Aname mariala sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 1E42ECAA-350E-457A-88A3-CAC0C664F6E1

Figs 13, 100

Diagnosis

Males of A. mariala sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known except A. albicula 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. 100A–Q). Males of A. mariala can be distinguished from those of A. albicula by the absence of an embolic apophysis on the copulatory organ, adjacent to the embolus (Fig. 100L–M; cf. Fig. 99).

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

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ mariala ’ is a noun in apposition, referencing Mariala National Park, near Charleville in central Queensland, where the type specimen was found.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; about 15 km W of Mariala National Park, “Gumbardo” property off Adavale Cheepie Rd; 26°05′ S, 144°46′ E; Apr. 2001; T. Beutel leg.; pitfall trap, mulga; QMB S77354.

Description

Male (holotype, QMB S77354)

GENERAL (Fig. 100A–Q). Body length 9.41, in good condition, colour presumably faded due to preservation.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 100A, E–F). Carapace length 3.67, width 3.06, length/width 1.20, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.68, caput width/carapace width 0.64, carapace pallid-orange, caput slighty darker than thorax, with T-shaped pigmented area along frontal and medial caput, reflective setae absent or inconspicuous, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.12 (Fig. 100A, F); chelicerae orange, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.51 (Fig. 100A); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.99, eye tubercle present (Fig. 100E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 100B, D). Abdomen length 3.91, pallid, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 100C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 100H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 45, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 35% of maxillae length (Fig. 100C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 100C, I); sternum length/width 1.26, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 100G–H); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/ sternum length 0.29, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.10 (Fig. 100G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 100G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 100N–Q). Leg I pallid-orange, darker on distal femur, patella, and proximal metatarsus, femur length 3.45, patella length 2.05, tibia length 2.50, metatarsus length 2.67, tarsus length 1.71, total length 12.37, leg I length/carapace length 3.37 (Fig. 100N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 100N–O); spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 3, Ti PL 0, Ti RL 1, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 100N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.48, even width along length, spur present, triangular, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 27 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.50, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.59, megaspine length/tibia length 0.38 (Fig. 100N–P); metatarsus relatively straight, proximal excavation present, excavation straight with inconspicuous heel, heel rounded, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.37, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 5.52 (Fig. 100N–O, Q).

PEDIPALP (Fig. 100J–M). Tibia length 1.44, width 0.56, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.59, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.49, retrolateral face with consistent covering of light setae, ventral face with one spine-like, and one bristle-like seta below depression, prolateral face with one disto-ventral spine and a single medial spine, disto-medial spine present (Fig. 100J–K); patella prolateral face with 3 (proximal weak) spines (Fig. 100J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 100J–K); copulatory organ total length 0.72, length/palp tibia length 0.50 (Fig. 100L–M); bulb length/width 1.13 (Fig. 100L–M); embolus tapering from bulb, attenuate, tapering and curving relatively evenly to point, one slight bend, at about 0.5 of length, width at base/bulb width 0.14, embolus length/bulb length 0.82 (Fig. 100L–M).

Distribution and natural history

Aname mariala sp. nov. occurs in south-western Queensland, in the Mulga Lands bioregion, where it is known from one location in Mariala National Park (Fig. 13). The form of burrows constructed by spiders of this species is unknown.