Aname platensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:85689b9e-96a4-4f80-bd28-ebe532cfa7b9

Figs 6, 31–32

Aname barrema Raven, 1985 – Raven 1985: fig. 72 (illustrated female paratype QMB S1243 [Girraween National Park] assigned to A. barrema Raven, 1985, here identified as A. platensis sp. nov.).

Diagnosis

Males of A. platensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known by a moderate to large body size (carapace length>4.0 mm), the presence of a long embolus (embolus length / bulb length>1.5), a narrow sternum (sternum length / width>1.3), and a thick metatarsus I with a rounded heel (metatarsus I length /width ~3.5) (Fig. 31A–Q).

Females of A. platensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which females are known except A. attenuata, A. blackdownensis, and A. convoluta sp. nov. by the presence of spermathecae with two vesicles, with relatively long and straight lateral vesicles (lateral vesicle length/ genitalia width>0.25), and long medial vesicles (medial vesicle length/ lateral vesicle length>1) that project at an antero-medial angle (Fig. 32L). Females of A. platensis can be distinguished from those of A. convoluta by the presence of spermathecae with less elongate medial vesicles (medial vesicle length / genitalia width <0.5) (Fig. 32L; cf. Fig. 24). Females of A. platensis can be distinguished from those of A. blackdownensis by the absence of bristle-like setae covering the posterior part of the abdomen (Fig. 32B, D; cf. Fig. 22). Females of A. platensis can be distinguished from those of A. attenuata by the presence of spermathecae with thicker, straighter medial vesicles (medial vesicle length / width ~ 3.3; cf. ~ 4.1 in A. attenuata) (Fig. 32L; cf. Figs 19–20).

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ platensis ’ is an adjective formed from the Latin ‘ platus ’ signifying a flat or broad surface, and the suffix ‘- ensis ’, which signifies a connection to a location, in reference to the distribution of this species in the highlands or ‘plateau’ around Stanthorpe, Queensland, which represents the northern extent of the New England Tableland bioregion.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; 10 km W of Stanthorpe, Texas Road; 28°39′ S, 151°48′ E; 18 Mar. 1994; L. Smith leg.; QMB S40807.

Paratypes

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♂; Liston; 28°36′ S, 152°03′ E; Jul. 1980; M. Smith leg.; QMB S96473 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Nundubbermere Falls, 25 km SW of Stanthorpe; 28°47′ S, 151°41′ E; 1–4 Apr. 1988; G.B. Monteith leg.; QMB S4192 • 1 ♀; Girraween National Park, near Girraween Day Use Area off Pyramids Road; 28°50′ S, 151°56′ E; 879 m a.s.l.; 18 Feb. 2023; M.G. Rix, J.D. Wilson and M.S. Harvey leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground, sclerophyll woodland; QMB S118225 • 1 ♂; Girraween National Park, near Girraween Day Use Area off Pyramids Road; 28°50′ S, 151°56′ E; 884 m a.s.l.; 18 Feb. 2023; M.G. Rix, J.D. Wilson and M.S. Harvey leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground, sclerophyll woodland; QMB S118226 .

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♀; near Girraween National Park; 28°50′ S, 151°56′ E; 22 Feb. 1973; R.J. Raven leg.; QMB S1243 (paratype of Aname barrema Raven, 1985) .

Description

Male (holotype, QMB S40807)

GENERAL (Fig. 31A–Q). Body length 17.26, in good condition, colour presumably faded due to preservation.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 31A, E–F). Carapace length 7.35, width 6.05, length/width 1.22, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.68, caput width/carapace width 0.73, carapace red-brown, reflective setae present, moderate on caput, light on thorax, fovea straight, fovea width/carapace length 0.16 (Fig. 31A, F); chelicerae red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.52 (Fig. 31A); eye group rectangular, width/length 2.2, eye tubercle present (Fig. 31E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 31B, D). Abdomen length 6.45, brown, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 31C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 31H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 63, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 20% of maxillae length (Fig. 31C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 31C, I); sternum length/width 1.36, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 31G–H); posterior sigilla circular, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.26, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.13 (Fig. 31G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 31G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 31N–Q). Leg I red-brown, lighter on distal metatarsus and tarsus, femur length 5.89, patella length 3.67, tibia length 4.27, metatarsus length 4.09, tarsus length 2.79, total length 20.70, leg I length/ carapace length 2.82 (Fig. 31N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 31N–O); spine count Fe D 0, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 0, Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 31N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 2.99, even width along length, spur present, intermediate triangular/digitiform, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 23 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.53, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.43, megaspine length/tibia length 0.15 (Fig. 31N–P); metatarsus relatively straight, proximal excavation present, excavation concave with pronounced heel, heel semi-sharp, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.45, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 3.49 (Fig. 31N–O, Q).

PEDIPALP (Fig. 31J–M). Tibia length 3.14, width 1.27, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.48, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.53, retrolateral face with short, thorn-like setae along retrolateral edge of depression, ventral face with two elongate bristle-like setae below depression, prolateral face with two disto-ventral spines, disto-medial spine absent (Fig. 31J–K); patella prolateral face with 0 spines (Fig. 31J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 31J–K); copulatory organ total length 1.68, length/palp tibia length 0.54 (Fig. 31L–M); bulb length/width 0.88 (Fig. 31L–M); embolus demarcated and roughly perpendicular to bulb, attenuate, tapering and curving relatively evenly to point, one slight bend, at about 0.4 of length, slight bend before tip, width at base/bulb width 0.26, embolus length/bulb length 1.94 (Fig. 31L–M).

Female (paratype, QMB S118225)

GENERAL (Fig. 32A–L). Body length 21.38, in good condition.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 32A, E–F). Carapace length 7.30, width 6.11, length/width 1.19, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.66, caput width/carapace width 0.77, carapace dark red-brown, reflective setae present, heavy on caput, heavy on thorax, fovea straight, fovea width/carapace length 0.18 (Fig. 32A, F); chelicerae dark red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.55 (Fig. 32A); eye group rectangular, width/length 2.18, eye tubercle present (Fig. 32E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 32B, D). Abdomen length 10.21, dark grey, dorsal pattern absent, with reflective setae on anterior portion.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 32C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 32H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 105, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 45% of maxillae length (Fig. 32C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 32C, I); sternum length/width 1.34, central sternum with consistent covering of moderate setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 32G–H); posterior sigilla circular, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.26, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.12 (Fig. 32G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 32G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 32J–K). Leg I dark red-brown, femur length 4.95, patella length 3.29, tibia length 3.34, metatarsus length 3.26, tarsus length 2.40, total length 17.24, leg I length/carapace length 2.36; scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus; spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 2, Ti RL 4, Me PL 2, Me RL 3, Ta 0; tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 2.61.

GENITALIA (Fig. 32D, L). Epigastric furrow unmodified (Fig. 32D); spermathecae with two vesicles each (Fig. 32L); lateral vesicle relatively straight, length 0.49, lateral vesicle length/genitalia width 0.34, length/width at base 1.59, crown un-demarcated (Fig. 32L); medial vesicle undulating anteriorly, medial vesicle length/genitalia width 0.33, length/width 3.28, medial vesicle length/lateral vesicle length 0.97 (Fig. 32L).

Distribution and natural history

Aname platensis sp. nov. occurs in south-eastern Queensland (and potentially north-eastern New South Wales), in the New England Tablelands and Nandewar bioregions, extending from around Liston in the north to the Girraween National Park in the south (Fig. 6). It constructs an open, silk-lined burrow without silk outside of the entrance, often on an angle, and with a hidden secondary ‘wishbone’ entrance (Fig. 6).