Araneus crinitus (Rainbow, 1893)

W. Framenau, Volker, 2019, Generic and family transfers, and numina dubia for orb-weaving spiders (Araneae, Araneidae) in the Australasian, Oriental and Pacific regions, Evolutionary Systematics 3 (1), pp. 1-27 : 15

Araneus crinitus (Rainbow, 1893)

Anepsia crinita Rainbow, 1893: 23-24, pl. 3, figs 5, 5a.

Araneus crinitus (Rainbow). Simon 1895: 869; Rainbow 1911: 184; Bonnet 1955: 471.

Aranea crinita (Rainbow). Roewer 1942: 826.

Type material.

Holotype of Anepsia crinita Rainbow, 1893: immature (?) female, Manly [33°48'S, 151°17'E, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA] (whereabouts unknown).

Remarks.

The holotype of Anepsia crinita is not present in the Australian Museum and must be considered lost. The original description of this species does not include an illustration of the epigyne nor are female genitalia mentioned anywhere in the text in contrast to all other species described in the same publication. Rainbow (1893) may therefore have described an immature specimen. Simon (1895) did not believe the species to belong to the genus Anepsion Strand, 1929 and based on its description considered it a 'normal Araneus '. It will not be possible to identify this species from the description alone and therefore I consider the species-group name Anepsia crinita a nomen dubium.