Misgolas raveni, 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 : 69-71

Misgolas raveni n.sp.

Figs 15A–G , 24D

Type material. HOLOTYPE?, AM KS50007 , Berkeley Vale (33°20'S 151°26'E), 25 May 1997, Lyn Abra . PARATYPES ??: AM KS44405 (right palp missing), Gosford (33°26'S 151°20'E), 13 June 1996, Lyn Abra ; AM KS48635 (abdomen damaged), Berkeley Vale (33°20'S 151°26'E), 1 Oct. 1996, Lyn Abra .

Diagnosis. In male: medium sized dark brown spiders, carapace length c. 5.8–6.5; retrodorsal surface of metatarsi IV without spines ( Fig. 15F ). Venter entirely dark brown ( Fig. 15G ). Spines absent on all tarsi. Bifid apophysis with long linear/curvilinear spines on reduced processes ( Fig. 15E ). Palpal bulb ( Fig. 15B,C ) retrolateral embolic flange with 5 long folds; embolus tip with sharp right angle prolateral bend; embolic apophysis absent. Conformation of palp as figured ( Fig. 15A ), Distal tibial apophysis absent, cymbium with light brown dorsal bristles. Female not known.

Description

Male holotype ( Fig. 15A–G ). Size. Carapace length 6.17, width 4.41. Abdomen length 5.49, width 3.63. Colour. In alcohol chelicerae, carapace, d abdomen and all femora dark brown; remaining distal limb segments light tan, some lateral surfaces with pronounced elongate dark smudges ( Fig. 15D ). Pallid hairs on carapace and proximal limb segments. 70 Records of the Australian Museum (2008) Vol. 60 Abdomen dorsum with 5 pale transverse chevrons. Venter entirely dark brown ( Fig. 15G ). Carapace. Edge fringed with black bristles which encroach onto posterior two-thirds of post foveal surface. Line of 5 median bristles anteriorly inclined on caput arch. Group of 8 bristles on clypeus; group of smaller setae on weakly chitinous area extending onto pleuron membrane below clypeus. Fovea width 1.08, slightly recurved, edges recurved, pitted intrusion absent from posterior wall. Eyes. Raised on mound, area immediately adjacent to eyes black excepting PME; anterior width 1.02, posterior width 0.92, length 0.56, width/length ratio 1.82. Line joining posterior edges of ALE transects anterior third of AME. Posterior row procurved in front, recurved behind. Chelicerae. Rastellum row of 5(5) spines; 1(1) spine behind. Intercheliceral tumescence small. Fang groove with 6(6) promarginal teeth, 7(8) smaller retromarginal/intermediate row teeth. Labium. Short, broad, not bulbous. Length 0.33, width 1.00. Labio-sternal suture broad, undivided. Maxillae c. 28(19) small assorted blunt and acutely pointed anteroental cuspules. Sternum. Length 3.82, width 2.45. Sigilla all more or less round; posterior pair largest, one diameter from margin; others submarginal. Legs. Tibia I with distal bifid apophysis ( Fig. 15E ); processes reduced, spines not prominently elevated, distal process with 1(1) attenuate symmetrical spine appearing as a megaspine, proximal process with 2(2) long curvilinear spines.

palp I II III IV femur 2.84 5.76 5.15 3.87 5.66 patella 1.46 2.82 2.58 2.08 2.64 tibia 2.37 4.67 3.99 2.33 5.03 metatarsus — 3.62 3.38 3.07 4.61 tarsus 1.38 2.27 2.21 2.08 2.33 total 8.05 19.14 17.31 13.43 20.27 Palp ( Fig. 15A ). Cymbium with c. 56 long, attenuate, light brown bristles, anteriorly inclined, distributed over distal third of d surface; many long fuscous hairs project forward from cymbium lobes. RTA inclined slightly downwards, base swollen, covered with long pointed d and rd spines which continue and are widespread along swollen rv edge of tibial excavation. DTA absent. TEM large, squat, pallid, contiguous with RTA, pl surface with weak TET. Bulb. ( Fig. 15B,C ) Embolic rl flange with 5 long folds, margin strongly convexly curved. Embolus short, apophysis absent, tip with sharp right angle pl bend. Scopula. Complete on all tarsi, sparse on tarsi III and IV, sparse on distal fifth of all metatarsi. Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 9, tibia pd 5, rd 5; Leg I: tarsi 13, metatarsi 13, tibia pd 6, rd 6; Leg II: tarsi 11, metatarsi 13, tibia pd 7, rd 7; Leg III: tarsi 11, metatarsi 9, tibia pd 6, rd 6; Leg IV: tarsi 11, metatarsi 13, tibia pd 6, rd 6. Leg spination. Absent on all tarsi. Leg I: metatarsi v 010; tibia v 01113. Leg II: metatarsi v 01102; tibia v 0112; Leg III: metatarsi v 012, tibia v 01112, d 022, patella pd 01110. Leg IV: metatarsi v 0111, tibia v 01112. Abdomen. Dorsum covered with long dark bristles, decreasing in size laterally, covering venter. Abdomen entirely covered with underlying fine hairs.

Etymology. The species is named in recognition of arachnologist, Dr Robert Raven, at the Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Australia.

Distribution and natural history. ( Fig. 24D ) This spider is known only from the Gosford-Berkley Vale locality of the NSW. Central Coast. The burrow is unknown.

Wishart & Rowell: Trapdoor Spiders of eastern NSW 71

Figures

Fig. 15. Misgolas raveni n.sp. A–G?, holotype AM KS50007: (A), right palp retrolateral. (B,C), right bulb: B, dorsal; C, prolateral. (D), right leg I prolateral. (E), right bifid apophysis prolateral. (F), right leg IV retrolateral. (G), 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).