Aname rupicola sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: F50EF31A-0935-4312-A06E-8F3F90443E0F

Figs 1, 7, 46–47

Diagnosis

Males of A. rupicola 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. hughenden sp. nov., A. longitheca, A. mulgana 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. 46L–M). Males of A. rupicola 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. 46P; cf. Figs 39, 42, 48). Males of A. rupicola can be distinguished from those of A. briggsi, A. hughenden, and A. mulgana by the presence of a shorter embolus (embolus length /bulb length <2.5) (Fig. 46L–M; cf. Figs 36, 41, 44). Males of A. rupicola can be distinguished from those of A. aurensis by the presence of a shorter distal pad and longer proximal excavation on metatarsus I (excavation length / metatarsus length ~0.46; cf. ~ 0.37 in A. aurensis) (Fig. 46Q; cf. Fig. 34).

Females of A. rupicola sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which females are known except A. aurensis sp. nov., A. briggsi sp. nov., A. camara, A. dingo sp. nov., A. eddieorum sp. nov., A. longitheca, and A. mulgana 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 medially or posteromedially, before undulating anteriorly (Fig. 47L). Females of A. rupicola can be distinguished from those of A. aurensis, A. dingo, and A. longitheca by the presence of spermathecae with slightly bent lateral vesicles (Fig. 47L; cf. Figs 35, 38, 43). Females of A. rupicola can be distinguished from those of A. eddieorum and A. mulgana by the presence of spermathecae with lateral vesicles terminating in narrower ends (Fig. 47L; cf. Figs 40, 45). Females of A. rupicola can be distinguished from those of A. camara by the presence of a darker body colouration and spermathecae with longer vesicles (lateral vesicle length/ genitalia width>0.35) with less widely-spaced crowns (distance between crowns less than length of lateral vesicles) (Fig. 47A–L; cf. Fig. 107). Females of A. rupicola can be distinguished from those of A. briggsi by the presence of spermathecae with less elongate lateral and medial vesicles (medial vesicle length / genitalia width <0.65) (Fig. 47L; cf. Fig. 37).

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ rupicola ’ is a Latin adjective combining ‘ rupes ’, meaning ‘ravine’, and the suffix ‘- cola ’, meaning ‘dweller’ or ‘inhabitant’, referencing the distribution of this species in and around Carnarvon Gorge in central Queensland.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; Springsure; 24°07′ S, 148°05′ E; 28 Nov. 2000; T. Vincent leg.; QMB S54272.

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 juv.; Albinia National Park, off Dawson Highway, W of Rolleston; 24°26′ S, 148°31′ E; 228 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118262 • 1 juv.; Carnarvon National Park, off Mickey Creek trail; 25°04′ S, 148°15′ E; 432 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118272 • 1 juv.; Carnarvon National Park, off Mickey Creek trail; 25°04′ S, 148°15′ E; 432 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118273 • 1 juv.; Carnarvon National Park, off Mickey Creek trail; 25°04′ S, 148°15′ E; 442 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118263 • 1 ♀; Carnarvon National Park, near Rock Pool Picnic Area carpark; 25°04′ S, 148°15′ E; 407 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118268 .

Description

Male (holotype, QMB S54272)

GENERAL (Fig. 46A–Q). Body length 17.98, in good condition, colour presumably faded due to preservation.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 46A, E–F). Carapace length 7.99, width 6.72, length/width 1.19, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.72, caput width/carapace width 0.76, carapace red, caput slightly darker than thorax, reflective setae present, heavy on caput, moderate on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/ carapace length 0.14 (Fig. 46A, F); chelicerae red, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.46 (Fig. 46A); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.97, eye tubercle present (Fig. 46E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 46B, D). Abdomen length 6.46, brown, dorsal pattern absent, with some evidence of covering of reflective setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 46C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 46H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 125, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 40% of maxillae length (Fig. 46C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 46C, I); sternum length/width 1.20, central sternum with consistent covering of moderate setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges, some shorter thorn-like setae around anterior edges (Fig. 46G–H); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.24, posterior sigilla length/ sternum length 0.13 (Fig. 46G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 46G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 46N–Q). Leg I orange-brown, femur length 6.67, patella length 4.09, tibia length 4.36, metatarsus length 4.29, tarsus length 2.55, total length 21.97, leg I length/carapace length 2.75 (Fig. 46N– O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 46N–O); spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1 (rubbed off), Pa PL 2 (distal rubbed off), Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 46N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 2.67, widening from proximal end to spur before narrowing again towards distal end, spur present, digitiform, knuckle present, megaspine angled at 18 degrees, length to distal face of spur/ tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.53, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.55, megaspine length/tibia length 0.21 (Fig. 46N–P); metatarsus slightly sinuous, proximal excavation present, excavation concave with pronounced heel, heel semi-sharp, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.46, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 3.11 (Fig. 46N–O, Q).

PEDIPALP (Fig. 46J–M). Tibia length 3.53, width 1.20, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.93, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.65, retrolateral face with consistent covering of light setae, ventral face with two elongate bristle-like setae below depression, prolateral face with two disto-ventral spines, disto-medial spine absent (Fig. 46J–K); patella prolateral face with 0 spines (Fig. 46J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 46J–K); copulatory organ total length 1.95, length/palp tibia length 0.55 (Fig. 46L–M); bulb length/width 0.81 (Fig. 46L–M); embolus tapering from bulb, attenuate, with wide base tapering about halfway along into attenuate apical section, one slight bend, at about 0.3 of length, slight bend before tip, width at base/bulb width 0.39, embolus length/ bulb length 2.34 (Fig. 46L–M).

Female (QMB S118268)

GENERAL (Fig. 47A–L). Body length 23.48, in good condition.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 47A, E–F). Carapace length 8.25, width 7.33, length/width 1.13, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.74, caput width/carapace width 0.75, carapace red-brown, reflective setae present, heavy on caput, moderate on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.19 (Fig. 47A, F); chelicerae red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.53 (Fig. 47A); eye group rectangular, width/length 2.02, eye tubercle present (Fig. 47E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 47B, D). Abdomen length 10.84, dark brown, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 47C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 47H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 90, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 50% of maxillae length (Fig. 47C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 47C, I); sternum length/width 1.16, central sternum with consistent covering of moderate setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges, some shorter thorn-like setae around anterior edges (Fig. 47G–H); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.22, posterior sigilla length/ sternum length 0.14 (Fig. 47G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 47G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 47J–K). Leg I orange-brown, darker on patella and tibia, femur length 6.72, patella length 4.31, tibia length 4.49, metatarsus length 4.00, tarsus length 2.59, total length 22.12, leg I length/carapace length 2.68; scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus; spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 3, Ti RL 4, Me PL 2, Me RL 3, Ta 0; tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 2.98.

GENITALIA (Fig. 47D, L). Epigastric furrow extending slightly, posterior edge with rounded shape (Fig. 47D); spermathecae with two vesicles each (Fig. 47L); lateral vesicle relatively straight, length 0.66, lateral vesicle length/genitalia width 0.37, length/width at base 1.58, crown un-demarcated (Fig. 47L); medial vesicle with distinct basal section angled medially, before undulating towards anterior, medial vesicle length/genitalia width 0.63, length/width 5.26, medial vesicle length/lateral vesicle length 1.71 (Fig. 47L).

Distribution and natural history

Aname rupicola sp. nov. occurs in central Queensland, in the Brigalow Belt South and Brigalow Belt North bioregions, from the Carnarvon Gorge region of Carnarvon National Park north to Spingsure (Fig. 7). 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. 7).