Oxyopes variabilis L. Koch, 1878

Baehr, Barbara C., Harms, Danilo, Duperre, Nadine & Raven, Robert, 2017, The Australian Lynx Spiders (Araneae, Oxyopidae, Oxyopes) of the Godeffroy Collection, including the description of a new species, Evolutionary Systematics 1 (1), pp. 11-37 : 31-32

Oxyopes variabilis L. Koch, 1878 Figs 18 A–E, 21F

584. Oxyopes variabilis L. Koch, 1878, 1021-1024, Taf. 90 Fig. 1 + 1 a u. 2-2 b, Australien, Gayndah, 2 Syntypen (Mus. GODEFFROY Nr. 16500) (37) ( Rack 1961).

Material examined.

Designated here: FEMALE LECTOTYPE (ZMH-A0000021), from Queensland, Gayndah, 25°37'S, 151°36'E, Godeffroy Collection; (ZMH-A0000020) 1 female paralectotype, same data as lectotype, Godeffroy Collection.

Diagnosis.

Females of Oxyopes variabilis are similar to females of Oxyopes amoenus but can be distinguished by the epigyne with longer lateral lobes in inverted v-shaped position and the copulatory ducts with 7 thin coils (Figs 18 C–E, 21F). Male unknown.

Description.

Female (Lectotype, ZMH-A0000021). Total length 5.63. Prosoma 2.45 long, 1.88 wide, pl/pw 1.30; sternum 1.39 long, 1.26 wide, sl/sw 1.10; opisthosoma 3.18 long, 2.00 wide. Eight eyes in four rows with six eyes forming a hexagon, AME smallest ALE biggest, others equal in size; AME 0.08; ALE 0.19; PLE 0.18; PME 0.18; ALE–ALE 0.25; ALE–AME 0.06; AME–AME 0.13; ALE–PLE 0.18; PLE–PME 0.26; PME–PME 0.27. Clypeus 0.53 high mottled with dark brown. Prosoma yellow brown mottled with dark brown and covered with grey feathery setae, oval, posteriorly rounded, fovea short, 0.14 of prosoma length. Chelicerae paturon yellow brown mottled with dark brown and lateral condyle. Endites, labium and sternum yellow brown, mottled with dark brown; opisthosoma elongated, pale with dark brown lateral and medial stripes; venter, sides dark brown with a long, triangular, pale brown median stripe. Legs yellow brown mottled with dark brown. Female epigyne (Figs 18 C–E, 21F): scapus broadly T-shaped and long lateral lobes in inverted v-shaped position, reaching 3/4 of scapus; copulatory openings basally of lateral lobes, copulatory ducts, thin, convoluted with 7 thin coils, ending in globular, spermathecae situated laterally of the T-shaped arms (Fig. 18E).

Distribution.

Original record from Gayndah in northern Queensland. The ALA lists many additional records from Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales.

Remarks.

Koch cites Dämel’s records that live specimens have a dark brown carapace and legs. The abdomen is ash-grey and 'like coated with powder’. Specimens were collected from low shrubs and plants.