Asiacoelotes sparus Dankittipakul, Chami-Kranon & Wang, 2005, sp. n.

Asiacoelotes sparus sp. n.

Figures 1–3

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ɗ (MHNG), central THAILAND, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Pak Chong District, Khao Yai National Park, Khao Khieo, along the road to the military radar station, 1020 m, 24.XII.1992; leg. P. J. Schwendinger.

Diagnosis. This new species can be distinguished from other Asiacoelotes by the absence of its patellar apophysis, the bifurcated RDTA and by the absence of a median apophysis.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the shape of the conductor. Latin: sparus = a spear with a curved blade; invariable noun in apposition.

Description. ɗ (holotype). Total length 3.45. Carapace 1.62 long, 1.20 wide. Opisthosoma 1.83 long.

Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.08, PME 0.09, PLE 0.08; AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.07, PME–PLE 0.20, ALE–PLE 0.30; MOQ 0.34 long, front width 0.14, back width 0.30. Cheliceral groove with 3 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth.

Leg formula 4123 (7.05, 5.87, 5.18, 5.06). Leg measurements: femora: I 1.60, II 1.45, III 1.34, IV 1.81; patellae: I 0.65, II 0.63, III 0.55, IV 0.68; tibiae: I 1.32, II 1.15, III 1.08, IV 1.60; metatarsi: I 1.23, II 1.06, III 1.25, IV 1.87; tarsi: I 0.98, II 0.89, III 0.84, IV 1.09.

Male palp (Figs 1–3): patellar apophysis indistinct; RTA relatively short, about half of the tibial length; RDTA bifurcated, situated close to the RTA; cymbial furrow length slightly more than half of the cymbium length; conductor elongate, projecting retrolaterally then bending proximad; conductor lamella moderately developed; dorsal apophysis of conductor absent; tegular sclerites condensed; embolic base relatively broad, embolus originating in basal half of cymbium, thin and elongate; median apophysis absent.

Natural history. The spider was collected by sifting leaf litter and humus in a lower montane rain forest just above the semi­evergreen forest below (terminology according to Whitmore 1991: 13–18).

Distribution. Know only from the type locality. Representatives of the genus Asiacoelotes are also known from the temperate zones of China, Korea, Japan and Russia. Asiacoelotes sparus sp. n. probably marks the southernmost occurrence of this genus and considerably expands its known geographical distribution.