Belisana coblynau Huber & Clark, 2023
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.46.105798 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1A679D43-7000-4DD1-BA0D-69DA2057401E |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/50A34349-C82F-49FA-8679-77C8CCC86D1B |
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taxon LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:act:50A34349-C82F-49FA-8679-77C8CCC86D1B |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Belisana coblynau Huber & Clark |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Belisana coblynau Huber & Clark sp. nov.
Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2
Type material.
Australia - Western Australia • ♂ holotype; ~85 km ESE Pannawonica; 21.8836°S, 117.1211°E; 590 m a.s.l.; 25 Jun. 2019; M.D. Scanlon and H.L. Clark leg.; WAM T158896.
Type locality.
Australia, Western Australia, ~85 km ESE Pannawonica, 21.8836°S, 117.1211°E, 590 m a.s.l.
Type specimen.
Holotype male, in ethanol. Original labels: "WA: JSE, ca 87 km ESE Pannawonica, 21°53'43.450"S, 117°07'48.63"E (GDA 94) 25. Jun. 2019, Scanlon MD, Clark HL (KRC 0364), Trog scrape, 35 m", “KRC0364”, " WAM T 158896", "100% EtOH".
Other material examined.
Australia - Western Australia • 1 ♀, assigned tentatively, see Remark below; same locality as holotype but 3.7 km NW; 21.8583°S, 117.0972°E; 540 m a.s.l.; 25 Apr. 2019; M.D. Scanlon and H.L. Clark leg.; “KRC0226”, WAM T158897 GoogleMaps • 1 juv.; same locality as holotype but 1.6 km SE; 21.8954°S, 117.1302°E; 570 m a.s.l.; 26 Apr. 2019; M.D. Scanlon and H.L. Clark leg.; “KRC0254”, WAM T158895 GoogleMaps .
Remark.
The genetic distance (Table 1 View Table 1 ) between the male holotype and the juvenile specimen was 0.5%, strongly suggesting that the two are conspecific. The distances between these two specimens and the female was much higher, at 8.5 and 8.8%, respectively. This is within a range that in Pholcidae is always problematic due to the overlap of intra- and interspecific genetic (CO1) variation between approximately 8 and 11% ( Astrin et al. 2006; Huber et al. in press). In the case of the female, we are thus unsure about its taxonomic status.
Diagnosis.
Distinguished from known congeners (and other Pholcinae ) by details of procursus (Fig. 2D, E View Figure 2 ; straight, with simple retrolateral process, bifid prolateral process, and widened membranous tip), genital bulb (Fig. 2A, B View Figure 2 ; bulbal apophysis short and hooked, embolus straight and pointed at tip), male chelicerae (Fig. 2C View Figure 2 ; pair of light proximal processes; pair of simple distal frontal apophyses without modified hairs), epigynum (Fig. 1B View Figure 1 ; protruding, with pair of pockets close together), and female internal genitalia (Figs 1C, D View Figure 1 , 2F View Figure 2 ; pore plates wide apart; distinctive pair of additional internal lateral pockets).
Description.
Male (holotype). Measurements. Total body length ~1.5-1.6 (abdomen detached), carapace width 0.60. Leg 1: 11.5 (2.9 + 0.2 + 3.0 + 4.4 + 1.0); legs 2 and 3 missing; tibia 4: 2.3; tibia 1 L/d: 50.
Color (in ethanol). Entire specimen pale ochre to whitish (Fig. 1A View Figure 1 ).
Body. Habitus as in Fig. 1A View Figure 1 . Ocular area not raised, without any remnants of eye pigment and lenses. Without thoracic groove. Clypeus unmodified. Sternum wider than long (0.40/0.30), unmodified. Abdomen globular, conical at spinnerets.
Chelicerae. As in Fig. 2C View Figure 2 , with pair of light proximal processes, pair of simple distal frontal apophyses without modified hairs (distance between tips: 50 µm), without stridulatory files.
Palps. As in Fig. 2A, B View Figure 2 ; coxa unmodified, trochanter with low rounded retrolateral ventral protrusion, femur cylindrical, without process; tibia with only one (retrolateral distal) trichobothrium; procursus (Fig. 2D, E View Figure 2 ) straight, with simple retrolateral process, bifid prolateral process, and widened membranous tip; genital bulb with short hooked bulbal apophysis and straight embolus pointed at tip.
Legs. Apparently without spines and curved hairs (most hairs on available legs missing); leg trichobothria not seen; tarsus 1 with ~10 pseudosegments, barely visible in dissecting microscope.
Female. In general similar to male, but larger (in particular the abdomen); total body length 1.8; carapace width 0.62; most legs detached (tibia 4: 2.6). Epigynum (Fig. 1B View Figure 1 ) main anterior plate semicircular, with distinct pair of pockets (distance between pockets: 30 µm), in lateral view protruding. Internal genitalia (Figs 1C, D View Figure 1 , 2F View Figure 2 ) with pair of pore plates wide apart, distinctive pair of additional internal lateral pockets. Each ALS with 3-4 small cylindrical spigots in addition to large widened spigot and long pointed spigot (checked in cleared abdomen).
Etymology.
The species epithet refers to the mythical gnome-like creatures that are said to haunt mines and quarries (of Wales and beyond); noun in apposition.
Distribution.
Known from three neighboring (within 5 km) localities in Western Australia.
Natural history.
The spiders were extracted from mining bores in the Hamersley Range using scrape sampling (Fig. 5A-C View Figure 5 ). This collecting method precludes gaining detailed natural history data. The specimens were collected between ground level and approximately 35 m below ground level. The temperature in these holes at 15 m below ground level was constant at 32-33 °C. For a general characterization of the Pilbara troglofauna, see Discussion.
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.