Amauropelma annegretae, Jager, 2012

Jäger, Peter, 2012, Asian species of the genera Anahita Karsch 1879, Ctenus Walckenaer 1805 and Amauropelma Raven, Stumkat & Gray 2001 (Arachnida: Araneae: Ctenidae), Zootaxa 3429 (1), pp. 1-63 : 56-60

Amauropelma annegretae spec. nov.

Figs 179 , 248–265

Type material. Holotype male ( SMF), Laos, Luang Prabang Province, SE Luang Prabang, Nam Khan, Xieng Ngeun District , Ban Keng Koung, N 19°40'963'', E 102°18'442'', 372 m altitude, along stream close to village, moist soil and leaf litter, sieving, P. Jäger leg. 27.II.2008 . Paratypes: 1 female ( SMF), with same data as for holotype . 1 female ( SMF), with same data as for holotype except for: P. Jäger leg. 22.III.2007 . 1 male ( SMF), with same data as for holotype except for: close to water fall, dry stream bed, sieving and Winkler apparatus, P. Jäger leg. 21.– 23.2.2008 . 1 female ( SMF), with same data as for holotype except for: close to water fall, dry stream bed, sieving and Winkler apparatus, P. Jäger leg. 21.– 23.2.2008 . 1 female ( SMF), Laos, Luang Prabang Province, SE Luang Prabang, Nam Khan, Xieng Ngeun District, Ban Pak Bak , Houay Kho , N 19°44'9.1'', E 102°16'37.5'', 328 m altitude, small stream, sieving leaf litter, P. Jäger leg. 28.II.2008 . 1 female ( SMF), Laos, Luang Prabang Province, SE Luang Prabang, Nam Khan, Xieng Ngeun District, between Ban Khon Why and Xieng Ngeun , Houay Tham , N 19°44'51.2'', E 102°13'15.4'', 363 m altitude, small stream, sieving leaf litter, P. Jäger leg. 24.III.2007 .

Etymology. This species is named in honour of my secondary school biology teacher, Annegret Roreger (Paderborn, Germany), for her ambitious and intelligent lessons and teaching; name in genitive case.

Diagnosis. Small Ctenidae (total length male 4.9–6.1, female 5.5–7.2). Similar to other Laotian Amauropelma spp. in having similar copulatory organs and colour. Males are distinguished by the margin of the dorsal excavation of the tegular apophysis exhibiting a distinct and uniquely shaped incision ( Fig. 251 ). Females show only subtle differences to other Laotian congeners. They may be recognised by their smaller and narrower epigynal teeth ( Figs 252–253 , 264 ) and the slightly longer anterior part of internal folds as well as the relatively smaller spermathecae ( Fig. 255 ).

Description. Male (holotype). PL 2.6, PW 2.1, AW 1.0, OL 2.3, OW 1.4. Eye diameters and interdistances ( Fig. 259 ): AME 0.11, ALE 0.12, PME 0.18, PLE 0.16, AME–AME 0.04, AME–ALE 0.11, PME–PME 0.04, PME–PLE 0.18, AME–PME 0.04, ALE–PLE 0.08, clypeus AME 0.05, clypeus ALE 0.14. Palp and leg measurements: palp 2.9 (0.9, 0.5, 0.5, -, 1.0), I 7.95 (2.15, 1.0, 2.1, 1.6, 1.1), II 7.0 (2.0, 0.9, 1.7, 1.5, 0.9), III 6.4 (1.8, 0.8, 1.4, 1.6, 0.8), IV 9.3 (2.5, 1.0, 2.2, 2.5, 1.1). Leg formula 4123. Spination of palp and legs: palp 120, 000, 0000; femora I–II p012, d111, III p0(1)12, d111, r012, IV p012, d111, r002; patellae I–II 000, III–IV 001; tibiae I v22222, II p010, v22222, III p11, d111, r111, v222, IV p=d=r111, v222; metatarsi I–II p010, v222, III–IV p112, d010, r112, v222. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal, 4 + 2 minute retromarginal teeth, without denticles. Retromargin of chelicerae close to fang base with 1 bristle. Tarsi and metatarsi without scopula. Claw tufts arising separately, but intermingle distally. Leg claws I with 5, II–III with 3, and IV with 3(4) secondary teeth.

Palp as in diagnosis ( Figs 248–251 ). Embolus arising in a 7.30-o’clock-position from tegulum, with membranous bulge in proximal half. Conductor arising in a 12-o’clock-position from tegulum, pointing in retrolateral half of tegulum. Tegular apophysis situated centrally on tegulum, small, almost round, with distinct angled cut-out in dorsal excavation. RTA with large distal and tiny proximal apex. Patella with blunt indistinct apophysis.

Colour ( Figs 256–260 ). Yellowish-brown. Dorsal prosoma with eyes marked with black rings, faint radial markings, appearing as indistinct longitudinal bands, narrow dark margin indistinct; fovea distinct, reddish-brown. Chelicerae same colour as dorsal prosoma. Sternum, labium, gnathocoxae, ventral coxae yellowish-brown without pattern. Legs yellowish brown, metatarsus III–IV distinctly darker (reddish-brown). Femora dorsally with few long dark adpressed hairs. Dorsal opisthosoma with anterior part yellowish-brown, posterior part with indistinct patches. Lateral and ventral opisthosoma grey without pattern. Spinnerets surrounded by dark ring.

Female (paratype). PL 2.6, PW 1.95, AW 1.2, OL 2.9, OW 1.8. Eye diameters and interdistances ( Figs 263, 265 ): AME 0.12, ALE 0.13, PME 0.19, PLE 0.17, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.11, PME–PME 0.04, PME– PLE 0.15, AME–PME 0.04, ALE–PLE 0.06, clypeus AME 0.06, clypeus ALE 0.13. Palp and leg measurements: palp 2.85 (0.95, 0.5, 0.6, -, 0.8), I 6.45 (1.8, 0.9, 1.7, 1.3, 0.75), II 6.15 (1.8, 0.8, 1.5, 1.3, 0.75), III 5.9 (1.6, 0.8, 1.3, 1.4, 0.8), IV 8.3 (2.2, 0.8, 2.0, 2.3, 1.0). Leg formula 4123. Spination of palp and legs: palp 130, 100, 1111, 1113;

femora I–II p002, d111, III p012, d111, r011, IV p012, d11(0)1, r001; patellae I–II 000, III–IV 001; tibiae I–II v22222, III p11, d111, r11, v222, IV p11, d111, r111, v222; metatarsi I–II v222, III p012, d010, r012, v222, IV p112, d010, r112, v322. Chelicerae with 3 + 1 promarginal, 4 + 1 retromarginal teeth, without denticle. Retromargin of chelicerae close to fang base with 1 bristle. Tarsi and metatarsi without scopula. Claw tufts arising separately, but intermingle distally. Palpal claw with 5 secondary teeth, leg claws I with 6, II with 5, III with 3 and IV with 4 secondary teeth.

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis ( Figs 252–255 , 264 ). Epigynal field with 2 slit sense organs anterior to epigynal plate (only seen in dissected epigyne). Epigynal plate width/length: 7.4/4.5, 8/4.4; anterior width/posterior width: 7.4/3.0, 8/3.7; posterior part with distinct lateral margins. Proximal part of lateral teeth posteriorad, their tips almost mediad. Internal duct system with round spermathecae fully visible, separated from each other by ca. half their diameter; fertilisation ducts elongately laminar, posterio-mediad.

Colour ( Figs 261–263 ). As in male, except for: darker (reddish-brown). Dorsal opisthosoma with distinct pattern, especially in posterior half with patches arranged as chevrons, posteriorly patches fused; heart region surrounded with black. Legs with distal segments I–IV darker. holotype male; 258 paratype male; 261– 265 paratype female). 256–263 Habitus (256, 258, 261 dorsal; 257, 262 ventral; 260 lateral; 259, 263 frontal). 264 Epigyne, ventral. 265 Eye arrangement, dorsal.

Variation. Males PL 3.2, OL 2.9. Females PL 2.85–2.9, OL 3.0–4.3. The male paratype has a much more distinct pattern on its dorsal opisthosoma ( Fig. 258 ), similar to that of the described female paratype ( Fig. 261 ).

Distribution. Known from three different localities at Nam Khan in Luang Prabang Province, Laos ( Fig. 179 : 6).

Figures

FIGURE 179. Records of Amauropelma spp. in South and Southeast Asia. 1–3 India (1 Shimla, Himachal Pradesh; 2 Dhanolti, Uttar Pradesh, 3 Rongdanggai, Meghalaya). 4–6 Laos (4 Ban Tavan/Nam Ha protected area, Luang Nam Tha; 5 Nong Khiao, Luang Prabang; 6 Nam Khan, Luang Prabang). 7 Pulau Penang, Malaysia.

FIGURES 248–255. Amauropelma annegretae spec. nov. from Nam Khan, Luang Prabang, Laos. 248–251 Holotype male,

FIGURES 256–265. Amauropelma annegretae spec. nov. from Nam Khan, Luang Prabang, Laos (256–257, 259–260