Knotodo, Raven & Hebron & Williams, 2023

Raven, Robert J., Hebron, Wendy & Williams, Kylie, 2023, Revisions of Australian ground-hunting spiders VI: five new stripe-less miturgid genera and 48 new species (Miturgidae: Miturginae), Zootaxa 5358 (1), pp. 1-117 : 75

Knotodo gen. nov.

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of other non-stripe miturgines by these characters: the slender embolus base directed posteriorly, with embolus thin along prolateral diameter of bulb, and lying in same line as the long, slender median apophysis, and the RTA consisting of two trianguloid plates restricted to base of cymbium, each joined by unsclerotised zone.

Etymology. The genus name is a fusion of “knot” (meaning twisted, or complex) and Odo Keyserling, 1887 , a South American xenoctenid genus in which one Australian species of the genus was first placed. The gender is feminine.

Type species. Knotodo gracilis ( Hickman, 1950)

Description. As for Miturgopelma gen. nov. but the palpal patella of males has a process ( Fig. 61b, K . coolgardie sp. nov.) or not. Bulb with slender embolus base directed posteriorly with thin embolus for prolateral diameter of bulb and lies in same line as long slender median apophysis; the RTA consists of two trianguloid plates not extending past to basal cymbium and each joined by unsclerotised zone.

Species included. Eight: K. gracilis ( Hickman, 1950) comb. nov., K. coolgardie sp. nov., K. eneabba sp. nov., K. shoadi sp. nov., K. muckera sp. nov., K. narelleae sp. nov., K. nullarbor sp. nov., and K. toolinna sp. nov.

Key to males of Knotodo gen. nov.

1. Palpal patella with retrolateral conical spur ( Fig. 61b )....................................... K. coolgardie sp. nov. Palpal patella without any spur ( Fig. 67c ).................................................................. 2

2(1). Median apophysis broad ( Fig. 63a )....................................................................... 5 Median apophysis long and slender ( Fig. 69b ).............................................................. 3

3(2). Median apophysis widens only slightly to embolus base ( Fig. 71a ).............................................. 4 Median apophysis widens strongly to wide embolus base which then tapers quickly ( Fig. 69b )........ K. nullarbor sp. nov.

4(3). Median apophysis distal lobe directed prolaterally ( Fig. 71a )...................................... K. shoadi sp. nov. Median apophysis distal lobe directed prolaterally ( Fig. 61a )................................................... 7

5(2). Median apophysis a broad scoop ( Fig. 63a ).................................................. K. eneabba sp. nov. Median apophysis a twisted complex plate................................................................. 6

6(5). Median apophysis final lobe directed prolaterally ( Fig. 65a ); dorsal spine of RTA a simple cone ( Fig. 65a ).................................................................................................... K. muckera sp. nov. Median apophysis final lobe directed retrolaterally ( Fig. 72a ); dorsal spine of RTA broad cone with subdistal prong ( Fig. 72c ).................................................................................... K. toolinna sp. nov.

7(4). Dorsal spine of RTA long curved evident in ventral view; median apophysis a long curving simple point ( Fig. 60a )..................................................................................................... K. gracilis Dorsal spine of RTA short, not evident in ventral view; median apophysis a long curving point with a prolateral fold ( Fig. 67a )................................................................................ K. narelleae sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 60. Knotodo gracilis (Hickman, 1950) comb. nov.: male palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia, scanning electron micrographs: a, bulb, ventral view; b, median apophysis, ventral view; c, d, RTA, ventral (c) and distal (d) views.

FIGURE 61. Knotodo coolgardie sp. nov., male holotype WAM 98/798: a, b, d, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, ventral view; b, patella showing apophysis, dorsal view; c, habitus, dorsal view; d, ventral view.

FIGURE 63. Knotodo eneabba sp. nov., male: a, b, WAM 98/761: a, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia, ventral view; b, RTA, dorsal view; c, d, holotype, WAM T33482, habitus: c, lateral view showing very long legs; d, dorsal view.

FIGURE 65. Knotodo muckera sp. nov., a, c, d, male holotype, SAM N1998265: a–c, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, ventral view, arrow shows groove; b, female, habitus, dorsal view; c, RTA, retrolateral view; d, median apophysis, ventral view.

FIGURE 67. Knotodo narelleae sp. nov., a, male paratype, MV K4341; b, c, male holotype, MV K4810; a, bulb, cymbium and tibia, ventral view; b, habitus, dorsal view; c, palpal tibia, dorsal view showing dorsal lobe of RTA.

FIGURE 69. Knotodo nullarbor sp. nov., a–c, male holotype, QM S31557: a, habitus, dorsal view; b, c, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia; b, ventral view; c, retrolateral view.

FIGURE 71. Knotodo shoadi sp. nov., male holotype, MV K4339: a, b, male palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, ventral view; b, retrolateral view; c, habitus, dorsal view.

FIGURE 72. Knotodo toolinna sp. nov., male holotype, WAM 98/876: a–c, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, ventral view; b, retrolateral view; c, dorsal view; d, habitus, dorsal view; e, lateral view; f, eyes, dorsal view.