Artoria taeniata, Do Prado & Baptista & Framenau, 2024

Do Prado, André W., Baptista, Renner Luiz Cerqueira & Framenau, Volker W., 2024, Taxonomy of the wolf spider genus Artoria in Western Australia (Araneae, Lycosidae, Artoriinae), Zootaxa 5547 (1), pp. 1-81 : 62-66

Artoria taeniata sp. nov.

Figs 34–36

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BFCC88FC-5728-40BF-A7B7-1FE2027B5237

Type material. Holotype male, Dryandra , Western Australia, AUSTRALIA, 32º47’S, 116º55’E ( WAM T70857 ).

Other material examined (83 males, 69 females, 1 juv. in 45 records). AUSTRALIA: Western Australia : 3 females, Balganup River, Muradup , 33º50’30’’S, 116º59’19’’E ( WAM T68474 ) ; 2 males, Boolading Nature Reserve, North , 33º21’22’’S, 116º37’07’’E ( WAM T68456 ) ; 3 females, same locality ( WAM T68478 ) ; 1 male, Boyup Brook - Arthur River Road, 33º29’17’’S, 116º53’12’’E ( WAM T68452 ) ; 9 males, 5 females, same locality ( WAM T68461 ) ; 1 female, Catchment Road , 32º9’9’’S, 116º38’27’’E ( WAM T68479 ) ; 1 male, Churchman Brook , 32º08’S, 116º04’E ( WAM T55162 ) ; 1 female, Cocanarup Timber Reserve , 33º38’S, 119º54’E ( WAM T56217 ) ; 2 males, 4 females, Coyrecup Lake Nature Reserve, East , 33º43’12’’S, 117º51’54’’E ( WAM T68443 ) ; 1 male, Coyrecup Lake Nature Reserve, West , 33º43’07’’S, 117º51’18’’E ( WAM T68441 ) ; 6 females, NE of Darkan, Bunce-King Road , 33º18’47’’S, 116º48’22’’E ( WAM T68455 ) ; 1 female, Dead Mans Swamp Nature Reserve, North , 33º30’02’’S, 116º57’10’’E ( WAM T68446 ) ; 11 males, 1 female, Dead Mans Swamp Nature Reserve, South , 33º30’06’’S, 116º56’54’’E ( WAM T68440 ) ; 1 female, Dryandra, Attunga Road, Skeleton Block , 32º46’58’’S, 116º51’54’’E ( WAM T68483 ) ; 1 female, Dryandra, Patonga Road, Smith block, 32º48’39’’S, 116º53’23’’E ( WAM T68445 ) ; 1 male, same locality ( WAM T68434 ) ; 1 female, 5 km E of Grass Patch, Fitzgerald Locality 41, 33º13’S, 121º48’E ( WAM T70356 ) ; 2 females, Gura Road North East , 32º45’12’’S, 116º56’43’’E ( WAM T68481 ) ; 18 males, same locality ( WAM T68451 ) ; 1 female, Highbury Townsite Reserve , site NR6, 33º03’10”S, 117º14’27”E ( WAM T53836 ) ; 2 males, Hillman Nature Reserve , 33º17’53’’S, 116º46’19’’E ( WAM T68447 ) ; 4 males, same locality ( WAM T68448 ) ; 1 female, same locality ( WAM T68477 ) ; 1 female, SW of Kojonup, E of Tone Road , 34º04’30’’S, 116º51’49’’E ( WAM T55211 ) ; 11 males, 7 females, Lake Bryde West Nature Reserve, Fourteen Mile Road , 33º19’50’’S, 118º48’30’’E ( WAM T68459 ) ; 2 males, 1 female, near Lort River , N of Rollands Road, 33º12’20’’S, 121º18’08’’E ( WAM T68453 ) ; 1 male, Minnimup Nature Reserve , 34º06’19’’S, 116º49’35’’E ( WAM T68438 ) ; 1 male, Mt Observation, 500 m N of Kent / Deefor Roads junction, 31º58’S, 116º31’E ( WAM T69981 ) ; 1 male, 2 females, Peringillup Nature Reserve , 33º56’37’’S, 117º38’41’’E ( WAM T68460 ) ; 2 males, 6 females, 1 juv., Quarry Road, Avon River north bank, 31º34’46’’S, 116º15’48’’E ( WAM T68433 ) ; 2 males, W of Scaddan, W of Dalyup Road , 33º23’9’’S, 121º34’56’’E ( WAM T68458 ) ; 3 males, N of Speddingup West Road, Aboriginal Reserve , 33º31’02’’S, 121º33’33’’E ( WAM T68436 ) ; 2 males, Stirling Range National Park, East , 34º17’57’’S, 118º04’19’’E ( WAM T68439 ) ; 1 female, same locality ( WAM T68475 ) ; 1 male, Taarblin Lake , 32º59’01’’S, 117º32’18’’E ( WAM T68454 ) ; 4 females, Tutanning Nature Reserve, East , 32º32’29’’S, 117º16’50’’E ( WAM T68482 ) ; 4 females, same locality ( WAM T68476 ) ; 1 male, Tutanning Nature Reserve , W side central, 32º32’42’’S, 117º16’33’’E ( WAM T68437 ) ; 1 female, same locality ( WAM T68450 ) ; 2 females, Wambyn Nature Reserve , 31º54’02’’S, 116º38’22’’E ( WAM T68449 ) ; 2 females, same locality ( WAM T68487 ) ; 5 females, Wambyn Nature Reserve , 31º53’46’’S, 116º37’25’’E ( WAM T68457 ) ; 1 male, same locality ( WAM T68435 ) ; 3 males, Wangeling Gully Bridge , 33º08’46’’S, 117º03’13’’E ( WAM T68449 ) ; 1 female, same locality ( WAM T68485 ) .

Etymology. The specific epithet “ taeniata ” is a Latin adjective meaning “with a band” and refers to the elongated and curved tegular apophysis of the male that resembles a band or ribbon.

Diagnosis. Males and females of A. taeniata sp. nov. resemble those of A. corowa Framenau & Baehr, 2018 which does not occur in Western Australia. Both species share male pedipalps with a broad, concave, ribbon-shaped tegular apophysis curved retrolaterally, but they differ by its distal part truncated and projected ventrally in A. taeniata sp. nov. ( Fig. 34C, D ) (vs. bi-lobed and slightly projected in A. corowa ; Framenau & Baehr 2018: fig. 14E). Females of both species have an epigyne with a bi-lobed projecting anterior margin of atrium, but in A.taeniata sp. nov. this projecting margin is shorter, also the lateral lobes are very close together, almost touching its tips, and more parallel to the epigastric furrow ( Fig. 35C ), while in A. corowa the lateral lobes are far apart and more perpendicular to the epigastric furrow ( Framenau & Baehr 2018: fig. 14G).

Description. Male (holotype).

Total length, 3.72. Carapace, length 2.10, width 1.52, reddish-brown, with paler broad median longitudinal band and narrow marginal bands, and dark brown broad lateral bands ( Fig. 34A ). Sternum, reddish-brown ( Fig. 34B ). Eyes, diameter of AME: 0.06; ALE: 0.08; PME: 0.23; PLE: 0.15, anterior eye row procurved, evenly spaced. Chelicerae, evenly reddish-brown, three retromarginal and three promarginal teeth, median largest. Labium, dark brown, with pale anterior rim ( Fig. 34B ). Legs, background colour yellowish-brown, with faint ringed dark grey stains throughout ( Fig. 34A, B ). Opisthosoma, length 1.66, width 1.18. Dorsum mostly dark grey, with a pale-brown cardiac mark around ⅔ as long as the opisthosoma, and a large trapezoidal pale patch at the last fourth of the dorsum ( Fig. 34A ). Venter greyish-brown, with irregular pale spots on the laterals ( Fig. 34B ).

Pedipalp ( Fig. 34C–E ), Tibia globular, cymbium free tip about as long as ⅓ of the cymbium in ventral view; subtegulum heavily sclerotized, very slim in ventral view. Tegular apophysis a retrolaterally curved long and broad stalk, with a truncated and concave apex, projected ventrally. Basoembolic apophysis as wide as long, heavily sclerotized with rounded tip. Embolus semi-circular, flat, broad, and long, slightly broader at its rounded and lamellar apex. Terminal apophysis triangular, heavily sclerotized, slightly wider than the embolus, mostly covered by it, and with a slightly acute retrolateral apex.

Female (WAM T56217).

Total length, 4.69. Carapace, length 2.53, width 1.81. Carapace and sternum colouration like male ( Fig. 35A, B ). Eyes, diameter of AME 0.11, ALE 0.08, PME 0.25, PLE 0.22, anterior eye row like male. Chelicerae and labium like male. Legs, like male, but with ringed stains more conspicuous ( Fig. 35A, B ). Opisthosoma, length 2.52, width 1.75. Dorsum mostly dark grey, with a pale-brown cardiac mark as long as half of opisthosoma, and irregular patch of pale streaks at the central area of the posterior half of the dorsum ( Fig. 35A ). Venter like male ( Fig. 35B ).

Epigyne, wider than long, atrium small and placed in posterior half, totally covered by the expansion of its anterior margin, which is two-lobed and overlap the inner margins of the lateral lobes of epigyne. Lateral lobes semi-circular, robust, projected mesally, with their truncated tips almost touching each other at longitudinal median line of epigyne ( Fig. 35C ). Spermathecal heads globular, around four diameters apart; spermathecal stalks long, with about thrice the spermathecal diameter in length, attached ventrally, bent mesally, following dorsally, then posteriorly and then ventrally again to the copulatory openings at the central area of epigyne ( Fig. 35D ).

Variation. Body length: Males (n=5): 3.55–4.42; Females (n=5): 3.91–4.73.

Life history and habitat preferences. Most mature specimens were collected in a pitfall trap program with an installation of traps over many months, which does not allow an interpretation of the phenology of A. taeniata sp. nov. Single mature males and females were found between September and November, in the southern spring. There was no habitat information with any of the specimens in collections.

Distribution. Wheatbelt of south-western Western Australia, not found in the far south-west of the state ( Fig. 36 ).

Figures

FIGURE 34. Artoria taeniata sp. nov., male: A, dorsal habitus; B, ventral habitus; C–E, left pedipalp (C, ventral view; D, retrolateral view; E, embolic division, ventral view). A–D, holotype (WAM T70857); E, (WAM T69981). Scale bars: A, B, 2.0 mm; C–E 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 35. Artoria taeniata sp. nov., female: A, dorsal habitus; B, ventral habitus; C, epigyne; D, internal genitalia, dorsal view. A–C, (WAM T56217); D, (WAM T53836). Scale bars: A, B, 2.0 mm; C, D, 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 36. Distribution of Artoria taeniata sp. nov., Artoria taeniifera Simon, 1909, Artoria trifida sp. nov., and Artoria wilkiei Framenau & Baehr, 2018.