Misgolas crawfordorum, 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 : 65-67

Misgolas crawfordorum n.sp.

Figs 13A–K , 24C

Type material. HOLOTYPE?, AM KS86231 , 87 Macwood Rd , Smiths Lake (32°23'06"S 152°30'12"E), 24 Nov. 2005, GW . ALLOTYPE!, AM KS86232 , excavated from front garden, other details same as holotype .

Diagnosis. medium (male carapace length, c. 6.45) to large (female carapace length, c. 13.6 maximum) dark brown spiders; retrodorsal surface of metatarsi IV without spines ( Fig. 13E,G ); venter entirely black ( Fig. 13D,H ). All femora dark brown, distal limb segments, including patella, much paler ( Fig. 13E–G ). In male: palpal bulb with retrolateral embolic flange with 4 major, c. 2–3 minor folds; embolus with subdistal prolateral apophysis; small blunt dorsal second apophysis placed midway on embolus remote from tip ( Fig. 13B,C ). Conformation of palp as figured ( Fig. 13A ); Retrolateral tibial apophysis digitate.

Description

Male holotype ( Fig. 13A–E,I,J ). Size. Carapace length 6.45, width 5.10. Abdomen length 5.89, width 3.68. Colour. In alcohol chelicerae, carapace, abdomen dorsum and all femora dark brown; distal limb segments light tan. Venter entirely black. Faint dark brown lateral smudges present on limbs. Abdomen dorsum bearing 5 pallid transverse chevrons. When dry carapace bedecked with golden hirsute sheen( Fig. 13I ); leg segments without golden setae. Carapace. Edge fringed with black bristles which encroach onto posterior third of post foveal surface and in files along anterior edges of posterior striae. Line of 11 median bristles on caput arch; 10 bristles between PME; 20 bristles on clypeus; weakly chitinous pleuron membrane below clypeus without setae. Fovea width 1.18, straight, recurved edges; posterior wall not pitted. Eyes. Raised on mound. Ocular area black. Anterior width 1.18, posterior width 1.11, length 0.70, width/length ratio 1.69. Line joining posterior edges of ALE transects anterior quarter of AME. Posterior row straight in front, recurved behind. Chelicerae. Rastellum single row of 7(7) spines. Intercheliceral tumescence pallid, superior surface with c. 30 long dark setae. Fang groove with 7(7) promarginal teeth and 11(11) smaller retromarginal/intermediate row teeth. Labium. Length 0.59, width 0.92. Labio-sternal suture continuous, broadest laterally. Maxillae c. 40(36) squat rounded anteroental cuspules, none terminated by a hair. Sternum. Length 3.43, width 2.61. Sigilla all round, anterior pair smallest progressing to third pair largest, each c. their own diameter from margin. Legs. Tibia I with distal bifid apophysis. Distal process with 2(2) long straight pointed spines; proximal process 2(3) longer curvilinear pointed spines.

palp I II III IV femur 3.76 7.06 (6.63) 6.08 4.42 6.38 (6.14) patella 1.66 3.13 (3.13) 2.82 2.21 2.82 (2.89) tibia 3.24 5.53 (5.53) 4.42 2.70 5.59 (5.59) metatarsus — 5.34 (5.46) 4.29 3.62 5.28 (5.22) tarsus 1.50 3.13 (3.32) 2.89 2.39 2.83 (2.58) total 10.16 24.19 (24.07) 20.50 15.34 22.90 (22.42)

Leg formula: 1 4 2 3.

Palp ( Fig. 13A ). Many long, anteriorly inclined, skewer-like blunt spines on distal half of cymbium d surface. RTA digitate, not swollen, d and rd surfaces covered with long pointed spines becoming shorter around rv edge of tibial excavation and continuing to end of long horizontal DTA. TEM, with posteroental TET, adjacent to RTA. Bulb. ( Fig. 13B,C ) Embolic rl flange with 4 major folds, c. 2–3 minor folds, margin straight, twisted and extended under short embolus; subdistal pl embolic apophysis terminates long embolic ridge. Small blunt d second apophysis placed midway on embolus remote from tip. Scopula. Complete on all tarsi, incomplete on all metatarsi. Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 6, tibia pd 5, rd 5. Leg I: tarsi 12, metatarsi 14, tibia pd 7, rd 7. Leg II: tarsi 12, metatarsi 14, tibia pd 7, rd 7. Leg III: tarsi 11, metatarsi 10, tibia pd 6, rd 7. Leg IV: tarsi 12, metatarsi 14, tibia pd 7, rd 6. Leg spination. Spines absent on all tarsi. Leg I: metatarsi v 011000; tibia v 01112. Leg II: metatarsi v 002100; tibia v 011112. Leg III: metatarsi v 010, d 002220; tibia pl 001110, rl 001110; patella pd 8. Leg IV ( Fig. 13E ): metatarsi v 020, tibia v 4. Abdomen. Dorsum with cover of long brown bristles. Venter with cover of shorter weak bristles.

Female allotype ( Fig. 13F–K ). Size. Carapace length 13.62, width 9.64. Abdomen length 14.84, width 8.72. Colour. In alcohol chelicerae dark brown, carapace and all femora brown, distal limb segments light tan.Abdomen dorsum with 4 pallid transverse chevrons. Venter entirely dense black. Palp and legs I and II with bilateral dark brown smudges ( Fig. 13F ). When dry carapace bedecked with golden hirsute sheen ( Fig. 13I ); golden setae extend onto proximal leg segments. Carapace. Edge fringed with pale brown hairs which encroach onto posterior third of post foveal surface and in files along anterior edges of posterior striae. Line of 10 (some removed) median bristles on caput arch; 14 bristles between PME; c. 40 bristles on clypeus; weakly chitinous pleuron membrane below clypeus without setae. Fovea width 3.14, straight with recurved edges; posterior wall not pitted. Eyes. Placed on low mound. Area immediately adjacent to eyes dark brown. Anterior width 2.00, posterior width 1.95, length 1.10, width/length ratio 1.82. Line joining posterior edges of ALE transects anterior quarter of AME. Posterior row recurved in front and behind. Chelicerae. Rastellum row of 9(8) spines; c. 12(12) smaller spines behind. Fang groove with 8(8) promarginal teeth and 31(35) small retromarginal/ intermediate row teeth. Labium. Bulbous, length 2.05, width 1.61. Labio-sternal suture narrow, continuous. Maxillae c. 56(70) short rounded anteroental cuspules partly masked by copious long orange setae. Sternum. Length 7.54, width 6.02. Sigilla distinct, ovate; anterior pair small, mid pair larger, posterior pair largest, each c. three times their own diameter from margin. Legs:

palp I II III IV femur 7.74 9.90 8.53 6.45 9.21 patella 4.02 5.59 5.40 4.30 5.39 tibia 4.21 6.17 5.28 3.19 7.25 metatarsus — 5.10 4.85 4.18 6.27 tarsus 5.09 3.23 2.95 2.58 2.84 total 21.06 29.99 27.01 20.70 30.96

Leg formula: 4 1 2 3.

Scopula. Dense, dark grey in colour. Complete v cover on palpal tarsi and tarsi I and II, three-quarters cover on metatarsi I, half cover on metatarsi II, weak remnants on tarsi III and IV. Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 15, tibia pd 8, rd 8. Leg I: tarsi 20, metatarsi 24, tibia pd 13, rd 10. Leg II: tarsi 20, metatarsi 24, tibia pd 10, rd 11. Leg III: tarsi 17, metatarsi 17, tibia pd 10, rd 12. Leg IV: tarsi 18, metatarsi 21, tibia pd 10, rd 10. Leg spination. Palp: tarsi pv 2 proximal, rv 01000; tibia pv 0122, v 0111. Leg I: metatarsi v 0110003; tibia v 01111113. Leg II: metatarsi v 6 scattered; tibia v 011111. Leg III: tarsi v 10 in distal group; metatarsi v 9 scattered, pd 011110, rd 0021210; tibia pd 01120, rd 01110; patella pd 12. Leg IV: tarsi v 13 scattered; metatarsi v 11 scattered. Abdomen. Dorsum with uniform cover of dark brown bristles extending onto venter, reduced in size over underlying small dark brown bristles. Genitalia. Sclerous lip of epigynum straight.

Taxonomic note: The unusual leg formula of male holotype is the same taken from both right and left limbs. The holotype is the only male specimen known. The male leg formula is inconsistent with that of the female allotype and all other known Misgolas spp. with the exception of males of M. andrewsi (Hogg) from South Australia (Main, 1985) and M. montanus (Rainbow & Pulleine, 1918) from Jenolan Caves, N.S.W., 1 4 2 3 and 1–4 2 3 respectively.

Remarks. The species may be confused with M. watsonorum n.sp. For males the species are separable by reference to the digitate RTA and presence of a small d second embolic apophysis.

Etymology. The species is named in recognition of Colonel Michael and Mrs Janice Crawford, residents of the type locality.

Distribution and natural history ( Figs 13J,K 24C ) This species is known only from the type locality. Common in gardens, the largest burrows readily identified amongst garden mulch; entrance up to 2 cm diameter; lip attached by silk to leaves and forest debris such that entrance is supported about a centimetre above ground level ( Fig. 13K ). Below ground level the burrow lined with fragile silken tube to depth of 20 cm. Facet of courting behaviour in the wild is photographed ( Fig. 13J ).

Figures

Fig. 13. Misgolas crawfordorum n.sp. A–E?, holotype AM KS86231: (A), right palp retrolateral. (B,C), right bulb: B, dorsal; C, prolateral. (D), venter. (E), right leg IV retrolateral. F–H!, allotype AM KS86232. (F), right leg I retrolateral. (G), right leg IV retrolateral. (H), venter. (I),! and? spiders relative sizes. (J),! and? spiders courting. (K), burrow entrance.

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).