Knoelle, Framenau, Volker W., 2006

Framenau, Volker W., 2006, Knoelle, a new monotypic wolf spider genus from Australia (Araneae: Lycosidae), Zootaxa 1281, pp. 55-67 : 57-58

Knoelle gen. nov.

Type species: Lycosa clara L. Koch, 1877 . Here designated.

Etymology. The generic name honours my mother, the late Hildegard Framenau. ‘Knölle’ was a nickname she used frequently, and may refer to the German word Knolle (= spud). The gender is feminine.

Diagnosis. Knoelle gen. nov. is similar to representatives of the genus Ve na t or Hogg, 1900 in respect to somatic characters, in particular its body colouration with a ventral black patch on the opisthosoma. However, it differs considerably by the presence of a large patch of macrosetae at the tip of the cymbium in males which is absent in Venator . Males in the genus Hoggicosa also have a patch of macrosetae at the tip of the cymbium, however it is much smaller. In addition, the tegular apophysis is very different in Hoggicosa as it is of a simple, triangular type lacking the two hooks and the lamellar structure characteristic for Knoelle gen. nov. Hoggicosa also have a very different body colouration with a distinct sexual dimorphism that is absent in Knoelle gen. nov. ( McKay 1973, 1975).

Description. Medium sized Lycosidae (TL ca. 10.0 – 25.0 mm). Males smaller than females. Prosoma longer than wide ( Fig. 1 ), dorsal profile straight in lateral view ( Fig. 4 ). Head flanks comparatively steep in males ( Fig. 5 ). Dorsal shield of prosoma brown to dark brown, with distinct light brown median and submarginal bands; submarginal and brown marginal bands irregular; white setae in median and submarginal bands. Anterior median eyes ca. twice as large as anterior lateral eyes, row of anterior eyes narrower than row of posterior median eyes; row of anterior eyes slightly procurved ( Fig. 5 ). Chelicerae with three promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Labium shorter than or as long as wide. Opisthosoma mottled olive­grey, centrally lighter and with dark, irregular heart mark ( Fig. 1 ). Venter with a large black patch covering about three quarters of venter from epigastric furrow. Leg formula VI>I>II>III. Spination of legs: Femur: 3 dorsal, 2 apicoprolateral, 2 retrolateral; patella: 1 prolateral (male only), 1 retrolateral; tibia: 2 dorsal (male only), 3 ventral pairs, 2 prolateral (male only), 2 retrolateral; metatarsus: 3 ventral pairs, 2 prolateral (male only), 2 retrolateral (male only), 1 apicoprolateral (male only), 1 apicoretrolateral (male only), 1 apicoventral.

Cymbium tip with large patch of macrosetae ( Figs 2 , 6–7 ). Tegulum undivided, large retrolateral tegular lobe; tegular apophysis with two distinct, basally directed hooks. Embolus originating prolaterally on palea and curving ventrally around it, long and slender. Terminal apophysis and pars pendula sickle­shaped ( Fig. 8 ). Epigyne with inverted T­shaped median septum, that widens anteriorly ( Figs 3 , 9 ).

Distribution. As for species ( Fig. 11 ).

Remarks. Knoelle clara comb. nov. is a typical representative of the subfamily Lycosinae as the tegular apophysis is ‘transverse, with a ventrally directed spur’ and it has a ‘sinuous channel on the dorsal surface’ ( Dondale 1986). A recent molecular phylogeny inferred from 12S rRNA and NADH1 that included seventy world­wide Lycosidae species placed K. clara comb. nov. as sister taxon to Allocosa hasseltii (parsimony analysis) or in a polytomy with most other Australian Lycosinae (Bayesian analysis) ( Murphy et al. 2006). Morphological evidence places Knoelle gen. nov. close to Ve n at o r or Hoggicosa (see generic diagnosis), but a detailed phylogenetic analysis of the Australian Lycosinae is required to ascertain the systematic position of the new genus.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Records (n = 131) of Knoelle clara (L. Koch) comb. nov. in Australia.

FIGURE 1 – 3. Knoelle clara (L. Koch) comb. nov. 1 – 2 male from Drysdale River Station, Western Australia (WAM T 56241). 1 Dorsal view (body length 12.23 mm); 2 right male pedipalp, prolateral view (cymbium length 2.22 mm). 3 Female from Kapalga, Northern Territory (WAM T 58372), epigyne, ventral view (posterior width of median septum 0.69 mm).

FIGURES 4 – 10. Knoelle clara (L. Koch) comb. nov. 4 – 8 Male from Drysdale River Station, Western Australia (WAM T 56241). 4 prosoma profile in lateral view; 5 eye pattern in frontal view; 6 – 7 left male pedipalp (6 ventral, 7 lateral view); 8 left male pedipalp, apical part of bulbus, ventral view. 9 – 10 Female from Kapalga, Northern Territory (WAM T 58372). epigyne (9 ventral, 10 dorsal view). Scale bar: 4 5.70 mm; 5 3.80 mm; 6 – 7 1.05 mm; 8 0.50 mm; 9 – 10 0.95 mm.