Karaops martamarta Crews & Harvey, 2011

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 martamarta Crews & Harvey, 2011

Figs 49A-F , 50A-D , Maps 1 , 9A, B

Karaops martamarta Crews & Harvey, 2011: 56, figs 45-46, 93 (♀, examined); Crews 2013: 463, figs 29-30 (♂, examined).

New records.

Western Australia • 1 imm.; 42 km SSE of Pannawonica, site 1004-BUN01; 21°59'16.03"S, 119°07'39.52"E; 10 May 2012; col. staff from Phoenix Environmental leg.; foraging; (WAM T124900) • 1 imm.; 30-45 km S of Pannawonica, site 1004-Dragon; 21°55'41.54"S, 116°36'42.01"E; 6 Jul. 2012; no collector given; foraging; (WAM T124901) • 1♂; Mesa H, 12.5 km SW of Pannawonica; 21°42'47.59"S, 116°13'53.31"E; 5 May 2016; M. Love, J. Trainer leg.; railway culvert; hand collected; (WAM T141164) • 1♂; Mesa H, 19 km SW of Pannawonica; 21°46'30.84"S, 116°12'32.87"E; 7 Jun. 2016; C. Cole, N. Watson leg.; drainage/breakaway; leaf/soil sieving; (WAM T141165) • 1 imm.; Red Hill Station, ~ 10 km NE of homestead, Cochrane and Jewell bore site RNRC083; 21°55'55.25"S, 116°07'42.49"E; 13 May 2009; S. Crews leg.; (WAM T97474) • 1 imm.; Red Hill Station, ~ 8 km NE of homestead, Cochrane and Jewell bore site RNRC140; 21°56'11.40"S, 116°07'13.80"E; 13 May 2009; S. Crews leg.; (WAM T97475) • 1 imm.; Red Hill Station, ~ 20 km SE of homestead, Kens Bore site KBRC081; 22°03'26.83"S, 116°11'46.82"E; 13 May 2009; S. Crews leg.; (WAM T97476) • 1 imm.; Red Hill Station, ~ 22 km SE of homestead, Kens Bore site KBRC076; 22°04'51.10"S, 116°12'53.52"E; 13 May 2009; S. Crews leg.; (WAM T97477) • 1 imm.; Red Hill Station, ~ 27 km SE of homestead, Cardo Bore North, site CBRC099; 22°08'25.51"S, 116°13'48.22"E; 14 May 2009; S. Crews leg.; (WAM T97478) • 1 imm.; Red Hill Station, ~ 24 km SE of Cardo Outstation, Trinity Bore site TBRC031; 22°20'26.89"S, 116°20'20.28"E; 14 May 2009; S. Crews leg.; (WAM T97479) • 1 imm.; Red Hill Station, ~ 22 km SE of Cardo Outstation, Trinity Bore site TBRC119; 22°20'19.09"S, 116°19'22.42"E; 14 May 2009; S. Crews leg.; (WAM T97480) • 1 imm.; Red Hill Station, ~ 23 km SE of Cardo Outstation, Trinity Bore site TBRC151; 22°21'15.66"S, 116°19'33.42"E; 14 May 2009; S. Crews leg.; (WAM T97481) • 1♀; ~ 25 km SE of Cardo Outstation, Trinity Bore South site TBRC078; 22°23'54.89"S, 116°19'32.43"E; 14 May 2009; S. Crews leg.; (WAM T97482) • 1 imm.; ~ 23 km SE of Cardo Outstation, Trinity Bore South site TBRC062; 22°23'02.35"S, 116°18'12.65"E; 14 May 2009; S. Crews leg.; (WAM T97483) • 1 imm.; Red Hill Station, ~ 10 km NE of Cardo Outstation, Cardo Bore East site CBRC300; 22°11'57.67"S, 116°12'00.69"E; 15 May 2009; S. Crews leg.; (WAM T97485) • 1 imm.; Mesa G-Warramboo, 22.6 km WSW of Pannawonica; 21°44'25"S, 116°08'05"E; 25 Aug. 2009; M. Greenham leg.; (WAM T100066) • 1 imm.; Mesa G-Warramboo, 22.4 km WSW of Pannawonica; 21°44'15"S, 116°07'49"E; 26 Aug. 2009; M. Greenham leg.; (WAM T100067) • 1 imm.; Mesa G-Warramboo, 22.6 km WSW of Pannawonica; 21°44'25"S, 116°08'05"E; 25 Aug. 2009; M. Greenham leg.; (WAM T100068) • 1 imm.; same as previous except T. Sachse leg.; (WAM T100069) • 1 imm.; same as previous except M. Greenham leg.; (WAM T100070) • 1 imm.; Nammuldi-Silvergrass, 584 km NW of Tom Price; 22°23'58"S, 117°18'56"E; 15 Nov. 2009; M. Greenham leg.; (WAM T100075) • 1 imm.; ~ 8 km, 217° from Mt Delphine, site 999-D08; 22°16'51.06"S, 116°34'00.28"E; 28 Apr. 2012-20 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; wet pitfall trap; (WAM T124790) • 1 imm.; same as previous; (WAM T124791) • 1 imm.; ~ 24.5 km S of Mt. Delphine, site 999-D02; 22°26'42.09"S, 116°37'37.72"E; 19 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124796) • 1 imm.; ~ 18 km, 182° from Mt. Delphine, site 999-D04; 22°23'03.07"S, 116°36'30.67"E; 6 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124797) • 1 imm.; ~ 4 km, 299° from Mt. Farquhar, site 999-D12; 22°17'07.18"S, 116°44'07.57"E; 21 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124798) • 1 imm.; ~ 18 km SW of Pannawonica; 21°46'20.73"S, 116°12'15.24"E; 7 May 2012; D. Kamien, M. Greenham, D. Keirle leg.; foraging; (WAM T136475) • 1 imm.; ~ 13.3 km ENE of Mt. Farquhar, site 999-F5; 22°16'58.50"S, 116°53'32.76"E; 22 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124800) • 1 imm.; ~ 8 km, 120° from Mt. Delphine, site 999-D10; 22°15'34.21"S, 116°40'50.24"E; 21 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124801) • 1 imm.; 20 km WSW. of Mt. Brockman, site 999-E1; 22°31'11.92"S, 117°07'17.83"E; 24 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124802) • 1 imm.; 7.5 km WSW of Mt. Brockman, site 999-E9; 22°28'53.47"S, 117°14'18.22"E; 24 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124803) • 1 imm.; ~ 14 km, 169° from Mt. Delphine, site 999-D05; 22°20'47.74"S, 116°38'25.48"E; 28 Apr.-20 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; wet pitfall trap; (WAM T124804) • 1 imm.; ~ 18 km, 182° from Mt. Delphine, site 999-D04; 22°23'03.07"S, 116°36'30.67"E; 27 May 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124805) • 1 imm.; ~ 8 km, 217° from Mt. Delphine, site 999-D08; 22°16'51.06"S, 116°34'00.28"E; 28 Apr. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124806) • 1 imm.; 6.5 km WSW of Mt. Brockman, site 999-E7; 22°28'31.05"S, 117°14'34.95"E; 3 May 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124807) • 1 imm.; ~ 21 km, 167° from Mt. Farquhar, site 999-E5; 22°28'53.67"S, 116°48'38.79"E; 2 May 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124808) • 1 imm.; 7.5 km WSW of Mt. Brockman, site 999-E9; 22°28'53.47"S, 117°14'18.22"E; 3 May 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124809) • 1 imm.; 17 km WSW of Mt. Brockman, site 999-E3; 22°32'03.03"S, 117°09'37.90"E; 23 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124810) • 1 imm.; ~ 19 km, 188° from Mt. Delphine, site 999-D03; 22°23'44.62"S, 116°35'07.95"E; 19 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124814) • 1 imm.; 42 km SSE of Pannawonica, site 1004-BUN06; 21°59'16.03"S, 116°29'51.31"E; 9 May 2012 leg.; foraging; (WAM T124903) • 1 imm.; Cane River Conservation Park, N end of Parry Range, site CR02; 22°07'03.9"S, 115°34'10.3"E; 21 Jun. 2011; J.M. Waldock leg.; by hand; under rock; (WAM T125619) • 1 imm.; ~ 6 km SE of Pannawonica; 21°39'39.35"S, 116°22'14.48"E; 10 Sep. 2012; S. White leg.; vert trap; leaf litter; (WAM T126894) • 1 imm.; ~ 100 km W of Tom Price; 22°33'44.25"S, 116°43'13.04"E; 21 Apr. 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; (WAM T128012) • same as previous; footslope, gully base; (WAM T128013) • 1 imm.; ~ 100 km W of Tom Price; 22°32'17.40"S, 116°52'11.71"E; 19 Apr. 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; (WAM T128014) • 1 imm.; ~ 100 km W of Tom Price; 22°31'33.18"S, 116°48'02.55"E; 19 Apr. 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; gorge sides and base; (WAM T128015) • same as previous (WAM T128016) • 1♀; ~ 100 km W of Tom Price; 22°22'42.91"S, 116°46'13.83"E; 18 Apr. 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; (WAM T128017) • 2 imm.; ~ 100 km W of Tom Price; 22°32'20.37"S, 116°43'29.91"E; 16 Apr. 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; (WAM T128018) • 1 imm.; ~ 100 km W of Tom Price; 22°35'39.83"S, 117°01'34.19"E; 16 Apr. 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; (WAM T128019) • same as previous; foraging; gully sides; (WAM T128020) • 1 imm.; ~ 100 km W of Tom Price; 22°42'31.24"S, 116°51'00.35"E; 17 Apr. 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; (WAM T128021) • 1 imm.; ~ 130 km WNW of Tom Price; 22°18'26.37"S, 116°48'20.37"E; 15 Apr. 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; (WAM T128022) • 1 imm.; ~ 90 km WNW of Tom Price; 22°29'06.48"S, 116°46'42.67"E; 15 Apr. 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; (WAM T128023) • 1 imm.; ~ 130 km WNW of Tom Price; 22°18'29.14"S, 116°26'02.09"E; 16 Apr. 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; (WAM T128024) • same as previous; footslope, gorge; (WAM T128025) • 1 imm.; ~ 90 km WNW of Tom Price; 22°29'06.49"S, 116°46'42.68"E; 15 Apr. 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; (WAM T128026) • 1 imm.; ~ 23 km SW of Pannawonica; 21°46'46.99"S, 116°08'46.00"E; 15 May 2013; N. Dight leg.; foraging; (WAM T128055) • 1 imm.; ~ 100 km W of Tom Price; 22°35'39.83"S, 117°01'34.19"E; 30 May 2013; A. Leung leg.; foraging; (WAM T128148) • 1 imm.; ~ 100 km W of Tom Price; 22°35'39.83"S, 117°01'34.19"E; 16 Apr.-30 May 2013; A. Leung leg.; wet pit (eth. glyc); (WAM T128149) • same as previous; (WAM T128155) • same as previous; (WAM T128156) • same as previous; (WAM T128157) • same as previous; (WAM T128163) • same as previous; (WAM T128165) • 1 imm.; ~ 100 km W of Tom Price; 22°28'55.59"S, 116°31'10.13"E; 20 Apr. 2013-30 May 2013; A. Leung leg.; wet pitfall trap; (WAM T128173) • 1 imm.; ~ 22 km, S from Pannawonica; 21°50'22.98"S, 116°17'41.94"E; 12-19 May 2014; N. Dight leg.; foraging; (WAM T128899) • 1 imm.; ~ 22 km, S from Pannawonica; 21°50'13.98"S, 116°17'28.40"E; 12-19 May 2014; N. Dight leg.; wet pitfall (prop.); (WAM T128900) • 1 imm.; Red Hill Creek, 90.3 km S of Pannawonica; 22°27'17"S, 116°17'06"E; 24 May 2015; R. Teale, C. Cole leg.; under rocks; (WAM T137101) • 1 imm.; Red Hill Creek, 50.4 km S of Pannawonica; 22°05'35"S, 116°18'17"E; 21 May 2015; D. Kamien, C. Cole leg.; under rocks; (WAM T137102) • 1 imm.; ~ 50 km W of Pannawonica, SRE-M04, Mesa B C (West Robe); 21°42'01.9"S, 115°57'58.0"E; 7 Aug. 2015; F. Leng leg.; targeted searches; mesa; (WAM T137136) • 1 imm.; ~ 45 km NW Newman, Mindy South; -22.93, 119.40; 29 Apr. 2022; S. Ronan leg.; invertebrate pitfall trap; (N23137-1); • 1 imm.; ~ 45 km NW Newman, Mindy South; -22.97, 119.41; 29 Apr. 2022; S. Ronan leg.; invertebrate pitfall trap; (N23137-1).

Diagnosis.

The female (Fig. 49A, B ) is most similar to Karaops karrawarla by the m-shaped depression where the copulatory openings are located; however, in this species, the lateral lobes do not come into contact posteriorly and in K. martamarta , the copulatory ducts nearly come into contact where they curve from anterior to posterior, whereas the curve is much broader in K. karrawarla (Figs 49C-F , 55D, E ). The male (Fig. 50A ) has an extremely short palpal tibia and a very prominent, knobby retrobasal cymbial process (Fig. 50C, D ).

Description.

The description of the female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011), and the description of the male can be found in Crews (2013).

Distribution.

This species is found in the Pilbara, Western Australia.

Natural history.

The Hamersley subregion is located in the Pilbara bioregion. It is mountainous with many gorges and with low mulga woodland, bunch grasses, hummock-forming grasses, and snappy gum ( Kendrick 2001a). The climate is semi-desert tropical, and it usually rains in the summer, although sometimes rain also occurs in winter. This differs somewhat from the Gascoyne to the south, as it is a desert climate with summer and winter rainfall. In the Hamersley subregion, rainfall is highest December to March and lowest August to November; temperatures are highest during the wetter months and drier in the cooler months.

No collections of any life stage of Karaops martamarta have been made during the wet, hot season of December to March; however, this likely reflects collecting efforts as summer rainfall can make travel difficult, and the heat can be oppressive, although many other species of Karaops in the Chichester subregion have been collected during this time (see Suppl. material). All life stages have been collected April to June, no adults in July, a dry cooler time, and no adults in November. This could also represent collecting efforts as the immatures represent different instars. It appears that K. martamarta is one of the most commonly collected Karaops ; however, again, this likely reflects collecting efforts, as surveys in the Pilbara occur before the onset of major mining operations, and the collection localities of this species reflect that (Suppl. material 2: table S1). Additionally, there have been collecting efforts that have specifically targeted this species. Karaops martamarta has been collected by hand under rocks and in a railway culvert, by sifting leaves and soil from a drainage/breakaway, leaf litter in a vertebrate trap and pitfall traps in gorges, on mesas, and in a footslope gully base and sides.

Discussion.

The Hamersley subregion (Fig. 50B ) is the southern part of the Pilbara Craton, a geologically stable region that is one of two places on earth with Archaean crust. There is high species and ecosystem diversity, and the region is known for many SREs (Huey, Hillyer and Harvey 2019). There are more species of Karaops in the Pilbara bioregion than any other bioregion.

The genitalia of the holotype female (WAM T97482) (Fig. 49A, C, D ) and a male (WAM T79143) (Fig. 50A, C, D ) are illustrated for ease of comparison with similar species. The genitalia of another female (WAM T94997) (Fig. 49E, F ) is also illustrated to show variation from the holotype. Measurements were made of some additional males-total length variation: 5.08-6.25. Karaops martamarta and a species known only from immature specimens have primarily been collected in the Hamersley subregion of the Pilbara bioregion (Fig. 50B ), with the former having a few collections in the Chichester subregion to the north. Karaops banyjima has also only been found in this subregion, as well as K. nyangumarta , K. morganoconnelli sp. nov., and a few species known only from immature samples with a few collections made just at the border of the Chichester bioregion (Map 9A ). This could reflect a lack of collecting efforts in the surrounding areas to the south, although that is part of the Gascoyne bioregion and is likely to harbor different taxa. Recently, the species was found further to the east, quite far from other collections, expanding the range. There is little overlap between species, but some are very close and must come into contact; however, multiple species have not been collected in the same place at the same time even though adults have temporal overlap, and immatures can be found throughout most of the year. This pattern is very similar to that of Kimberley species group members (Map 7 ).

Molecular data show that the Pilbara/Gascoyne clade is separated into two clades that do not completely reflect geography, e.g., there is no Gascoyne clade or a Pilbara clade (Suppl. material 1). All of the Gascoyne species are in the same clade, but this clade also contains Karaops martamarta , K. morganoconnelli sp. nov., and two undescribed species known from juveniles: one from Nammuldi/Tom Price and the other Wheelara. Members of this clade all have very similar genitalia. The species in the other clade mostly comprise those found in the Pilbara, but there is possibly a juvenile undescribed species from Mt. Augustus that is recovered within this clade.

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 7. Species of the Kimberley species group. Diamonds (juveniles): light purple = Mimbi Caves; blue = Geike Gorge, green = Adcock Gorge, teal = Augustus Island, pink = Little Mertens Falls, yellow = Emma Gorge, orange = Kelly's Knob, red = Keep River National Park; Circles: green = Karaops dejongi sp. nov., blue = Karaops jenniferae, red = Karaops dalmanyi sp. nov., purple = Karaops sp. adult male (will be described in subsequent publication), white = Karaops conilurus sp. nov., pink = Karaops umiida, yellow = Karaops alanlongbottomi, teal = Karaops keithlongbottomi, mauve = Karaops larryoo, orange = Karaops garyodwyeri sp. nov., black = Karaops malumbu sp. nov. Juveniles are treated as distinct species based on molecular data.

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 49. Karaops martamarta of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group, Western Australia A female holotype, Trinity Bore South, vic. Cardo Camp, Red Hill (WAM T 97482) B adult male (WAM T 79413) C female holotype, epigyne, Trinity Bore South, vic. Cardo Camp, Red Hill (WAM T 97482) D same, endogyne E epigyne, 19.8 km W Mt. Berry (WAM T 94997) F same, endogyne. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (C-F); 1 mm (A, B).

Figure 50. Members of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group, Western Australia A Karaops martamarta, adult male, 8 km NW of Mt. Berry (WAM T 79413) B habitat of Karaops martamarta, Robe Valley C Karaops martamarta, palp ventral, vic. Mt. Berry (WAM T 79411) D same, retrolateral E Karaops sp., Mundee, Mt. Augustus National Park (photo: J. DeJong) F Karaops julianneae, adult female, Lorna Glen Station (WAM T 107714). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (C, D); 1 mm (A); 2 mm (F).

Figure 55. Members of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group, Western Australia A Karaops joehaeneri sp. nov., paratype male, Escarpment Trail, Kennedy Range National Park (sel _ 1131, WAM T 155507) B same, holotype female, epigyne (sel _ 1130 WAM T 155506) C same, endogyne D Karaops karrawarla, female paratype, epigyne, Bush Bay, Western Australia (WAM T 76700) E same, endogyne. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.