Miturgopelma baehrae, 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 : 21-22

Miturgopelma baehrae sp. nov.

Figs 10–11

Diagnosis. Males resemble those of Miturgopelma rar sp. nov. in the trianguloid crisscross RTA, as well as the embolus originating prolateral-centrally; they differ in that the apical median apophysis is open and claw-like that apically widens with a deep distal concavity (unlike in those of M. buckaringa sp. nov. or M. rar sp. nov.), the “claw” is in the horizontal plane. They further differ from those of M. rar sp. nov. (in which “claw” is in the vertical plane and narrow “fingers”) in lacking a retrolateral flange at the base of the median apophysis, the trianguloid crisscross RTA, and the embolus originating at the base of the median apophysis and directed retrolaterally from the base (distal near base of median apophysis and directed distally in M. rar sp. nov.). Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is in honour of the collector, Dr Barbara Baehr, who alone has described more spider species from Australia than any person in the past century.

Type material. Western Australia: male holotype, Freshwater Lake ( V12 ), Kiwirrkurra , 22°39’S 128°25’E, 368 m, vertebrate traps, 8–18 Sept 2015, Bush Blitz, WAM T138016 .

Description. Male, holotype WAM T138016.

Carapace 4.38 long, 3.38 wide. Opisthosoma 4.88 long, 2.00 wide. Total length, 9.25.

I: 6.38; 2.25; 6.50; 6.50; 3.88; 25.50. II: 6.25; 1.88; 6.50; 6.50; 3.88; 25.00. III: 6.75; 1.63; 7.13; 7.88; 4.25; 27.63. IV: 8.00; 2.13; 8.50; 9.13; 4.50; 32.25. Palp: 1.25; 0.88; 1.00; -; 2.71; 5.13.

Carapace orange-brown with broken band of dark scallops subcentrally; opisthosoma fawn brown with poorly defined darker ostiate region; eyes of similar size. Sternum only with long hairs. Tarsi long, bowed. Thickened hairs between lateral scopula lines on curved tarsi I–IV.

Palp. Patella without process. Tibia short with long ridge proventrally; RTA, ventral lobe subtle triangular with distal process; dorsal lobe a simple short prong. Cymbium with slight thickening for basal quarter; no spines or scopula on cymbium. Tegulum long, ovoid, sperm duct form long J; basal subtegulum small ovoid, distal portion not evident. Embolus originates prolaterally at mid-length. MA long, rectangular, with subequal, widely chelate-like tip.

Distribution. Known only from Kiwirrkurra in the eastern Great Victoria Desert, Western Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Miturgopelma baehrae sp. nov., male holotype, WAM T138016: a–c, male palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb, ventral (a, arrow shows embolus origin); and retrolateral (b, c) views (c, arrow shows unsclerotised basal zone of RTA); d, habitus, dorsal view. Images of palp by B. Baehr.

FIGURE 11. Miturgopelma baehrae sp. nov., male holotype, WAM T138016: a, b, median apophysis, retrolateral view; c–e, RTA, ventral view (c); d, dorsal lobe, maximum width showing bifid tip, dorsal view (d) and retrolateral view (e).