: 374 (Description of ɗ); Deeleman-Reinhold 2001: 123, figs 51–52.

Material examined. THAILAND: Chiang Mai Province and District: 2 ɗ, Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Doi Suthep, mixed deciduous dipterocarp forest, 710 m, 10.x.2006, P. Dankittipakul ( MHNG, TNHM).

Diagnosis. Clubiona melanosticta is characterized by the transverse conductor situated on apical portion of the tegulum, its beak-shaped terminal process extending retrolaterally ( Figs 9, 10 , 52, 54 ). This species is close to C. suthepica sp. n. but differs in the distinctly shorter terminal process of conductor, and in the relatively thicker embolus.

Description. Male (Doi Suthep): Total length 4.0; prosoma 1.8 long, 1.3 wide; opisthosoma 2.2 long, 1.5 wide.

Coloration and pattern ( Fig. 8 ). Prosoma ovoid, in profile slightly higher just behind longitudinal fovea, gradually sloping towards pars cephalica; integument smooth, clothed with numerous fine hairs. Dorsal shield of prosoma yellow, darker in ocular area; with a pair of thin oblique lines running from behind PME and fovea. Opisthosoma elongate-oval; with conspicuous anterior tuft of hairs; dorsum pale yellow, with a pattern of dark purple color markings; venter with a broad median band of purple color, on which situated a pair of parallel bands consisting of numerous pale round spots.

Male palp ( Figs 9–10 , 52–54 ). Retrolateral tibial apophysis reddish brown, trigonal, relatively short. Tegulum more or less spherical, with proapical membranous portion; sperm duct sinuate, forming a double loop. Embolus moderately strong, heavily sclerotized; embolic base situated meso-prolaterally on the tegulum. Conductor a large sclerotized plate, aligned transversely on apical part of the bulb, its terminal process forming a sharp beak retrolaterally.

Natural history. The specimen was collected by beating shrubs in degraded dipterocarp forest along the main road. The canopy is sparsely opened and the forest floor is covered with thick grasses.

Distribution. Clubiona melanosticta was hitherto thought to be endemic to Sunda region (Sumatra and New Guinea). Apparently the distribution range extends from Sumatra to mainland Asia. Deeleman-Reinhold (2001) recently collected a male of C. melanosticta together with a female from Jambi, which, surprisingly, closely resembles that of C. melanothele . The latter species was previously known from the female collected from Burma. Deeleman-Reinhold (2001) presumed that these two species are conspecific but did not revise their taxonomic status. The discovery of C. melanosticta male in northern Thailand ( Fig. 69 ) is of particular interest and supports the hypothesis mentioned above.

Figures

FIGURE 69. Records of Clubiona species treated in the present study: * C. filicata; C. suthepica sp. n.; C. melanosticta; C. octoginta sp. n.; C. campylacantha sp. n.; Ο C. filifera sp. n.; C. abnormis sp. n.

FIGURES 5 – 10. Clubiona filicata O. P. - Cambridge, male from northeastern Thailand (5 – 7). 5 habitus, dorsal; 6 male palp, ventral; 7 ditto, retrolateral. Clubiona melanosticta Thorell, male from northern Thailand (8 – 10). 8 habitus, dorsal; 9 male palp, ventral; 10 ditto, retrolateral. Scale bars = 1.0 mm (5, 8); 0.1 mm (6 – 10).

FIGURES 52 – 54. Clubiona melanosticta Thorell, male from northern Thailand. 52 male palp, ventral; 53 right palpal tibia, retrolateral; 54 conductor, retrolateral. Scale bars = 0.1 mm (52 – 53).