Maratus melindae Waldock 2013

Jürgen C. Otto & David E. Hill, 2014, Spiders of the mungaich group from Western Australia (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae: Maratus), with one new species from Cape Arid, Peckhamia 112 (1), pp. 1-35 : 12

Maratus melindae Waldock 2013

The pattern of the dorsal opisthosomal plate of Maratus melindae ( Figure 1 ) resembles that of M. mungaich , and one specimen has previously been associated with that species ( Waldock 1995, 2013), but the small black spot on each lateral flap of M. mungaich is lacking. This species has been collected at two localities in the eastern part of the Stirling Range National Park, not far from the higher elevations to the east where M. sarahae has been found ( Waldock 2013; Figure 12 :2, Figure 15 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Photographs (1-3) and approximate drawings (4-6) of the extended male opisthosomal fan of species in the mungaich group of the genus Maratus. Photographs show fans of living spiders. Drawings are based on descriptions (Waldock 2013) or, in the case of M. karrie, on specimens collected by Darlington that we examined. Waldock described the iridescent scales of these spiders (blue in drawings 4-6) as 'bright blue to rose-gold' under halogen lights, and did not distinguish the appearance of living animals from specimens under alcohol. Our examination of the scales of M. karrie (Figure 14; Hill & Otto 2011), as well as photographs of the M. caeruleus holotype, suggest that the colour of the iridescent background in these drawings is similar to that shown in the photographs. Each scale bar = 1.0 mm. Scale bars associated with each photograph are based on our records. Scale bars associated with each drawing are based on the length of each respective spider in Waldock's (2013) text description and generally do not agree with the scale bars in her figures.

Figure 12. Localities where spiders of the mungaich group have been reported, all in Western Australia. 1, Radar topography map of Australia, based on data collected by the NASA Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. 2, Area of interest in the southern part of Western Australia, corresponding to the inset rectangle in (1). Numbers (encircled) correspond to spiders that we have examined, and are described under each of our species accounts. Outlined distributions are based on localities described by Waldock (2013). To date, all species described in this group have an allopatric distribution. Collection from more sites within this area should contribute to our understanding of relationships between the isolated populations represented by these species.

Figure 15. Map of Stirling Range National Park in Western Australia, showing known localities where M. melindae and M. sarahae have been found. Enumerated localities for M. sarahae (3, Ellen Peak, Rix, 2007; 4, Bluff Knoll, Otto, 2011) correspond to our earlier records, and are also shown on Figure 11. Other sites are based on Waldock (2013). This park is a unique refuge for many unique plant species. As can be seen, it is surrounded on all sides and thus isolated by cultivated areas at lower elevations. Satellite image courtesy of the NASA Visible Earth Project.