Tetralycosa baudinettei sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 49D03F2F-95AD-40B2-9543-2C0B226A91FB

Figs 14 E–H; 16A–E; 17

Diagnosis

Tetralycosa baudinettei sp. nov. is very similar to T. alteripa (see ‘Diagnosis’ there).

Etymology

The specific epithet is a patronym in honour of the late Professor Russell Baudinette for his support and mentoring of P.H. during his salt lake studies.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA: ♂, Western Australia, Lake Lefroy, 31°30′09.36″ S, 121°42′36.89″ E, playa of lake, burrow excavation, PES 152581, Dec. 2013, E.S. Volschenk leg. (WAM T141307).

Paratype

AUSTRALIA: ♀, Western Australia, Lake Lefroy, 31°26′36″ S, 121°34′02″ E., Feb. 1994, P. Hudson leg. (SAM NN21896).

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA, Western Australia: 2 ♂♂, Lake Goongarrie, 29°59′50″ S, 121°09′20″ E (SAM NN21890– 1); 1 ♂, Lake Goongarrie, 30°00′ S, 121°12′ E (WAM 98/2160); 2 ♀♀, Lake Lefroy area, ca 31°15′ S, 121°44′ E (WAM T45401); 1 ♀, Lake Lefroy, 31°26′36″ S, 121°34′02″ E (SAM NN21855); 2 ♂♂, Lake Lefroy, 31°12′03″ S, 121°41′23″ E (SAM NN21897–8); 1 ♀, Lake Roe, 30°40′00″ S, 122°30′20″ E (SAM NN21903); 1 ♂, Lake Yindarlgooda, 30°36′50″ S, 122°13′20″ E (SAM NN21912).

Description

MEASUREMENTS. ♂ holotype, WAM T141307 (♀ paratype, SAM NN21896): TL 8.46 (12.78), CL 4.79 (6.58), CW 3.29 (4.70). Eyes: AME 0.27 (0.35), ALE 0.23 (0.29), PME 0.66 (0.89), PLE 0.58 (0.85). Row of eyes: AE 1.34 (1.93), PME 1.79 (2.54), PLE 2.35 (3.29). Sternum length/width: 2.07/1.79 (3.01/2.54). Labium length/width: 0.66/0.71 (1.01/1.01). AL 3.57 (6.11), AW 2.82 (4.70). Legs: Lengths of segments (femur + patella/tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): Pedipalp 2.07+2.15+ – +1.69 = 5.91, I 3.67+4.04+3.29+1.50 = 12.50, II 3.76+4.04+3.76+1.50 = 13.06, III 3.38+3.67+3.95+1.50 = 12.50, IV 4.14+4.42+4.79+1.69 = 15.04 (Pedipalp 2.54+2.44+ – +1.60 = 6.58, I 4.98+5.17+4.23+1.79 = 16.17, II 4.98+5.17+4.89+1.88 = 16.92, III 4.61+4.79+5.36+1.88 = 16.64, IV 5.64+5.83+6.58+2.07 = 20.12).

VARIATION. ♂ (♀) (range, mean ± SD): TL 9.00–10.80, 9.78 ± 0.65; CL 5.25–7.05, 5.97 ± 0.86; CW 3.75–5.10, 4.38 ± 0.67; n = 5 (TL 13.05–14.25, 13.55 ± 0.62; CL 6.75–8.10, 7.45 ± 0.68; CW 5.10–6.00, 5.60 ± 0.46; n = 3).

Male (based on holotype, WAM T141307)

CARAPACE (Fig. 14E). Cephalic area highest in lateral view and steep vertical slopes in frontal view; brown with an indistinct darker radial pattern; slightly lighter around fovea and posteriorly of eye region; wide, yellow-brown lateral bands; eye region black; covered with brown setae, but white setae in lighter carapace areas and in eye region; brown bristles in eye region mainly around PME; eight long bristles below AE; one long bristle between AME.

EYES. Row of AE shorter than row of PME; row of AE strongly procurved.

CHELICERAE. Light orange-brown, apically darker; covered frontally with mainly white setae but brown setae apically; three promarginal teeth with the median one largest; three retromarginal teeth of similar size.

STERNUM (Fig. 14F). Dense grey pigmentation; covered with light brown setae that are longer towards margins.

LABIUM. Light brown, basally darker; front end truncate and white.

PEDIPALPS (Fig. 16 A–C). Tegular apophysis curved with tapering tip that points ventrally (Fig. 16 A–B); terminal apophysis with strongly bulging base; embolus very thin and curved at tip (Fig. 16C).

ABDOMEN. Uniformly dark olive-grey, laterally with thin yellow, longitudinal lines, some light patches posteriorly; covered with white setae (Fig. 14E). Venter yellow-brown with indistinct triangular olivegrey patch; covered with white setae. Spinnerets light brown (Fig. 14F).

LEGS. Leg formula IV>II>I=III. Femora olive-grey, dorsally with an orange-brown longitudinal line; tibiae light orange-brown, apically darker; metatarsi and tarsi ventrally orange-brown; long, hair-like setae around metatarsus II. Spination of leg I: femur: three dorsal, two apicoprolateral, one apicoretrolateral; patella: one prolateral, one retrolateral; tibia: two dorsal, three ventral pairs, two prolateral, two

retrolateral; metatarsus: three ventral pairs, two prolateral, two retrolateral, one apicoventral, one apicoprolateral, one apicoretrolateral.

Female (based on paratype, SAM NN21896)

CARAPACE (Fig. 14G). As male, but overall lighter and lateral bands more distinct.

EYES. As male.

CHELICERAE. Dark reddish-brown, apically darker; covered with white setae which are denser in basal half; dentition as male.

STERNUM (Fig. 14H). Brown with grey pigmentation, slightly lighter marginally; setae as male.

LABIUM. Brown, front end truncate and white.

ABDOMEN. As male, but lateral lines less distinct and with two pairs of small light spots in posterior half; setae as male (Fig. 14G). Venter and spinnerets as male (Fig. 14H).

EPIGYNE. Ventral view (Fig. 16D): median septum much wider than long. Dorsal view (Fig. 16E): small spermathecae, copulatory ducts slightly narrower and attached posteriorly.

LEGS. Leg formula IV>II>III>I. Femora orange-brown, one grey annulation at two thirds their length, patella dark brown, tibiae as male; metatarsi and tarsi orange-brown,. Spination of leg I: femur: three dorsal, two apicoprolateral, one apicoretrolateral; patella: one prolateral, one retrolateral; tibia: two ventral pairs (basal pair reduced), two prolateral, one retrolateral; metatarsus: three ventral pairs, two prolateral, one retrolateral, one apicoventral.

Life history and habitat preferences

Adult males and females were exclusively found between February and March on the surface of salt lakes.

Distribution

The species has a limited distribution in southern Western Australia (Fig. 17).