Perania nasuta Schwendinger, 1989

Schwendinger, Peter J., 2013, A taxonomic revision of the spider genus Perania Thorell, 1890 (Araneae: Tetrablemmidae: Pacullinae) with the descriptions of eight new species, Revue suisse de Zoologie 120 (4), pp. 585-663 : 599-600

Perania nasuta Schwendinger, 1989 Figs 2H-L, 37D

Perania nasuta Schwendinger, 1989: 574-577 , figs 6-11, 24-25 (description of male and female). – Platnick, 2013 (listing).

HOLOTYPE: MHNG; Ƌ; Thailand, Chiang Mai Province, Chomthong District, Doi Inthanon (18°31°33”N, 98°29’50”E), 1700 m; 8.X.1987, leg P. J. Schwendinger.

PARATYPES: MHNG; 3 Ƌ, 3 ♀; 1986-1988, otherwise same data as for holotype; leg. P. J. Schwendinger.

NEW MATERIAL EXAMINED: MHNG; 1 Ƌ; 15.X.1993, otherwise same data as for holotype; leg. P. J. Schwendinger. – MHNG; 2 Ƌ, 1 juv.; Chiang Mai Province and District, Doi Suthep-Pui, ravine near Chang Khian Agricultural Station (18°50’09”N, 98°53’47”E), 1420 m; 11.-12.II.1998; leg. P. J. Schwendinger & C. Kropf. – MHNG; 6 Ƌ and 4 ♀; same locality; 18.XII.2001; leg. P. J. Schwendinger.

DIAGNOSIS: See Schwendinger (1989: 574).

NEW CHARACTERS: Anterior opisthosomal plate of females fragmented into microplates (slightly larger than elsewhere on opisthosoma). Anterior pair of ventrolateral plates of males free, not connected with pulmonary plate. Postgenital plate of males usually completely fused to posterior margin of pulmonary plate, with a sclerotised suture linking them. Preanal plate of females fragmented into microplates. Apex of embolus deeply split, narrowly rounded subterminal lamella and broadly truncate embolic part not overlapping each other, embolic part with a lobate dorsal projection (Fig. 2I-J). Vulva with posterior dorsal margin of anterior collar more or less straight (unlike in P. birmanica ); spermathecae with postero-lateral corners not bulged, lateral margins straight or slightly arched (Fig. 2K).

VARIATION: In the holotype and all male paratypes (all from Doi Inthanon) the microplates in the first row of the posterior side of the opisthosoma are interconnected and form a strap-like horizontal plate which is at its lateral ends connected to the posterior margin of the dorsal scutum. In one male from Doi Inthanon and in all males from Doi Suthep-Pui the microplates in the upper row are posteriorly not interconnected (except on one side in one specimen). In three males from Doi Suthep the dorsal scutum is not connected to the upper row of posterior microplates. The postgenital plate of one paratype is partly separated from the pulmonary plate by a short and narrow membranous zone behind the gonopore. All microplates in the preanal region of females from Doi Inthanon are isolated, in females from Doi Suthep-Pui the posterior microplates in that region are laterally more or less distinctly interconnected. All females from Doi Suthep-Pui have less distinctly elevated conical microplates behind the dorsal scutum of the opisthosoma than the females from the type locality.

In two females from Doi Suthep-Pui the vulva has a shorter anterior collar (but still distinctly protruding beyond the anterior margins of the spermathecae, see Fig. 2K) than that of two female paratypes from Doi Inthanon. The anterior collar in the vulva illustrated by Schwendinger (1989: fig. 17) is longer than in the other three females examined later, possibly expanded due to swelling caused by clearing in KOH. The vulvae of two females from Doi Suthep-Pui have a relatively short genital atrium and spermathecae that are posteriorly slightly wider than anteriorly (Fig. 2K), whereas in the vulvae of two females from the type locality the genital atrium is relatively longer and the spermathecae are anteriorly wider than posteriorly. In contrast to vulvae of P. nasicornis , the widening of the P. nasuta spermathecae is gradual and the lateral margins are straight or slightly rounded (Fig. 2K cf. Fig. 2O). The distinction between females of P. nasuta and P. nasicornis are thus less pronounced than previously assumed. See also Remarks under the following species.

REMARKS: All adult specimens (holotype and paratypes) that were available for the description of this species were collected on Doi Inthanon at 1700 m. Two presumably conspecific juveniles were also mentioned. One of them is alledgedly from an altitude of 2530 m on the same mountain, but that is probably a confusion of labels. The other juvenile is from the Doi Suthep-Pui at 1180 m, a mountain about 50 km northeast of the Doi Inthanon. The identification of the latter specimen can now be confirmed. Adult Perania subsequently collected at a second, nearby locality on the Doi Suthep-Pui (more precisely collected below Doi Pui; the mountain has two summits, called Doi Suthep and Doi Pui, about 1 km apart) clearly belong to P. nasuta .

DISTRIBUTION: Known from two mountains (about 50 km apart) in northern

Thailand (Fig. 1, localities 9-10).

BIOLOGY: The new male from Doi Inthanon was adult when collected in mid- October on an earth bank at the side of a road. Three of the juvenile males collected from webs under loose stones in a ravine on Doi Suthep-Pui in late December matured between late September and early October of the following year. One juvenile female collected together with the juvenile males matured in early October of the following year, at the same time as the males. One male was adult when found at the same locality in early February. It appears that although adult spiders of this species can be found at all times of the year, their period of maturation is at the end of the rainy season, in September and October (see also Schwendinger, 1989: 574-577).