Aname pallida -complex

Figs 1, 3A, 4F, 5A, K–L, 6, 15–33

Remarks

See the key to complexes and Figures 3–5 for diagnostic information. In life, spiders of the pallida - complex are usually dark red-brown, sometimes with lighter segments on some or all of the legs (Fig. 6). However, somatic colouration can be surprisingly variable within species (see, for example, the two female A. giraulti specimens pictured in Fig. 6). Females of the pallida -complex generally have reflective bronze setae on the carapace, and sometimes also on the dorsal abdomen and femora. Males of at least some species have reflective silver setae on the carapace and dorsal abdomen (Fig. 6). Spiders of this complex generally construct an open, silk-lined burrow without silk outside of the entrance, with the main entrance often on an angle relative to the ground surface, and with a hidden secondary ‘wishbone’ entrance. The burrows are usually found in areas with a leaf-litter layer, and indeed the main entrance is often somewhat embedded within the leaf-litter (Fig. 6).

Distribution

The pallida -complex has a largely sub-coastal distribution, occurring along a strip of the Queensland coast from the New England Tablelands and Southeast Queensland bioregions along the New South Wales border, as far north as the Einasleigh Uplands and Wet Tropics bioregions in north Queensland (Fig. 6). They occur no more than a few hundred kilometres inland of the Pacific coast, with the most inland species being A. convoluta sp. nov., which occurs about 300 km from the coast. They generally occur in drier woodlands, although some of the northern species can be found in lowland tropical vine scrub or rainforest habitats.

Composition

The pallida -complex includes nine described species: Aname pallida L. Koch, 1873, A. attenuata (Rainbow & Pulleine, 1918), A. blackdownensis Raven, 1985, A. convoluta sp. nov., A. ferruginea sp. nov., A. giraulti (Rainbow, 1914), A. intermedia sp. nov., A. platensis sp. nov., and A. vigilata sp. nov.

Key to species in the Aname pallida -complex

Note: females are unknown for A. vigilata sp. nov.

1. Males.................................................................................................................................................. 2

– Females ............................................................................................................................................ 10

Males

2. Metatarsus I with a rounded heel (Fig. 31).......................................................... A. platensis sp. nov.

– Metatarsus I with a sharp heel ........................................................................................................... 3

3. Embolus with a relatively wide basal section, which then tapers to an attenuate, sinuous distal section after about 0.4 of length (similar to eddieorum -complex species) (Fig. 29) .... A. intermedia sp. nov.

– Embolus with a narrower base, tapering gradually to tip (e.g., Figs 15, 18, 21)............................... 4

4. Embolus reflexed, with a small hook at the tip; palp tibia without short, thorn-like setae along the retrolateral edge of the asetose depression (Figs 15, 25, 27)............................................................. 5

– Embolus not reflexed and without a small hook at the tip; palp tibia with thorn-like setae along retrolateral edge of asetose depression (e.g., Figs 18, 21, 23)........................................................... 7

5. Embolus length ~2.0 × bulb length and only slightly reflexed; tibial spur digitiform (Fig. 25) ............................................................................................................ A. ferruginea sp. nov.

– Embolus longer and more reflexed, tibial spur more triangular (Figs 15, 27)................................... 6

6. Embolus length ~2.3 × bulb length (Fig. 27) .......................................... A. giraulti (Rainbow, 1914)

– Embolus longer (~ 2.5 × bulb length) (Fig. 15) ........................................... A. pallida L. Koch, 1873

7. Embolus length>2.0 × bulb length (Fig. 23).................................................... A. convoluta sp. nov.

– Embolus shorter ................................................................................................................................. 8

8. Copulatory organ with the bulb tapering into the embolus (Fig. 18) .................................................. ........................................................................................... A. attenuata (Rainbow & Pulleine, 1918)

– Embolus more demarcated from the bulb (Figs 21, 33) .................................................................... 9

9. Posterior abdomen covered in erect, bristle-like setae (Fig. 21) ...... A. blackdownensis Raven, 1985

– Posterior abdomen not covered in erect, bristle-like setae (Fig. 33) ..................... A. vigilata sp. nov.

Females

10. Spermathecae lateral vesicle length ~1.0 × width, medial vesicles length ~ 2.6 × lateral vesicle length and curving gradually from a medial to a lateral angle (Fig. 30) ..................... A. intermedia sp. nov.

– Spermathecae otherwise (e.g., Figs 16, 20, 24) ................................................................................11

11. Spermathecae medial vesicle length <0.5 × lateral vesicle length (Figs 16, 26, 28) ...................... 12

– Spermathecae with longer medial vesicles relative to lateral vesicles ............................................ 14

12. Spermathecae lateral vesicle length <1.5 × width (Fig. 26)............................. A. ferruginea sp. nov.

– Spermathecae with more elongate lateral vesicles (Figs 16, 28)..................................................... 13

13. Occurs in central Queensland, in or near the Central Mackay Coast Bioregion (Fig. 6) (based on current data, females of A. pallida and A. giraulti cannot be confidently distinguished morphologically) (Fig. 16) ....................................................................................................... A. pallida L. Koch, 1873

– Occurs in tropical north Queensland, in the Wet Tropics and Einasleigh Upland Bioregions, or the northern part of the Brigalow Belt North Bioregion (Fig. 6) (based on current data females of A. pallida and A. giraulti cannot be confidently distinguished morphologically) (Fig. 28) ................................................................................................... A. giraulti (Rainbow, 1914)

14. Spermathecae medial vesicle length ~0.6 × genitalia width and cork-screw shaped (Fig. 24) ............................................................................................................. A. convoluta sp. nov.

– Spermathecae with shorter medial vesicles (length <0.5 × genitalia width)................................... 15

15. Posterior abdomen covered in erect, bristle-like setae (Fig. 22) ...... A. blackdownensis Raven, 1985

– Posterior abdomen not covered in erect, bristle-like setae (Figs 20, 32)......................................... 16

16. Spermathecae medial vesicle length ~4.1 × width, undulating slightly (Figs 19–20) ........................ ........................................................................................... A. attenuata (Rainbow & Pulleine, 1918)

– Spermathecae with straighter and less elongate medial vesicles (Fig. 32).......... A. platensis sp. nov.