Wydundra, Platnick & Baehr, 2006

Platnick, N. I. & Baehr, B., 2006, A Revision Of The Australasian Ground Spiders Of The Family Prodidomidae (Araneae: Gnaphosoidea), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2006 (298), pp. 1-287 : 106

Wydundra , new genus

TYPE SPECIES: Wydundra osbourne , new species.

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

DIAGNOSIS: Members of this genus can easily be recognized by the greatly enlarged and widely separated anterior lateral spinnerets, which are separated at their base by more than their diameter.

DESCRIPTION: Medium-sized spiders, total length of males 2.7–6.0, of females 3.7–7.5. Carapace rounded, narrowed in front to less than half its maximum width, with rebordered lateral margins, tiny denticles, reflexed posterior margin; surface coated with recumbent, dark setae, without tubercles, several long, dark, erect setae present in ocular area and on clypeus; thoracic groove long, longitudinal, deeply depressed, cephalic groove not pronounced. Eight eyes in two rows, anterior medians largest, circular, dark, posterior median eyes almost as large, light, irregularly triangular or egg-shaped, flat, laterals oval, light; from above and front, both eye rows strongly procurved, such that anterior medians are almost equidistant from anterior and posterior laterals (fig. 6); anterior medians separated by less than their radius, closer to anterior laterals; posterior medians separated by much less than their width, much farther from posterior laterals; anterior and posterior laterals separated by less than their radius; median ocular quadrangle about as wide in back as in front and as long. Chelicerae vertical, paturon with low boss, scattered erect setae, promargin with row of long, curved setae, most basal seta not elongated or widened; promargin with three closely spaced teeth, middle tooth largest, retromargin with two smaller, more widely separated teeth; chilum small, unipartite, triangular, apparently fused to carapace, accompanied by second, short, posterior chilum (narrow sclerite separating bases of chelicerae posteriorly). Labium wider than long, posteriorly depressed, evenly narrowed toward rebordered, medially shortened anterior margin. Endites rectangular, convergent, with oblique depression; serrula present, curved; anteromedian edges bearing wide patch of long, stiff, light setae. Clypeus low about M–L diameter of ALE, curved downwards. Sternum shield-shaped, slightly depressed opposite intercoxal spaces, with rebordered, slightly depressed lateral margins, not expanded anteriorly, with only indistinct extensions between coxae but with long, triangular extensions to coxae; surface smooth, with few long setae, posterior margin rebordered, widely separating coxae IV. Four weakly sclerotized epimeric sclerites on each side (one above palpi, fused one above coxae III and IV), not extending between coxae, not fused to carapace. Pedicel composed of two dorsal sclerites (anterior sclerite without posterior invagination) and narrow, triangular ventral sclerite with anteriorly unexpanded head almost reaching posterior tip of sternum, accompanied laterally by larger, triangular sclerites. Abdominal dorsum with anterior scutum in males (sometimes obscured by scales); cuticle coated with dark, recumbent scales; epigastric scutum weakly sclerotized, with well-marked booklung openings at sides but without postepigastric sclerites, booklung covers not ridged; colulus apparently absent but wide, recurved posterior spiracle apparently present just anterior of posterior median spinnerets. Six spinnerets, anterior laterals greatly elongated, equal to roughly half of total abdominal length, greatly advanced anteriorly, originating at position about onefourth of distance between epigastric furrow and anal tubercle, point of origin marked by heavily sclerotized transverse strip bearing strong macrosetae, where separating right and left spinnerets by at least their diameter (fig. 13); posterior medians small, narrow, situated anterior of posterior laterals, laterally compressed posteriorly, where separating posterior laterals, those of females apparently with two enlarged cylindrical gland spigots in longitudinal row; posterior laterals bisegmented, about twice as long as posterior medians. Legs elongate, leg formula 4123, coated with recumbent, dark setae; coxae and trochanters without dorsal tubercles, fourth coxae and trochanters slightly elongated; anterior coxae without protuberant posterolateral corners; trochanters distinctly notched; femora I, II long, dorsoproximal part slightly incrassate; metatarsi and tarsi with weak scopula composed of short, straight setae; posterior metatarsi without distal preening brushes; tarsi elongated, on onychium, with two tiny claws bearing few strong ventral peg-shaped teeth, divided claw tufts consisting of few spatulate setae (fig. 20); tarsi I–III without, IV with cuticular cracks at about half their length, tarsi IV distinctly bent at that point; dorsal surface of tarsi with modified proximal margin consisting of patch of unsclerotized cuticle followed by strong cuticular ridge, that ridge opposing distinct distal extensions situated at distal edge of metatarsi; trichobothria present, in two rows on tarsi, one on metatarsi and tibiae. Female palpal femur with three dorsodistal spines, row of very long midventral spines (fig. 246), tibia, tarsus with very long spines; tarsus with long claw bearing few ventral teeth, without ventral scopula or dorsal pad of setae. Typical leg spination pattern (counts refer to morphological surfaces, only surfaces bearing spines listed): tibiae III, IV v0-0-2; metatarsi III, IV v0-0- 1p. Male palpal tibia laterally flattened, with distal, retrolateral apophysis and distal lateroventral clump of long setae; cymbium long, at least 2.2 times longer than wide, tip conical; embolus situated prolaterally, tip accompanied by translucent, spatulate, distally situated conductor, median apophysis large, ventrally excavated. Epigynum with large protuberances, spermathecae complex.