Karaops forteyi Crews, 2013

Crews, Sarah C., 2023, But wait, there's more! Descriptions of new species and undescribed sexes of flattie spiders (Araneae, Selenopidae, Karaops) from Australia, ZooKeys 1150, pp. 1-189 : 1

Karaops forteyi Crews, 2013

Fig. 73H, I , Maps 1 , 9A, B

Karaops forteyi Crews, 2013: 455, figs 15-18 (♂♀, examined).

Diagnosis.

The female of Karaops forteyi is not similar to any species in the Pilbara by the epigyne. The endogyne is somewhat similar to that of K. feedtime . It has long, skinny, ducts with several turns. The spermathecae are very long, with either end being more oval than those in K. feedtime . The accessory bulbs are mislabeled as the spermathecae in Crews (2013). The accessory bulbs arise from the copulatory ducts and are long and narrow, similar to the spermathecae. Unlike the epigyne of K. feedtime , there is no median lobe but rather a circular area where the copulatory openings are located laterally. The posterior margin of the epigyne is also indented ( Crews 2013: figs 13-16).

In the male of Karaops forteyi , the dRTA is much longer than the vRTA, and there is no keel or ridge as in K. yurlburr or K. ngarluma . The conductor is similar to that of K. nyiyaparli , but in K. forteyi , the embolus follows the margin of the cymbium, whereas it is more toward the middle of the bulb in K. nyiyaparli .

Description.

The description of the male and female can be found in Crews (2013).

Distribution.

This species is known only from two localities separated by a couple of kilometers (Map 9A, B ).

Natural history.

This species was collected in the Chichester subregion which contains more species than all other subregions (Suppl. material 2: table S1).

Discussion.

Karaops forteyi is known from only two specimens, a male and a female, paired together because at the time of their description it was unknown that they occurred within or nearby the range of multiple other species, and they were obtained fairly close together in pitfalls at the same time. The pitfall traps were left for more than a year, so there is no information on when adults may be found, and the types are faded and missing setae (Fig. 73H, I ). Collecting around the area for a few hours only produced K. nyiyaparli . This species is quite different from K. nyiyaparli , so there is no chance of it being a variant. Only two specimens were recovered in traps that were left for more than a year, so this species is thought to be quite rare.

Figures

Map 1. Map of Australia showing areas that are expanded in subsequent figures. CD = Central Desert group, D = Karaops dawara group, F = Karaops francesae group, K = Kimberley group, UA = species that are not assigned to a group, PG = Pilbara-Gascoyne group.

Map 9. Species of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group A diamonds (juveniles): blue = Erawandoo Hill, orange = Mt. Augustus, red = Nammuldi, yellow = Hillside-Corunna-Glenn Herring, black = Marble Bar-Glacier Valley, pink = Orebody 19, 31, teal = Wheelara North, orange with thick outline = Harding Dam (maybe Karaops ngarluma, see text); Circles: dark blue = Karaops julianneae, dark green = Karaops badgeradda, red = Karaops joehaeneri sp. nov., teal = Karaops karrawarla, blue = Karaops durrantorum sp. nov., brown = Karaops burbidgei, green = Karaops martamarta, purple = Karaops nyangumarta, black = Karaops banyjima, yellow = Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov., gray = Karaops nyiyaparli, red-brown = Karaops feedtime, bright pink = Karaops nyamal (probably, see text), white = Karaops kariyarra, bright green = Karaops yurlburr, orange = Karaops ngarluma, tan = Karaops jaburrara, peach = Karaops forteyi, teal = new species yet undescribed; small white diamonds are unidentifiable immatures for which no molecular data are available B boxed area expanded for clarity.

Figure 73. Members of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group A Karaops nyiyaparli, BHP Rail Line (sel _ 1230, WAM T 155606) (Photo: J. DeJong) B habitat of Karaops nyiyaparli, Millstream-Chichester National Park C habitat of Karaops nyiyaparli along BHP Rail Line D Karaops nyiyaparli, holotype female (WAM T 111455) E Karaops kariyarra, holotype female, Wodgina Mine (WAM T 105208) F Karaops kariyarra, adult female, 55 km S of Port Hedland (WAM T 106657) G Karaops feedtime, holotype female, NNW Newman (WAM T 111456) H Karaops forteyi, holotype female, Cowra Line Camp (WAM T 79407) I same, paratype male, Cowra Line Camp (WAM T 79408).