Aname tropicana sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 9163EAF3-80B3-4B9E-B548-2E2FAF8EB126

Figs 1, 9, 62–63

Diagnosis

Males of A. tropicana sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known except A. calida sp. nov., A. carina, A. cassowariensis sp. nov., A. harmoniosa sp. nov., and A. robertsorum by a moderate to large body size (carapace length>4.0 mm), and the presence of a long embolus (embolus length / bulb length>1.5) that is thin, with a sharp bend near its base before a relatively straight distal section (Fig. 62L–M). Males of A. tropicana can be distinguished from those of A. carina, A. harmoniosa, and A. robertsorum by the presence of a shorter embolus (embolus length / bulb length <2) (Fig. 62L–M; cf. Figs 57, 60–61). Males of A. tropicana can be distinguished from those of A. calida and A. cassowariensis by the presence of thicker leg and pedipalp segments (e.g., metatarsus I length / width <4) (Fig. 62J–K, N–Q; cf. Figs 56, 59).

Females of A. tropicana sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which females are known except A. carina by the presence of bicoloured legs, with darker femurs and lighter distal segments, and spermathecae with two vesicles, with relatively long and straight lateral vesicles (lateral vesicle length / genitalia width> 0.25) that are laterally angled, and medial vesicles that are shorter or about equal in length to the lateral vesicles, and and curve gradually from a medial to a lateral angle (Fig. 63J–L). Females of A. tropicana can be distinguished those of from A. carina by the presence of spermathecae with shorter medial vesicles (medial vesicle length/ lateral vesicle length ~ 0.7; cf. ~ 1 in A. carina) (Fig. 63L; cf. Fig. 58).

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ tropicana ’ is a Latin adjective meaning ‘of the tropics’, between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, in reference to the distribution of this species near the coast of tropical Queensland.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; Mount Molloy; 16°44′ S, 145°19′ E; 400 m a.s.l.; Jan. 1992 – Jan. 1993; Scott Barnett leg.; pitfall trap, riparian/woodland; QMB S59009.

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♀; Mount Molloy, Wetherby Road, NE of Rifle Creek Rest Area; 16°40′ S, 145°20′ E; 396 m a.s.l.; 9 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, wet sclerophyll forest; QMB S118312 • 1 ♂; Trinity Beach; 16°47′ S, 145°42′ E; 17 Oct. 1988; S. Wright leg.; AMS KS19694 • 1 ♀; SW of Trinity Beach, McGregor Road, Smithfield Regional Park; 16°49′ S, 145°41′ E; 44 m a.s.l.; 8 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground, rainforest; QMB S118310 .

Description

Male (holotype, QMB S59009)

GENERAL (Fig. 62A–Q). Body length 15.02, in good condition, colour presumably faded due to preservation.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 62A, E–F). Carapace length 5.98, width 5.01, length/width 1.19, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.72, caput width/carapace width 0.69, carapace red-brown, caput slightly darker than thorax, reflective setae present, moderate on caput, light on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.15 (Fig. 62A, F); chelicerae dark red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.52 (Fig. 62A); eye group rectangular, width/length 2.18, eye tubercle present (Fig. 62E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 62B, D). Abdomen length 5.85, brown, dorsal pattern absent, with reflective setae on anterior portion.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 62C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 62H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 162, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 50% of maxillae length (Fig. 62C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 62C, I); sternum length/width 1.26, most setae from anterior half rubbed off, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 62G–H); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.32, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.11 (Fig. 62G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 62G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 62N–Q). Leg I red-brown, lighter on patella, tibia, distal metatarsus and tarsus, reflective setae on dorsal femur, femur length 4.72, patella length 3.16, tibia length 3.49, metatarsus length 3.48, tarsus length 2.05, total length 16.90, leg I length/carapace length 2.83 (Fig. 62N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 62N–O); spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2 (distal rubbed off), Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 62N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 2.83, widening from proximal end to spur before narrowing again towards distal end, spur present, intermediate triangular/ digitiform, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 33 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.65, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.70, megaspine length/tibia length 0.28 (Fig. 62N– P); metatarsus slightly sinuous, proximal excavation present, excavation concave with inconspicuous heel, heel rounded, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.46, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 3.85 (Fig. 62N–O, Q).

PEDIPALP (Fig. 62J–M). Tibia length 2.57, width 1.17, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.19, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.55, retrolateral face with short, thorn-like setae along retrolateral edge of depression, getting denser proximally, ventral face with two elongate bristle-like setae below depression, prolateral face with two disto-ventral spines, disto-medial spine absent (Fig. 62J–K); patella prolateral face with 2 (distal rubbed off) spines (Fig. 62J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 62J–K); copulatory organ total length 1.50, length/palp tibia length 0.58 (Fig. 62L–M); bulb length/width 0.92 (Fig. 62L–M); embolus slightly reflexed, attenuate, very thin, protruding laterally with strong basal curve, one strong bend, at about 0.2 of length, slight bend before tip, width at base/bulb width 0.21, embolus length/bulb length 1.91 (Fig. 62L–M).

Female (QMB S118310)

GENERAL (Fig. 63A–L). Body length 17.76, in good condition.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 63A, E–F). Carapace length 6.71, width 5.98, length/width 1.12, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.71, caput width/carapace width 0.73, carapace dark red-brown, reflective setae present, moderate on caput, light on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.14 (Fig. 63A, F); chelicerae dark red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.58 (Fig. 63A); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.87, eye tubercle present (Fig. 63E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 63B, D). Abdomen length 7.21, dark grey-brown, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 63C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 63H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 143, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 45% of maxillae length (Fig. 63C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 63C, I); sternum length/width 1.17, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 63G–H); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/ sternum length 0.23, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.13 (Fig. 63G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 63G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 63J–K). Leg I red-brown, darker on femur, femur length 5.11, patella length 3.35, tibia length 3.80, metatarsus length 3.35, tarsus length 1.98, total length 17.59, leg I length/carapace length 2.62; scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus; spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 1, Ti RL 4 (proximal weak), Me PL 2, Me RL 3, Ta 0; tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.65.

GENITALIA (Fig. 63D, L). Epigastric furrow unmodified (Fig. 63D); spermathecae with two vesicles each (Fig. 63L); lateral vesicle relatively straight, length 0.55, lateral vesicle length/genitalia width 0.45, length/width at base 2.00, crown un-demarcated (Fig. 63L); medial vesicle long and curving evenly from medial to lateral angle, medial vesicle length/genitalia width 0.30, length/width 2.45, medial vesicle length/lateral vesicle length 0.68 (Fig. 63L).

Distribution and natural history

Aname tropicana sp. nov. occurs in northern Queensland, predominantly in the Wet Tropics bioregion. It is known from two localities, inland near Mount Molloy, and on the coast near Trinity Beach (Fig. 9). It constructs an open, silk-lined burrow with some silk outside of the entrance, and with a hidden secondary ‘wishbone’ entrance (Fig. 9).