Aname albicula sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: F008E02B-2EFA-45EA-8510-C2A36FD412A6

Figs 13, 99

Diagnosis

Males of A. albicula sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known except A. mariala sp. nov. by a small body size (carapace length <4.0 mm), the presence of a short embolus (embolus length / bulb length <1.5) that is very thin and sharp, a relatively thin metatarsus I (metatarsus I length / width>4), and the absence of thorn-like setae on the retrolateral palp tibia (Fig. 99A–Q). Males of A. albicula can be distinguished from those of A. mariala by the presence of a small embolic apophysis on the copulatory organ, adjacent to the embolus (Fig. 99L–M; cf. Fig. 100).

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

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ albicula ’ is an adjective formed from the Latin ‘ albus ’, meaning ‘white’, and the suffix ‘- cula ’, which is associated with diminutiveness, referencing the spider’s physical appearance.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – New South Wales • ♂; Ledknapper Nature Reserve; 29°16′ S, 146°14′ E; 5 Sep. 1994; QMB S108632.

Description

Male (holotype, QMB S108632)

GENERAL (Fig. 99A–Q). Body length 7.98,in good condition, colour presumably faded due to preservation.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 99A, E–F). Carapace length 3.09, width 2.26, length/width 1.37, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.67, caput width/carapace width 0.66, carapace pallid, almost white, reflective setae absent or inconspicuous, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.07 (Fig. 99A, F); chelicerae pallid, almost white, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.47 (Fig. 99A); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.96, eye tubercle present (Fig. 99E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 99B, D). Abdomen length 3.45, very light grey, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 99C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 99H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 60, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 45% of maxillae length (Fig. 99C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 99C, I); sternum length/width 1.30, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 99G–H); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/ sternum length 0.34, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.06 (Fig. 99G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 99G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 99N–Q). Leg I pallid, almost white, femur length 2.89, patella length 1.64, tibia length 2.05, metatarsus length 2.02, tarsus length 1.52, total length 10.12, leg I length/carapace length 3.27 (Fig. 99N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 99N–O); spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 2, Ti RL 0, Me PL 2, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 99N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.49, even width along length, spur present, intermediate triangular/digitiform, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 21 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.57, spur height/tibia width [TISH/ TID] 0.64, megaspine length/tibia length 0.34 (Fig. 99N–P); metatarsus relatively straight, proximal excavation present, excavation gently concave, heel semi-sharp, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.37, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 4.20 (Fig. 99N–O, Q).

PEDIPALP (Fig. 99J–M). Tibia length 1.31, width 0.58, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.27, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.42, retrolateral face with consistent covering of light setae, ventral face with two elongate bristle-like setae below depression, prolateral face with no spines, disto-medial spine present (Fig. 99J–K); patella prolateral face with 2 spines (Fig. 99J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 99J–K); copulatory organ total length 0.62, length/palp tibia length 0.48 (Fig. 99L–M); bulb length/width 1.08, with small apophysis adjacent to embolus (Fig. 99L–M); embolus tapering from bulb, attenuate, tapering and curving relatively evenly to point, one slight bend, at about 0.4 of length, width at base/bulb width 0.18, embolus length/bulb length 0.84 (Fig. 99L–M).

Distribution and natural history

Aname albicula sp. nov. occurs in north-western New South Wales, in the Mulga Lands bioregion, in Ledknapper Nature Reserve (Fig. 13). The form of burrows constructed by spiders of this species is unknown.