Centrothele fisher, 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 : 183

Centrothele fisher , new species Figures 438–441 ; Map 47

TYPE: Female holotype taken in pitfall trap at an elevation of 1150 m on Mount Fisher , 178339S, 1458329E, Queensland (Aug. 2– Sept. 4, 1995; L. Umback), deposited in QMB .

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

DIAGNOSIS: Males can be recognized by the small dorsal tibial apophysis (fig. 439) and thin, long, embolus originating on the retrolateral edge of the bulb (fig. 438), females by the anteriorly advanced epigynal midpiece (fig. 440).

MALE: Total length 7.1. Abdominal dorsum gray, with pair of narrow transverse white stripes at about half its length, sides with interrupted narrow lines of white spots, venter pale white; legs unmarked. Leg spination: tibiae: III v2­2­2, r0­1­1; IV p0­1­1; metatarsi III, IV r0­1­0. Retrolateral tibial apophysis short, expanded basally on both dorsal and ventral sides, tibia also with small dorsal apophysis (fig. 439); embolus long, narrow, originating on retrolateral edge of bulb, embolus apophysis evenly arched, tegular apophysis almost rectangular, median apophysis laterally flattened (fig. 438).

FEMALE: Total length 6.8. Coloration as in male except abdominal venter with few orange sclerotizations. Leg spination: tibiae: III v2­2­2, r0­1­1; IV p0­1­1. Epigynal atrium and midpiece anteriorly advanced, situated near hood (fig. 440); all ducts greatly elongated (fig. 441).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Queensland: Malaan State Forest , 178359S, 1458359E, Apr. 20–24, 1978, rainforest (R. Raven, V. Davies, QMB S26515 ), 1 ?; Massey Creek, W Millaa Millaa , 178369S, 1458339E, Dec. 1, 1993 – Feb. 25, 1994, rainforest pitfall, elev. 1000 m (J. Hasenpusch, QMB S22932 ), 1/ (penultimate but with fully developed epigynum) ; Massey Creek , 178379S, 1458349E, July 4–Aug. 2, 1995, pitfall, elev. 1000 m (P. Zborowski, QMB), 1 ?; Mount Bartle­Frere , NW Peak summit, 178239S, 1458489E, Oct. 7, 1980, rainforest, elev. 1440 m (G., S. Monteith, QMB S34345 ), 1 /; Mount Edith, Lamb Range , 178069S, 1458379E, Oct. 12, 1982, elev. 1050 m (G. Monteith, D. Yeates, Thompson, QMB S28004 ), 1/, May 31– June 30, 1995, pitfall, elev. 1050 m (P. Zborowski, QMB), 1 /; Mount Fisher , 178339S, 1458329E, Nov. 30, 1995 – Jan. 3, 1996, pitfall, elev. 1150 m (L. Umback, QMB), 1 ?; Mount Fisher , 7 km SW Millaa Millaa, 178349S, 1458349E, Apr. 27–29, 1982, rainforest, elev. 1050–1100 m (G. Monteith, D. Yeates, Cook, QMB S26510 ), 1 ?.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from northern Queensland (map 47).

Figures

Map 47. Records of Centrothele gordon, new speices (circles) and C. fisher, new species (squares).

Figs. 438–441. Centrothele fisher, new species. 438. Left male palp, ventral view. 439. Same, retrolateral view. 440. Epigynum, ventral view. 441. Same, dorsal view.