Mallinella oreo, Dayananda & Benjamin, 2025

Mallinella oreo sp. nov.

Figs 4 View FIGURE 4 , 6D, 6I View FIGURE 6 , 7D, 7I View FIGURE 7 , 8D View FIGURE 8 , 9G–H View FIGURE 9

Type material. Holotype ♂: SRI LANKA: Uva Province: Badulla District, Namunukula Peak, along Passara— Ella Road , 06 º 52’ N, 81 º 07’ E, 2000 m, 23 January 2014, leg. SP. Benjamin et al. (IFS_ZOD_137) GoogleMaps . Paratype: 1♀, with same data as for holotype (IFS_ZOD_138) GoogleMaps .

Etymology. The new species is named after the chocolate ‘Oreo’. Used as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Mallinella oreo sp. nov. s hares the feature of inwardly projected digitiform lateral borders of the epigyne with the members of the annulipes-group. Within the annulipes-group, males of M. oreo sp. nov. are most similar to the males of M. moncheri sp. nov. as both share digitiform RTA, less prominent cymbial fold which is less than half the length of the cymbium, and diagonally aligned embolic base but can be separated from it by the triangular hump like VTA (moderately developed with curved apex in M. moncheri sp. nov.), and subterminally bifurcated embolus (slender unbranched in M. moncheri sp. nov.) ( Figs 3G View FIGURE 3 , 8C View FIGURE 8 ; 4G View FIGURE 4 , 8D View FIGURE 8 ) Females are also most similar to the females of M. moncheri sp. nov. as both share terminally blunt digitiform lateral borders of the epigyne but can be separated from it by semi-circular shaped epigynal plate (V-shaped in M. moncheri sp. nov.) and small anterior median depression of the epigyne (deep median depression in M. moncheri sp. nov.) ( Figs 3C View FIGURE 3 , 9E View FIGURE 9 ; 4C View FIGURE 4 , 9G View FIGURE 9 ).

Description. Male in alcohol (holotype; Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 ). Body length 4.41; carapace 2.42 long, 1.83 wide; opisthosoma 1.99 long, 1.45 wide. Habitus as in Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 . Carapace ovoid, smooth, shiny, dark brown anteriorly; fovea red brown. Clypeus brown, 0.38 high. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.16, ALE 0.11, PME 0.13, PLE 0.11; AME–AME 0.07, AME–PME 0.13, AME–ALE 0.08, ALE–ALE 0.50, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.18, PLE–PLE 0.68, ALE– PLE 0.04. MOA 0.42 long, front width 0.36, back width 0.39. Chilum unipartite, trapezoid. Chelicerae 0.86 long, light brown, without teeth. Endites yellow. Labium triangular, yellow-brown, 0.20 long, 0.35 wide. Sternum yellow, furnished with sparse black setae, 1.05 long, 0.96 wide. Lateral margins of sternum with small semi-circular pits in front of each coxa of third and fourth pair of legs. Legs yellowish, with proximal tubercle on anterior femora. Measurements of palp and legs: pedipalp (right) 2.20 (0.88 + 0.40 + 0.42 + 0.50) I 5.51 (1. 51 + 0.55 + 1.15 + 1.35+ 0.95), II 5.30 (1.50 + 0.55 + 1.05 + 1.25 + 0.95), III 5.39 (1.35 + 0.54 + 1.10 + 1.50 + 0.90), IV 6.95 (1.60 + 0.50+ 1.65 + 2.10 + 1.10). Leg formula: 4132. Opisthosoma oval; dorsum dark sepia ( Fig.4A View FIGURE 4 ). Pattern on dorsum of opisthosoma provided with large pale patches, first and second pairs of patches fused to form reniform patches, followed by third and fourth pairs of oblong patches, fifth pair of patches connected vertically with fourth pair. Dorsum of opisthosoma with lanceolate scutum. Posterior ventral spines moderate in length, gradually tapering, with blunt apices ( Fig. 4E View FIGURE 4 ). Spinnerets yellow ( Fig. 4E View FIGURE 4 ).

Palp ( Figs 4F–H View FIGURE 4 , 8D View FIGURE 8 ). VTA triangular hump ( Fig. 4G View FIGURE 4 ); RTA digitiform, tapered towards blunt apex ( Figs 4G– H View FIGURE 4 , 8D View FIGURE 8 ), Cymbial fold less prominent, less than half the length of cymbium ( Fig. 4G View FIGURE 4 ). TA elongated, Apicoprolateral fold of TA triangular, apicoprolateral process of TA triangular, broad at base, with blunt apex, directed posteromesad ( Fig. 8D View FIGURE 8 ). Apicoretrolateral fold of TA triangular, with blunt apex. Mesoprolateral fold of TA, short, triangular ( Fig. 8D View FIGURE 8 ). Baso-prolateral fold of TA large, directed posteriad. Tegular spine large, prolaterally directed ( Fig. 8D View FIGURE 8 ). Embolic base aligned diagonally, directed posteriorly, with broad membranous area ( Fig. 4G View FIGURE 4 ). Embolus branched sub-terminally, with long lateral ramus. Both rami with blunt apices. ( Fig. 4G View FIGURE 4 , 8D View FIGURE 8 ). Embolus elongated with blunt apex.

Female in alcohol (paratype; Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Body length 5.22; carapace 2.46 long, 1.67 wide; opisthosoma 2.76 long, 2.03 wide. Habitus and details as in male except for the following ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Clypeus 0.34 high. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.09, PME 0.11, PLE 0.09; AME – AME 0.06, AME – PME 0.15, AME – ALE 0.11, ALE – ALE 0.50, PME – PME 0.10, PME – PLE 0.19, PLE – PLE 0.64, ALE – PLE 0.06. MOA 0.39 long, front width 0.28, back width 0.32. Chelicerae 0.83 long Labium 0.30 long, 0.44 wide. Sternum yellow with shallow semi-circular pits, 1.06 long, 1.04 wide. Legs with proximal tubercle on anterior femora ( Fig. 6D View FIGURE 6 ). Measurements of palp and legs: pedipalp (right) 1.98 (0.77 + 0.37 + 0.38 + 0.46), I 5.00 (1.40 + 0.45 + 1.20 + 1.00 + 0.95), II 4.85 (1.30 + 0.45 + 1.25 + 0.95 + 0.90), III 4.95 (1.35 + 0.45+ 1.15 + 1.10 + 0.90), IV 6.75 (1.65 + 0.50 + 1.50 + 2.00 + 1.10). Leg formula: 4132.

Genitalia ( Figs 4C–D View FIGURE 4 , 7D, 7I View FIGURE 7 , 9G–H View FIGURE 9 ). Epigynal plate, semi-circular, small median depression. Lateral borders digitiform, terminally blunt ( Fig. 9G View FIGURE 9 ). Both epigynal plate and furrow highly sclerotized ( Figs 4C View FIGURE 4 , 9G View FIGURE 9 ). Insemination ducts long, thick, sclerotized, distally diverging ( Figs 4D View FIGURE 4 , 7D, 7I View FIGURE 7 , 9H View FIGURE 9 .). Insemination ducts longer than spermathecal length. Spermathecae round, fertilization ducts as in Fig. I.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 ).