Austrotengella toddae, Raven, Robert J, 2012

Raven, Robert J, 2012, Revisions of Australian ground-hunting spiders. V. A new lycosoid genus from eastern Australia (Araneae: Tengellidae), Zootaxa 3305, pp. 28-52 : 36-37

Austrotengella toddae sp. nov.

( Figs 2 a–d, 3)

Diagnosis: Males differ from those of A. monteithi sp. nov. in having the ventral groove of the embolus open for most of its length but not basally; the retrobasal flange of the cymbium being narrow and rounded, the larger subdistal mound on RTA ( Figs 2 a, b) and relatively narrower median apophysis. Females differ in that the posterior epigynal invagination distinctly narrows posteriorly whereas in A. monteithi , it is parallel-sided.

Etymology: In honour or Dr Valerie Davies, for her much appreciated teaching in critical thinking.

Material examined: Holotype: male, Lamington National Park IBISCA (Site 500C, Sampcode 30786), 474 m, dung baited pitfall, 23–28 Oct 2006, 28°21’S 153°13.9’E, R. Menendez, G. Monteith, (QM S76432).

Paratypes: allotype female, O'Reillys, Lamington National Park, 153°10'S 28°12'E, 945m, 22 Jul 1973, R. Raven (QM S33219 ); male, Repeater Station, Springbrook, 28°14'S 153°16'E, SE.QLD, 1100m, rainforest, pitfall, 25 May–13 Oct 1975, G. and S. Monteith (QM S33210 ).

Other Material: Lamington National Park, rainforest: 28°12'S 153°10'E, 945m, rainforest, 1 female, 22 Jul 1973, R.J. Raven (QM S33219 ); Lower Albert River (south-facing slope), 28°17'S 153°05'E, 245m, pitfall, 1 male, 4 Apr–8 Sep 1976, G. and S. Monteith (QM S28838 ); O'Reillys, 28°13'S 153°08'E, 945m, pitfall, 1 male, 1 Oct–18 Nov 1980 (QM S18505 ); Mt Bithongabel, 28°15'S 153°10'E, 1160m, pitfall: 1 male, 31 Jan–11 Apr 1976, G. and S. Monteith (QM S28835 ); 1 male, IBISCA survey, site 700B, 775m, 6–9 Oct 2006, K. Staunton, B. Baehr (QM S81008). Numinbah Arch, Nerang Valley, 28°12'S 153°13'E, 305m, rainforest, pitfall, 1 male, 26 Oct–14 Dec 1974, G. and S. Monteith (QM S30449 ). Same data as holotype, 1 female, 25 May–13 Oct 1975, G. and S. Monteith (QM S33206 ). Tomewin Range, Currumbin, 28°13'S 153°22'E, 500m, pitfall, 1 male, 1989, G. Monteith, D. Cook (QM S37871 ). Upper Tallebudgera Valley, 28°14'S 153°16'E, 550m, rainforest, pitfall, 1 female, 8 Jan–17 Mar 1985, G. Monteith, G. Thompson, D. Cook (QM S72299 ).

Description (Holotype male QM S76432)

Carapace 3.41 long, 2.72 wide. Abdomen 2.72 long, 1.36 wide.

Colour. Carapace orange brown with wide mottled brown dusky band from PLE subcentrally to back slope; margin edged in black. Abdomen dorsally brown with bell-shaped pattern and posterior chevrons. Legs yellow brown with slightly dark femora distally. Chelicerae red-brown. Sternum, maxillae and labium yellow brown. Abdomen ventrally paler gray with white spots in band along ventrolateral edge.

Carapace. Lightly hirsute with long fine hairs on margins and uniformly in darker areas. Fovea long, ca. 0.25 carapace length. Caput arched gently, neatly demarcated; otherwise like Dolomedes , without marginal plateau.

Eyes. Eight, in two recurved rows, all of similar size but ALE smallest, PLE biggest. AME on common tubercle. Sizes of AME: ALE: PME: PLE, 10: 11: 11: 14. Interspaces (same scale as eyes): AME–AME, 8; AME–ALE, 3; PME–PME, 8; PME–PLE, 15. Ratio of front width: Back width: length, 55: 76: 45.

Chelicerae. Long fang with 3 teeth on retromargin, 2 on promargin.

Maxillae. Rectanguloid, anteriorly diagonally truncate.

Labium. Slightly longer than wide.

Sternum. broad flat shield without intercoxal extensions.

Legs. Retrocoxal hymen large, dominant; tarsi without predistal fracture; tibiae without basal fracture. All trochanters equally and distinctly notched, each notch about 2–3 times wider than deep.

Leg measurements of Austrotengella toddae , holotype male

Trichobothria. 12–15 dorsally on tarsi in band. Tarsal organ subdistal, distinctly raised; dorsal tarsi slopes down from it.

Claws. Three; paired long, slender, with 4 long teeth distally; unpaired long, curved, bare on all legs.

Spines. I: fe pv1p3d3r3; pa 0; ti p1r1pv6rv6; me p1pv3rv3, without distal whorl. II: fe pv1p3d3r3; pa 0; ti p2d2r 2v 2.2.2.2.2.2; me p2r 1v 2.2.2. III: p3d3r4; pa p1; ti p2d2r 2v 2.2.2; me p3r 3v 2.2.4. IV: fe p4d3r2; pa p1; ti p2d2r 2v 2.2.2; me p3r 4v 2.2.4. Palp: fe p1d1.1.2r1; pa 0; ti p2d1; cymbium 0.

Palp. Tibia elongate with low distal RTA with two low longitudinally ridges lobes; distoventral tibia two coniform processes interlocking with cymbial process. Bulb with large tegulum encircling reniform median apophysis; embolus distal, basally fused to tegulum, narrowly triangular with distal fluting; conductor small, broad, palmshaped, localised near embolus tip. Longitudinal extents of median apophysis and embolus overlap by 60%.

Description (Allotype female QMS 33219)

Carapace 4.56 long, 3.69 wide. Abdomen 5.00 long, 3.13 wide.

Colour. As for male.

Carapace. As for male.

Eyes. As for male.

Chelicerae. 3 similar teeth on each margin, promarginal row juxtaposed and lower. No enlarged fang setae.

Maxillae. Inner edge gently sinuous, outer edge convex; basally and distally truncate; distally scopula not arising from pallid cuticle. With diagonal groove from base for length of labium.

Labium. As for male.

Sternum. Shield-shaped; no modifications; margins hirsute with erect bristles.

Spines. Pair of proventral spines on femora with closely set bases, on both left and right femora; only one on fe II. I: fe pv2p3d3r4; pa0; ti v2.2.2.2.2.2; me v2.2.2. II: fe pv1p3d3r4; pa0; ti p2.r 1v 2.2.2.2.2.2; me v2.2.2. III: fe p3d3r4; pa0; tip2d2r 2v 2.2.2; me p3r 3v 2.2.2. IV: fe p3d3r2; pa0; ti p2d2r 2v 2.2.2; me p3r 3v 1.1.1.2.2.2. Palp: fe p1d1.2; pa p1; ti p2.1d1; ta p2.1.r2.1 v2 distal. On ventral tibia I, II with riased bases, and mid-distal 3 pairs very long; very long on metatarsi I, II, with 50% overlap; third pair subdistal, very lateral.

Legs. Patella III ventrally with long deep but narrow invagination, medially forked into basal half. Trochanters darkly sclerotised. Legs break easily at patella tibia and femur-trochanter joints. Strong pre-coxal sclerites I–IV. Scopula and claw tufts entirely absent. Metatarsal membrane unilobate. Palpal tarsi spindle-shaped in lateral view, not arched; without tuft or dorsal scopula. Lateral metatarsi and tarsi I with narrow band of thickened hair like scopula; absent from ventral face. Paired claws, with 1 medial row of 5 short slender teeth basally on pro- and retroclaws.

Leg measurements of Austrotengella toddae , allotype female

Trichobothria. Double band for full length on metatarsi and tibiae; on metatarsi, trichae very long. Tarsi with two irregular rows of long trichobothria for length.

Abdomen. Tracheal spiracle short, marked by slightly sclerotised square evident through cuticle.

Spinnerets. Small triangular hirsute colulus. ALS bases slightly separated, slightly bigger diameter than PLS; distal segment with sclerotised basal ring, entally indented for slightly larger spigots. PLS basally cylindrical but short with long but coniform apical segment. PMS cylindrical with spigots on dorsally extended surface of tip.

Epigyne. Large triangular septum scape-like, hirsute, deeply undercut laterally, flanked by pair of large concavities and deeply invaginated, laterodistally with pair of small distinct transverse triangular teeth. Copulatory fossa at posterior lateral junctions of septum; large columnar plate runs dorsoventrally from fossae and with posterobasal fertilisation duct (e.g., Fig. 2 d).

Distribution and Habitat. Known from upland (ca. 1000m) and lowland (ca. 100m) rainforest areas in southeastern Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Remarks: Davies (1977) reported this species as " Pisauridae sp. 1".

Figures

FIGURE 2. Austrotengella toddae, sp. nov., holotype male QM S 76432, palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb (a, b): ventral view (a), and retrolateral view (b). Allotype, female QMS 33206, epigyne (c, d): epigyne, external (c) and internal (d) views. Scale lines 0.5 mm for a, b, 0.25 mm for c, d.