Draconarius monticola Dankittipakul, Sonthichai & Wang, 2005

Dankittipakul, Pakawin, Chami-Kranon, Thanaphum & Wang, Xin-Ping, 2005, Amaurobiidae) from Thailand, Zootaxa 970, pp. 1-11 : 8-10

Draconarius monticola Dankittipakul, Sonthichai & Wang, 2005

Figures 13–15

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: Ψ ( MHNG), northern THAILAND, Chiang Mai Province, Chiang Dao District, Doi Chiang Dao, San Pakia, 1380 m, 27.II.1990, leg. P. J. Schwendinger.

New material: 10 ɗ, 5 Ψ ( MHNG, PDC AM/0578–0592), northern THAILAND, Chiang Mai Province, Chiang Dao District, Doi Chiang Dao, San Pakia, 1500 m – 1200 m, 22./ 23.XII.2004, leg. S. Sonthichai, P. Dankittipakul & P. J. Schwendinger.

Remarks. The male palp of D. monticola described below resembles that of D. phuhin Dankittipakul, Sonthichai & Wang, 2005 in having a similar conductor but D. monticola can be distinguished by its tiny patellar apophysis, the relatively short tibia, and the long cymbial furrow.

Description. ɗ. Total length 8.64. Carapace 4.91 long, 3.49 wide.

Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.18, PME 0.16, PLE 0.18; AME–AME 0.14, AME–ALE 0.08, PME–PME 0.15, PME–PLE 0.20, ALE–PLE 0.08; MOQ 0.49 long, front width 0.45, back width 0.47. Cheliceral groove with 3 promarginal and 5 retromarginal teeth.

Leg formula 4123 (16.13, 15.96, 13.93, 12.43). Leg measurements: femora: I 4.05, II 3.56, III 3.26, IV 3.98; patellae: I 0.91, II 0.94, III 0.90, IV 1.06; tibiae: I 5.02, II 4.25, III 3.63, IV 5.01; metatarsi: I 3.95, II 3.32, III 3.12, IV 4.19; tarsi: I 2.03, II 1.86, III 1.52, IV 1.89.

Male palp ( Figs 13–15 ): patellar apophysis small; RTA length about half of the tibia length; RDTA small, separated from the RTA; cymbial furrow relatively long, about ¾ of cymbium length; conductor beak­like, with a strongly sclerotized distal part; conductor lamella, well­developed, large, prolateral cub­shaped membrane extending along a ridge of the conductor; dorsal apophysis large, hidden by the cymbium when seen in ventral view; embolus originating in the basal half of tegulum, thick and broad at base; median apophysis spoon­shaped.

Natural history. Draconarius monticola inhabits evergreen forests on the Doi Chiang Dao massif, in between 1380 m and 1500 m. The spiders were collected from vertical soil banks. Webs are T­shaped, composed of two funnel­shaped entrances that connect in the middle and run into a burrow.

Distribution. Known from the provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, northern Thailand.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 15. Draconarius monticola Dankittipakul, Sonthichai & Wang, 2005. Male from Doi Chiang Dao. Left male palp: ventral (13), prolateral (14) and retrolateral (15) view. Scale line: 0.5 mm.