Prodidomus beattyi Platnick

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 : 20-23

Prodidomus beattyi Platnick Figures 45–49; Map 2

Prodidomus beattyi Platnick, 1977: 72 , figs. 1–4 (male holotype from Shoal Bay Road, NE Darwin, Northern Territory, in QMB, examined).

DIAGNOSIS: Males resemble those of P. woodleigh but have a longer embolus (fig. 46); females also resemble those of P. woodleigh but have more highly convoluted lateral epigynal ducts (fig. 49).

MALE: Total length 2.16. Carapace 1.00 long, 0.76 wide, 0.30 high, length/width 1.31; sternum 0.70 long, 0.48 wide, length/width 1.45; abdomen 1.16 long, 0.80 wide; coxa I 0.38 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.63:0.47:0.68. Body, legs pale. Eye group width 0.75 of head width; AME 0.07; ALE 0.10; PME 0.10; PLE 0.12; AME–AME 0.04; AME–ALE 0.00; PME–PME 0.01; PME–PLE 0.00; ALE–PLE 0.00; eye group AME–PME 0.24; AME–AME 0.18; PME– PME 0.20. Clypeus 0.03 high. Carapace and abdomen covered with gray setae. ALS 0.15 of abdominal length, slightly separated. Palp (figs. 45–47): conductor originating prodistally, thin, spatulate; embolus thin, straight, originating prolaterally; most dorsal prong of retrolateral tibial apophysis relatively small, sharply pointed.

FEMALE: Total length 2.48. Carapace 1.02 long, 0.84 wide, 0.28 high, length/width 1.21; sternum 0.78 long, 0.58 wide, length/ width 1.34; abdomen 1.46 long, 1.04 wide; coxa I 0.32 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.75:0.62:0.93. Coloration as in male. Eye group width 0.68 of head width; ALE 0.11; PME 0.12; PLE 0.14; eye group AME– PME 0.26; PME–PME 0.22. ALS 0.16 of abdominal length. Epigynum (figs. 48, 49) with two small, lateral, semicircular copulatory openings connected to epigastric fold; epigynal ducts wide, sinuous, m-shaped, spermathecae widely separated.

47. Same, retrolateral view. 48. Epigynum, ventral view. 49. Same, dorsal view.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Northern Territory: Jabiru Residency , 12 ° 419S, 132 ° 539E, May 28, 1992, under bark (M. Harvey, J. Waldock, WAM T45047), 1♀ ; Shoal Bay Road, few miles NE Darwin, 12 ° 289S, 130 ° 509E, June 23, 1973, under rocks (J. Beatty, QMB S52 ), 1Oi, 1♀ (types). Western Australia: 4 km W King Cascade, 15 ° 389S, 125 ° 159E, June 12–16, 1988 (T. Weir, WAM 99 /651), 1Oi ; N Larryoo , 14 ° 519S, 126 ° 499E, June 12, 1992, under rock (M. Harvey, J. Waldock, WAM T45039), 1 Oi ; Steep Head Island , vine thicket, under rocks, 14 ° 279S, 126 ° 009E, Sept. 6, 2002 (M. Harvey, R. Teale, WAM T60267), 1 Oi .

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Western Australia and the Northern Territory (map 2).

Prodidomus yorke , new species

Figures 53, 54; Map 2

TYPE: Female holotype from Yorke Island, Torres Strait , 9 ° 449S, 143 ° 259E, Queensland (Nov. 27–28, 1986; J. Gallon), deposited in QMB ( S12427 ) .

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

DIAGNOSIS: Females differ from those of P. beattyi and the other Australian species in having the epigynal ducts narrow throughout their length (fig. 54).

MALE: Unknown.

FEMALE: Total length 3.62. Carapace 1.40 long, 1.14 wide, 0.36 high, length/width 1.23; sternum 1.00 long, 0.66 wide, length/ width 1.51; abdomen 2.22 long, 1.40 wide; coxa I 0.54 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.63:0.55:0.70. Body, legs pale yellow. PME and PLE largest, rectangular; eye group width 0.62 of head width; AME 0.09; ALE 0.08; PME 0.14; PLE 0.14; AME–AME 0.04; AME–ALE 0.00; PME–PME 0.05; PME–PLE 0.00; ALE–PLE 0.00; eye group AME–PME 0.28; AME–AME 0.22; PME– PME 0.30. Clypeus 0.03 high. ALS 0.09 of abdominal length, slightly separated. Epigynum (figs. 53, 54) with two tiny, lateral, semicircular copulatory openings, situated anterior of epigastric fold; entire epigynal ducts thin, extremely long, irregularly curved, spermathecae widely separated.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: None.

DISTRIBUTION: Known ONLY from the type locality (map 2).