Aname nigrotarsa sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 2A5BCF12-59FC-4B31-858E-E0F9995F2507

Figs 12, 89

Diagnosis

Males of A. nigrotarsa sp. nov. are unknown.

Females of A. nigrotarsa sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which females are known except A. fossoria sp. nov., A. fuscochelicera sp. nov., A. nigrochelicera sp. nov., A. rubrochelicera sp. nov., and A. savannensis sp. nov. by the presence of spermathecae with two vesicles, with very short, wide lateral vesicles (lateral vesicle length / genitalia width <0.25) and thinner medial vesicles projecting from the ventral face of the lateral vesicles (Fig. 89A–L). Females of A. nigrotarsa can be distinguished from those of A. nigrochelicera, A. rubrochelicera, and A. savannensis by the presence of spermathecae with tightly undulating medial vesicles (Fig. 89L; cf. Figs 88, 91, 93). Females of A. nigrotarsa can be distinguished from those of A. fuscochelicera by the presence of lighter red chelicerae (Fig. 89A, C; cf. Fig. 85). Females of A. nigrotarsa can be distinguished from those of A. fossoria by the presence of spermathecae with more elongate medial vesicles (medial vesicle length /width>5) and anterior legs usually with dark tarsi and distal metatarsi (Fig. 89J–L; cf. Fig. 83).

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ nigrotarsa ’ is an adjective formed from the Latin ‘ niger ’ meaning ‘black’ or ‘dark’, and ‘ tarsus ’ meaning ‘foot’. Combined, the epithet references the conspicuous black tarsi of live females.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♀; Mulligan Highway, NW of Mount Molloy; 16°39′ S, 145°15′ E; 395 m a.s.l.; 9 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, no wishbone); QMB S118311.

Paratypes

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♀; Burke Development Road, SE of Almaden; 17°21′ S, 144°41′ E; 486 m a.s.l.; 11 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, no wishbone); QMB S118318 • 1 ♀; Silver Valley Road, off Kennedy Highway, W of Ravenshoe; 17°36′ S, 145°18′ E; 718 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, no wishbone); QMB SS118330 • 1 ♀; Silver Valley Road, off Kennedy Highway, W of Ravenshoe; 17°36′ S, 145°18′ E; 718 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, no wishbone); QMB S118331 .

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 juv.; Burke Development Road, SE of Almaden; 17°21′ S, 144°41′ E; 476 m a.s.l.; 11 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, with parallel wishbone re-connecting to main shaft); QMB S118319 • 1 juv.; Silver Valley Road, off Kennedy Highway, W of Ravenshoe; 17°36′ S, 145°18′ E; 708 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, with parallel wishbone re-connecting to main shaft); QMB S118329 .

Description

Female (holotype, QMB S118311)

GENERAL (Fig. 89A–L). Body length 22.79, in good condition.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 89A, E–F). Carapace length 8.33, width 7.10, length/width 1.17, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.71, caput width/carapace width 0.77, carapace pallid-orange, reflective setae absent or inconspicuous, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.16 (Fig. 89A, F); chelicerae orange, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.60 (Fig. 89A); eye group rectangular, width/length 2.1, eye tubercle present (Fig. 89E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 89B, D). Abdomen length 9.11, brown, darker dorsally and lighter laterally, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 89C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 89H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 162, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 55% of maxillae length (Fig. 89C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 89C, I); sternum length/width 1.08, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges, setae at higher density around anterior edges (Fig. 89G–H); posterior sigilla semi-elongate, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.26, posterior sigilla length/ sternum length 0.18 (Fig. 89G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 89G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 89J–K). Leg I pallid, darker on distal metatarsus and tarsus, femur length 6.60, patella length 4.19, tibia length 4.66, metatarsus length 4.43, tarsus length 2.83, total length 22.70, leg I length/ carapace length 2.73; scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus; spine count Fe D 2, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 4, Ti RL 4, Me PL 4, Me RL 3, Ta 0; tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.40.

GENITALIA (Fig. 89D, L). Epigastric furrow unmodified (Fig. 89D); spermathecae with two vesicles each (Fig. 89L); lateral vesicle very wide, short and roughly triangular, length 0.31, lateral vesicle length/ genitalia width 0.21, length/width at base 0.52, crown distinct and narrow (Fig. 89L); medial vesicle short, undulating, and projecting postero-ventrally, medial vesicle length/genitalia width 0.32, length/ width 5.46, medial vesicle length/lateral vesicle length 1.53 (Fig. 89L).

Distribution and natural history

Aname nigrotarsa sp. nov. occurs in northern Queensland, in the Einasleigh Uplands bioregion, where it is known from three locations west of the wet tropics, roughly from Mount Garnet north to Mount Carbine (Fig. 12). It constructs an open burrow with very inconspicuous (or absent) silk-lining and often without a secondary ‘wishbone’ entrance, or if a wishbone is present, the tunnels of the two entrances run parallel and adjacent to one another (Fig. 12).