Aname braemar sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: CA750714-9BD0-447B-9057-10BFEF64BC7C

Figs 1, 8, 52

Diagnosis

Males of A. braemar sp. nov. are unknown.

The single female holotype (probably subadult) of A. braemar sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which females are known except A. barakula sp. nov., A. lambkinae sp. nov., and A. truncata 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 medial vesicles with few bends (usually one or two), and a narrow sternum (sternum length / width>1.3) (Fig. A–L). This subadult female of A. braemar can be distinguished from those of A. lambkinae and A. truncata by the presence of (likely rudimentary) spermathecae with lateral vesicles with a wide base and distinct, slightly wider crowns (Fig. 52L; cf. Figs 54–55), and from those of A. barakula by the presence of spermathecae with longer medial vesicles (medial vesicle length / lateral vesicle length ~1.2; cf. ~ 0.8 in A. barakula) (Fig. 52L; cf. Fig. 51).

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ braemar ’ is a noun in apposition, referencing the distribution of this species within and around Braemar State Forest in south-eastern Queensland.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • female (potentially subadult); Braemar State Forest, off Kumbarilla Lane; 27°10′ S, 150°55′ E; 354 m a.s.l.; 4 Oct. 2020; M.G. Rix, A.G. Rix, A. Wojcieszek and M. Brien leg.; excavated, open woodland with cypress pine; QMB S124055.

Paratype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 juv.; same data as for holotype; QMB S124054.

Description

Female (holotype, potentially subadult, QMB S124055)

GENERAL (Fig. 52A–L). Body length 15.12, in good condition.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 52A, E–F). Carapace length 5.31, width 4.43, length/width 1.20, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.69, caput width/carapace width 0.83, carapace orange-brown, reflective setae present, moderate on caput, moderate on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.16 (Fig. 52A, F); chelicerae orange-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.64 (Fig. 52A); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.84, eye tubercle present (Fig. 52E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 52B, D). Abdomen length 5.91, brown, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 52C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 52H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 81, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 30% of maxillae length (Fig. 52C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 52C, I); sternum length/width 1.43, central sternum with consistent covering of moderate setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 52G–H); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.26, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.10 (Fig. 52G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 52G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 52J–K). Leg I orange-brown, femur length 4.36, patella length 2.79, tibia length 2.78, metatarsus length 2.61, tarsus length 1.96, total length 14.48, leg I length/carapace length 2.73; scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus; spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1 (rubbed off), Pa PL 2, Ti PL 1 (rubbed off), Ti RL 4 (proximal two are weak), Me PL 1, Me RL 3, Ta 0; tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 2.72.

GENITALIA (Fig. 52D, L). Epigastric furrow unmodified (Fig. 52D); spermathecae with two vesicles each (Fig. 52L); lateral vesicle relatively straight, length 0.24, lateral vesicle length/genitalia width 0.31, length/width at base 1.46, crown slightly wider than stem (Fig. 52L); medial vesicle relatively short, projecting medially and undulating, medial vesicle length/genitalia width 0.39, length/width 6.66, medial vesicle length/lateral vesicle length 1.25 (Fig. 52L).

Distribution and natural history

Aname braemar sp. nov. occurs in south-eastern Queensland, in the Brigalow Belt South bioregion, in and around Braemar State Forest, near the town of Dalby (Fig. 8). It constructs an open, silk-lined burrow with silk spilling out from the entrance, and sometimes with a slightly built up ‘collar’ of soil around the entrance, and with a hidden secondary ‘wishbone’ entrance (Fig. 8).

Remarks

The holotype of A. braemar sp. nov. is probably subadult. However, because the spermathecae are relatively well formed and distinct, and morphological and molecular data both indicate that A. braemar is a distinct species, and in the interests of comprehensively documenting the genus in the region, we have chosen to describe A. braemar here despite the morphologically suboptimal holotype specimen.