Artoria taeniifera Simon, 1909

Framenau, Volker W. & Baehr, Barbara C., 2018, The wolf spider genus Artoria in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Australia (Araneae, Lycosidae, Artoriinae), Evolutionary Systematics 2 (2), pp. 169-241 : 169

Artoria taeniifera Simon, 1909 Figs 1D, 37, 38 A–H, 48G Simon’s Artoria

Artoria taeniifera Simon, 1909: 193-194, fig. 11. - Rainbow 1911: 275; Bonnet 1955: 751; McKay 1973: 380; McKay 1985: 74; Framenau 2002: 226-227, figs 21A-B, 22; Framenau 2005: 288-289: figs 13 A–B, 14.

Artoriella taeniifera (Simon).- Roewer 1955: 233; Rower 1960: 563.

Material examined.

Holotype female, Bunbury ('Station 142') (33°20'S 115°39'E, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA], collected during the 'Hamburger südwest-australische Forschungsreise 1905' (ZMB 10549) (examined).

Other material examined.

AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 1 female, Round Hill, Euabalong, 32°57'S, 146°09'E (AM KS50283).

Diagnosis.

The male of A. taeniifera is most similar to that of A. belfordensis sp. n. based on the structure of the basoembolic apophysis, which is basally drawn out into a tip or sharp edge and apically truncated. However, these species differ in the shape of the tegular apophysis, which is two-pronged in A. taeniifera and three lobed in A. belfordensis sp. n. The epigyne of female A. taeniifera is distinctive within Artoria , with its atrium semicircular along its anterior border and strongly sclerotised posterior edges that point medially.

Description.

The female of A. taeniifera has been described in detail ( Framenau 2002; 2005). A diagnosis and diagnostic images of the single female found in NSW (Figs 1D, 38C, D, G, H) are provided here to facilitate identification. The male is described for the first time based on a specimen collected in Nedlands (31°59'S, 115°48'E, Western Australia).

Male (based on WAM 98/2179).

Total length 4.8.

Prosoma. Length 2.6, width 2.0; carapace brown with darker radial pattern; light brown elongated V-shaped median band and indistinct light brown submarginal bands (Fig. 38A); sternum glabrous light brown (Fig. 38B).

Eyes. Diameter of AME: 0.09; ALE: 0.09; PME: 0.25; PLE: 0.21.

Anterior eye row. Strongly procurved, evenly spaced.

Chelicerae. Dark brown.

Labium. Brown, with lighter anterior rim (Fig. 38B)

Pedipalp coxae. Brown, with lighter anterior rim (Fig. 38B).

Legs. Yellow brown with darker annulations; tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi darker, less annulated (Fig. 38A).

Opisthosoma. Length 2.1, width 1.6; olive-brown with irregular darker pattern, centrally darker in particular in posterior half, light yellow-brown anterior cardiac mark (Fig. 38A). Venter pale yellow with darker central pattern (Fig. 38B); spinnerets dark grey.

Pedipalps. Tibia slightly longer than broad; cymbium apically with ca. 10 stronger setae (Fig. 38E, F); dorsal scopula patch absent; tegular apophysis distally two-pronged, (Fig. 38F); palea about twice as long as wide; basoembolic apophysis about long than broad and apically truncated; embolus apically with wide tip; terminal apophysis apically widely triangular and strongly sclerotised (Fig. 48G).

Life history and habitat preferences.

The habitat of A. taeniifera in NSW is unknown. In Western Australia, from where most records of this species have been reported, A. taeniifera prefers open habitats such as coastal dunes, gardens and open woodlands. The single female from NSW was found in March suggesting the species to be autumn-mature. In south-western Western Australia, mature spiders have been found in winter and early spring.

Distribution.

Artoria taeniifera has only been found once in NSW, centrally in the Cobar Plain (COP) IBRA region (Fig. 37). There is a second isolated record of the species in South Australia (Framenau, unpublished data). It is unknown if these represent persistent populations. The species occurs commonly in south-western Western Australia, from where it was initially described ( Framenau 2002; 2005; unpublished data).