Aname aragog, Harvey, Frances S. B., Framenau, Volker W., Wojcieszek, Janine M., Rix, Michael G. & Harvey, Mark S., 2012

Harvey, Frances S. B., Framenau, Volker W., Wojcieszek, Janine M., Rix, Michael G. & Harvey, Mark S., 2012, Molecular and morphological characterisation of new species in the trapdoor spider genus Aname (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Nemesiidae) from the Pilbara bioregion of Western Australia, Zootaxa 3383, pp. 15-38 : 30-32

Aname aragog n. sp.

Figs 7, 9, 25- 33

Type material. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: holotype male, Jimblebar minesite , 35 km E. of Newman, 23°22 ’44” S, 120°15 ’27” E, 8 February 2009, P. Bolton, C. Weston ( WAM T95404 DNA ) .

Etymology. This species is named for J. K. Rowling’s fictional spider Aragog which first appeared in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ( Rowling 1998). The name is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Males of A. aragog are unique in the genus in having metatarsus I with a short and shallow basal excavation, and a very shallow proximal edge of the process on tibia I (Fig. 31). Males of A. aragog differ from other Pilbara species described here by their overall darker colouration (Figs 25-31) and larger size. The embolus is much shorter than that of A. mellosa (Fig. 32), and the pedipalpal bulb is much more bulbous than in A. ellenae and A. marae (Fig. 32). Females of A. aragog are unknown.

Description. Adult male (based on holotype WAM T 95404): medium-sized nemesiid spider (total length 27.2).

Colour: carapace brown with somewhat darker cephalic region (Fig. 25), eye region brown (Fig. 28); sternum light brown, darker towards margins, sigilla and labium brown (Fig. 27); abdomen dorsally dark greyish brown, centrally darker with dark purple tinge, ventrally light brown (Fig. 26); chelicerae glabrous very dark brown to black; pedipalp segments uniformly dark brown (Fig. 32), legs brown, metatarsi and tarsi somewhat lighter in particular ventrally (Fig. 30).

Carapace: 8.9 long, 6.7 wide; eye group (Fig. 28) 1.5 wide, 0.8 long; fovea slightly procurved (Fig. 25).

Sternum and labium. 5.2 long, 3.5 wide; 2 pairs of indistinct elongated sigilla in posterior half (Fig. 27); labium wider than long, slightly indented anteriorly (Fig. 29).

Maxillae: with> 150 pin-like cuspules, extending to heel and to centre of maxillae (Fig. 29).

Chelicerae: without rastellum, promargin with 9 large teeth, retromargin with 5 smaller teeth proximally.

Abdomen: 10.0 long, 5.9 wide (Fig. 26). Four spinnerets, terminal segment of posterior lateral spinnerets digitiform.

Pedipalp: length of femur 4.7, patella 2.8, tibia 3.1, tarsus 3.1. Femur and patella without spines; tibia with 1 medio-ventral spines and 1 ventro-prolateral spines in apical half, tibia with indistinct disto-ventral depression without setae (accommodates bulb and embolus) (Fig. 32); tarsus terminally blunt; bulb globular, embolus ca. 0.6 long, curved mainly at base and tapering (Figs 32, 33).

Legs: femur I with 1 dorsal spine in basal half and 1 disto-prolateral spine, patella with 2 prolateral spines, metatarsi and tarsi without spines. Tibia I with large spur and megaspine, metatarsi incrassate (Figs 30, 31). Tarsi and apical half of metatarsi of leg I and II ventrally with entire dense scopula, tarsi of legs III and IV with divided scopula. Tarsi, metatarsi and tibiae with numerous dorsal trichobothria of variable length. Paired tarsal claws of legs with two rows of 8-12 teeth each; third tarsal claw reduced and very small.

Leg measurements: length of legs IV>I>II>III. leg I: femur 6.5, patella 4.0, tibia 5.0, metatarsus 5.1, tarsus 3.1, total = 23.7. Dorsal proximal width of patella I = 1.8, tibial index = 0.2, leg I formula = 2.66. Leg II: femur 6.0, patella 3.4, tibia 4.5, metatarsus 4.9, tarsus 3.1, total = 21.9. Dorsal proximal width of patella II = 1.5, tibial index = 0.19; leg II formula = 2.46. Leg III: femur 5.2, patella 3.0, tibia 3.2, metatarsus 6.6, tarsus 2.9, total = 20.9. Dorsal proximal width of patella III = 1.5, tibial index = 0.24; leg III formula = 2.35. Leg IV: femur 7.0, patella 3.5, tibia 5.9, metatarsus 6.3, tarsus 2.9, total = 25.6. Dorsal proximal width of patella IV = 1.6, tibial index = 0.17; leg IV formula = 2.87.

Variation: unknown.

Adult female: unknown.

Distribution. Aname aragog has been found at a single location at the Jimblebar minesite, ca. 35 km E. of the township of Newman (Fig. 6).