Kangaraneus arenaceus (Keyserling, 1886) comb. nov.

Figs 1A-E, 2A-D, 3A-E, 4A, B, 5A-C, 12

Epeira arenacea Keyserling 1886: 145-148, plate 12, figs 2, 2a, 3, 3a, 3b.

Araneus arenaceus (Keyserling, 1886).- Rainbow 1911: 182; Bonnet 1955: 438.

Type specimens.

Lectotype of Epeira arenacea Keyserling, 1886 (designated here): female, Sydney (33°53'S, 151°13'E, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA) (NHM 1890.7.1.4138), examined. Paralectotypes: 5 males, 3 females, same locality as lectotype (ZMH Rack (1961) -catalogue 224), examined; 1 male, same locality as lectotype (NHM 1890.7.1.4137), examined; 1 female, same locality as lectotype, misidentified (this is K. amblycyphus comb. nov.) (NHM 1890.7.1.4139), examined.

Other material examined.

AUSTRALIA - New South Wales • 2 females, 3 juveniles, ‘Allambi’, 31°19'S, 149°15'E (AM KS.56967) ; • 1 male, Pittwater, 33°38'S, 151°18'E, (AM KS.31675). Queensland • 1 male, Blackdown Tableland, SW Rockhampton, 23°50'S, 149°03'E (QM); • 1 female, same locality (QM); • 1 female, Braemar State Forest, 27°13'S, 150°50'E (QM) ; • 1 male, 2 females, 4 juveniles, Peak Downs, 22°56'S, 148°05'E (ZMH); • 2 females, same locality (ZMH) . South Australia • 1 female, Bridgewater, 35°S, 138°46'E (SAM); • 1 female, Cape du Couedic, on road to Flinder Chase Ranger Station, Kangaroo Island, 36°03'S, 136°42'E (SAM) ; • 1 female, Dudley Conservation Park, Kangaroo Island, 35°48'S, 137°51'E (SAM) ; • 1 female, Kuitpo Forest Reserve, 35°12'S, 138°40'E (SAM) ; Victoria • 2 females, unknown locality (MV K-10342); • 1 female, Berwick, Quarry Hill, 38°02'S, 145°20'E (QM); • 1 female, 1 juvenile, Spring Gully, 36°48'S, 144°17'E (CVIC 1174). Western Australia • 2 females, south-west Western Australia (no exact locality) (SAM); • 1 female, Boddington Bauxite Mine, 32°55'S, 116°26'E (WAM T77221); • 1 female, Busselton, 33°39'S, 115°20'E (AM KS.131227); • 1 female, Fitzgerald National Park, Twertup, 34°01'S, 119°20'E (WAM T75902) ; • 1 male, Fitzgerald River National Park, on track to Rose Rock, 34°04'S, 119°25'E (WAM T70101) ; • 1 male, Huntly Mine, 5 km E Banksiadale Dam, 32°39'S, 116°05'E (WAM T64598) ; • 1 male, same locality (WAM T64400); • 1 male, Jarrahdale (Alcoa) Mine area, 32°20'S, 116°03'E (WAM T48219) ; • 1 female, Pemberton, 34°26'S, 116°02'E (AM KS.32901); • 1 male, 1 female, 1 juvenile, Shannon National Park, 34°40'S, 116°22'E (WAM T70165) .

Diagnosis.

Males of Kangaraneus arenaceus comb. nov. are most similar to those of K. amblycyphus comb. nov. as both have pedipalp with a similar median apophysis with a blunt central protrusion and a conductor with an elongated basal protrusion (Figs 1C-E, 2A-D, 6C-E, 7A-D). However, K. arenaceus comb. nov. is identified by a lanceolate terminal apophysis with a more prominent and sclerotised basal lobe, and lacking a distal spine-like tip (present in K. amblycyphus comb. nov.). Kangaraneus arenaceus comb. nov. is the only species in the genus in which females have baso-lateral flaps on the epigyne base (Figs 3E, 4A, B), and in addition can be differentiated from K. amblycyphus comb. nov. by the epigyne scape completely covering the atrium (Figs 3C vs 8C).

Redescription.

Male (based on WAM T64400). Total length 6.7. Carapace 3.0 long, 2.4 wide, light brown, centrally darker around fovea (Fig. 1A). Eye diameter AME 0.11, ALE 0.11, PME 0.12, PLE 0.07; row of eyes: AME 0.51, PME 0.42, PLE 1.12. Chelicerae light brown with four promarginal teeth (third largest) and three retromarginal teeth of similar size. Legs light brown mottled dark brown, base of femora lighter (Fig. 1A, B). Leg length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I - 3.9+ 1.6 + 3.2 + 2.8 + 1.2 = 12.7, II - 3.1 + 1.5 + 2.4 + 2.3 + 1.0 = 10.3, III - 1.1 + 0.9 + 1.4 + 1.0 + 0.6 = 5.0, IV - 1.8 + 0.9 + 1.5 + 1.8 + 0.8 = 6.8. Labium 0.47 long, 0.35 wide, light brown; maxillae light brown, both beige anteriorly (Fig. 1B). Sternum 1.3 long, 1.0 wide, light brown with smooth darker radial shading (Fig. 1B). Abdomen 3.5 long, 3.6 wide, triangular with two conspicuous and pointed shoulder humps; dorsum with pale beige background, large olive-grey patch in cardiac area and irregular folium with olive-grey spots, laterally pale beige with dark streaks (Fig. 1A); venter same background colour as dorsum and with sparse guanine spots (Fig. 1B). Pedipalp (Figs 1C-E, 2A-D) length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + cymbium = total length): 0.6 + 0.4 + 0.2 + 1.0 = 2.2; paracymbium strong, hook-like and curved apically; median apophysis C-shaped, terminating in an acute tip, central protrusion small; radix strong; terminal apophysis elongated, membranous and lanceolate, bearing a large, sclerotised, round projection, ending in an acute tip; conductor large, round and laterally projected, bearing a hook-like apical protuberance and an elongated basal protrusion tapering to a bifid tip; basal conductor lobe inconspicuous; embolus prominent, elongate, heavily sclerotised with a curved tip.

Female (based on WAM T77221): Total length 5.6. Carapace 2.5 long, 2.4 wide; beige, cephalic area light brown (Fig. 3A). Eye diameter AME 0.11, ALE 0.10, PME 0.09, PLE 0.09; row of eyes: AME 0.46, PME 0.38, PLE 1.23. Chelicerae beige, with four promarginal teeth (apical and third largest) and three retromarginal teeth of similar size. Legs beige, patellae and tibiae apically slightly darker (Fig. 3A, B). Pedipalp length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + tarsus = total length): 0.6 + 0.4 + 0.4 + 1.2 = 2.6. Leg length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I - 2.9 + 1.4 + 2.4 + 2.3 + 1.1 = 10.1, II - 2.4 +1.1 + 2.1 + 2.1 + 0.9 = 8.6, III - 1.4 + 0.9 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 0.8 = 5.1, IV - 1.8 + 1.0 + 1.5 + 1.7 + 1.0 = 7.0. Labium 0.25 long, 0.60 wide, beige; maxillae beige (Fig. 3B). Sternum 1.5 long, 1.2 wide, beige (Fig. 3B). Abdomen 3.5 long, 3.2 wide; dorsum of same colour background as male but almost completely covered greyish, laterally grey (Fig. 3A); venter grey with a few guanine spots (Fig. 3B). Epigyne base oval, wider than long, with wide lateral borders, atrium convex, barely visible in ventral view (Fig. 3C); central division narrow, baso-lateral flaps present (Figs 3E, 4A); scape elongate-triangular extending over the posterior epigyne border, basally broadly rounded and slightly wrinkled, almost straight in lateral view, tip flattened without terminal pocket (Fig. 3C, D); spermathecae elongate-ovoid, copulatory ducts sinuous and terminating at base of scape (Fig. 4A, B).

Variation.

Males total length 4.5-6.7 (n = 6); females total length 5.6-8.7 (n = 6). The colouration of K. arenaceus comb. nov. males can vary considerably, with some specimens having a dark brown carapace and a black abdomen with a large white patch in the cardiac area (Fig. 5A). Examined females are less variable in colouration. Both males and females may have a pair of white spots ventrally on the abdomen, a character mentioned in the original description (see Keyserling 1886) (Fig. 5B, C).

Remarks.

The syntypes of Epeira arenacea Keyserling, 1886 are deposited at the ZMH and NHM. A female paralectotype (NHM 1890.7.1.4139) was misidentified by Keysersing (1886); this is K. amblycyphus comb. nov. To unequivocally fix the species-group name of K. arenaceus comb. nov., we here designate a female collected in Sydney (NHM 1890.7.1.4138) as the lectotype of the species. We do not consider the specimens from Peak Downs (Queensland) at the ZMH syntypes of K. arenaceus comb. nov. as Keyserling’s type locality is "Sydney. Museum Godeffroy".

Life history and habitat preferences.

Specimens of K. arenaceus comb. nov. have mainly been found from October to January, with only a few specimens collected in the colder months like June and August. Therefore, the species seems to be largely spring to early summer mature.

Habitat descriptions on the collection labels include "cypress and brigalow" and "in low bush". Two labels indicated that the species falls prey to wasps ("in wasp nest" and "mud dauber wasp nest").

Distribution.

Kangaraneus arenaceus comb. nov. has been found in eastern New South Wales and Queensland, the Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island in South Australia, Victoria and south-western Western Australia (Fig. 12).