Lamponoides, 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 : 135-137

Lamponoides , new genus

TYPE SPECIES: Lamponoides coottha , new species.

ETYMOLOGY: The generic name is an arbitrary combination of letters, considered feminine in gender.

DIAGNOSIS: Members of the genus resemble those of Lampona and Lamponina in having a rugose (rather than smooth) sternal surface. They differ from Lampona species in having a dorsal abdominal scutum in females and lacking a protuberant retrolateral tibial apophysis in males, and from Lamponina species in having the epimeric sclerites free (rather than fused with the sternum).

DESCRIPTION: Medium­sized spiders, total length 4–8. Carapace dark red, tuberculate, coated with long setae originating from bases of tubercles, tubercles protruding from lateral margin; thoracic groove long, longitudinal. Eight eyes in two rows, anterior medians largest, circular, dark, other eyes subequal in size, light, laterals oval, posterior medians irregularly oval, flattened; from above, both eye rows slightly procurved, from front, both rows strongly procurved; anterior medians separated by at least their radius, closer to anterior laterals; posterior medians separated by their diameter or more from each other and from posterior laterals; anterior and posterior laterals separated by at least their diameter; median ocular quadrangle wider in front than in back, slightly longer than wide. Chelicerae, sternum, and mouthparts dark red; chilum small, triangular, accompanied by second, elongated, posterior chilum (extremely narrow sclerite separating bases of chelicerae posteriorly); chelicerae with distinct lateral boss, promargin with series of short setae originating in line along base of fang plus one long, thick seta originating closest to fang, immediately bent at 908 angle, extending to median line; promargin with three teeth, retromargin with none; cheliceral gland openings not scanned. Labium truncate anteriorly and posteriorly, distinctly depressed medially; anterior surface not scanned. Endites obliquely depressed, with sharply demarcated, deep groove along margin near labium; serrula long, with single row of teeth; anterior surface not scanned. Sternum elevated, with steep lateral margins, slightly expanded anteriorly at sides, reaching only to heel at posterolateral corner of endites, with extensions to and between coxae; surface rugose. Two epimeric sclerites on each side, one opposite palpal endites, one above all coxae, not reaching sternal triangles, not fused to carapace. Pedicel composed of two small, flat dorsal sclerites and rounded sclerite covering venter and sides, rounded sclerite with median longitudinal keel prolonged anteriorly into triangular protrusion extending toward sternum.

Anterior edge of abdomen of male with almost complete sclerotic ring formed by epigastric scutum plus dorsal abdominal scutum reaching to about one­fourth of abdominal length, females with distinct, rounded scutum on anterior surface or dorsum; cuticle with long light and dark setae; epigastric scutum accompanied posterolaterally by pair of oval, deeply invaginated sclerites bearing clearly elevated anterior rim; sclerites separated by membranous lobe without extensions; anterior edge of oval sclerites fitting under epigastric scutum; colulus represented by setae; tiny transverse sclerite present, well removed from spinnerets, presumably marking position of small posterior spiracle. Anterior lateral spinnerets tubular, separated by roughly their diameter, cuticle representing distal, second spinneret segment restricted to semicircle surrounding major ampullate gland spigots (piriform gland spigots surrounded only by soft cuticle); posterior median spinnerets large, tubular, without anteriorly expanded tips; posterior lateral spinnerets two­segmented, spigots unscanned.

Legs almost spineless, with single proventral spine at distal tip of tibiae III, IV and (in females) single short spine at midlength of dorsum of femur IV; most surfaces with long, dark setae; in males, all coxae and posterior trochanters dorsally tuberculate; anterior coxae with protuberant posterolateral corners; trochanters unnotched; anterior metatarsi and tarsi with divided scopulae, composed of flattened, distally bent setae; posterior metatarsi with thick, dark, distal preening brushes; posterior tarsi with weak, entire scopulae; tarsi with two dentate claws, claw tufts composed of lateral pads of closely appressed setae; trichobothria present on tibiae, metatarsi, and tarsi, in 2–3 irregular rows, bases unscanned; tarsal organ unscanned. Female palpal tibia and tarsus with several long, thin spines; female palpal tarsus with long, dentate claw.

Male palp with retrolateral tibial apophysis reduced to low ridge not extending past distal rim of segment; cymbial surface retrobasally excavated; tegulum not expanded, not extending beyond posterior rim of tarsus; embolus medially situated, elongated, inset into membranous conductor; median apophysis absent, represented at most by slight sclero­ tization within conductor. Epigynum elongated, reaching almost to pedicel, with four spermathecae; pre­epigynum unknown.