Maratus vultus Otto & Hill 2016

Schubert, Joseph, 2020, First records of Maratus robinsoni Otto & Hill 2012 and Maratus vultus Otto & Hill 2016 (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryini: Maratus Karsch 1878) from Victoria, Australia, Peckhamia 206 (1), pp. 1-7 : 4-5

Maratus vultus Otto & Hill 2016

( Figures 3 A–D, 4)

Material examined. 1♂, Kaniva, Victoria, 36°31'45.8"S 141°24'07.9"E, 24 OCT 2019, coll . J . Schubert & B . Baehr, deposited in Museums Victoria collection . Type material observed via Figures 103–108 in Otto & Hill 2016: 2 ♂, Point Ann, Fitzgerald River National Park , Western Australia, 34.16954 °S, 119.5794 °E, 17 OCT 2013, coll . J . Otto and D. Knowles (via Otto & Hill 2016).

Diagnosis. Male. Dorsal opisthosomal plate covered with iridescent blue-green or purple scales and marked with distinctive, complex, orange figure anteriorly and a pair of black spots bordered by orange scales posteriorly. Ocular quadrangle region with uniform cover of orange scales. Two dorsolateral bands of white scales extend from ocular quadrangle to posterior margin of carapace, carapace lacking marginal band. Embolus of pedipalp with prominent outer ring terminating in bifurcated apex, and short inner ring with pointed apex.

Remarks. Historic records of Maratus vultus are known only from specimens collected from the type locality at Point Ann in Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia ( Otto & Hill 2016), and identified from photographs in Esperance, Western Australia, and Windy Harbour, Western Australia (iNaturalist 2019). The discovery of Maratus vultus in Kaniva , Victoria significantly extends its known range by approximately 1,800 geodesic kilometres in relation to its closest historic record ( Figure 4 ).

Figures

Figure 3. Images of the habitus of the Maratus vultus specimens collected in Kaniva, Victoria. A, Male #1 dorsolateral view. B, Male #1 dorsal view. C, Male #2 anterolateral view. 4, Male #2 anterior view.

Figure 4. Distribution of Maratus vultus in Australia. Previously known distribution indicated by white circles and new record indicated by red circle.