Aname hughenden sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 0E10BA1A-FF15-410B-A5F0-7E132E0E8830

Figs 7, 41

Diagnosis

Males of A. hughenden sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known except A. aurensis sp. nov., A. briggsi sp. nov., A. eddieorum sp. nov., A. longitheca, A. mulgana sp. nov., A. rupicola sp. nov., and A. warrego sp. nov. by a moderate to large body size (carapace length>4.0 mm), the presence of a long embolus (embolus length/ bulb length>1.5) that has a relatively wide basal section tapering into an attenuate, sinuous distal section after about 0.4 of length, and the absence of a prominent sharp heel on metatarsus I (as in the pallida -complex) (Fig. 41L–M). Males of A. hughenden can be distinguished from those of A. eddieorum, A. longitheca, and A. warrego . by the presence of a tibia I that widens from the proximal end to the base of the tibial spur when in lateral view (Fig. 41P; cf. Figs 39, 42, 48). Males of A. hughenden can be distinguished from those of A. aurensis and A. rupicola by the presence of a longer embolus (embolus length / bulb length> 2.5) (Fig. 41L–M; cf. Figs 34, 46). Males of A. hughenden can be distinguished from those of A. briggsi and A. mulgana by the presence of a straighter embolus (Fig. 41L–M; cf. Figs 36, 44).

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

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ hughenden ’ is a noun in apposition, referencing the distribution of this species near the town of Hughenden in the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion of Queensland.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; 65 km out of Hughenden; 4 Feb. 1981; M.S. Moulds leg.; AMS KS16307.

Paratype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♂; 65 km out of Hughenden; 4 Feb. 1981; M.S. Moulds leg.; AMS KS131723.

Description

Male (holotype, AMS KS16307)

GENERAL (Fig. 41A–Q). Body in moderate condition, colour faded, tissue degraded and abdomen destroyed.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 41A, E–F). Carapace length 7.19, width 6.07, length/width 1.18, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.69, caput width/carapace width 0.72, carapace red-brown, caput much darker than thorax, reflective setae present, moderate on caput, very light on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.15 (Fig. 41A, F); chelicerae dark red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.56 (Fig. 41A); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.82, eye tubercle present (Fig. 41E).

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 41C, G–I). Labium cuspules present, count =2 (Fig. 41H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 90, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 30% of maxillae length (Fig. 41C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 41C, I); sternum length/width 1.29, most setae rubbed off, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 41G–H); posterior sigilla semi-elongate, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.21, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.20 (Fig. 41G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 41G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 41N–Q). Leg I red-brown, lighter on distal metatarsus and tarsus, femur length 6.17, patella length 4.01, tibia length 4.04, metatarsus length 4.52, tarsus length 2.76, total length 21.51, leg I length/ carapace length 2.99 (Fig. 41N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 41N–O); spine count Fe D 2, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 41N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/ TID] 2.72, widening from proximal end to spur before narrowing again towards distal end, spur present, digitiform, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 12 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.41, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.61, megaspine length/tibia length 0.19 (Fig. 41N– P); metatarsus slightly sinuous, proximal excavation present, excavation concave with pronounced heel, heel broadly rounded, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.45, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 3.69 (Fig. 41N–O, Q).

PEDIPALP (Fig. 41J–M). Tibia length 3.64, width 1.10, length/width [PTL/PTD] 3.31, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.56, retrolateral face with consistent covering of light setae, ventral face with without any distinctive setae, prolateral face with two disto-ventral spines, disto-medial spine absent (Fig. 41J–K); patella prolateral face with 2 spines (Fig. 41J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 41J–K); copulatory organ total length 2.06, length/palp tibia length 0.57 (Fig. 41L–M); bulb length/width 0.88 (Fig. 41L–M); embolus tapering from bulb, attenuate, with wide base tapering about halfway along into attenuate apical section, one slight bend, at about 0.4 of length, slight bend before tip, width at base/bulb width 0.31, embolus length/bulb length 2.60 (Fig. 41L–M).

Distribution and natural history

Aname hughenden sp. nov. occurs in central Queensland, in the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion, where it is known from one location, near the town of Hughenden (Fig. 7). The form of burrows constructed by spiders of this species is unknown, but is likely to be similar to that of other eddieorum -complex species (Fig. 7).