Habronestes L. Koch, 1872

Baehr, Barbara, 2003, Revision of the Australian Spider Genus Habronestes (Araneae: Zodariidae). Species of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Records of the Australian Museum 55 (3), pp. 343-376 : 344

Genus Habronestes L. Koch

Habronestes L. Koch, 1872: 299 ; Jocqué, 1991: 56; Jocqué, 1995: 143.

Diagnosis. Cymbium with large, retrolateral fold (RCF); palp with sickle-shaped VTA; DTA with long stalk and curled end covered with spicules, which functions as a conductor. Tarsi I–IV with 2 rows of short stout ventral spines.

Description. Small to medium sized spiders, 2.50–10.50 mm body length. Colour. Carapace, sternum & chelicerae orange or sepia brown; maxillae, labium yellow or pale brown. Abdomen medium or sepia brown with 2–5 pairs of white patches on top and 1–3 single patches in front of spinnerets, laterally pale or sepia brown with 1or 2 long horizontal white stripes, ventrally pale to sepia brown with or without longitudinal white stripe. Legs yellow or pale brown, clearly annulated or with indistinct colour pattern. Carapace. Oval; raised at front or not raised. Sternum. Heart-shaped, anterior margin straight. Eyes. In 3 rows, 2 4 2, or circular around AME. PLE largest being 2–3× diameter of AME, or AME largest, or all eyes subequal. Clypeus & chilum. Clypeus about 5–6× diameter of ALE.

Chilum divided or undivided. Mouthparts. Chelicerae, basal segment with rows of hairs, bordering mesial margin, dorsally with a few hairs and bristles; maxillae triangular, with promarginal scopula; labium triangular. Abdomen. Oval; PLS close together; colulus tiny with some hairs; tracheal spiracle small, slit-like with sclerotized cover. Legs. Length formula 4123, 4312 or 4132; tarsi I–IV with 2 rows of short ventral spines; metatarsi II, III with distoventral preening brush; tibiae and metatarsi III, IV with long strong spines; 10–14 teeth on inner side of paired claws; 3rd claw on onychium ( Fig. 51 ). Male palp. Cymbium with RCF occupying from half to whole of cymbium length; with weak dorsal scopula and a few strong spines apically. Tegulum LTA with stalk and irregular plate; DTA chitinous or membranous, with a thin or flattened stalk and a curled apical end, covered with spicules; VTA sickle-shaped ( Figs. 1–6 ). Embolus thin and semicircular (only when different mentioned in species description). Tibiae short; with large or small DTiA and short VTiA ( Figs. 18–22 ). Epigyne. Variable, with or without scape, with central or paired opening at posterior margin. Copulatory ducts short or long and coiled ending in ovoid, sometimes contiguous spermathecae.

Figures

Figs. 51–53.Leg structures of Habronestes spp. (51–52) Habronestes bradleyi (Pickard-Cambridge): (51) claw with onychium, (52) tibia I proventral view,showing two rows of short feathery spines ventrally;(53) Habronestes pseudoaustraliensis n.sp., first tarsus (left side) with two rows of short ventral spines.

Figs. 1–6. Male palps, ventral view: (1, 2) Habronestes bradleyi (Pickard-Cambridge); (3, 4) Habronestes pseudoaustraliensis n.sp.; (5, 6) Habronestes rawlinsonae n.sp. DTA = dorsal tegular apophysis; DTiA = dorsolateral tibial apophysis; LTA = lateral tegular apophysis; RCF = retrolateral cymbial fold; SP = spicules; VTA = ventral tegular apophysis; VTiA = ventral tibial apophysis.

Figs. 17–22. Habronestes australiensis species-group male palps, ventral view (above), lateral view (below): (17– 18) Habronestes pseudoaustraliensis n.sp.; (19–20) Habronestes hamatus n.sp.; (21–22) Habronestes driscolli n.sp. Scale 0.5 mm. DTA = dorsal tegular apophysis; DTiA = dorsolateral tibial apophysis; LTA = lateral tegular apophysis; RCF = retrolateral cymbial fold; VTA = ventral tegular apophysis; VTiA = ventral tibial apophysis.