Austrachelas reavelli n. sp.

(Figs 11, 12, 72–75)

Diagnosis. Females of this species is can be distinguished by the very broad anterior hood and widely separated lateral hoods of the epigyne (far from the spermathecae), and the whirled ST 1 (Figs 72, 73); males can be recognised by the lobed projection along the distal margin of the male palp (Fig. 74) and the bifid lobe of the retrolateral tibial apophysis (Fig. 75).

Etymology. The species epithet is a patronym in honour of Peter Reavell, who collected the holotype, in recognition of the large quantity of valuable spider material that he has collected in South Africa, particularly from KwaZulu-Natal.

Female. Measurements: CL 3.30, CW 2.38, FL 0.32, AL 3.55, AW 2.10, SL 1.88, SW 1.40, TL 7.05, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.29, PME–PME 0.05, PME–PLE 0.11, PLE–PLE 0.49. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 2.33 + 1.40 + 1.80 + 1.30 + 0.78 = 7.61; II 2.20 + 1.30 + 1.65 + 1.21 + 0.75 = 7.11; III 1.90 + 0.93 + 1.10 + 1.48 + 0.71 = 6.12; IV 2.55 + 1.20 + 1.90 + 2.38 + 0.90 = 8.93.

Carapace orange-brown, paler along midline (Fig. 11); AER strongly procurved, laterals larger than medians; AME separated by distance equal to ½ their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance equal to ¼ AME diameter; clypeus height equal to AME diameter at AME, equal to ½ ALE diameter at ALE; PER straight, laterals larger than medians; PME separated by distance equal to ½ their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to PME diameter. Chelicerae deep orange; promargin with three teeth, median tooth largest, proximal tooth smallest; teeth evenly spaced; retromargin with single small tooth, closest to fang base of all teeth. Legs all uniform yellow-orange in colour. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1 do 1, II pl 1 do 1, III pl 2 do 3 rl 1, IV do 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: I & II spineless, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 3 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I & II spineless, strongly scopulate, III & IV scopulate in distal half, III pl 6 rl 6 plv 1 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 6 rl 6 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2; palp: femora do 2, patellae spineless, with prominent pl 1 rl 1 setae, tibiae pl 3 rl 2, tarsus pl 3 do 1 rl 2 plv 1 rlv 1. Abdomen grey dorsally with mottled pale grey chevron (Fig. 11), paler laterally and ventrally; dorsum and venter lacking scutum or other sclerites. Female epigyne with very broad anterior hood, lateral hoods widely separated from spermathecae (Fig. 72); copulatory openings anterolaterally situated, entering ST 2 broadly; ST 2 anteriorly situated, curved with small globular lateral extensions, connected broadly to whirled posterior ST 1 (Fig. 73).

Male. Measurements: CL 2.33, CW 1.72, FL 0.22, AL 2.23, AW 1.25, SL 1.38, SW 0.95, TL 4.70, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.23, PME–PME 0.04, PME–PLE 0.07, PLE–PLE 0.34.

Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 1.70 + 0.95 + 1.20 + 0.90 + 0.70 = 5.45; II 1.43 + 0.90 + 1.12 + 0.93 + 0.65 = 5.03; III 1.30 + 0.70 + 0.75 + 1.03 + 0.55 = 4.33; IV 1.85 + 0.93 + 1.40 + 1.65 + 0.73 = 6.56.

Carapace orange-brown, yellow-orange along midline (Fig. 12); AER strongly procurved, laterals much larger than medians; AME separated by distance equal to ¾ their diameter, separated from ALE by distance equal to ¼ AME diameter; clypeus height equal to 1¼ AME diameter at AME, equal to ½ ALE diameter at ALE; PER very slightly recurved, nearly straight, laterals larger than medians; PME separated by distance equal to ½ their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to PME diameter. Chelicerae deep orange-brown, anterior margin with coarse ridges; promargin with three evenly spaced teeth, proximal tooth largest and distal tooth smallest; retromargin with single small denticle, situated close to median promarginal tooth. Legs all yellow-orange, paler yellow distally. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1 do 1, II pl 1 do 1, III pl 2 do 2 rl 1, IV do 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: I & II spineless, III pl 3 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I & II spineless, strongly scopulate, III & IV scopulate in distal half, III pl 5 rl 4 plv 1 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 6 rl 5 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2. Abdomen grey with paler mottling dorsally (Fig. 12), cream laterally and ventrally; dorsum with small anterior scutum, venter without sclerites. Male palp with broad, hook-like median apophysis; embolus arc-shaped, with slight lobe on distal margin of embolus (Fig. 74); palpal tibia with folded hook-like retrolateral apophysis with two small retrolateral dorsal tooth-like projections and bifid intermediate lobe (Fig. 75); palpal spination: femora do 2.

Type material: Holotype Ƥ: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Zululand, Ngoye Forest, 2831DC, VIII.1981, P. Reavell (NMSA 14055). Allotype 3: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, 28°00'S, 31°43'E, 20.VI.2006, M. Mgobozi (pitfall traps) (NCA 2006/1352).

Distribution. Known from northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Fig. 82).