Wesmaldra bromilowi, Platnick & Baehr, 2006

Platnick, N. I. & Baehr, B., 2006, A Revision Of The Australasian Ground Spiders Of The Family Prodidomidae (Araneae: Gnaphosoidea), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2006 (298), pp. 1-287 : 195-199

Wesmaldra bromilowi , new species Figures 471–475; Map 33

TYPES: Male holotype and female allotype taken in pitfall traps in Barlee Range Nature Reserve , 23 ° 059S, 115 ° 479E, Western Australia (Aug. 1993; S. van Leeuwen, B. Bromilow), deposited in WAM (male T45225, female T59110) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a patronym in honor of Bob Bromilow, one of the collector of the types and many other interesting prodidomids.

DIAGNOSIS: Males of this distinctive species can easily be recognized by the absence of a palpal conductor, the reduced median apophysis (fig. 472), and the narrow retrolateral tibial apophysis (fig. 473), females by the bifid anterior epigynal projection (fig. 474).

MALE: Total length 3.40. Carapace 1.44 long, 1.28 wide, 0.44 high, length/width 1.12; sternum 0.88 long, 0.72 wide, length/width 1.22; abdomen 1.96 long, 1.20 wide; coxa I 0.44 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.91:0.82:1.09. Carapace, sternum, mouthparts, legs orange; abdomen pale, dorsally with weak orange brown scutum, half moon-shaped pale spot in front of spinnerets; legs orange. Carapace weakly covered with gray setae, frontally rounded. Eye eye group width 0.88 of head width; AME 0.12; ALE 0.10; PME 0.14; PLE 0.12; AME–AME 0.04; AME–ALE 0.02; PME– PME 0.02; PME–PLE 0.02; ALE–PLE 0.02; eye group AME–PME 0.28; AME–AME 0.28; PME–PME 0.30. Clypeus 0.06 high. Abdomen weakly covered with gray plumose setae, ALS 0.32 of abdominal length, about half their diameter apart. Palp (figs. 471– 473): conductor absent; median apophysis reduced to tiny chitinous plaque; terminal apophysis long, s-shaped, prolaterally situated; sperm duct weakly s-shaped; embolus thin, straight, originating prolaterally; retrolateral tibial apophysis narrow.

FEMALE: Total length 3.74. Carapace 1.38 long, 1.28 wide, 0.42 high, length/width 1.08; sternum 0.84 long, 0.78 wide, length/ width 1.08; abdomen 2.36 long, 1.40 wide; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.91:0.82:1.05. Coloration as in male but without scutum. Eye group width 0.82 of head width; AME 0.11; PME 0.16; AME– AME 0.06; PME–PME 0.32. ALS 0.30 of abdominal length. Palpal femur with row of long, thin, ventral setae. Epigynum (figs. 474, 475) with bifid projection on anterior margin; epigynal ducts anteriorly thin, situated entirely along midline, spermathecae large, oval, twisted.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Western Australia: Barlee Range Nature Reserve, 23 ° 239S, 115 ° 539E, June 1994, pitfall (S. van Leeuwen, B. Bromilow, WAM T45226), 1♀.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from the Barlee Range in Western Australia (map 33).

Wesmaldra kakadu , new species

Figures 476–480; Map 33

TYPE: Female holotype taken in pitfall trap in woodland at Kapalga, Kakadu National Park , 12 ° 299S, 132 ° 199E, Western Australia (Nov. 5, 1986; A. Andersen), deposited in WAM (T45318) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS: This very small, pale species resembles W. learmonth in having only a short triangular tibial apophysis and in lacking a tegular apophysis but can easily be recognized by the plumose setae covering the abdomen and the much shorter median apophysis (fig. 477); females have a distinctively narrow anterior epigynal margin and no posterior plates (fig. 479).

MALE: Total length 1.70. Carapace 0.72 long, 0.62 wide, 0.20 high, length/width 1.16; sternum 0.48 long, 0.42 wide, length/width 1.14; abdomen 0.98 long, 0.60 wide; coxa I 0.20 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.90:0.80:1.10. Body, legs pale yellow. Carapace weakly covered with shiny, plumose setae. Eye group width 0.87 of caput width; AME 0.07; ALE 0.06; PME 0.08; PLE 0.06; AME–AME 0.02; AME–ALE 0.02; PME– PME 0.00; PME–PLE 0.02; ALE–PLE 0.02; eye group AME–PME 0.18; AME–AME 0.16; PME–PME 0.16. Clypeus 0.03 high. Abdomen covered with shiny, cinnamon, plumose setae; ALS 0.41 of abdominal length, about their diameter apart. Tarsi III, IV with cuticular cracks at about three-quarters of their length. Palp (figs. 476–478): conductor originating distally, membranous, short, spatulate; median apophysis small, cane-shaped; terminal apophysis absent; sperm duct u- shaped; embolus finger-shaped, with sharp tip, embolar base separated from tegulum, situated prolaterally; tibia about 1.8–2.0 times as long as wide, retrolateral tibial apophysis short, triangular.

FEMALE: Total length 1.88. Carapace 0.74 long, 0.66 wide, 0.20 high, length/width 1.12; sternum 0.46 long, 0.44 wide, length/ width 1.04; abdomen 1.14 long; coxa I 0.24 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.91:0.83:1.08. Coloration as in male. Eye group width 0.68 of caput width; PME– PME 0.02; eye group AME–PME 0.16; PME–PME 0.18. ALS 0.47 of abdominal length. Palpal femur with six long, ventral setae. Epigynum (figs. 479, 480) with narrow inverted u-shaped anterior epigynal hood; epigynal ducts short, sausage-shaped, spermathecae not separated from epigynal ducts, contiguous, oval.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Northern Territory: Annaburroo, 12 ° 509S, 131 ° 499E, Oct. 1997, loam (T. Churchill, MNT A001577 ), 1 Oi ; Berrimah, 12 ° 259S, 130 ° 559E, Aug. 27–Sept. 3, 1996, open site (lawn) pitfall (T. Churchill, MNT A001473 ), 1 Oi ; Kapalga, Kakadu National Park, 12 ° 299S, 132 ° 199E, Oct. 1, 1986, pitfalls, woodland (A. Andersen, WAM T63068), 3 Oi , Mar. 19, 1987, same ( WAM T45319), 1♀, Aug.– Dec. 1992, 1993, pitfalls (T. Churchill, MNT A001568 , 001569 , 001570 , 001571 ), 4♀ ; Munmarlary, Kakadu National Park , 12 ° 289S, 132 ° 309E, June 1986, pitfalls (A. Andersen, WAM T63067), 3♀ .

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from the northern Northern Territory (map 33).

Wesmaldra wiluna , new species

Figures 469, 470; Map 33

TYPE: Female holotype taken at Wiluna, 26 ° 369S, 120 ° 139E, Western Australia (H. Pringle), deposited in MNT (A001530).

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is an arbitrary combination of letters.

DIAGNOSIS: Females can easily be recognized by the enlarged anterior epigynal ducts (fig. 470).

MALE: Unknown.

FEMALE: Total length 3.86. Carapace 1.46 long, 1.36 wide, 0.44 high, length/width 1.07; sternum 0.98 long, 0.86 wide, length/ width 1.14; abdomen 2.40 long, 1.40 wide; coxa I 0.52 long; relative length of coxae I–IV 1.00:0.85:0.73:1.08. Body pale; legs pale, mottled with gray. Carapace frontally straight. AME elevated; eye group width 0.44 of head width; AME 0.14; ALE 0.13; PME 0.18; PLE 0.12; AME–AME 0.04; AME–ALE 0.02; PME–PME 0.02; PME– PLE 0.02; ALE–PLE 0.04; eye group AME– PME 0.32; AME–AME 0.32; PME–PME 0.36. Clypeus 0.04 high. Abdomen dorsally covered with gray, recumbent scales; ALS 0.26 of abdominal length, about half their diameter apart. Tarsi I, II proventrally with band of scaled setae. Epigynum (figs. 469, 470): atrium widely hexagonal, with wide epigynal hood; anterior epigynal ducts enlarged, spermathecae close together.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: None.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from the type locality in Western Australia (map 33).