Poecilipta zbigniewi, 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 : 220-221

Poecilipta zbigniewi sp. nov.

( Figs 124 , 125a–e . Map 83)

Material: Tasmania: holotype ♂, Flat Rock, Chaunceyvale, TMAG J4206 . Paratypes : Tasmania: allotype ♀, 1♀, same data but TMAG J4198 ; 1♀, Mount Nelson, South Hobart , 42°56'S, 147°20'E, from eucalypt forest, under rocks & logs, 5 May 1996, L.J. Boutin, TMAG J4493 ; 2♂, 1♀, Trevallyn, 41°27'S, 147°10'E, V. V. Hickman, AM KS28952 , KS28953 .

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of P. contorqua in the smaller and simple, unflared embolus tip; females are unusual in that the copulatory ducts first recurve back ectally (not entally as almost universal in Poecilipta , e.g. Fig. 117h ) coming to the spermathecal insertion from dorsal not medial ( Fig. 125e ).

Etymology. Named in honour of Zbigniew Preisner (born 1955), a Polish film score composer, well known for his work with film director Krzysztof Kieślowski (1941–1996).

Description Holotype male TMAG J4206

Carapace 2.03 long, 1.40 wide. Abdomen 2.28 long, 1.18 wide. Total length 4.4.

Colour in alcohol: carapace matt brown with black reticulations and two light lines in posterior striae; abdomen dark brown, scute (0.8 of length) brown, with two bands of white hair in anterior fifth and half length. Legs: length of palp, femur I and distal 0.8 of II dark brown, rest pallid. Sternum and chelicerae brown, coxae pallid. Carapace: Margins with widely spaced small serrations. Sternum slightly domed. Chelicerae with low fang shield with long weak setae. Abdomen: pedicel with short but distinct collar. Ventral scute broad, rounded rectangular, includes tracheal spiracle. Legs: femur III with distinct predistal constriction, not evident on IV. Spines: weak paired spines ventrally on tibiae and metatarsi I and II. I: fe pv1p1d3; pa 0; ti v2.2; me v2.2. II: fe p3r3; pa 0; rest like I. III: fe p2d2r1; pa 0; ti pd2r1v2.2.2; me p2r2v2.2 +dw4. IV: fe p1d2; pa d1; ti p1d2r1v2.2.2; me p3r3v2.2+dw4. Palp: fe pad3; pa p1; ti p2. Palp: distinct paracymbial spine on low mound; cymbium basally narrow, widens quickly then constricts to digitiform cymbial tip; embolus widens from distal bulb twisting into small spiral.

Allotype female TMAG J4198 , like ♂ but:

Carapace 2.50 long, 1.68 wide. Abdomen 2.87 long, 1.81 wide. Total length 5.5.

Colour in alcohol: carapace with almost black caput, rest dark brown with black reticulated marks, band of feathery hairs in posterior striae. Legs like ♂; abdomen with dark brown scute, small band of white hairs across anterior edge of abdomen, and two pairs of white hair spots mid-dorsally and tuft of white hairs above spinnerets. Chelicerae: fang mound low with 8–10 fine curved hairs. Spines: like male but extra pair of spines basally on right (but not left) tibia. Palp: fe p1d2; pa p1d1; ti p2d1; ta p1r1v2, tarsus 1.09 long, i.e., 0.43 of carapace length. Legs: femoral constriction like ♂. Abdomen: dorsal scute square, 0.3 of length; tracheal scute broad, deep crescentic. Epigyne: two large oval copulatory openings.

Variation. One female (J4493) from South Hobart has two fine bands across the dorsal abdomen, the bands are pallid and white scales. The other female from Flat Rock (J4198) has an orange brown carapace and a black caput.

Distribution and habitat. Known from eucalypt woodland in south-eastern Tasmania.

Figures

FIGURE 117. Poecilipta contorqua sp. nov.: a–c, scanning electron micrographs; a–f, male palpal bulb, ventral view (a); b, d, embolus tip, ventral view; c, paracymbial spine, ventral view; with tibia and cymbium, ventral (e) and retrolateral (f) views; g, h, allotype female, AM KS40123: epigyne, external (g), and internal (h).

FIGURE 124. Poecilipta zbigniewi sp. nov., habitus, female (Photo: Robert Whyte).

FIGURE 125. Poecilipta zbigniewi sp. nov., TMAG J4206: a–c, holotype male, palpal patella and cymbium, ventral view (a), cymbium tip, retrolateral view (b), cymbium dorsal view (c); d, e, allotype female TMAG J4198, epigyne, external (d) and internal (e) views.