Leviana mulieraria (Keyserling, 1887) comb. nov.

Figs 14, 17A-D, 18A-D

Epeira mulieraria Keyserling 1887: 200-201, plate 18, figs 1, 1a.

Aranea mulieraria (Keyserling).- Roewer 1942: 830.

Araneus mulierarius (Keyserling).- Rainbow 1911: 189; Bonnet 1955: 547.

Type material.

Holotype of Epeira mulieraria Keyserling, 1887: male, Cape York (ca. 10°41'S, 142°31'E, Queensland, Australia), Bradley Collection (considered lost; Framenau 2005)) (not examined).

Other material examined.

Australia: Northern Territory: 3 females, 3 juv., Amphitheatre Crystal Falls, Nitmiluk National Park, 14°19'S, 132°34'E (QM S37914) ; 1 male, 1 juv., Darwin, 12°27'S, 130°50'E (MV K-10353) ; 2 female, Groote Eylandt, 13°56'S, 136°36'E (SAM) ; 1 male, Humpty Doo, Solar Village, 12°35'S, 131°05'E (AM KS.59129) ; 1 female, Litchfield National Park, 13°07'20"S, 130°48'40"E (AM KS.62728) ; 1 male, Litchfield National Park, 13°09'S, 130°46'E (AM KS.59123). Queensland : 1 female, Hibbet Point, Weipa, 12°37'S, 141°52'E (QM S116639) ; 1 female, Lockerbie, 10°48'S, 142°27'E (QM S39740) ; 1 male, Mt Cook, 15°30'S, 145°16'E (QM S116640). Western Australia : 4 females, 5 juv., Corneille Island, Bonaparte Archipelago, 14°11'20"S, 125°43'56"E (WAM T77420) ; 1 female, Kununurra, Frank Wise Institute, Agriculture WA, 15°46'S, 128°44'E (WAM T85272) ; 2 females, 2 juv., Kununurra, Kona Lakeside Caravan Park, 15°47'33"S, 128°43'20"E (WAM T77418) ; 1 male, same locality (WAM T77419); 1 male, South Meret Island, track above north-east beach, 14°26'S, 124°59'E (WAM T81168) .

Diagnosis.

Leviana mulieraria comb. nov. is unique amongst all Leviana gen. nov. species based on the elongate, cylindrical abdomen; all other species have an ovoid, slightly dorso-ventrally compressed abdomen. Genital morphology is most similar to that of L. minima sp. nov., but the median apophysis of the male pedipalp is broader and tapering more apically (Fig. 15C vs Fig. 17C) and the lateral edges of the female epigyne do not protrude as much (Fig. 16E vs Fig. 18D).

Description.

Male (QM S116640). Total length 3.6. Carapace (Fig. 17A) 2.0 long, 1.4 wide; brown, centrally somewhat lighter in posterior cephalic area; fovea indistinct elongate depression. Eyes: AME 0.18, ALE 0.11, PME 0.14, PLE 0.11; row of eyes: AME 0.43, PME 0.27, PLE 0.77. Sternum (Fig. 17B) 0.9 long, 0.7 wide, orange-brown; dark grey pigmentation towards margins; covered with few white setae. Labium 0.18 long, 0.32 wide; basally brown. Maxillae brown. Chelicerae brown; three retromarginal teeth of equal size, three promarginal teeth with the median largest. Legs: leg formula I> II> IV> III; dark brown with distinct yellow-brown annulations; lengths of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total leg length): pedipalp 0.3 + 0.2 + 0.2 + - + 0.4 = 1.1, I 1.5 + 0.8 + 1.4 + 1.2 + 0.6 = 5.5, II 1.4 + 0.7 + 1.1 +1.0 + 0.5 = 4.7, III 1.0 + 0.5 + 0.6 + 0.5 + 0.4 = 3.0, IV 1.2 + 0.6 + 1.0 + 0.8 + 0.5 = 4.1. Abdomen (Fig. 17A, B) 1.9 long, 1.3 wide; elongate cylindrial; dorsally yellow-beige, with black irregular, square patch posteriorly; three distinct pairs of dark brown sigilla centrally; venter uniformly beige with few small darker spots.

Pedipalps (Fig. 17C, D): median apophysis broad, apically tapering, basally with spine inside arch; terminal apophysis partially translucent, broadly lobed and with basal spine; embolus short; conductor broad.

Female (based on QM S116639). Total length 6.2. Carapace (Fig. 18A) 2.4 long, 1.6 wide; brown with indistinct radial darker lines demarcating cephalic area; fovea shallow and poorly demarcated. Eyes: AME 0.18, ALE 0.11, PME 0.13, PLE 0.11; row of eyes: AME 0.38, PME 0.27, PLE 0.92. Sternum 1.1 long, 0.9 wide; orange-brown; darker towards margins; brown setae denser toward margin. Labium 0.36 long, 0.45 wide, brown. Maxillae as male. Chelicerae brown; few white setae in basal half; four promarginal teeth, with the apical and third one largest; three retromarginal teeth of similar size. Legs: leg formula I> II> IV> III; femora and patellae yellowish-brown, tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi orange-brown; lengths of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length of leg): pedipalp 0.9 + 0.4 + 0.4 + - + 0.7 = 2.4, I 1.6+1.0 + 1.5 + 1.4 + 0.7 = 6.2, II 1.5 + 0.8 + 1.1 + 1.2 + 0.6 = 5.2, III 1.1 + 0.6 + 0.7 + 0.6 + 0.5 = 3.5, IV 1.5 + 0.8 + 1.1 + 1.1 + 0.6 = 5.1. Abdomen (Fig. 18A, B) 4.2 long, 2.5 wide; ovoid cylindrical, central band olive-grey turning black posteriorly, anteriorly with two white guanine patches; three distinct pair of brown sigilla; laterally light olive grey; venter olive grey with two white lines laterally; spinnerets brown. Epigyne (Fig. 18C, D) wider than long; lateral edges semicircular with narrow ridges; shape of scape unknown, broken off in all specimens examined (Fig. 18C); central division tapering intо a narrow base (Fig. 18D).

Variation.

Males total length 3.6-5.0 (n = 2), females 5.0-7.3 (n = 6). Colour variations of this species mainly relate to the abdomen, where the Leviana folium pattern can be more or less distinct (e.g. compare male and female in Figs 17A, 18A). The scape was broken off in all six female specimens measured.

Remarks.

The holotype of Epeira mulieraria, described from a male of the Bradley collection, appears to be lost (see also Framenau 2005) as it could not be found in any of the historic museum collections in which Keyserling’s type material is deposited. However, the unique morphology of this species including its distinct abdominal colouration leave no doubt about the identity of this species and it is not considered necessary to designate a neotype here.

Life history and habitat preferences.

Collecting numbers of L. mulieraria comb. nov. are too low for an interpretation of its life cycles. Mature females were found from January to March, in May, August and October, mature males in March, May, August and October to November. Adults of this tropical species were therefore collected both in the wet and the dry seasons. Habitat descriptions include rainforest and vine thickets.

Distribution.

Leviana mulieraria comb. nov. has been found in tropical northern Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia north of 16°S (Fig. 14).