Key to species of Tetralycosa
1. Carapace profile with a straight, almost horizontal dorsal line in lateral view (Fig. 6A); anterior row of eyes as wide or wider than row of posterior median eyes (Fig. 6B) ( oraria -group; coastal beaches, riparian zones of salt lakes and salt marshes) ………………………………………………2
– Carapace profile with an elevated cephalic area in lateral view, its dorsal line sloping downwards towards back (Fig. 15A); anterior row of eyes narrower than row of posterior median ( alteripa - and eyrei -groups, only known from the playa of salt lakes) ………………………………………………6
2. Carapace and abdomen with distinct colour pattern; light lateral bands on carapace present; abdomen with dark or light spots (Figs 5A, C; 10 A, C, E, G) ………………………………………3
– Carapace and abdomen yellow to light brown, no distinct colour pattern (Fig. 5E, G, I) ……………5
3. Carapace with narrow light irregular submarginal bands and dark marginal bands (Fig. 10A, C); epigyne oval with truncated anterior edges (Fig. 11D); base of embolus exposed (Fig. 11A) (samphire zone of salt pans and lakes, southern WA) ………………………………… T. orariola sp. nov.
– Carapace with wide, light lateral bands (indistinct in light species) (Figs 5A, C, 10E, G); epigyne with anterior rounded edges (Fig. 6F, 12 D–E); base of embolus hidden behind tegulum (Figs 6C, 12A) …4
4. Embolus of similar thickness along its length with long slightly curved and twisted tip (Fig. 6E); epigyne oval with distinct median septum (Fig. 6F) (coastal beaches and dunes only, southern Australia, incl. Tasmania) ………………………………………………… T. oraria (L. Koch, 1876)
– Embolus of male pedipalp broad over most of its length, apically constricted and with short tip (Fig. 12C); epigyne with very indistinct median septum (Figs 12 D–E) (samphire zone of salt pans and lakes, southern WA) ………………………………… T. wundurra (McKay, 1979) comb. nov.
5. Anterior margin of epigyne continuous, anterior tip of median septum pointy (Fig. 8A) (male unknown) (only known from type locality in Pilbara region of Western Australia) … T. caudex sp. nov.
– Anterior margin of epigyne divided into two separate hoods, anterior tip of median septum wide (Fig. 7D); lower tip of terminal apophysis with a triangle pointing upwards (Fig. 7C) (only known from mound springs of the Artesian Basin in SA) …… T. arabanae Framenau, Gotch & Austin, 2006
6. Carapace with light lateral bands, sometimes indistinct and dissolved in separate spots (e.g., Figs 1C, 14A, G; 18C, E); venter of abdomen light or with grey central shimmer (e.g., Figs 14B, D, F; 18D, F, H); epigyne of variable shape with broad median septum (Figs 15E, 16D, 19C, 20C), but no round or oval atrium; tegular apophysis with pointy tip that is bent ventrally (Figs 15 B–C; 16 A–B, 19A–B; 20 A–B) ( alteripa -group) (salt lakes in SA and WA) ………7
– Carapace uniformly dark, venter of abdomen with black patch and light transverse band behind epigastric furrow (rarely absent in very dark specimen) (e.g., Figs 22B, F, H; 26D, F, H); epigyne a round or oval atrium with anterior central notch (Figs 23D, 24D, 27C, 28 D); tip of tegular apophysis truncated (23A, 24A, 27A, 28A) ( eyrei -group) (salt lakes in SA, NSW and VIC) ………10
7. Femora yellow-brown, without dark pattern or annulations; epigyne with rectangular median septum (Fig. 15E); terminal apophysis with apical, laminar triangle (Fig. 14D) (SA, WA) ……… …………………………………………………………………………… T. alteripa (McKay, 1976)
– Femora dark brown and apically yellow-brown, or yellow-brown with apical dark annulation; epigyne without rectangular median septum; terminal apophysis without apical laminar triangle …8
8. Curved tegular apophysis forms a hook (Figs 16A, 19A); female epigyne much wider than long (Fig. 16D) or with distinct posterior edge (Fig. 19C) ……………………………………………………9
– Tegular apophysis appears as half a disk (Fig. 20A); epigyne slightly wider than long without distinct posterior edge (Fig. 20C)(WA) ……………………………………… T. rebecca sp. nov.
9. Tegular apophysis long and slim (Fig. 19A); epigyne with distinct posterior ridge (Fig. 19C) (WA) ………………………………………………………………………… T. floundersi sp. nov.
– Tegular apophysis short and strong (Fig. 16A); epigyne much wider than long (Fig. 16D) (WA) … ……………………………………………………………………………… T. baudinettei sp. nov.
10. The females of the Tetralycosa eyrei -group are almost impossible to separate reliably based on somatic or genitalic characters and are best identified by accompanying males. Therefore, only a key to males is provided here: – Tegular apophyses apically with distinct broad, ventral edge (Figs 23A, 24A) …………………11
– Tegular apophysis apically without ventral edge (Figs 27A, 28A) ………………………………12
11. Upper edge of shaft of terminal apophysis bent ventrally (Fig. 23C) (SA) … T. adarca sp. nov.
– Upper edge of shaft of terminal apophysis straight (Fig. 24C) (SA) … T. eyrei (Hickman, 1944)
12. Tegular apophysis in ventral view appearing like a head of a horse (Fig. 27A) … T. halophila sp. nov.
– Tegular apophysis in ventral view a broad hook with tapered tip (Fig. 28A) … T. williamsi sp. nov.