Misgolas maxhicksi, Wishart & Rowell, 2008

Wishart, Graham & Rowell, David M., 2008, Trapdoor Spiders of the Genus Misgolas (Mygalomorphae: Idiopidae) from Eastern New South Wales, With Notes on Genetic Variation, Records of the Australian Museum 60 (1), pp. 45-86 : 54-55

Misgolas maxhicksi n.sp.

Figs 5A–H , 24A

Type material. HOLOTYPE M, AM KS38635 , Barrington Tops SF, 1.3 km along Bungaree Trail from Barrington Tops Forest Rd (31°56'44"S 151°21'09"E), 1180 m, 4 Feb.–9 Apr. 1993 pitfall trap site 62BR, M. Gray, G. Cassis . PARATYPE?: AM KS48650 , details same as holotype .

Other material examined ??, AM KS36720 , Chichester State Forest (26/46A), junction of Mt. Allyn Rd. & Allyn River Forest Rd (32°08'S 151°28'E), 355 m, 4 Feb.–9 Apr. 1993, pit fall trap site 36CG, M. Gray, G. Cassis . AM KS36717 (3 specimens), Chichester State Forest (26), Allyn River Forest Rd, 1.1 km north of Mt. Allyn Rd (32°08'S 151°28'E), 378 m, 4 Feb.–9 Apr. 1993, pit fall trap site 38CM, M. Gray, G. Cassis ; AM KS86220 , details same as KS36717 ; AM KS86221 , details same as KS36717 ; AM KS38608 , Chichester State Forest (16A), Bungari Rd, 1 km from Mt Allyn Rd (32°08'S 151°26'E), 940 m, 4 Feb.–9 Apr. 1993, pit fall trap site 36BM, M. Gray, G. Cassis ; AM KS86212 , details same as KS38608 .

Diagnosis. In male: medium sized dark brown spiders, carapace length c. 6.0–7.94; retrodorsal surface of metatarsi IV without spines; venter with dense pattern of brown maculations as figured ( Fig. 5H ). Tarsi II with bilateral rows of small spines adjacent to scopula margins ( Fig. 5F,G ), few if any on tarsi I ( Fig. 5D,E ). Metatarsi I and II with bilateral small clusters of spines near distal edges ( Fig. 5D–G ). Palpal bulb with retrolateral embolic flange with c. 8 fine folds; embolus tip sinuous from dorsal aspect ( Fig. 5B ), appears swollen from lateral aspect by thin ventral flange suspended from tip ( Fig. 5C ); embolus with small subdistal dorsal apophysis ( Fig. 5C ). Conformation of palp as figured ( Fig. 5A ). Female not known.

Description

Male holotype ( Fig. 5A–H ). Size. Carapace length 7.94, width 6.27. Abdomen length 7.06, width 4.41. Colour. In alcohol, carapace, legs, palps, chelicerae dark brown. Anterior limbs with some indistinct darker smudges most prominent on patella rl surface. Golden hairs on carapace, absent on proximal limb segments. Abdomen dorsum dark brownish black with five pale narrow transverse chevrons. Venter appearing dark, densely covered with small dark maculations ( Fig. 5H ). Carapace. Edge fringed with black bristles that encroach onto posterior third of post foveal surface. Line of 7 median bristles anteriorly inclined on caput arch. Group of 9 bristles between PME; 8 bristles on clypeus. Weakly chitinous area extending onto pleuron below clypeus absent ( Wishart, 2006). Fovea width 1.47, straight, posterior wall centrally divided by small pitted intrusion. Eyes. Raised on mound. Area immediately adjacent to eyes black; anterior width 1.26, posterior width 1.18, length 0.67, width/length ratio 1.88. Line joining posterior edge of ALE transects anterior third of AME. Posterior row procurved in front, recurved behind. Chelicerae. Rastellum row of 6(8) strong spines; c. 6(5) smaller spines retreating along pd chelicerae edges. Intercheliceral tumescence small indistinct. Fang groove with 13(15) promarginal teeth and 16(16) smaller retromarginal/intermediate row teeth. Labium. Bulbous, length 0.82, width 1.28. Labio-sternal suture broad, undivided. Maxillae c. 52(45) squat blunt anteroental cuspules. Sternum. Length 4.21, width 3.33. Sigilla all round; posterior pair largest; their own diameter from margin. Legs. Tibia I with distal bifid apophysis; distal process with 2(2), proximal process with 3(4), short pointed spines.

palp I II III IV femur 4.12 7.06 6.57 5.10 7.35 patella 2.13 3.72 3.43 2.70 3.52 tibia 4.07 4.61 4.31 2.99 6.08 metatarsus — 5.49 4.90 4.02 6.17 tarsus 1.90 3.23 2.94 2.69 3.23 total 12.22 24.11 22.15 17.50 26.35

Palp ( Fig. 5A ). Cymbium with c. 70 long, narrow, skewerlike, anteriorly inclined spines distributed over distal two thirds of d surface. RTA digitate, not swollen basally, inclined downwards, covered with squat, pointed, d spines which continue along rv edge of tibial excavation; DTA long, straight, inclined downwards, almost parallel to RTA, suspending c. 12 longer v spines. TEM pallid, adjacent to RTA; TET indistinct, barely visible, adjacent to pl base of TEM. Bulb. Embolic rl flange with c. 8 fine folds, margin gently convexly curved. Embolus tip sinuous from dorsal aspect ( Fig. 5B ), appears swollen from lateral aspect by thin flange suspended from tip ( Fig. 5C ). Embolus with subdistal d apophysis placed above swollen tip. Scopula. Dense and complete on tarsi I and II; dense and incomplete on metatarsi I; less dense and incomplete on metatarsi II; absent on legs III and IV. Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 9, tibia pd 7, rd 6. Leg I: tarsi 13, metatarsi 15, tibia pd 7, rd 7. Leg II: tarsi 12, metatarsi 12, tibia pd 5, rd 5. Leg III: tarsi 10, metatarsi 9, tibia pd 6, rd 6. Leg IV: tarsi 12, metatarsi 15, tibia pd 7, rd 7. Leg spination. Leg I ( Fig. 5D,E ): tarsi pv 011000110; metatarsi v 010, pl 8 in distal cluster, rl 6 in distal cluster; tibia v 0112. Leg II ( Fig. 5F,G ): tarsi bilateral rows small spines adjacent to scopula pv 15, rv 24; metatarsi pv 0010cluster of 15, rv 0011cluster of 8; tibia v 01112. Leg III: tarsi v 33 on distal two-thirds; metatarsi v 10, d 01222; tibia pl 01010, rl 010111, v 02; patella pd 7 + 4 on distal edge. Leg IV: tarsi v 33 spread over surface; metatarsus v 11, tibia v 02. Abdomen. Distorted, possibly discoloured due to preservation effects. Dorsum with sparse cover of short brown hairs increasing in number and length laterally. Venter with dense cover of long brown hairs.

Remarks. The species may be confused with other species included in this work that also have the male bulb with a sinuous tip but is separable from them by reference to the position of the small d embolic apophysis.

Etymology. The species is named in recognition of a good friend of GW, Max Hicks, late of Lennox Head, NSW.

Distribution and natural history. ( Fig. 24A ) This species is known only from the type locality, Barrington Tops State Forest. The burrow is unknown.

Figures

Fig. 5. Misgolas maxhicksi n.sp. A–G?, holotype AM KS38635: (A), right palp retrolateral. (B,C), right bulb: B, dorsal; C, prolateral. (D,E), right tarsus/metatarsus joint I: D, prolateral; E, retrolateral. (F,G), right tarsus/metatarsus joint II: F, prolateral; G, retrolateral. (H)?, paratype AM KS48650, venter.

Fig. 24. A–D. Distribution of Misgolas species in the New South Wales Central Coast (eastern Australia) based on material examined (Inset [Fig. 24A] with catchment area).