Nyssus semifuscus, Raven, 2015

Raven, Robert J., 2015, & lt; strong & gt; A revision of ant-mimicking spiders of the family Corinnidae (Araneae) in the Western Pacific & lt; / strong & gt;, Zootaxa 3958 (1), pp. 1-258 : 140-142

Nyssus semifuscus sp. nov.

( Fig. 78a–d . Map 40)

Material. Queensland: holotype ♂, Junction View , south of Gatton, 27°34'S, 152°17'E, 30 Dec 1984, A. Rozefelds, QM S29495 . Paratypes: Queensland: 1♀, Binjour Plateau , Redvale Rd, 25°33'S, 151°28'E, open forest, flight intercept trap, 20 Dec 1997 – 26 Apr 1998, G. Monteith, QM S50885 ; 1♂, Boat Mtn (Jack Smith Environmental Park), 26°08'S, 151°58'E, vine scrub, flight intercept trap, 15 Dec 1994 – 26 Jan 1995, G. Monteith, QM S31983 ; 1♂, Boondall Wetlands ( BCC1 ) , 27°20'S, 153°04'E, melaleuca open forest, pitfall, 2 Dec 2003 – 2 Jan 2004, QMP, QM S54959 ; 1♀, Cedar Valley , south of Beaudesert, 27 Mar 2005, R . J. Raven , QM S68109 ; 1♂, Chelsea Rd Bushlands Reserve ( BCC) , 27°29'S, 153°11'E, ironbark open forest, pitfall, 1–30 Oct 2003, QMP, QM S79640 ; 1♂, 2 km from Cooran Post Office , Nov 2003, B. Schroffel, QM S61141 ; 1♀, Enterprise Mine (Blackbutt #2), 27°33'S, 153°27'E, blackbutt, 9 Jan 2002, QMP, QM S55982 ; 1♀, Enterprise Mine (Scribbly Gum #1), 27°36'S, 153°26'E, scrubby gully, 10 Jan 2002, QMP, QM S55495 ; allotype 1♀, Eumundi , 26°29'S, 152°57'E, Jun 1983 – Nov 1983, C. Fearnley, QM S29483 ; 1♀, Fraser Island , Marloo Ave, 13 Oct 2007, G. Townsend, R . Raven, F. Pezzimenti, QM S44665 ; 1♂, Fraser Is : Orchid Beach (F04), 24°57'S, 153°19'E, heathland, pitfall, 20 Aug–17 Dec 1997, R . Raven, P. Lawless, QM S41756 ; 1♂, Fraser Is : Orchid Beach (F04), 24°57'S, 153°19'E, heathland, pitfall, 20 Aug–17 Dec 1997, R . Raven, P. Lawless, QM S49943 ; 1♀, Gold Ck Reservoir , 27°27.9'S, 152°52.5'E, open forest, pitfall, 20 Apr–26 May 2003, C.J. Burwell, QM S62898 ; 1♂, Greenbank , 27°41'S, 153°01'E, clearing & buildings, 8 Jan 2009, W. Hebron, QM S22910 ; 1♂, Isla Gorge Lookout , 3.6 km NE, 25°10'S, 150°00'E, vine scrub, flight intercept trap, 21 Sep–15 Dec 1997, G. Monteith, D. Cook, QM S44774 ; 1♂, Keysland , 26°12'S, 151°44'E, open forest, intercept flight trap, 5 Dec 1994 – 26 Jan 1995, G. Monteith, QM S34860 ; 1♂, Kuraby Bushland , 27°36'54"S, 153°05'06"E, pitfall, 4–24 Feb 2009, T . Churchill , QM S87740 ; 1♂, Lake Broadwater , Site 3, 27°21'S, 151°06'E, pitfall, 26 Mar–17 May 1985, Qld Museum Party & M. Bennie, QM S79283 ; 1♂ 1♀, Proserpine , Airport Drive, site XY12, 20°29'S, 148°34'E, closed woodland, pitfall, 5 Nov 2007 – 13 Feb 2008, R . J. Raven , QM S85309 ; 1♂, Redland , Hilliards Ck, near South St ( RHC1 ) , 27°33'S, 153°14'E, scribbly gum, open forest, pitfall, 21 Nov–19 Dec 2008, QMP and BAAM, QM S86912 ; 1♀, Redlands , Hilliards Ck, near Weippin Rd ( RHC2 ) , 27°32'S, 153°15'E, heath and scribbly gum, malaise trap, 19–27 Dec 2008, J. Stanisic, QM S79392 ; 1♂, same data but 19 Jan–19 Feb 2009, QMP and BAAM, QM S79361 ; 1♂, Tewantin (Noosa Pony Club), 26°25'S, 152°59'E, 6 Jan 1998, QM S50879 ; 1♂, Toomba Homestead site, moist litter pockets, 19°58'S, 145°34'E, basalt ridge with Brachychiton , litter, 15 Feb 2007, R . J. Raven , QM S79273 ; 1♂, Woodmillar (East), 25°41'S, 151°36'E, vine scrub, flight intercept trap, 10 Oct–17 Dec 1998, G. Monteith, D. Cook, QM S50877 ; 1♀, Yungaburra , [17°16'S, 145°35'E,] 19 Sep 1976, R . Mascord , AM KS15621 .

Diagnosis. Males are similar to those of N. jaredwardeni sp. nov. in the distinct process on the paracymbial spine and the quickly tapering tip of the embolus ( Figs 78a, b ) and differ in that the base of the embolus is curved and convex, not diagonal and straight. Females differ from those of N. luteofinis sp. nov. in that the head of the spermathecae is distinctly larger than the copulatory orifice and the lateral accessory lobe is distinct ( Fig. 78d ). Differs from N. coloripes in the absence of pattern on carapace and abdomen, golden “rump” and smaller PME and from males of N. yuggera by the absence of a ventral abdominal scute. Females differ from those of N. jaredwardeni by the small head of the spermathecae and relatively longer spermathecal stalks ( Fig. 78d ).

Etymology. The species epithet alludes to the brown colour of the posterior half of the abdomen.

Description holotype male QM S29495

Carapace 2.80 long, 1.80 wide. Abdomen 2.80 long, 1.60 wide. Total length 5.7.

Colour: carapace dark brown with slightly darker bands radially and along interstrial ridges. Femora all dark brown; patellae–tarsi I and II yellowish, darker on III and brown on IV; abdomen with weak red brown scute dorsally for half length, posterior half brownish cream, all with dense pile of golden feathery hairs; ventrally, sternum red brown, all coxae brown, genital scute red brown, abdomen light brown median quadrangle with darker flanks. Carapace: smooth with light uniform cover of feathery white hairs; fovea short, deep, just in front of gentle posterior slope. Eyes: PME similar size to PLE. Chelicerae: dentition 2R, 2P; fang and groove short. Wide gap between cheliceral face and adjacent maxillary face. Sternum: cordate, rounded edges with slight intercoxal projections between I/II and II/III; anteriorly with notches just behind edges of labium. Legs: RCH absent or very small (very small in N. coloripes ). Coxal bases with distinct processes. Femur IV with slight distal constriction. Light scopula on metatarsi and tarsi I and II. Spines: I: fe pv1p2d3r1; ti v2.2; me v2.2. II: fe p1d3r1; ti v1.2.2; me v2.2. III: fe p2d3r2; pa d1 distal ti p2d1r2v2.2.2; me p3r3v2.2.3. IV: fe p2d3r2; p d1 distal ti p2d1r2v2.2.2; me p3r3v2.2.3. Palp: fe p1d2; pa p1d2 (w); ti p2w; cymbium basal 1w. Abdomen: dorsal scute weakly defined for ca. 1/2 length; genital scute strong; collar absent; no ventral scute, tracheal scute small, weak, a wide ridge. Colulus a wide, small hirsute triangle. Palp: tibia with proventral trough; cymbium roughly symmetrical from above; paracymbial spine short, curved, conical, on large raised base; apex pallid with cluster of short thick setae; bulb like N. coloripes .

Allotype female QM S29483 As ♂ except:

Carapace 4.00 long, 2.64 wide. Abdomen 3.60 long, 2.01 wide. Total length 7.7.

Colour: carapace dark red brown with uniform cover of broad white hairs, coxae I and femora dark brown with yellow areas distally (I and II) or basally (IV); patellae–tarsi I, II yellowish, III light brown, IV dark brown with pallid apical patellae and tibiae; abdomen dorsally with trianguloid reddish scute flanked by small area of white hair anteriorly beside scute and large area laterally beside end of scute, dense bush of golden hair medially and across posterior half; ventrally, coxae I and sternum dark brown, coxae II–IV yellowish; laterally a broad white sash joins dorsal and ventral edge, comma-shaped white area mid-laterally and a yellow spot laterally, just anterior to spinnerets; genital scute red brown, ventral quadrangle brown. Chelicerae: slightly porrect, long with short fang and furrow, dentition 2R, 2P; no enlarged fang setae. Legs: femora–tibiae with feathery hairs. Spines: I: fe pv1p2d3r1; ti v2.2; me v2.2. II: fe p2d3r2; ti v1.1; me v2.2. III: fe p3d3r1; pa d1; ti p2d1r2v2.2.2; me p3r3v2.2.3. IV: fe p2d3r2; pa d1; ti p2d1r2v2.2.2; me p3r3v2.2.3. Palp: fe p1d2; pa p1d2; ti p2d1; ta p2d1. Epigyne: paragenital weakness absent; roughly triangular with lateral fossae separated by wide septum. Abdomen: small rounded triangular scute dorsally for 1/8 length; tracheal scute indistinct.

Distribution and Habitat. Known only from open forest at Isla Gorge, Eumundi, Junction View and Stanthorpe, southeastern Queensland and Yungaburra, northern Quuensland.

Figures

FIGURE 78. Nyssus semifuscus sp. nov., holotype male, QM S29495; allotype female, QM S29484: a, b, palpal tibia, bulb and cymbium, ventral view (a), and retrolateral view (b). Female, c, d: epigyne, external (c), and internal (d).