Miturgopelma, Raven & Hebron & Williams, 2023

Raven, Robert J., Hebron, Wendy & Williams, Kylie, 2023, Revisions of Australian ground-hunting spiders VI: five new stripe-less miturgid genera and 48 new species (Miturgidae: Miturginae), Zootaxa 5358 (1), pp. 1-117 : 11-12

Miturgopelma gen. nov.

Diagnosis. Shares with Miturga the absence of claw tufts and the presence of unsclerotised parts of a bipartite RTA, and differs in having both eye rows strongly recurved to the point of the back row being two rows in some species, in the very long legs with elongate tarsi ( Fig. 1 ) of males, and the weak scopula of the anterior legs. Unlike Miturga , the apical segment of the posterior lateral spinnerets is conical, not digitiform, as is the case in a number of species placed in Miturga . Further differs from Miturga in the scopula absent on tibiae and very weak on tarsi and confined distally on metatarsi I and II, in distinctly recurved eye row and recurved front row with the ALE smaller than AME. Males differ from those of Knotodo gen. nov., Miturgiella gen. nov., Xeromiturga gen. nov., and Xistera gen. nov. in the broad embolus base directed prolaterally, with embolus tapering distally, and the RTA consisting of two trianguloid plates restricted to the base of the cymbium and each joined by unsclerotised zone.

Etymology. Alludes to the Miturga -like “feet” (Greek pelma, sole of the foot), i.e., absence of claw tufts; the gender is feminine.

Type Species: Miturgopelma alanyeni sp. nov.

Description. Small to medium-sized spiders, carapace length (males) 2–7 mm; leg I ratio to carapace length of males, 3–7. Colour: carapace varies from pallid to darkly scalloped; opisthosoma dorsally pallid to dark ostiate regions and intermediate states; ventrally pallid, lacking dark median trapezoidal zone with pallid ventral lines characteristic of Miturga gilva L. Koch, 1872 . Carapace broadly pear-shaped, usually hirsute with distinct longitudinal fovea. Eight eyes in two recurved rows from above; all eyes within one diameter of adjacent eyes and of similar size, except ALE clearly smallest. Line across front of PLE passes just behind line at back of PME; anterior eye row not so strongly recurved but clearly recurved; group occupies ca. 0.6 of head-width; tapetum grate-shaped (at least in Miturgopelma echidna sp. nov. [ Fig. 2d ], and Miturgopelma alanyeni sp. nov.). Chelicerae geniculate, small, furrow with 2–3 promarginal teeth and 2 retrolaterals. Palpal coxae trapezoidal, basically with truncated base and narrowing to broad cone anteriorly; from basal ental corner a distinct diagonal groove extends for almost two-thirds of length; serrula in a straight line. Labium flattened, slightly longer than wide, slightly narrowing anteriorly. Sternum subcircular, domed, generally setose with setae forming radial pattern from near margin centrally; in some species, sternal setae enlarged ( Fig. 20c ) or sternal and coxal setae thornlike ( Fig. 53e ). RCH generally not evident; PTF absent. Legs long.

Male Palp: patella sometimes with elongated distal dorsal locking lobe or condyle ( Fig. 13c ); tibia much shorter than cymbium, usually wider than long; RTA bipartite, lobes joined by extensive unsclerotised area ( Fig. 8b ); ventral lobe commonly a fleshy rounded axe-head-like lobe ( Fig. 41b ). Cymbium broad, rotated so overall plane not ventral facing but proventral facing ( Fig. 53e ), retrolateral groove indistinct or absent; dorsum of cymbium sometimes with short, erect, thickened spines, apex with short blunt apical cone and narrow margins ( Fig. 6a ); retrolateral margin in convex line, prolateral margin concave. Large mirrored- C-shaped tegulum along prolateral edge. Median apophysis short to slender with apical hook (e.g., Fig. 9a ) or multiple hooks ( Fig. 4b ). Embolus always clockwise, originating mid-prolaterally at 270° to median apophysis, basally broad, tapering quickly ( Fig. 4a ). Conductor short, trianguloid.

Spinnerets. PLS and ALS long and cylindrical ( Fig. 3 ); PLS ca. 0.5 x diameter of ALS and slightly longer with conical apical article bearing crown of larger spigots; PMS smaller cylinders; no setal clusters near ALS.

Epigyne. A pair of medially directed ridges; in some species forming short or longer rounded lobes ( Fig. 15e ) separated by narrow to wide medial groove or medial groove absent with two procurved or U-shaped ridges medially joined by ridge.

Species Included. 33, 31 new: Miturgopelma alanyeni sp. nov., M. archeri sp. nov., M. australiensis ( Hickman, 1944) comb. nov., M. baehrae sp. nov., M. bandalup sp. nov., M. biancahilleryae sp. nov., M. bogantungan sp. nov., M. brachychiton sp. nov., M. brevirostra sp. nov., M. bungabiddy sp. nov., M. buckaringa sp. nov., M. calperum sp. nov., M. caitlinae sp. nov., M. couperi sp. nov., M. culgoa sp. nov., M. echidna sp. nov., M. echinoides sp. nov., M. ferruginea (L. Koch, 1873) comb. nov., M. harveyi sp. nov., M. hebronae sp. nov., M. kinchega sp. nov., M. maningrida sp. nov., M. minderoo sp. nov., M. oakleigh sp. nov., M. paruwi sp. nov., M. rangerstaceyae sp. nov., M. rar sp. nov., M. rixi sp. nov., M. seida sp. nov., M. spinisternis sp. nov., M. watarrka sp. nov., M. woz sp. nov., and M. yarmina sp. nov.

Key to male Miturgopelma gen. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Miturginae: Knotodo gracilis (Hickman, 1950) comb. nov., male, habitus, image Mark Newton.

FIGURE 2. Miturginae. a, Knotodo gracilis (Hickman, 1950), female, habitus, image Mark Newton; b, Xistera coventryi sp. nov., female, left leg I, showing pseudoscopula hairs parallel to long axis, image, M. Ramírez; c, Miturgopelma spinisternis sp. nov., male, showing inward facing cymbium and bulb; d, Miturgopelma echidna sp. nov., eyes, showing relatively small AME and grate-shaped tapetum in PME; e, f, Xistera coventryi sp. nov., female, tarsal trichobothrium (e), dorsal leg I showing brighter trichobothria (f); g, Miturgopelma echinoides sp. nov., showing relatively large AME.

FIGURE 3. Miturginae spinnerets, females: a–c, Xistera coventryi sp. nov., a, ALS; b, PMS, c, PLS: images, M. Ramírez; d, e, Miturgopelma echidna sp. nov., female, lateral (d), and ventral (e) views; f, Miturgiella vulgaris sp. nov., male, showing large ALS. Unlike in Miturga, the apical segment of the PLS is short and domed or triangular. g, h, Miturga lineata Thorell, 1870, female, g, habitus, h, spinnerets showing long digitiform apical segment of PLS.

FIGURE 4. Miturgopelma alanyeni sp. nov., holotype: a, habitus; b–d, male palp: b, median apophysis, ventral view; c, retrolateral view; d, ventral view.

FIGURE 6. Miturgopelma alanyeni sp. nov., male palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb: a, ventral view; b, tibia and RTA, dorsal view; c, retrolateral view.

FIGURE 8. Miturgopelma australiensis (Hickman, 1944) comb. nov., male lectotype, AM KS6628: a, b, male palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb, ventral (a) and retrolateral (b) views; c, RTA, retrodorsal view.

FIGURE 9. Miturgopelma australiensis (Hickman, 1944) comb. nov., male lectotype, AM KS6628: a, b, male palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb, ventral (a) and dorsal (b) views; female paralectotype, AM KS6629: c, epigyne, ventral view; d, female internal genitalia, dorsal view.

FIGURE 13. Miturgopelma bandalup sp. nov., male holotype, WAM 98/44, male palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb: ventral (a), retrolateral (b) and dorsal (c) views, showing dorsal patellar process and bifid dorsal lobe of RTA.

FIGURE 15. Miturgopelma bogantungan sp. nov., male, QM S56913: a, habitus, dorsal view; b–d, male palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb, ventral, arrow to embolus origin (b), retrolateral (c) and dorsal (d) views; e, f, female, QM S79054: e, epigyne, ventral view; f, internal genitalia, dosal view; g, male, QM S70924, median apophysis, ventral view.

FIGURE 20. Miturgopelma buckaringa sp. nov., a, b, male, MV K4499: a, carapace; b, opisthosoma, dorsal view; c, male, MV K4788, sternum and coxae showing spines.

FIGURE 41. Miturgopelma maningrida sp. nov., male holotype, MAGNT A004620: palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb: a, ventral view; b, retrolateral view.

FIGURE 53. Miturgopelma spinisternis sp. nov., male holotype, QM S70918: a, c, d, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, ventral view; b, habitus, dorsal view; c, d, RTA, two slightly different dorsal views, arrows show three prongs of RTA; e, venter of prosoma, showing spines and rotated cymbium, ventral view.