Aname litoralis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 0EF6AC14-C139-468F-85CB-F53D4BE946C3

Figs 14, 114

Diagnosis

Males of A. litoralis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known by a small body size (carapace length <4.0 mm), the presence of a short embolus (embolus length / bulb length <1.5), a triangular tibial spur with a long megaspine (megaspine length / tibia length>0.3), and short thorn-like setae along the retrolateral edge of the asetose depression (Fig. 114L–Q).

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

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ litoralis ’ is a Latin adjective meaning ‘coastal’ or ‘pertaining to the shore’, in reference to the distribution of this species on the central Queensland coast and coastal islands.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; Proserpine, Thompson Creek; 20°31′ S, 148°33′ E; 30 m a.s.l.; 15 Aug.–6 Nov. 2007; R.J. Raven and C. Burwell leg.; pitfall trap, closed forest; QMB S85445.

Paratypes

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♂; Proserpine, Thompson Creek; 20°29′ S, 148°34′ E; 37 m a.s.l.; 5 Nov. 2007 – 13 Feb. 2008; R.J. Raven leg.; pitfall trap, closed forest; QMB S85456 • 1 ♂; Proserpine, Thompson Creek; 20°31′ S, 148°33′ E; 30 m a.s.l.; 10 May–15 Aug. 2007; R.J. Raven leg.; pitfall trap, closed forest; QMB S85023 • 1 ♂; Proserpine, Thompson Creek; 20°31′ S, 148°33′ E; 30 m a.s.l.; 15 Aug.–6 Nov. 2007; R.J. Raven and C. Burwell leg.; pitfall trap, closed forest; QMB S85194 .

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 2 ♂♂, 3 juvs; Bowen, Rose Bay; 20°00′ S, 148°16′ E; 2 Dec. 1992 – 22 Apr. 1993; R.J. Raven, S. Raven, P. Lawless and E. Lawless leg.; pitfall trap, vine thicket; QMB S57686 • 1 ♂; Percy Isles National Park, South Island, north-western bay; 21°45′ S, 150°18′ E; 26 Nov. 1992 – 15 Apr. 1993; G.B. Monteith, G. Thompson, D.J. Cook and H. Janetzki leg.; gutter trap; QMB S27416 .

Description

Male (holotype, QMB S85445)

GENERAL (Fig. 114A–Q). Body length 8.99, in good condition, colour presumably faded due to preservation.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 114A, E–F). Carapace length 2.98, width 2.45, length/width 1.22, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.71, caput width/carapace width 0.64, carapace orange-brown, reflective setae present, light on caput, light on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.16 (Fig. 114A, F); chelicerae orange-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.73 (Fig. 114A); eye group rectangular, width/length 2.05, eye tubercle present (Fig. 114E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 114B, D). Abdomen length 3.38, grey, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 114C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 114H); maxillae heel absent or inconspicuous, cuspules present, count = about 31, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 30% of maxillae length (Fig. 114C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 114C, I); sternum length/width 1.15, central sternum with consistent covering of moderate setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 114G–H); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.35, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.10 (Fig. 114G– H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 114G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 114N–Q). Leg I red-brown, femur length 2.67, patella length 1.80, tibia length 2.11, metatarsus length 2.00, tarsus length 1.32, total length 9.90, leg I length/carapace length 3.32 (Fig. 114N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 114N–O); spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2 (proximal rubbed off), Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 114N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.52, even width along length, spur present, triangular, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 33 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.50, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.51, megaspine length/tibia length 0.33 (Fig. 114N–P); metatarsus relatively straight, proximal excavation present, excavation concave with slight heel, heel semi-sharp, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/ MIL] 0.53, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 4.12 (Fig. 114N–O, Q).

PEDIPALP (Fig. 114J–M). Tibia length 1.36, width 0.53, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.59, 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. 114J–K); patella prolateral face with 2 spines (Fig. 114J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 114J–K); copulatory organ total length 0.62, length/palp tibia length 0.45 (Fig. 114L–M); bulb length/width 0.93 (Fig. 114L–M); embolus tapering from bulb, attenuate, tapering and curving relatively evenly to point, width at base/bulb width 0.27, embolus length/bulb length 1.35 (Fig. 114L– M).

Distribution and natural history

Aname litoralis sp. nov. occurs in central-eastern Queensland, in the Central Mackay Coast bioregion (including on at least one offshore island), near the town of Proserpine and its surroundings (Fig. 14). The form of burrows constructed by spiders of this species is unknown.