Misgolas lynabra, Wishart, 2006

Wishart, Graham, 2006, Trapdoor Spiders of the Genus Misgolas (Mygalomorphae: Idiopidae) in the Sydney Region, Australia, With Notes on Synonymies Attributed to M. rapax, Records of the Australian Museum 58 (1), pp. 1-18 : 6-7

Misgolas lynabra n.sp.

Figs. 2A–E, 12C

Type material. HOLOTYPE Ƌ, AM KS5679 , Fox Valley , Wahroonga, (33°42'S 151°08'E), 5 Mar.–25 Apr. 1980 pitfall trap site 1675, B. Henke . ALLOTYPE ♀, AM KS44375 , Gordon, (33°44'S 151°09'E), 6 Oct.–4 Nov. 1982 pitfall trap site 2109, C. Horseman . PARATYPES ƋƋ: AM KS13301 , Gordon, (33°44'S 151°09'E) 9–29 Sep. 1983 pitfall trap site 2404. C. Horseman; AM KS10279 , details same as AM KS44375 ; AM KS12645 , Gordon 07 Jul.–04 Aug. 1983

Diagnosis. Very small brown spider; rd surface of metatarsi IV without spines. Venter pattern as figured (Fig. 2D,E). In female: Carapace length less than 6.0. In male: Carapace length less than 4.0. Palpal bulb with rl embolic flange with 4–6 folds, margin gently convexly curved; embolus not modified, apophysis absent (Fig. 2B,C). Conformation of palp as figured (Fig. 2A).

Description

Male holotype (Fig. 2A–D). Size. Carapace length 3.52, width 2.93. Abdomen length 4.18, width 2.31. Colour. Carapace, legs, palps and chelicerae brown, when dry carapace bedecked with golden hirsute sheen, caput blotched darker, ocular area dark brown. Palps and anterior legs with indistinct darker brown smudges on lateral surfaces of proximal segments. Abdomen dorsum brown with narrow pale bands in bilateral series of seven. Venter pale with sparse dark brown speckles most concentrated between posterior book lungs and along median. Carapace. Edge fringed with black bristles which encroach onto posterior 1 ⁄ 3 of post foveal surface. Line of 3 median bristles anteriorly inclined on caput arch. Group of 3 posteriorly inclined bristles on clypeus; 2 small anteriorly inclined bristles between PME. Weakly chitinized area extends onto pleuron membrane below clypeus. Fovea width 0.41, straight. Eyes. Raised on mound; anterior width 0.71, posterior width 0.66, length 0.38, width/length ratio 1.87. Line joining posterior edge of ALE bisects AME. Posterior row straight in front, recurved behind. Chelicerae. Rastellum single row of 5(5) long spines. Intercheliceral tumescence present. Fang groove with 6(6) promarginal teeth and 4(4) smaller retromarginal/intermediate row teeth. Serrated fang keels suspended along pl edges. Labium. Bulbous, length 0.35, width 0.54. Labiosternal suture narrow. Maxillae c. 18(19) fusiform antero-ental cuspules. Sternum. Length 1.91, width 1.43. Sigilla all small, round and indistinct; posterior sigilla 1.5 diameters from margin; others submarginal. Legs. Tibia I with apical bifid apophysis; distal process with 2(2) short spines, proximal process with 2(2) long and 1(1) short spines.

Palp I II III IV

Femur 1.61 3.21 2.89 2.19 3.05 Patella 0.79 1.68 1.48 1.13 1.56 Tibia 1.27 1.90 2.22 1.38 2.98 Metatarsus — 2.35 2.04 1.76 2.65 Tarsus 0.71 1.51 1.30 1.14 1.43 Total 4.38 10.65 9.93 7.60 11.67

Palp (Fig. 2A). Cymbium with c. 36 long blunt inclined spines distributed over distal 2 ⁄ 3 of d surface. RTA not swollen basally, covered with d and rd short fusiform spines which continue along rv edge of tibial excavation; DTA absent. TEM contiguous with RTA; surface smooth, TET not evident. Bulb (Fig. 2B,C). Embolus straight not modified, apophysis absent; rl embolic flange with c. 5 folds. Scopula . Moderately dense on tarsi I and distal 1 ⁄ 3 of metatarsi I; sparse on tarsi II and distal 1 ⁄ 6 of metatarsi II; absent on legs III and IV. Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 4, tibia pd3 rd3. Leg I: tarsi 7, metatarsi 7, tibia pd4 rd4. Leg II: tarsi 6, metatarsi 6, tibia pd4 rd4. Leg III: tarsi 6, metatarsi 5, tibia pd3 rd4. Leg IV: tarsi 6, metatarsi 6, tibia pd5 rd5. Leg Spination. Leg I: metatarsi rv0112; tibia v011112. Leg II: tarsi rv12 spinules in file adjacent to scopula; metatarsi v0121112; tibia v01112. Leg III: tarsi v23; metatarsi v9, d0220; tibia v01110, d0220; patella pl3. Leg IV: tarsi v9 plus many bristles, metatarsi v6; tibia v4. Abdomen. Cover of fine hairs. Dorsum with median band of fine bristles. Left PLS missing

Female allotype (Fig. 2E). Size. Carapace length 5.77, width 4.18.Abdomen length 9.60, width 5.39. Colour. As for male; all lateral surfaces of limbs with more extensive darker smudges, ocular area unicolourous excepting darker between anterior and posterior eyes and some bilateral shading extending along caput arch. Carapace. Surface textured, not smooth. Edge sparsely fringed with some weak bristles which encroach onto posterior 1 ⁄ 5 of post foveal surface. Line of 5 median bristles anteriorly inclined on caput arch. Group of 3 long posteriorly inclined hairs on clypeus. Weak chitinized area extends onto pleuron membrane below clypeus. Fovea width 1.27 gently procurved. Eyes. Placed on low mound; anterior width 1.07, posterior width 1.04, length 0.54, width/length ratio 1.98. Line joining posterior edge of ALE transects anterior 1 ⁄ 4 of AME. Posterior row straight in front, recurved behind. Chelicerae. Rastellum 5(6) long strong spines in anterior row, few others retreating along pd edge. Fang groove with 5(7) promarginal teeth and 6(5) smaller retromarginal/intermediate row teeth. Fang keel as for male. Labium. As for male, length 0.74, width 1.07. Labiosternal suture narrow. Maxillae c. 37(32) antero-ental fusiform cuspules, many broken away. Sternum. Length 3.00, width 2.35. Sigilla as for male. Legs

Palp I II III IV

Femur 3.09 2.66 3.44 2.58 3.64

Patella 1.68 2.45 2.22 1.76 2.52

Tibia 1.78 2.88 2.37 1.33 3.72

Metatarsus — 2.24 1.99 1.68 2.88

Tarsus 1.91 1.40 1.27 1.15 1.15

Total 8.46 11.63 11.29 8.50 14.16 Scopula . Moderately dense on almost entire v surface of palpal tarsi and tarsi I; sparse on distal 1 ⁄ 5 of metatarsi I; moderate on entire pv surface only of tarsi II; absent on legs III and IV. Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 7, tibia pd3 rd3. Leg I: tarsi 9, metatarsi 10, tibia pd4 rd4. Leg II: tarsi 8, metatarsi 10, tibia pd4 rd4. Leg III: tarsi 7, metatarsi 7, tibia pd4 rd4. Leg IV: tarsi 8, metatarsi 7, pd4 rd5. Leg spination. Palp: tarsi pv01000, rv01000, tibia pv0112, rv02. Leg I: metatarsi v0112; tibia v0112. Leg II: metatarsi v012; tibia v0110. Leg III: tarsi v4 scattered on distal half; metatarsi v012, d0220; patella pd3. Leg IV: tarsi v4 scattered on distal half; metatarsi v01113. Abdomen. As for male. Genitalia. Sclerotized lip of epigynum uniformly recurved.

Etymology. The species is named in recognition of Mrs Lyn Abra one time spider curator at the Reptile Park, Gosford, NSW.

Distribution and natural history ( Fig. 12C ). Known only from small pockets of natural parkland within the densely settled urban region north of Sydney Harbour. Collection has been through placement of pitfall traps. Small size may not have lent itself to encouraging public interest and collection from that source is unknown. Pitfall traps were set amongst leaf litter and indicated male wandering time ranges from March to October. The burrow is unknown.

Figures

Fig. 12. Species distribution of Misgolas species in the Sydney region (eastern Australia) based on material examined. Key to symbols for maps (A) and (B): O Misgolas gracilis; A M. melancholicus; Z M. villosus. Map (C): • M. beni; Z M. cliffi; Δ M. lynabra; M. maculosus; O M. michaeli; * M. rodi; A M. trangi; * M. wayorum.