Aname savannensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 6ECAA560-A7A9-4E7D-9DAD-2EB0F88B10E7

Figs 12, 92–93

Diagnosis

Males of A. savannensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known by a moderate to large body size (carapace length>4.0 mm), the presence of a short embolus (embolus length/ bulb length <1.5) that curves gradually to a point, a large, digitiform tibial spur (spur length /tibia width> 0.7), and a very short proximal excavation and long, straight distal pad on metatarsus I (excavation length / metatarsus length ~0.4). (Fig. 92L–Q).

Females of A. savannensis 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. nigrotarsa sp. nov., and A. rubrochelicera 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. 93A–L). Females of A. savannensis can be distinguished from those of A. fossoria, A. fuscochelicera, and A. nigrotarsa by the presence of spermathecae with straight medial vesicles (Fig. 93L; cf. Figs 83, 85, 89). Females of A. savannensis can be distinguished from those of A. nigrochelicera by the presence of spermathecae with lateral vesicles without narrow, round crowns (Fig. 93L; cf. Fig. 88). Females of A. savannensis can be distinguished from those of A. rubrochelicera by the presence of spermathecae with medial vesicles with distally-rounded crowns (Fig. 93L; cf. Fig. 91).

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ savannensis ’ references the distribution of this species across the savannah of northern Queensland, from Cape York to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; 5.4 km NNW of Killarney Homestead; 15°23′ S, 143°28′ E; 18–22 Jul. 2015; C.J. Burwell leg.; pitfall trap, Melaleuca woodland; QMB S22129.

Paratype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♂; 5.4 km NNW of Killarney HS; 15°23′ S, 143°28′ E; 150 m a.s.l.; 13–24 Jul. 2015; R.J. Raven and R.C. Santana leg.; pitfall trap, open forest; QMB S108756.

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♂; Westmoreland Station; 17°21′ S, 138°15′ E; Nov. 2009; S. MacDonald leg.; QMB S104806 • 1 ♀; 29.2 km W of Georgetown, close to Gilbert River; 18°16′ S, 143°13′ E; 14 Aug. 2020; E.J. Briggs and B.R. Briggs leg.; excavated; QMB S118211 .

Description

Male (holotype, QMB S22129)

GENERAL (Fig. 92A–Q). Body length 22.09, in good condition, collected relatively recently.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 92A, E–F). Carapace length 8.93, width 7.44, length/width 1.20, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.68, caput width/carapace width 0.65, carapace orange-brown, caput much darker than thorax, reflective setae present, moderate on caput, moderate on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.14 (Fig. 92A, F); chelicerae dark red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.53 (Fig. 92A); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.84, eye tubercle present (Fig. 92E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 92B, D). Abdomen length 8.37, light grey, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 92C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 92H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 83, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 40% of maxillae length (Fig. 92C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 92C, I); sternum length/width 1.19, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges, some shorter thorn-like setae around anterior edges (Fig. 92G–H); posterior sigilla elongate, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.18, posterior sigilla length/ sternum length 0.21 (Fig. 92G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 92G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 92N–Q). Leg I golden, darker on femur and patella, reflective setae on dorsal femur, femur length 7.07, patella length 4.43, tibia length 5.45, metatarsus length 5.81, tarsus length 3.31, total length 26.08, leg I length/carapace length 2.92 (Fig. 92N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 92N–O); spine count Fe D 5, Fe PL 2, Pa PL 3, Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 92N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.71, even width along length, spur present, digitiform, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 25 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.58, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.77, megaspine length/tibia length 0.19 (Fig. 92N–P); metatarsus relatively straight, proximal excavation present, excavation concave with pronounced heel, heel rounded, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.39, metatarsus length/width [MIL/ MID] 5.01 (Fig. 92N–O, Q).

PEDIPALP (Fig. 92J–M). Tibia length 3.26, width 1.34, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.43, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.54, retrolateral face with consistent covering of light setae, ventral face with two elongate bristle-like setae below depression, prolateral face with patch of spines on distal half, disto-medial spine present (Fig. 92J–K); patella prolateral face with 2 spines (Fig. 92J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 92J–K); copulatory organ total length 1.58, length/palp tibia length 0.48 (Fig. 92L–M); bulb length/width 1.07 (Fig. 92L–M); embolus demarcated and roughly perpendicular to bulb, attenuate, tapering and curving relatively evenly to point, one strong bend, at about 0.8 of length, width at base/bulb width 0.26, embolus length/bulb length 1.15 (Fig. 92L–M).

Female (QMB S118211)

GENERAL (Fig. 93A–L). Body length 22.39, in moderate condition, collectly recently but eye group and dorsal abdomen damaged.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 93A, F). Carapace length 9.12, width 8.06, length/width 1.13, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.68, caput width/carapace width 0.76, carapace pallid, reflective setae absent or inconspicuous, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.19; chelicerae pallid, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.51 (Fig. 93A).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 93B, D). Abdomen length 8.71, light brown, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 93C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 93H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 153, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 60% of maxillae length (Fig. 93C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 93C, I); sternum length/width 1.17, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 93G–H); posterior sigilla elongate, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.22, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.19 (Fig. 93G–H); other sigilla small and lateral, medial sigilla semi-elongate, anterior sigilla round (Fig. 93G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 93J–K). Leg I pallid, femur length 7.02, patella length 4.27, tibia length 4.93, metatarsus length 4.76, tarsus length 2.69, total length 23.66, leg I length/carapace length 2.59; scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus; spine count Fe D 2, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 3, Ti RL 4, Me PL 3, Me RL 4, Ta 0; tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.64.

GENITALIA (Fig. 93D, L). Epigastric furrow unmodified (Fig. 93D); spermathecae with two vesicles each (Fig. 93L); lateral vesicle very wide, short and roughly triangular, length 0.25, lateral vesicle length/ genitalia width 0.17, length/width at base 0.38, crown un-demarcated (Fig. 93L); medial vesicle short, undulating, and projecting postero-ventrally, medial vesicle length/genitalia width 0.23, length/width 4.19, medial vesicle length/lateral vesicle length 1.34 (Fig. 93L).

Distribution and natural history

Aname savannensis sp. nov. occurs in northern Queensland, in the Cape York Peninsula and Gulf Plains bioregions, from around the town of Laura west to Nicholson (Fig. 12). The form of burrows constructed by spiders of this species is unknown, but is likely to be similar to that of other rubrochelicera -complex species (Fig. 12).