Teyl yeni, Main, 2004

Main, Barbara York, 2004, Biosystematics of Australian mygalomorph spiders: descriptions of three new species of Teyl from Victoria (Araneae: Nemesiidae), Memoirs of Museum Victoria 61 (1), pp. 47-55 : 53

Teyl yeni sp. nov.

Figures 31–40 , table 3

Material examined. Holotype, male, Victoria, 22.2 km SE of Murrayville , 35˚25'S, 141˚21'E (site 77), drift fence pitfall trap, Jun 1986, A.L. Yen ( NMV T-3013) . Paratype, male, Victoria, 17.8 km SE of Murrayville , 35˚23'S, 141˚19'E (site 74), drift fence pitfall trap, Jun 1986, A.L. Yen. ( NMV T-3014) .

Diagnosis. Male. Generally pale yellowish brown with dark median pattern on abdomen dorsum. Palp tibia retrolaterally with 2 basal and 1 apical stout, heavy spines and 2 long thin tapering spines. Tarsus without apical spines. Embolus base arising equatorially and slightly reflexed, tapering. Metatarsus I slightly bowed, 2 retrolateral spines in proximal half. Tibia I retrolaterally with 3 megaspines in proximal line.

Differs from T. harveyi by having 2 retrolateral spines (instead of 1) on metatarsus I, and further from T. harveyi and T. walkeri by having more metatarsal spines (including a prolaterodorsal line) on metatarsus I. Differs from T. luculentus by having a more strongly “bowed” metatarsus I, the strongly hooked retrolateral spines on the palp, smaller size and delicate marginal spines on carapace and from all the other species by the more widely spread maxillary cuspules.

Female. Unknown.

Description of male (holotype). Carapace, sternum, legs yellowish brown with faint smudge of darker brown. Abdomen pale yellowish brown with reticulated dark brown pattern on median dorsal area. Legs with short evenly distributed hairs and sparsely scattered strong spines. Carapace with delicate

Width of patella I at knee = 0.4. Tibial index = 7.4.

Width of patella IV at knee = 0.4. Tibial index = 7.27.

Leg formulae: 4/4.26, 1/4.05, 2/3.86. 3/3.5

marginal spines. Caput low. Height of carapace at fovea 0.6, at eyes 1.0. Fovea straight, slightly reflected at edges. Carapace length 3.8, width 3.5, caput width 2.0. Abdomen length 4.2, width 2.4. Eye group broad on low tubercle 0.4 long, 0.9 wide. Diameters of eyes: ALE 0.25, AME 0.2, PLE 0.2, PME 0.1. Sternum length 2.3, width 2.0; with long fine bristles uniformly scattered. Labium 0.3 long. Sternal sigilla small, round, indistinct, marginal although posterior pair separated by a marginal line of bristles. Chelicerae long and narrow with a pseudorastellum of short apical spines on inner edge. Promargin of cheliceral groove with 8 teeth, 5 basal retromarginal teeth. Maxillae with broad band of about 50 cuspules around inner edge (extending farther from inner edge than is usual for Teyl specimens).

Legs. I, metatarsus “bowed” i.e. with a distinct “elbow”. Scopula complete (that is covering full extent of segment) on tarsus I, thin on II, sparse and divided by a line of bristles on III and IV; present on metatarsi I and II only (apical half). Trichobothria. Palp tarsus at least 8. Tarsus I with about 9, plus four rigid, vertical hairs, metatarsus about 12 trichobothria. Tarsal claws 8-12 teeth on each comb of paired claws, basal ones may be fused. Spination, I, femur d 14, patella pd 2, tibia d 2-1-2-2 (including pd and rd), rv 3 megaspines in apical half, 1 in lower third ( Fig. 35 ), metatarsus pd 1-1-1-1-1 (left 1-1-1- 0-1), rv 2 distal to elbow, pv 1 apical. II, femur d 11, patella pd 2, tibia d 7, v 2-2-3, metatarsus d 5, v 2-2-2. III, femur d 11, patella pd2, rd 1, tibia d 3-3-3, v 2-2-2, metatarsus d 9, v 2-2-3. IV, femur d 11, patella d 0, tibia d 6, v 2-2-2, metatarsus d 2-1- 1-2-3.

Spinnerets. PMS length 0.4, PLS, basal segment 0.6, medi- an 0.4, terminal 0.5.

Comments on paratype. Specimen larger than holotype; carapace length 4.4, width 4.0. Left palp with 3 basal retrolateral heavy spines (instead of 2). Right legs II, III, IV and left III, IV missing. Tibia I spination (right) d 2-1-1-2, rv 5 in a line (2 proximal, 3 distal megaspines), pv 2-1, metatarsus pd 1-1 (proximal) - 1 (distal/apical), rv 1 distal to elbow and 1 very small apical spine; (left) d 2-1-2-2, rv 3 in line (1-1-1 distal megaspines), pv 1-1-1, metatarsus pd 1-1-1, rv 1-1 distal to elbow .

Etymology. The species is named in recognition of Dr Alan Yen’s untiring activities in entomology and arachnology.

Figures

Figures 31–40. Teyl yeni sp. nov. Holotype, male. 31, dorsal view, carapace, chelicerae and abdomen; 32, sternal area and left maxilla; 33, eye group; 34, right tarsus I, prolaterodorsal; 35, right leg I, retrolateral, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus; 36, schematic dorsal spination right tibia I; 37, right metatarsus I, prolaterodorsal; 38, right palp, retrolateral; 39, right palp, prolateroventral; 40, schematic spination of right palp tibia, prolateral. Scale = 0.1 mm (figs 31, 32, 34, 35, 37–39); 0.5 mm (fig. 33); figs 36, 40 not to scale.