Parahelpis smithae, Gardzińska, Joanna & Żabka, Marek, 2010

Gardzińska, Joanna & Żabka, Marek, 2010, A new genus and five new species of Astieae (Araneae: Salticidae) from Australia, with remarks on distribution, Zootaxa 2526, pp. 37-53 : 49

Parahelpis smithae new species

( Figs 45–54 )

Type material. Holotype: male, Australia: New South Wales: Warrumbungles N.P., 14 km E of western park entrance, 31°16'31"S, 148°57'47"E, under rocks, 11 November 2001, M. Gray, G. Milledge & H. Smith (AMS KS 75235).

Etymology. For Dr Helen Smith (Australian Museum, Sydney), one of the collectors of type material studied, noun (name) in genitive case.

Diagnosis. In comparison with P. abnormis , embolic base wider (step-like), posterior tegular lobe more angular, tibial apophysis shorter, cymbium with distinctive flange.

Description. Male (holotype, Figs 45–54 ): Carapace orange-brown with light thoracic stripe. Eye surroundings black, lighter around AME’s. Whole surface with scale-like, shiny whitish hairs and scattered brown bristles, the former more numerous on eye field and on sides. Around anterior eyes whitish scale-like hairs present. Cheeks orange. Clypeus brown, fringed with whitish hairs, dense and lanceolate hairs below AME. Chelicerae orange-brown, sparsely clothed in whitish hairs, especially on pro- and retromargins, the latter with four and five teeth, respectively. Maxillae and labium orange-brown with yellow chewing margins. Sternum light brown, thinly clothed in long pale hairs. Abdomen elongate, with mosaic of yellow and brown markings, clothed in very fine pale hairs and with scattered stiff, brown bristles. Venter greyish. Spinnerets yellow-grey. Legs long and slender, yellow to orange, with brown markings. First legs the longest, more robust and darker than others, tibiae with four and metatarsi with two pairs of ventrolateral spines. Leg formula: I–IV–II–III.

Palpal organ as illustrated in Figs 51–54 , with distinctive long, thin, whitish hairs on patella, tibia and cymbium.

Dimensions: CL 2.75; CW 2.15; AEW 2.00; PEW 1.65; EFL 1.25; CH 1.50; AL 3.05; AW 1.65; LI 10.01 (2.95+1.60+2.75+2.00+0.80); LII 7.90 (2.40+1.20+2.05+1.55+0.70), LIII 7.40 (2.20+0.95+1.75+1.85+0.65), LIV 8.70 (2.45+1.05+2.35+2.10+0.75).

Female: unknown.

Distribution. Known from type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 45 – 52. Parahelpis smithae new species, male holotype. 45 dorsal view; 46 – 47 cephalothorax; 48 ventral view; 49 – 50 abdomen (49 dorsal, 50 ventral); 51 – 52 palpal organ (51 ventral, 52 dorsal). Scale bars: 45 & 48 = 1 mm; 51 – 52 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 53 – 58. P. smithae new species, male holotype. 53 – 54 palpal organ (53 ventral, 54 retrolateral). P. abnormis (Żabka, 2002) new combination, male holotype. 55 – 56 palpal organ (55 ventral, 56 retrolateral); 57 chelicera; 58 leg I. Scale bar of 53 – 54 = 0.5 mm.