Malamatidia zu, Jäger, Peter & Dankittipakul, Pakawin, 2010

Jäger, Peter & Dankittipakul, Pakawin, 2010, Clubionidae from Laos and Thailand (Arachnida: Araneae), Zootaxa 2730, pp. 23-43 : 38

Malamatidia zu spec. nov.

Figs 61-63, 71, 73

Type material: Holotype: male, LAOS: Luang Prabang Province: Ban Keng Koung , N 19° 40.963', E 102° 18.442', 372 m altitude, in foliage, vegetation along stream, disturbed forest, by day, by sweeping, 24 February 2008, P. Jäger leg. ( SMF, L15) .

Etymology. The species name is derived from the German word “zu”, meaning “too” and generally referring to an unbalanced situation as it is true for the overpopulation, i.e. too many people in a certain area. This is the case in the type locality Ban Keng Koung where people were settled because of building a dam at the Nam Khan; term in apposition.

Diagnosis. Males can be recognised by having the embolus tip situated at distal tegulum (retrolateral side in other Malamatidia spp.) and by the sperm duct with its broad part running straight distad, bent distally 180°, and with its narrow part running a loop before entering the embolus (Fig. 62).

Note. The prosoma of the holotype including legs (right pedipalp, leg I and II, and right leg III missing) and chelicerae is strongly damaged. Therefore no characters of these structures can be included in the diagnosis and description.

Description. Male (holotype; see note above). PL 2.4, PW 1.4, OL 4.0, OW 0.9. Eye diametres: ALE 0.11, PME 0.10, PLE 0.10. Eye interdistances: PME-PLE 0.09, ALE-PLE 0.07. Eye position similar to that of other Malamatidia spp., i.e. PME widely separated and ALE, PME and PLE appearing almost as triads ( Deeleman-Reinhold 2001: figs 203-204, 209-210, 217). Leg and pedipalp measurements: pedipalp femur 0.69; leg I and II missing; leg III 4.99 (1.47, 0.58, 1.20, 1.23, 0.51); leg IV 7.63 (2.18, 0.72, 1.95, 2.12, 0.66). Spination: Pedipalp femur: 131; Femur III d111, r010, IV d111; Patella III-IV r010; Tibia III p010, d101, r110, v110, IV p011, d101,r011, v110; Metatarsus III p001, d212, r001, v202, IV p001, d233, r001, v211.

Prosoma, opisthosoma including spinnerets and anal tubercle elongated as in M. bohorokensis ( Deeleman-Reinhold 2001: figs 203-204). Palp with cymbium distinctly longer than tibia. Distal RTA sub-rectangular. Embolus arising from centre of tegulum, sickle-shaped. Prolatero-basal membranous part (=subtegulum/hematodocha?) extending into distal half of tegulum (Figs 61-63). Sperm duct with distinct and abrupt narrowing in distal half of tegulum. Other palpal structures as in diagnosis.

Colour in ethanol. Pale yellow, dorsal prosoma and chelicerae a bit darker. Dorsal opisthosoma with greyish median band with distinct lateral margins in posterior half. Ventral opisthosoma with distinct dark patch in front of epigastric furrow.

Colour of a living subadult male was bright green (Fig. 73; the same colour was exhibited by an unidentified individual from Champasak Prov., That Fane, L 95).

Female: unknown.

Natural history. The holotype of M. zu spec. nov. has been collected from foliage in vegetation close to a small stream. This is in accordance with data provided by Deeleman-Reinhold (2001: 191, "Silk-sheets on the under-surface of green leaves") and with other records of Malamatidia spiders in Laos (Champasak Prov.).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality (Fig. 71: 5).