Aname barakula -complex

Figs 1, 3C, 5C, 8, 49–55

Remarks

See the key to complexes and Figures 3–5 for diagnostic information. In life, spiders of the barakula - complex vary from dark tan to almost black, and are fairly uniform in colour over the carapace and legs (Fig. 8). Females of the barakula -complex generally have reflective bronze setae on the carapace, and sometimes also on the dorsal abdomen. Male colour and setation in life is unknown. Spiders of this complex generally construct an open, silk-lined burrow with some silk spilling out from the entrance, sometimes with a slightly built up ‘collar’ of soil around the entrance, and with a hidden secondary ‘wishbone’ entrance. The entrance can be large relative to the spider that inhabits it (see the image of an A. barakula sp. nov. individual in its burrow entrance in Fig. 8).

Distribution

The barakula -complex is currently known to occur only in the Brigalow Belt South bioregion of south-eastern Queensland, and species tend to have quite small natural ranges (Fig. 8). In the Mount Moffatt region of Carnarvon National Park, two species ( A. ammolithica sp. nov. and A. lambkinae sp. nov.) appear to occur in sympatry (unusually for Aname in the same complex).

Composition

The barakula -complex includes five described species: Aname ammolithica sp. nov., A. barakula sp. nov., A. braemar sp. nov., A. lambkinae sp. nov., and A. truncata sp. nov.

Key to species in the Aname barakula -complex

Note: males are unknown for A. braemar sp. nov., and A. truncata sp. nov., and females are unknown for A. ammolithica sp. nov.

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

– Females .............................................................................................................................................. 4

Males

2. Sternum length ~1.3 × width; metatarsus I with a more pronounced heel (Fig. 53)........................... .......................................................................................................................... A. lambkinae sp. nov.

– Sternum more elongate (length>1.35 × width); metatarsus I with a less pronounced heel (Figs 49, 50)...................................................................................................................................................... 3

3. Posterior sternal sigilla positioned medially (distance of posterior sigilla from sternum centre/ sternum length ~ 0.17); tibia I length ~3.2 × width (Fig. 49) ...................................... A. ammolithica sp. nov.

– Posterior sternal sigilla positioned more laterally (distance of posterior sigilla from sternum centre/ sternum length ~0.26); tibia I more elongate (length ~3.5 × width) (Fig. 50) ............................................................................................................... A. barakula sp. nov.

Females

4. Spermathecae with lateral vesicles with distinct, widened crowns (Figs 51–52).............................. 5

– Spermathecae with lateral vesicles without widened crowns (Figs 54–55) ...................................... 6

5. Spermathecae medial vesicle length ~0.8 × lateral vesicle length (Fig. 51)....... A. barakula sp. nov.

– Spermathecae with longer medial vesicles (~ 1.2 × lateral vesicle length) (Fig. 52) .......................... ............................................................................................................................. A. braemar sp. nov.

6. Spermathecae lateral vesicle length ~3.6 × width; medial vesicles strongly bent and with distinct crowns (Fig. 54)................................................................................................ A. lambkinae sp. nov.

– Spermathecae with less elongate medial vesicles (length ~1.6 × width), and medial vesicles that are straighter and with less distinct crowns (Fig. 55)................................................ A. truncata sp. nov.