Miturgopelma biancahilleryae, 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 : 24-25

Miturgopelma biancahilleryae sp. nov.

Fig. 14

Diagnosis. Males differ from other congeners by the undulating edge of the ventral lobe of the RTA and the simple, spine-like dorsal lobe, by the large AME ( Fig. 14c ), similar in size to the PLE, and the median apophysis with a forked tip and basal mound ( Fig. 14a ). Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is in honour of Bianca Hillery, friend of Ember Gray, daughter of naturalist and QM donor, Mr Ian Gray.

Type Material. Queensland: male holotype, Dotswood, Hervey Range , 19°42’S 146°00’E, T . Churchill , QM S116230 .

Paratypes. 13 ma., same data as the holotype, QM S116232 .

Description. Male, holotype QM S116230.

Carapace 2.92 long, 2.34 wide. Opisthosoma 2.39 long, 1.58 wide. Total, 5.3.

I: 3.65; 1.39; 3.17; 3.35; 2.33; 13.90. II: 3.43; 1.26; 3.18; 3.06; 2.27; 13.19. III: 3.00; 1.18; 3.07; 2.90; 2.21; 12.37. IV: 4.30; 1.40; 3.96; 4.97; 2.77; 17.39. Palp: 1.23; 0.69; 0.51; -; 1.05; 3.48.

Colour in Alcohol. Carapace fawn with narrow black scallops submarginally. Opisthosoma dorsally pallid with fine brown flecking forming chevrons; venter and legs pallid.

Eyes. AME not enlarged; ALE smallest. AER and PER each almost two rows with leading edge of lateral eyes cuts trailing edge of median eyes. Sternal setae all similar. Weak scopula on metatarsi and tarsi I–IV.

Palp. Tibia short with short undulating lower lobe of the RTA and spine-like dorsal lobe. Cymbium without retrolateral groove or dorsal spines. Tegulum and subtegulum similar in size and shape, tegulum D-shaped to ovoid; median apophysis short, basally broad, narrowing quickly to deeply incised bifid tip forming retrolateral concavity with low mound basally; short embolus arises adjacent to embolus base.

Distribution. Known only from Dotswood Station on the Hervey Range, northwest of Townsville, northeastern Queensland.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Miturgopelma biancahilleryae sp. nov., male, QM S116230: a, c–f, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, ventral view, b, habitus; c, eyes, dorsal view; d–f, retrolateral (d), dorsal (e), and median apophysis, ventral (f) views.