Lampona mildura, PLATNICK, 2000

PLATNICK, NORMAN I., 2000, A Relimitation And Revision Of The Australasian Ground Spider Family Lamponidae (Araneae: Gnaphosoidea), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2000 (245), pp. 1-328 : 85-86

Lampona mildura , new species

Figures 178–181 ; Map 18

TYPE: Female holotype taken under bark of Eucalyptus camaldulensis 5 km W Mildura, Victoria, 348109S, 1428069E (Sept. 21, 1985; M. Harvey, B. Scott, L. Hoare), deposited in AMS ( KS31888 ) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS: Females resemble those of L. yanchep and L. garnet but can be distin­

guished by the almost pentagonal epigynal midpiece (fig. 180). The male tentatively matched with the holotype resembles that specimen in coloration, sternal sculpturing, and femoral shape, and can easily be recognized by the odd shape of the retrolateral tibial apophysis (fig. 179).

MALE: Total length 5.2. Abdominal dorsum light anteriorly, with dark chevrons posteriorly; anterior femora slightly darkened, posterior femora with subdistal, tibiae with proximal and distal dark rings. Palpal femur darkened throughout its length but otherwise unmodified; retrolateral tibial apophysis lobe­shaped, with narrow tip (fig. 179); tegulum short; embolus short, narrow, almost obscured by conductor in ventral view (fig. 178).

FEMALE: Total length 4.6. Coloration as in male, except posterior leg markings not evident (specimen probably collected soon after molt, before fully sclerotized). Epigynum with v­shaped lateral margins (fig. 180); spermathecae with anterior portion rotund (fig. 181).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: New South Wales: Barren Grounds , 348429S, 1508439E, Sept. 3, 1996 ( AMS KS49695 ), 1 ?; Mount Keira, 348249S, 1508519E, no date, Berlese , rotting log, rainforest, elev. ca. 1000 ft (E. Britton, QMB), 1 ?.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from northwestern Victoria and southern New South Wales (map 18).

Figures

Map 18. Records of Lampona olga, new species (circle), L. garnet, new species (square), and L. mildura, new species (triangles).

Figs. 178–181. Lampona mildura, new species. 178. Left male palp, ventral view. 179. Same, retrolateral view. 180. Epigynum, ventral view. 181. Same, dorsal view.