A Revision of the Australian Funnel-web Spiders (Hexathelidae: Atracinae) Author Gray, Michael R. text Records of the Australian Museum 2010 2010-11-24 62 3 285 392 http://dx.doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.62.2010.1556 journal article 10.3853/j.0067-1975.62.2010.1556 2201-4349 5298014 Illawarra wisharti n.sp. Figures 3B , 15–18; Tables 5 , 34 Etymology . The species is named for Graeme Wishart, Australian Museum Associate, idiopid spider researcher, and collector of many mygalomorph spiders in the Illawarra region. Types . Holotype male: AMS KS5357 , Nowra , New South Wales , 34°52'S 150°36'E , 17 March 1980 . Paratypes ( AMS ). New South Wales . Males : AMS KS15748 , Willowvale near Gerringong , 34°45'S 150°47'E , 25 Mar 1985 , G. Wishart; AMS KS920 , Avondale , 34°30'S 150°45'E , March 1956 R .K. Hayes ; AMS KS2721 , Figtree , 34°25'S 150°50'E , 16 March 1979 , J. Lewis; AMS KS919 , AMS KS5355 , Nowra , 34°52'S 150°36'E , 7 April 1980 ; AMS KS8921 , Swan Lake , nr. Sussex Inlet , 35°10'S 150°34'E , 10 April 1982 , A. McLaughlin; AMS KS15746 , Willowvale , nr Gerringong , 34°52'S 150°36'E , 29 April 1977 , G. Wishart; AMS KS16450 , Unanderra , 34°27'S 150°50'E , 8 February 1979 , J. Wafle; AMS KS5356 , Bangalee Scout Figure 16. Illawarra wisharti , male: ( A ) cephalothorax and Camp , Nowra area , 14 March 1980 ; Females : AMS KS30273 , Willowvale , 4km W. of Gerringong , 34°35'S 149°37'E , November 1979 , G. Wishart; chelicerae, dorsal; ( B ) cephalothorax and chelicerae, lateral; ( C ) AMS KS2667 , AMS KS4778 , Nowra South , 34°54'S 150°35'E , March cheliceral groove teeth; ( D ) sternum, labium and maxilla; ( E ) 1959 ; AMS KS13781 , Farmborough Heights , near Unanderra , 34°27'S spinnerets; ( F ) leg I, prolateral; ( G ) palp, prolateral; ( H ) leg II , 150°48'E , J. Wafle , 8 February 1979 . prolateral; ( I ) palpal organ. Scale lines 1 mm . Table 5 . Male morphological data— Illawarra wisharti (n = 12).
character range mean character range mean character ratio SD
CL 6.77–10.13 8.00 Mt1S 28–76 (p0–1) 48 CW/CL 0.90 0.031
CW 6.36–9.36 7.18 Ta1S* 43–93 70 CH/CW* 0.37 0.02
CH 2.50–2.83 2.66 Ti2S 10–17 (p0–1) 13 CFW/CL* 0.54 0.021
CFW 3.94–5.17 4.32 STC2teeth* 6–10 8 CHGW/L* 0.11 0.016
ChGL 2.01–2.42 2.19 BulbL 1.73–2.11 1.89 SW/SL 0.82 0.021
ChGW 0.20–0.32 0.23 EmbL 1.02–1.22 1.12 LL/LW* 0.70 0.038
ChGCT 7–17 11 BulbW 0.76–0.98 0.84 PLSAPW/L 0.45 0.034
LL 0.86–1.18 0.98 EmbmidW 0.10–0.19 0.14 BulbW/EmbL* 0.76 0.047
LW 1.31–1.62 1.39 PalpTibL 2.36–2.92 2.65 EmbmidW/L 0.13 0.024
CUSP* 85–154 113 PalpTibW 1.10–1.46 1.24 PalpTibW/L 0.47 0.022
SL 3.60–4.79 4.28 PalpTibS 0–3 1 BulbL/TibL 0.72 0.027
SW 2.95–3.91 3.51 PalpPatS 0–3 1
PLSAPW 0.30–0.42 0.35 PalpFemS 0–1 1
PLSAPL 0.68–0.93 0.79
Fe1S* 3–16 9
Pa1S 0–4 (p0–1) 2
Male ( holotype ). — Size . Carapace length 7.54, width 6.75. Cuspules c. 122, number low to moderate. — Sternum . Ovoid, Abdomen length 7.88, width 5.90. — Colour . Basic colour moderately broad. Length 4.12, width 3.32. Posterior sigilla pattern, often brown overall, with distinct, narrow abdominal of moderate size, ovoid. — Palp . Tegular area almost as long chevrons. — Carapace . Longer than wide, weakly raised. as wide, pear shaped. Middle haematodocha sometimes Height 2.62. Frontal width 4.06. Fovea procurved. Mid- exposed. in broad tegular-subtegilar groove. Embolus short, dorsal cephalic setae few, almost reach fovea. Anterior moderately broad and gently curved, embolus weakly to strial setae absent basally. Anterolateral angle of carapace moderately twisted distally. Embolus weakly offset from with weak hairs only. — Eyes . Central eye region sessile tegulum. Bulb length 1.80, width 0.80. Embolus length 1.08, to slightly raised. Eye group width 1.62. Median ocular midwidth 0.12. Length of femur 2.96, patella 1.24, tibia 2.36. quadrangle length 0.78, anterior width 0.75, posterior width Width of tibia 1.13. Spination: spines bristle-like; femur 2 1.05. Diameters: AME 0.30, ALE 0.48, PLE 0.27, PME 0.24. sinuous, patella 1 sinuous, tibia 0. Sinuous bristles on femur — Chelicerae . Anterodorsal paturon bristles strong, sparse. and patella, strong bristles on tibia. — Legs . 4123. Cheliceral groove very narrow, margins parallel. Groove Leg Femur Patella Tibia Metatarsus Tarsus Total length 2.15, middle width 0.26. Cheliceral teeth: 10 central, 1 6.64 3.06 5.08 5.12 2.54 22.44 confined to base of groove; 7 prolateral; 13 retrolateral. — 2 5.72 2.79 4.10 4.59 2.71 19.91 Labium . Much wider than long, broadly indented apically. 3 5.33 2.54 3.44 4.55 2.95 18.81 Length 0.90, width 1.37. Labiosternal sigilla broad, complete. 4 6.31 2.87 4.55 5.95 3.53 23.21 Tibia I width 1.44. Femora I–III with dorsal spines, bristle like spines on femur IV. Metatarsus I slightly thickened proximally, dorsal sigilla broad. Metatarsus II slightly bent proximally, tibial and metatarsal spines scattered. Anterior coxal hairs normal. Tarsal spines very numerous with a midventral spine row as well as lateral ventral spine rows. Tarsal scopulae very weak to absent, distal metatarsal scopulae absent. Tarsal claw teeth legs I, II: superior 8, 10; inferior 0, 2. Trichobothria legs I, II: tarsus 10, 8; metatarsus 9, 10; tibia p5 r5, p6 r5. — Leg spination . Leg I: femur 9 (d7 p2), patella 1, tibia 23 (p1) metatarsus 56 (p1), tarsus 93. Leg II: femur 7 (d6), patella p2, tibia 16 (p1), metatarsus 48, tarsus 79, Leg III: femur 5, patella 9 (p6 r3), tibia 25 (p7 r6), metatarsus 38, tarsus 80. Leg IV: femur 0 (strong bristles), patella 4 (p2 r2), tibia 19 (p4 r6), metatarsus 42, tarsus 67. — Abdomen . Numerous weak dorsal bristles, hair cover sparse. Posterior lateral spinnerets with apical segment rather short. Lengths: total 2.68; basal segment 1.12, middle 0.66, apical 0.90. Apical segment width 0.35. Figure 17. Illawarra wisharti , female: ( A ) sternum, labium and maxilla; ( B ) cephalothorax and chelicerae, lateral; ( C ) Female ( paratype AMS KS2667 ). — Size . Carapace length cephalothorax and chelicerae, dorsal; ( D ) cheliceral groove teeth; 8.12, width 6.72. Abdomen length 9.79, width 7.48. — ( E ) spermathecae; ( F ) spinnerets; ( G ) leg III , prolateral, patella, Colour . Commonly brown in colour overall, abdominal tibia, metatarsus. ( H,I ) Leg I , metatarsus and tarsus— H , prolateral; chevrons distinct. Otherwise colour pattern basic. — I , dorsal. Scale lines 1 mm . Carapace . Longer than wide, moderately-weakly raised and frontally narrow. Height 2.87, frontal width 4.72. Cephalic bristles. — Eyes . Central eye region slightly raised. Eye group length 6.19. Fovea strongly procurved, anterior margin width 1.56. Diameters : AME 0.21, ALE 0.43, PLE 0.24, indented. Mid-dorsal cephalic setae long, in single row, may PME 0.18 Interdistances : AME–AME 0.24, AME–ALE or may not extend back to fovea. Anterior strial setae absent 0.18, ALE–PLE 0.22, PLE– PME 0.12, PMEPME 0.66. basally. Anterolateral carapace angle with a few very weak Median ocular quadrangle length 0.52, anterior width 0.60 , Figure 18. Illawarra wisharti , male ( A,D–J , AMS KS15748; B,C , AMS KS5356): ( A ) palp, prolateral; ( B ) bulb; ( C ) embolus, distal; ( D,E ) distal patella and tibia I— D , ventral, E , prolateral; ( F ) metatarsus I, ventral; ( G,H ) distal patella and tibia II— G , ventral, H , prolateral; ( I,J ) metatarsus II— I , ventral, J , prolateral. Scale lines: 0.3 mm, except A 0.2 mm, and B 1.0 mm. posterior width 1.05. — Chelicerae . Cheliceral groove very Anepsiada .–Rainbow & Pulleine, 1918: 167. Type species narrow, margins parallel. Groove length 2.14, middle width by monotypy Anepsiada ventricosa Rainbow & Pulleine , 0.32. Cheliceral teeth: 5 central, confined to basal third of 1918. Roewer, 1942: 208. Bonnet, 1955: 323. Gray, groove; 6 prolateral, a gap separating the distal tooth from 1978: 125 (synonymized with Atrax ). Gray, 1981: Raven, 1980: 255. Main, 1985: 40. First synonymized by Gray, the rest; 13 retrolateral. — Labium . Wider than long, anterior 1988: 114. margin widely indented. Cuspules distributed in shallow V-shaped band on anterior half of labium. Labiosternal
Diagnosis . Differs from Atrax in tibia II being either sigilla narrow. — Sternum . Broad. Length 4.29, width 3.70. unmodified or having a blunt, rounded apophysis or Posterior sigilla ovoid: length 0.72, width 0.38. — Palp . apophyseal swelling Differs from both Atrax and Illawarra Spination: tarsus 4. Trichobothria: tibia p5 r5, tarsus 5. Tarsal in having caput moderately to strongly raised and cheliceral claw long, slender with two basal teeth. — Legs . 1423. Leg paturon more robust. Differs from Illawarra by male tarsi I robust, spines absent. having two instead of three ventral spine rows. Leg Femur Patella Tibia Metatarsus Tarsus Total 1 5.66 3.28 4.43 3.44 2.00 18.81 Description . With characters of the Atracinae . Carapace 2 4.43 2.62 2.79 2.61 1.74 14.19 broad, often not much longer than wide, or as wide; 3 4.13 2.17 2.11 2.61 1.89 12.91 caput moderately to strongly raised ( CH /CW 0.40–0.53) 4 5.91 2.79 3.32 3.77 2.38 18.17 and wide frontally (CFW/CL 0.61–0.83). ( Figs. 20B,E ; 23B,G ). Cheliceral paturon typically more robust than in Tibia I width 1.62. Metatarsus I wedge shaped, wide other Atracinae , thicker both dorsoventrally and laterally. proximally with a large dorsal sigilla, fused distally with Cheliceral groove a wide to narrow V-shape with central tarsus; proximal width 1.15. Tarsus I claws enlarged, strong, cheliceral teeth distributed along its full length, in a hook-like. Coxal hairs unmodified, long. Tarsi I–IV with few staggered row (males— Fig. 20G ) or one to several irregular ventral spines, all lateral. Tarsal claw teeth few, basal—legs rows (females—Fig. 21D); or, less commonly, central I, II: superior claws 3, 2; inferior 0, 0. Trichobothria legs I, teeth confined to a short, basal row ( Fig. 97E ). Labium II: tarsus 8, 10: metatarsus 10, 8; tibia p6 r5, p5 r6. Short subquadrate, often almost as long as wide (LL/LW 0.86– setae interspersed with trichobothria. — Leg spination . 1.20) ( Fig. 20C ), sometimes shorter (LL/LW 0.64–0.79) (Fig. Leg I : spines absent. Leg II : femur 0, patella 0, tibia 0, 18E ). Sternal sigilla ovoid to narrowly elongate. Terminal metatarsus 5, tarsus 4. Leg III : femur 0, patella p3, tibia 5 segment of posterior lateral spinnerets short to moderately (p3), metatarsus 9 (p3), tarsus 8. Leg IV: femur 0, patella 0, long digitiform. Male tibia II either unmodified with ventral tibia 2, metatarsus 9 (p3), tarsus 8. — Abdomen . Posterior spines grouped or scattered ( Fig. 43H,I ); or with a rounded lateral spinnerets with short apical segment. Lengths: total spined ventral apophysis or low apophyseal swelling ( Figs. 2.38; basal segment 1.14, middle 0.52, apical 0.44. Apical 32H,I; 36H,I). Metatarsus II either sinuous (proximoventrally segment width 0.35. — Genitalia . Spermathecae very short, concave) with a small, spined mid-ventral apophysis (Fig. only slightly longer than wide. Length 0.78, width 0.58. 29K), or weakly sinuous to unmodified ( Fig. 70K ). Tibia Apical two-thirds bulbous. and metatarsus I ventrally spinose (tibial spines may extend retrolaterally); metatarsus sometimes proximally thickened. Distribution . Illawarra region of New South Wales (Fig. 15). Male palpal patella large, often wider than the femur, or about as wide. Palpal organ morphology variable but, compared Comments . Burrows are found in the ground litter layer or to Atrax spp. , the tegular area of the bulb is often larger, under rocks. The entrance is at ground level and lacks silk the embolus broader and shorter with the distal ejaculatory trip-lines. The burrow silk lining is very weak to absent. groove narrow and slanting above the flange-like lower The spiders are often noted to have a characteristic “ant- margin ( Figs. 25B,C ; 32B,C ). Spermathecal shape variable, like” smell. basic pattern a pair of relatively short, broad sacs.