Jotus fortiniae, Baehr, Barbara C., Schubert, Joseph & Harms, Danilo, 2019

Baehr, Barbara C., Schubert, Joseph & Harms, Danilo, 2019, The Brushed Jumping Spiders (Araneae, Salticidae, Jotus L. Koch, 1881) from Eastern Australia, Evolutionary Systematics 3 (1), pp. 53-73 : 53

Jotus fortiniae sp. nov. Figs 2 A–C, 7 A–E, 12C, 13H, 14 Ellen Fortini’s Jumping Spider

Material examined.

Holotype male: AUSTRALIA: Queensland, Cape York Peninsula, Quinkan Country via Laura, Bushblitz Field 1, Hill Top [15°35'S, 144°32'E] (QM S107391), coll. Jim Mclean, 13 March 2017.

Other material examined.

Only known from type specimen.

Etymology.

The specific name is a patronym in honour of educator and molecular biologist Dr Ellen Fortini who was nominated by students from Perth College in Western Australia as part of a Bush Blitz spider naming competition. The overwhelming public support for the nomination is a testament to Dr Fortini’s ability to inspire young people in the field of science and foster science communication in the Australian community.

Diagnosis.

Males of J. fortini differ from congeners by the long dense orange setae on femur I and ventrally on the patella, tibia and metatarsus I (Figs 2A, B, 13H) and embolus with bifurcate tip (Fig. 7D).

Description.

Male (Holotype QM S107391).

Total length 3.4.

Prosoma. Length 1.8, width 1.5; carapace front covered with bright orange setae, eye region with golden setae surrounded by blue-greenish setae; lateral margin and central band with white setae, separated by a band of dark setae (Fig. 2A); sternum pale, length 0.8, width 0.6, pale (Fig. 7B).

Eyes (Fig. 2B). Diameter of AME: 0.41; ALE: 0.28; PME: 0.24; PLE: 0.005. Front eyes with fringe of white setae.

Eye rows (Fig. 7A). Anterior 1.49 wide, posterior 1.25 wide.

Clypeus. Length 0.1, covered with orange setae.

Chelicerae. Pale brown, paturon with 0 prolateral and 1 retrolateral tooth.

Labium. Pale brown, with lighter anterior rim (Fig. 7B)

Endites. Pale brown, with lighter anterior rim (Fig. 7B).

Legs. Leg I with long dense orange setae on femur I and ventrally on patella, tibia and metatarsus I, tibia and metatarsus I other surface with long dark iridescent setae (Fig. 13H). Leg II–IV pale and dark brown annulated, tarsi white.

Opisthosoma. Length 1.6, width 1.0; blackish with white horizontal anterior band and 2 white dots in posterior part followed by faint white chevrons (Figs 2C, 7A). Venter pale darker around the spinnerets (Fig. 7B); spinnerets pale dusted with grey.

Pedipalps (Figs 7 C–E, 12C). Pedipalpal femur with cluster of long bright orange setae dorsally; tibia as long as broad with finger-shaped retrolateral tibial apophysis, bent at tip; cymbium oval, covered with long iridescent setae, tip stout with distal scopula. Embolic disc large, as wide as long, with smooth, narrow rim, embolus with bifurcate tip accompanied by finger-shaped conductor (Fig. 7D, 12C arrow).

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality (Fig. 14).