Aname aurantella sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: B9A257C8-1C17-425C-ABAA-94BD7210477F

Figs 13, 96

Diagnosis

Males of A. aurantella sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known except A. gilbertensis sp. nov. and A. pyroensis sp. nov. 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 triangular tibial spur (rather than more digitiform), a tibial megaspine of moderate length (megaspine length/ tibia length 0.25–0.3), and short thorn-like setae along the retrolateral edge of the asetose depression on palp tibia (Fig. 96A–Q). Males of A. aurantella can be distinguished from those of A. gilbertensis and A. pyroensis by the presence of a straighter metatarsus I, with a shorter proximal excavation (excavation length/ metatarsus length ~0.4; cf. ~0.5) (Fig. 96Q; cf. Figs 97–98).

Females of A. aurantella sp. nov. are unknown.

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ aurantella ’ is an adjective formed from the Latin ‘ aurant ’ meaning ‘orange’, and the diminutive suffix ‘- ella ’, together meaning ‘small and orange’, referencing the physical appearance of the holotype of this species.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; 1 km W [E] of Marble Creek crossing; 19°06′ S, 145°16′ E; 27 Sep.– 17 Dec. 2006; R.J. Raven and A. Amey leg.; pitfall trap, open forest; QMB S76998.

Description

Male (holotype, QMB S76998)

GENERAL (Fig. 96A–Q). Body length 12.64, in good condition, colour presumably faded due to preservation.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 96A, E–F). Carapace length 5.28, width 4.21, length/width 1.25, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.67, caput width/carapace width 0.69, carapace red-brown, caput slightly darker than thorax, reflective setae present, light on caput, very light on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.15 (Fig. 96A, F); chelicerae dark red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.46 (Fig. 96A); eye group rectangular, width/length 2.18, eye tubercle present (Fig. 96E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 96B, D). Abdomen length 4.67, grey-brown, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 96C, G–I). Labium cuspules present, count= 2 (Fig. 96H); maxillae heel absent or inconspicuous, cuspules present, count= about 69, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 30% of maxillae length (Fig. 96C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 96C, I); sternum length/width 1.29, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 96G–H); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.27, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.09 (Fig. 96G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 96G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 96N–Q). Leg I orange-brown, lighter on patella, tibia, distal metatarsus and tarsus, femur length 4.31, patella length 2.74, tibia length 3.15, metatarsus length 3.13, tarsus length 2.08, total length 15.41, leg I length/carapace length 2.92 (Fig. 96N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 96N–O); spine count Fe D 2, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2 (proximal rubbed off), Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 96N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.52, even width along length, spur present, triangular, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 20 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.49, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.45, megaspine length/tibia length 0.28 (Fig. 96N– P); metatarsus relatively straight, proximal excavation present, excavation concave with slight heel, heel rounded, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.41, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 4.29 (Fig. 96N–O, Q).

PEDIPALP (Fig. 96J–M). Tibia length 2.04, width 0.78, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.61, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.54, retrolateral face with short, thorn-like setae along retrolateral edge of depression, getting denser proximally, ventral face with two elongate bristle-like setae below depression, prolateral face with two disto-ventral spines, disto-medial spine present (Fig. 96J–K); patella prolateral face with 2 spines (Fig. 96J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 96J–K); copulatory organ total length 0.98, length/palp tibia length 0.48 (Fig. 96L–M); bulb length/ width 1.03 (Fig. 96L–M); embolus demarcated and roughly perpendicular to bulb, attenuate, tapering and curving relatively evenly to point, width at base/bulb width 0.21, embolus length/bulb length 1.46 (Fig. 96L–M).

Distribution and natural history

Aname aurantella sp. nov. occurs in northern Queensland, in the Einasleigh Uplands bioregion, where it is known from one location between the towns of Greenvale and Basalt, north-west of Townsville (Fig. 13). The burrow constructed by specimens of this species is unknown.