Wesmaldra learmonth, 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 : 191-195

Wesmaldra learmonth , new species Figures 457–461; Map 32

TYPE: Female holotype from 1.3 km W of Learmonth, 22 ° 159S, 114 ° 059E, Western Australia (Sept. 30, 1988; J. Waldock), deposited in WAM (89/112) .

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

DIAGNOSIS: Males can easily be recognized by the long median apophysis (fig. 458), females by the large posteromedian epigynal projection and wide ducts (figs. 460, 461).

MALE: Total length 3.00. Carapace 1.22 long, 1.16 wide, 0.38 high, length/width 1.05; sternum 0.82 long, 0.70 wide, length/width 1.17; abdomen 1.78 long, 1.00 wide; coxa I 0.42 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.90:0.81:1.19. Carapace orange, with dark margin, one pair of darker, longitudinal patches between fovea and eye region; sternum, mouthparts pale orange; abdomen grayish, with small pale spot in front of spinnerets, venter pale; legs orange, covered with gray, recumbent scales. Eye group width 0.80 of head width; AME 0.11; ALE 0.12; PME 0.16; PLE 0.10; AME–AME 0.04; AME–ALE 0.02; PME–PME 0.02; PME– PLE 0.02; ALE–PLE 0.02; eye group AME– PME 0.30; AME–AME 0.26; PME–PME 0.30. Clypeus 0.04 high. Abdomen dorsally covered with gray, recumbent scales; ALS 0.24 of abdominal length. Tarsi I, II proventrally with band of scaled setae. Palp (figs. 457–459): cymbium retrolaterally straight; median apophysis long, cane-shaped; terminal apophysis absent; sperm duct u-shaped; embolus thin, straight, originating prolaterally, embolar base separated from tegulum; retrolateral tibial apophysis triangular.

FEMALE: Total length 2.90. Carapace 1.42 long, 1.26 wide, 0.44 high, length/width 1.12; sternum 0.90 long, 0.82 wide, length/width 1.10; abdomen 1.48 long; coxa I 0.44 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.95: 0.91:1.36. Coloration as in male. AME 0.12; ALE 0.14; PME 0.18; PLE 0.12; eye group AME–PME 0.34; AME–AME 0.28; PME– PME 0.32. ALS 0.40 of abdominal length. Epigynum (figs. 460, 461): atrium with large posterior-median projection; epigynal ducts wide, spermathecae close together.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Western Australia: Boolathana Station , 24 ° 259S, 113 ° 409E, Sept. 30, 1994 – Jan. 15, 1995, pitfalls (N. McKenzie, J. Rolfe, WAM T45617), 2♀ ; Boolathana Station , 24 ° 259S, 113 ° 429E, Aug. 20– Sept. 30, 1994, pitfall (A. Sampey, WAM T45618), 1♀, Sept. 27–Oct. 2, 1994, dry pitfall (A. Sampey, WAM T45619), 1♀, Sept. 30, 1994 – Jan. 15, 1995, pitfall (N. McKenzie, J. Rolfe, WAM T45620), 1♀, Jan. 15–May 29, 1995, pitfall (J. Waldock, WAM T45621), 1♀ ; Boo- lathana Station , 24 ° 259S, 113 ° 459E, Sept. 30, 1994 – Jan. 15, 1995, pitfall (N. McKenzie, J. Rolfe, WAM T45622), 1♀ ; Cape Range Camp, 22 ° 159S, 114 ° 039E, May 16, 1990, attracted to light at night (J. Waldock, WAM 91 /1004), 1 Oi , May 27, 1990, in tent at night (J. Waldock, WAM 91 /1006, 91/1008), 1 Oi, 1♀ ; Cape Range, Exmouth Limestone Lease , 22 ° 009S, 114 ° 059E, May 14, 2001, pitfalls (R. Brooks, WAM T45707, 45708 ), 3♀ ; Central Hill , NW Cape Peninsula, 22 ° 159S, 113 ° 589E, May 19, 1965 (G. Kendrick, WAM 84 /1120), 1 Oi .

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Western Australia (map 32).

Wesmaldra nixaut , new species

Figures 462–466; Map 32

TYPE: Male holotype taken in dry pitfall trap at Barlee Range Nature Reserve , 23 ° 069S, 116 ° 009E, Western Australia (June 19–22, 1994; P. and G. Kendrick), deposited in WAM (T45124) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is an arbitrary combination of letters.

DIAGNOSIS: Males can easily be recognized by the sharply pointed, longitudinally placed tegular apophysis (fig. 463), females by the large median epigynal projection and long ducts (figs. 465, 466).

MALE: Total length 2.98. Carapace 1.30 long, 1.22 wide, 0.50 high, length/width 1.06; sternum 0.82 long, 0.78 wide, length/ width 1.05; abdomen 1.68 long, 1.20 wide; coxa I 0.46 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.95:0.82:1.09. Carapace, sternum, mouthparts, legs orange; abdomen pale. Carapace, abdomen, legs covered with gray, recumbent scales. Eye group width 0.77 of head width; AME 0.12; ALE 0.12; PME 0.18; PLE 0.12; AME–AME 0.06; AME–ALE 0.02; PME–PME 0.02; PME–PLE 0.04; ALE–PLE 0.04; eye group AME–PME 0.32; AME–AME 0.30; PME–PME 0.34. Clypeus 0.04 high. Chelicerae with no teeth. ALS 0.29 of abdominal length. Tarsi I, II proventrally with band of scaled setae. Palp (figs. 462–464): cymbium long, slender, at least 2.2 times longer than wide, tip extremely elongate; conductor originating distally, long, straight, with blunt tip; median apophysis cane-shaped, about twice as long as wide; terminal apophysis triangular, with slender, sharp tip, prolaterally situated; sperm duct u- shaped; embolus thin, straight, originating prolaterally, embolar base separated from tegulum; tibia elongate, retrolateral tibial apophysis long, dorsally directed with bent tip.

FEMALE: Total length 4.54. Carapace 1.70 long, 1.62 wide, 0.58 high, length/width 1.05; sternum 1.04 long, 0.98 wide, length/ width 1.06; abdomen 2.84 long, 0.96 wide; coxa I 0.58 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.96:0.93:1.14. Coloration as in male. Eye group width 0.69 of head width; AME 0.14; PME 0.16; PLE 0.10; PME–PME 0.04; eye group AME–PME 0.34; AME–AME 0.34; PME–PME 0.38. ALS 0.28 of abdominal length. Epigynum (figs. 465, 466): atrium with large posterior-median projection; anterior epigynal ducts enlarged, spermathecae widely separated.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Western Australia: Barlee Range Nature Reserve , 23 ° 059S, 115 ° 479E, June 15–18, 1994, dry pitfall (P., G. Kendrick, WAM T59041), 1♀ ; Barlee Range Nature Reserve , 23 ° 069S, 115 ° 459E, Aug. 1993, pitfall (S. van Leeuwen, B. Bromilow, WAM T45229), 1Oi ; Barlee Range Nature Reserve , 23 ° 069S, 116 ° 019E, Aug. 1993, pitfall (S. van Leeuwen, B. Bromilow, WAM T45230), 1♀ .

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from the Barlee Range in Western Australia (map 32).

Wesmaldra baynesi , new species

Figures 467, 468; Map 33

TYPE: Female holotype taken in cave at Warrieder Station , 1 km N Woodleys Find, 29 ° 039S, 116 ° 599E, Western Australia (Apr. 27, 2003; A. Baynes, M. Pusovskis), deposited in WAM (T60328) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a patronym in honor of Alex Baynes, a research associate at the Western Australian Museum and one of the collectors of the type.

DIAGNOSIS: Females resemble those of W. nixaut , but have a shorter, inverted ushaped median epigynal projection and contiguous spermathecae (figs. 467, 468).

MALE: Unknown.

FEMALE: Total length 4.66. Carapace 2.06 long, 1.84 wide, 1.22 high, length/width 1.12; sternum 1.11 long, 2.60 wide, length/ width 0.76; abdomen 0.08 long, 0.36 wide; coxa I 0.70 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.97:0.91:1.17. Cephalothorax, legs pale yellow; abdomen dorsally gray, with half

467, 469. Epigynum, ventral view. 468, 470. Same, dorsal view.

moon-shaped pale spot in front of spinnerets, venter pale. Carapace covered with shiny, slim, recumbent scales. Eye group width 0.70 of caput width; AME 0.16; ALE 0.16; PME 0.18; PLE 0.16; AME–AME 0.04; AME– ALE 0.04; PME–PME 0.04; PME–PLE 0.04; ALE–PLE 0.04; eye group AME–PME 0.38; AME–AME 0.36; PME–PME 0.40. Clypeus 0.08 high. Abdomen covered with dark, gray, recumbent scales; ALS 0.36 of abdominal length, about half their diameter apart. Tarsi I–IV ventrally with two rows of short, stout setae. Palpal femur with five long, ventral setae. Epigynum (figs. 467, 468): atrium inverted u-shaped, situated anteriorly, anterior margin with wide, v-shaped projection, posterior margin with one inverted u-shaped projection; epigynal ducts long, s-shaped, spermathecae contiguous, globular.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: None.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Warrie- der Station in Western Australia (map 33).