Karaops forteyi, Crews, Sarah C., 2013

Crews, Sarah C., 2013, Thirteen new species of the spider genus Karaops (Araneae: Selenopidae) from Western Australia, Zootaxa 3647 (3), pp. 443-469 : 455-458

Karaops forteyi sp. nov.

( Figs 15–18 , 37 )

Type material. Holotype: female, 27.5 km N of Cowra Line Camp, SITE RHNW08 [22˚6’24.6” S 119˚0’2.5” E, Western Australia, Australia], 26 August 2003 – 20 October 2004, CALM PILBARA SURVEY, ethylene glycol pitfalls (WAM T79407).

Paratype: 1 male, 24.5 km N of Cowra Line Camp, SITE RHNW 10 [22˚08’04.8” S 119˚01’27.3” E, Western Australia, Australia], 27 August 2003 – 20 October 2004, CALM PILBARA SURVEY, wet pitfalls (WAM T79408).

Etymology. This species is named in honour of the palaeontologist Richard Fortey.

Diagnosis. Females of K. forteyi sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species by the presence of copulatory ducts that are convoluted and laterally asymmetrical, with a round medial depression ventrally ( Figs 15–16 ). Males can be distinguished from all other species by the dRTA, which is much longer than the vRTA, the MA is small, hooked, directed retrolaterally, and the conductor gently curves and is directed posteriorly and is pointed and sclerotised at tip ( Figs 17–18 ).

Description. Female (holotype):

Colour. Dorsal shield of prosoma yellow-brown, with slightly darker marks laterally and medially; sternum pale yellow; chelicerae yellow-brown with darker infuscations anteriorly and laterally; maxillae pale yellow; labium pale brown, lightening distally; opisthosoma dorsally yellow-brown with dark horizontal markings and several dark flecks and spots; ventrally pale yellow; legs yellow-brown, darkening distally; annulations present on all segments, not entirely encircling femora.

Prosoma. 0.87 times longer than broad; clypeus 0.20 high.

Eyes. AER nearly straight; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye group width 1.52; eye diameters, AME 0.21, ALE 0.09, PME 0.25, PLE 0.39; interdistances AME-ALE 0.36, PME-PLE 0.38, ALE-PLE 0.29, AME-PME 0.02; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.21, PME-PME 0.50.

Sternum. 0.79 times longer than broad.

Chelicerae. Promargin with 3 teeth, retromargin with 2 teeth.

Female pedipalp. Only one pedipalp found on specimen, and the claw has broken off.

Epigyne ( Fig. 15 ). Lateral lobes not distinct, small medially-located indentation along posterior margin of epigynal plate; median field with medially depressed circular area; copulatory openings located at lateral margins of circular depression.

Vulva ( Fig. 16 ). Copulatory ducts sinuous, laterally asymmetrical, extending laterally, then curving anteriorly nearly to top of epigynal plate, then curving posteriorly toward margin of epigynal plate; two pairs of small, oval, elongate spermathecae, one pair located at anteriormost curve of copulatory ducts, before they curve posteriorly, the other located where the copulatory ducts first begin to curve; fertilisation ducts extend laterally.

Opisthosoma. Caudal setal tufts present.

Legs. Leg I only slightly shorter than legs II and IV (leg III missing); leg formula unknown (at least one leg missing); tarsal claws without teeth; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1-1-0, d 1-1-1, rl 0; Ti d 0, v 2-2 -2-2-2; Mt v 2-2 -2-2; leg II, Fm pr 0-0-1, d 1-1-1, rl 0; Ti v 2-2 -2-2-2; leg IV, Fm pr 0-0-1, d 1-1-1, rl 0-0-1; Ti v 1-1; Mt 0.

Measurements. Total length 7.65. Dorsal shield of prosoma length 3.11, width 3.57. Sternum length 1.54, width 1.93. Opisthosoma length 4.54, width 4.20. Pedipalp: Fm 0.93, Pt 0.54, Ti 0.63, Ta 0.91, (total) 3.01. Leg I: Fm 3.14, Pt 1.32, Ti 2.75, Mt 2.39, Ta 1.07, (total) 10.67. Leg II: Fm 3.95, Pt 1.45, Ti 3.07, Mt 2.68, Ta 1.09, (total) 12.24. Leg III: Absent. Leg IV: Fm 4.15, Pt 1.21, Ti 3.18, Mt 2.86, Ta 1.18, (total) 12.58.

Male (from 22˚08’04.8” S 119˚01’27.3” E, 24.5 km N of Cowra Line Camp, SITE RHNW 10, Western Australia, Australia; WAM T79408):

Colour. Dorsal shield of prosoma yellow-brown, with slightly darker marks laterally; sternum pale yellow; chelicerae yellow-brown with darker infuscations anteriorly and laterally; maxillae pale yellow; labium pale brown, lightening distally; opisthosoma dorsally reddish-brown, with red, dark, and grey setae, greyish horizontal w-shaped marks; ventrally pale yellow; legs yellow-brown to brown, annulations present on all legs, those on femora hollow, and not entirely encircling femora.

Prosoma. 0.86 times longer than broad; clypeus 0.13 high.

Eyes. AER nearly straight; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye group width 1.14; eye diameters, AME 0.20, ALE 0.11, PME 0.23, PLE 0.34; interdistances AME-ALE 0.30, PME-PLE 0.27, ALE-PLE 0.27, AME-PME 0.04; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.13, PME-PME 0.48.

Sternum. 0.78 times longer than broad.

Chelicerae. Promargin with 3 teeth, retromargin with 2 teeth.

Pedipalp ( Figs 17–18 ). Fm, spination d 0-1-2; RTA with two apophyses, dorsal apophysis long, narrow, pointed distally, gently curving ventrally in lateral view; in ventral view, dorsal apophysis widens medially, then narrows distally, excavated; ventral apophysis approximately half as long as dorsal apophysis, narrow, rounded in ventral view; in lateral view, wider, more angular, and excavated, space between dorsal and ventral apophyses on tibia also deeply excavated; cymbium oval to triangular; conductor large, with trough for embolus, the tip of which is completely covered by distal portion of conductor folding anteriorly, tip of conductor heavily sclerotised and pointed posteriorly; embolus long and slender, arising from large tegular lobe, tapering abruptly, beginning at 7 o'clock, terminating at 1 o'clock; MA directed laterally, with single pointed process, with large ovoid base, tapering abruptly, with a small hook at tip, directed anterolaterally.

Opisthosoma. Caudal setal tufts present.

Legs. Leg formula unknown (at least one leg missing); tarsal claws without teeth; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1-1-1, d 1-1-1, rl 0-1-1; Ti d 0, v 2-2 -2-2-2; Mt v 2-2 -2-2; II, Fm pr 1-1-1, d 1-1-1, rl 0-1-1; Ti v 2-2 -2-2-2; Mt v 2-2 -2-2.

Measurements. Total length 5.80. Dorsal shield of prosoma length 2.82, width 3.29. Sternum length 1.27, width 1.63. Opisthosoma length 2.98, width 2.44. Pedipalp: Fm 0.89, Pt 0.54, Ti 0.55, Ta 0.98, (total) 2.96. Leg I: Fm 3.39, Pt 1.25, Ti 2.89, Mt 2.68, Ta 1.34, (total) 11.55. Leg II: Fm 4.15, Pt 1.34, Ti 3.41, Mt 3.18, Ta 1.43, (total) 13.51. Leg III: Absent. Leg IV: Absent.

Distribution. Known only from the vicinity of the type locality ( Fig. 37 ). Life history and habitat preferences. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 37. Map of Australia. Inset A showing the Pilbara region of Western Australia with the records of Karaops nyiyaparli sp. nov. (black squares), Karaops banyjima sp. nov. (black hexagon), Karaops nyamal sp. nov. (black triangle), Karaops feedtime sp. nov. (white diamond), Karaops kariyarra sp. nov. (white stars), Karaops nyangumarta sp. nov. (white Xs), Karaops yurlburr sp. nov. (white triangle), Karaops ngarluma sp. nov. (black stars), Karaops yindjibarndi sp. nov. (black diamond), Karaops jaburrara sp. nov. (black X), Karaops forteyi sp. nov. (white rhomboids), Karaops burbidgei (white square), Karaops martamarta (white circles); Inset B showing the records of Karaops umiida sp. nov. (black circles); Inset C showing eastern Western Australia and western Northern Territory with the records of Karaops yumbu sp. nov. (white hexagon).

FIGURES 15 - 22. Karaops forteyi sp. nov. 15 epigyne; 16 vulva; 17 – 18 left pedipalp (17 ventral, 18 retrolateral view). Karaops yindjibarndi sp. nov. 19 – 20 left pedipalp (19 ventral, 20 retrolateral view). Karaops jaburrara sp. nov. 21 – 22 left pedipalp (21 ventral, 22 retrolateral view). Scales: 0.50 mm.