Calapnita phyllicola Deeleman-Reinhold 1986

Calapnita phyllicola Deeleman-Reinhold, 1986

Figs 13–15, 45–54

Calapnita phyllicola Deeleman-Reinhold, 1986b: 213; figs 32–39, 59c (♂ ♀). Huber 2000: fig. 161; Huber 2011: 51; figs 46, 64, 66, 170–188.

Calapnita phasmoides — Huber 2011: ♀ only (figs 70, 71, 196, 197).

Diagnosis. Distinguished from most other species of phyllicola group (except C. bidayuh, C. bankirai, C. semengoh) by shape of appendix (widely curved with two ventral tines; Figs 47, 52; see also figs 170, 171 in Huber 2011), by male palpal tarsal organ on cylindrical process of tarsus (fig. 179 in Huber 2011), by serrated edge of embolus (figs 170, 173 in Huber 2011), and by drop-shaped pore plates (Figs 49, 54; see also fig. 175 in Huber 2011); from closest known relatives (C. bidayuh, C. bankirai, C. semengoh) by absence of split hairs dorsally on procursus; from C. semengoh also by much shorter palpal segments and external female genitalia; from C. bankirai also by tip of procursus (wide dorsal flap; Figs 45, 50); from C. bidayuh also by absence of distal spine-like process on procursus. Females of C. bidayuh and C. bankirai lack the transversal sclerotized ridges on the epigynum of C. phyllicola (Figs 48, 53), and have the pore plates wider apart.

New material examined. INDONESIA-BORNEO: 6♂ 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 15973), East Kalimantan, Bukit Bankirai (1.029°S, 116.867°E), 100 m a.s.l., on green leaves in forest, 29.x.2009 (S. Sutono). 2♂ 1♀, ZFMK (Ar 15974), South Kalimantan, Loksado (2.796°S, 115.503°E), 260 m a.s.l., degraded forest along small stream, 27.x.2009 (S. Sutono); 1♂ 6♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Ind 159), same data.

Assigned tentatively. MALAYSIA-BORNEO: 1♂, ZFMK (Ar 15975), Sarawak, Semengoh Arboretum, Masing Trail (1.397– 1.399°N, 110.317– 110.322°E), 60–80 m a.s.l., underside of leaf, 17.vii.2014 (B.A. Huber). 6♂ 4♀, ZFMK (Ar 15976–77), and 1♂ 1♀, SMK, Sarawak, Bako National Park, along Lintang Trail (1.713– 1.722°N, 110.447– 110.457°E), 10–130 m a.s.l., undersides of leaves, 11.vii.2014 (B.A. Huber, S.B. Huber); 3♂ 5♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Bor 194), same data.

INDONESIA-SUMATRA: 7♂ 10♀ 1 juv., ZFMK (Ar 15978–79), Lampung, Bukit Barisan (5.528°S, 104.424°E), 550–600 m a.s.l., forest near road, on green leaves, 24.x.2009 (S. Sutono); 1♂ 2♀ 1 juv. in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Ind 155), same data.

SINGAPORE: 2♂, ZFMK (Ar 15980), Dairy Farm Nature Park (1°21.6’N, 103°46.7’E), 50 m a.s.l., on leaves, 15.ii.2015 (B.A. Huber, J. Koh); 2♂ 3♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Mal 215), same data. 1♂ 1♀, ZFMK (Ar 15981), Rifle Range (1°21.3’N, 103°47.8’E), 50 m a.s.l., on leaves, 15.ii.2015 (B.A. Huber, D. Court); 1♂ 1♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Mal 220), same data.

MALAYSIA: 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 15982), Johor, Gunung Ledang, forest near Puteri Falls (2°21.2’– 2°21.6’N, 102°37.8’– 102°38.1’E), 100–300 m a.s.l., on leaves, 17.ii.2015 (B.A. Huber); 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 15983), same data but 18.ii.2015, night collecting. 5♂ 9♀ 2 juvs, ZFMK (Ar 15984), and 1♂ 1♀, MZUM, Selangor, Kemensah (3°13.31’N, 101°47.57’E), 230 m a.s.l., forest along stream, on leaves, 19.ii.2015 (B.A. Huber, A.R.M. Ghazali, K.A. Braima, M. Muslimin); 1♂ 3♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Mal 249), same data. 1♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Mal 264), Selangor, Fraser’s Hill (3°39.58’N, 101°44.59’E), 730 m a.s.l., forest near road, on leaf, 21.ii.2015 (B.A. Huber, A.R.M. Ghazali, K.A. Braima). 1♂, ZFMK (Ar 15985), Pahang, Ulu Dong (3°56.2’N, 102°01.9’E), 190 m a.s.l., forest near river, on leaf, 21.ii.2015 (B.A. Huber, A.R.M. Ghazali, K.A. Braima); 2♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Mal 258), same data. 3♂ 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 15986), Perak, Gunung Liang (3°47.7’N, 101°32.0’E), 250 m a.s.l., forest along river, on leaves, 22.ii.2015 (B.A. Huber, A.R.M. Ghazali, K.A. Braima); 1♂ 3♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Mal 270), same data; 1♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Mal 276), same data, with parasitized egg-sac.

THAILAND: 1♂ 3♀, ZFMK (Ar 15987), Narathiwat, Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, ‘site 1’, forest at river near headquarters (5°47.8’N, 101°49.9’E), 90 m a.s.l., on leaves, 1.iii.2015 (B.A. Huber, B. Petcharad); 1♂ 4♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Mal 299), same data; 5♂ 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 15988), and 1♂, PSUZC, same locality, 2.iii.2015 (B.A. Huber, B. Petcharad), night collecting; 1♂ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Mal 318), same data. 2♂, ZFMK (Ar 15989), Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, ‘site 2’ (5°48.4’N, 101°48.6’E), 330 m a.s.l., forest near river, on leaves, 2.iii.2015 (B.A. Huber, B. Petcharad); 2♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Mal 308), same data. 1♂, ZFMK (Ar 15990), Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, dry ravine near station (5°48.0’N, 101°50.0’E), 130 m a.s.l., on leaf, night collecting, 3.iii.2015 (B.A. Huber, B. Petcharad).

Variation. As noted previously (Huber 2011), there is variation among males from different localities, especially with respect to the tip of the procursus (Figs 45–46, 50–51). In males from eastern Borneo [type locality in East Kalimantan (Sepaku) and two further localities in East and South Kalimantan (Bukit Bankirai, Loksado)] the procursus dorsal flap is long and gradually narrowing towards distal (Fig. 45; see also fig. 171 in Huber 2011). In all other males (central and western Borneo, Sumatra, Malay Peninsula) the dorsal flap does not reach the tip of the procursus and the ventro-distal apophysis is more distinct (Fig. 50). The appendix in these males is slightly smaller but mostly identical in shape; in most of them, the subdistal tine on the appendix has a shallow depression (arrow in Fig. 52).

Within localities there is almost no detectable variation. Females are difficult to compare because most external genital structures (except some transversal folds) are pale whitish; internal structures are variably well visible through the cuticle, giving the impression of variation even within localities. Tibia 1 in newly examined specimens: 61 males: 6.0–8.9 (mean 7.92); 51 females: 5.4–7.5 (mean 6.62).

Natural history. At Kemensah, this species was abundant on palm leaves only. At Gunung Liang, a female with parasitized egg-sac was collected. Six of the eight eggs were parasitized (including the eggs closest to the female chelicerae; Fig. 15). At Bukit Barisan, webs were observed in detail and consisted of a relatively dense layer of silk very close to the leaf surface, not extending beyond the leaf. Egg-sacs contained between 8 and 12 eggs.

Distribution. Widely distributed in Southeast Asia (Fig. 282), but note that all specimens other than those from East and South Kalimantan are assigned tentatively.