Blakistonia gemmelli, Harrison & Rix & Harvey & Austin, 2018

Harrison, Sophie E., Rix, Michael G., Harvey, Mark S. & Austin, Andrew D., 2018, Systematics of the Australian spiny trapdoor spiders of the genus Blakistonia Hogg (Araneae: Idiopidae), Zootaxa 4518 (1), pp. 1-76 : 38-40

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4518.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:708981EF-21DC-4DC2-B1CD-8CFF4373DA8C

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5967809

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C10411-5572-FFE1-E1E8-FC7DFB6AFC12

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Blakistonia gemmelli
status

sp. nov.

Blakistonia gemmelli View in CoL , sp. n.

( Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 A–L)

Type material. AUSTRALIA: South Australia: GoogleMaps Holotype male, Weetootla Well, Flinders Ranges   GoogleMaps , 30°30’00”S, 139°15’00”E, 9 May 1989, pitfall trap, D. Hirst (SAM NN20097 ). Paratypes: 1 male, same data ( SAM NN20098 ) GoogleMaps ; 1 male, same data except 30°29’00”S, 139°13’00”E, 8 May 1989 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Males of B. gemmelli can be distinguished from those of B. maryae , B. plata , B. birksi , B. newtoni , B. hortoni , B. parva , B. maryae , B. olea , B. tariae , B. carnarvon and B. raveni by the prolateral clasping spurs on tibia I, each with raised cuticular bases and bearing multiple terminal peg-like macrosetae ( Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 G–I); from those of B. bella by the lack of a dorsal abdominal cardiac stripe ( Fig 13A View FIGURE 13 ); from those of B. pidax by the thick spine-like spinules on the cymbium ( Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 J–L); from those of B. tunstilli by the spinules on the palpal tibia being similar in size or only slightly shorter compared to those on the RTA ( Fig. 13J, L View FIGURE 13 ); from those of B. emmottorum by the square eye group ( Fig. 13D View FIGURE 13 ); and from those of B. aurea by the short and stout RTA, with the field of RTA spinules extending only slightly onto the tibia ( Fig. 13J View FIGURE 13 ), and by the strong abdominal pattern ( Fig 13A View FIGURE 13 ). Females are unknown.

Description. Holotype male (SAM NN20097). Small idiopid spider (total length 7.8).

Colour (in ethanol; Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 A–C): Carapace, legs and pedipalp uniform pale golden orange-brown ( Fig. 13A View FIGURE 13 ); sternum, labium and maxillae very similar; chelicerae darker golden-brown ( Fig. 13E, F View FIGURE 13 ); abdomen same golden orange-brown with pattern of seven mottled chevrons; first chevron large and triangular second chevron about half width of first, remaining five chevrons split in centre, not continuous ( Fig. 13A, C View FIGURE 13 ).

Cephalothorax: Carapace 3.6 long, 2.9 wide, 2.5 high, 1.2 times longer than wide; oval ( Fig. 13A View FIGURE 13 ), caput low, ocular area raised ( Fig. 13C View FIGURE 13 ); cuticle smooth, with pits outward from fovea and both sides of caput; fovea straight; row of sparse setae between fovea and eye group; carapace otherwise with few smaller fine setae, concentrated and form fringe around lateral margins; median clump of thickened setae on clypeus ( Fig. 13D View FIGURE 13 ). Length of median clypeus less than 1.0; anterior margin slightly convex. Eye group 1.1 wide, 0.7 long, 0.4 of carapace width; anterior eye row strongly procurved, PLE–PLE/ALE–ALE ratio 0.9; posterior eye row slightly procurved; AME only slightly smaller than ALE and separated by about ALE diameter; ALE and PLE separated by about twice PLE diameter; PME pale, less than half of AME and only slightly smaller than PLE, and separated from PLE by less than its own diameter ( Fig 13D View FIGURE 13 ). Labium without cuspules ( Fig. 13F View FIGURE 13 ). Sternum 1.9 long, 1.7 wide, evenly setose ( Fig. 13E View FIGURE 13 ). Maxillae with 6 (left) and 4 (right) cuspules ( Fig. 13E, F View FIGURE 13 ).

Legs: setose and spinose; tarsi I, II ventrally swollen; tarsi and distal metatarsi I, II weakly scopulate only ventrally ( Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 G–I). Paired tarsal claws: leg I p5 (2 large, 3 small) r5 (3 large, 2 small); leg II p2 (2 large), r2 (2 large); leg III p4 (2 large, 2 small), r5 (1 large, 4 small); leg IV p3 (3 large), r4 (3 large, 1 small).

Spination: Tibia I with prolateral clasping spurs, both spurs with 2 terminal peg-like macrosetae ( Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 G–I), r2; metatarsus p1. Leg II: tibia p1, r4; metatarsus p1, r5. Leg III: (right) patella r3; tibia p3, r1; metatarsus p7, r7; tarsus p4. Leg IV: tibia p3, r4; metatarsus p4, r6; tarsus p4, r6.

Leg and pedipalp measurements: Length of legs IV> II> I> III. Leg I: femur 3.1, patella 1.5, tibia 2.3, metatarsus 2.0, tarsus 1.5, total = 10.4. Leg II: femur 3.3, patella 1.6, tibia 2.4, metatarsus 2.1, tarsus 1.5, total = 10.9. Leg III: femur 2.8, patella 1.2, tibia 2.0, metatarsus 2.2, tarsus 1.6, total = 9.8. Leg IV (right): femur 3.6, patella 1.6, tibia 3.5, metatarsus 3.2, tarsus 2.0, total = 13.9. Pedipalp: femur 1.9, patella 0.7, tibia 1.7, tarsus 0.9, total = 5.2.

Pedipalp: Patella with thickened ventral setae; tibia short, swollen, RTA very short,pointed, with several setae and covered in short, dense spinules from just over half of the distance between base of apophysis and distal tibia, becoming very sparse towards dstal tibia; long, erect setae on ventral tibia; bulb uniform, globular; embolus simple, slender, tapering, tip slightly twisted, only slightly longer than length of bulb; cymbium covered in rows of short spinules, becoming longer closer to distal edge ( Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 J–L).

Abdomen: Setose, oval, dorsal sigilla not evident; 4.2 long, 2.9 wide ( Fig. 13A View FIGURE 13 ).

Variation (n=3): Carapace 3.1–3.6 long, 2.8–2.9 wide, no labial cuspules. Spination: Leg I: tibia r2–5; metatarsus p0–1, r0–3. Leg II: tibia p1–2, r3–4; metatarsus p1–2, r 3–5; tarsus r0–1. Leg III: patella p3; tibia p1–3, r2–3; metatarsus p3–8, r6–8; tarsus p2–4, r0–3. Leg IV: tibia p0–3, r0–4; metatarsus p4–11, r3–6; tarsus p3–8, r2– 6.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Mike Gemmell, for his long-term interest in trapdoor spiders.

Distribution. Blakistonia gemmelli is known only from Weetootla Well, in the Flinders Ranges ( Fig. 31 View FIGURE 31 ).

Remarks. One specimen of B. aurea has also been found at Weetootla Well (SAM NN20096).

SAM

South African Museum

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Idiopidae

Genus

Blakistonia

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