Salsa fuliginata (L. Koch, 1871) Framenau & Castanheira, 2022

Framenau, Volker W. & Castanheira, Pedro de S., 2022, Revision of the new Australasian orb-weaving spider genus Salsa (Araneae, Araneidae), ZooKeys 1102, pp. 107-148 : 107

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1102.82388
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BCA0CCE5-141D-46DA-9D65-0DCA6B74DE69
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E0036668-B048-5FCC-A20C-6786DACEF472
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Salsa fuliginata (L. Koch, 1871)
status	comb. nov.

Treatment

Salsa fuliginata (L. Koch, 1871) View in CoL comb. nov.

Figs 1A-D View Figure 1 , 2A-D View Figure 2 , 4 View Figure 4 , 5A View Figure 5 , 6A-D View Figure 6 , 7A-F View Figure 7 , 8 View Figure 8

Epeira fuliginata Koch 1872: 106-107, plate 8, fig. 7, 7a, 7b.

Epeira rubicundula Keyserling 1887: 164-165, pl. 14, fig. 1, a, b. Syn. nov.

Araneus fuliginatus (L. Koch): Simon 1895: 804; Hogg 1900: 74; Rainbow 1911: 186; Bonnet 1955: 505.

Araneus rubicundulus (Keyserling): Rainbow 1911: 192.

Cyclosa fuliginata (L. Koch): Dondale 1966: 1162-1164, fig. 3G-J.

Type specimen.

Holotype female, Sydney (33°52'S, 151°13'E, New South Wales, Australia) (NHMW-Zoo-Ar-29914). Photographs examined.

Holotype of Epeira rubicundula Keyserling, 1887, female, Sydney (3°53'S, 151°13'E, New South Wales, Australia). Depository unknown, not examined (see Remarks).

Other material examined.

162 males, 509 females (8 with egg sac), 105 juveniles (in 360 records) (see Suppl. material 1)

Diagnosis.

The genital morphology of males of S. fuliginata comb. nov. is most similar to that of S. recherchensis comb. nov., however, the median apopohysis is relatively longer and more slender in S. fuliginata comb. nov. and the terminal apophysis lacks the distinct spine-like prong present in S. recherchensis comb. nov. (Fig. 6C View Figure 6 vs. Fig. 17C View Figure 17 ). The epigyne of female S. fuliginata comb. nov. is most similar to that of S. Salsa recherchensis comb. nov., but in S. Salsa fuliginata comb. nov. the atrium is not visible due to a rotation of the epigyne into the abdomen (Fig. 7F View Figure 7 ), whereas the atrium is visible ventrally in S. recherchensis comb. nov. (Fig. 18C View Figure 18 ). In addition, the apical section of the scape is straight in lateral view in S. fuliginata comb. nov. (Fig. 7D View Figure 7 ), but curved in S. recherchensis comb. nov. (Fig. 18G View Figure 18 ).

Redescription.

Male (based on MV K-14867 (CVIC 1163)): Total length 3.2. Carapace 1.8 long, 1.4 wide, dark orange-brown, with dark streaks from fovea and yellow setae throughout (Fig. 6A View Figure 6 ). Eye diameter AME 0.13, ALE 0.11, PME 0.07, PLE 0.07; row of eyes: AME 0.34, PME 0.32, PLE 0.83. Chelicerae orange-brown; with three promarginal teeth (median largest) and three retromarginal teeth (basal largest). Legs brown, femora basally, trochanters and coxae yellow-brown (Fig. 6A, B View Figure 6 ). Leg formula I> II> IV> III; length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I - 2.2 + 0.9 + 1.6 + 1.7 + 0.7 = 7.1, II - 1.9 + 0.7 + 1.3 + 1.4 + 0.6 = 5.9, III - 1.2 + 0.4 + 0.7 + 0.8 + 0.4 = 3.5, IV - 1.7 + 0.6 + 1.0 + 1.1 + 0.6 = 5.0. Labium 0.22 long, 0.36 wide (Fig. 6B View Figure 6 ). Sternum 0.9 long, 0.7 wide and brown (Fig. 6B View Figure 6 ). Abdomen 1.6 long, 1.3 wide, dorsum beige with olive-grey irregular large folium, laterally dark brown mottled in black (Fig. 6A View Figure 6 ); venter dark brown with two elongate longitudinal white patches behind epigastric furrow (Fig. 6B View Figure 6 ). Pedipalp (Figs 2A-D View Figure 2 , 4 View Figure 4 , 6C, D View Figure 6 ): length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + cymbium = total length): 0.4 + 0.2 + 0.2 + 0.5 = 1.3; paracymbium short and slightly curved; median apophysis basally pronounced with a reduced basal process, elongated and C-shaped with a blunt tip; conductor lobe robust, connecting to conductor basally of embolus; terminal apophysis sub-rectangular, bearing a thumb-like projection apically; conductor flat, poorly sclerotised; embolus elongate, pronounced and straight.

Female (based on MV K-14863 (CVIC1173)): Total length 9.0. Carapace 3.5 long, 2.7 wide; with colour as in male and covered by yellow setae (Fig. 7A View Figure 7 ). Eye diameter AME 0.18, ALE 0.16, PME 0.13, PLE 0.13; row of eyes: AME 0.50, PME 0.49, PLE 1.73. Chelicerae orange-brown, three promarginal teeth (median largest) and three retromarginal teeth of similar size. Legs orange-brown mottled in pale brown (Fig. 7A, B View Figure 7 ). Pedipalp length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + tarsus = total length): 1.0 + 0.5 + 0.6 + 1.1 = 3.2. Leg formula I> II> IV> III; length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I - 3.5 + 1.6 + 2.9 + 2.9 + 1.1 = 12.0, II - 3.2 + 1.4 + 2.4 + 2.5 + 1.0 = 10.5, III - 2.0 + 1.0 + 1.2 + 1.2 + 0.7 = 6.1, IV - 3.1 + 1.3 + 2.2 + 2.4 + 0.8 = 9.8. Labium 0.49 long, 0.72 wide, dark brown; endites dark brown to brown (Fig. 7B View Figure 7 ). Sternum 1.6 long, 1.5 wide, dark brown with grey setae (Fig. 7B View Figure 7 ). Abdomen 5.4 long, 4.9 wide; dorsum and laterally olive-grey with dorsal darker folium pattern (Fig. 7A View Figure 7 ); venter dark olive-grey with lateral elongate ovoid pale bands connected with pale band behind epigastric furrow (Fig. 7B View Figure 7 ). Epigyne wider than long in ventral view (Fig. 7F View Figure 7 ); atrium/central division heart-shaped (Fig. 7C, E View Figure 7 ); scape elongate sub-triangular (Fig. 7C, F View Figure 7 ); spermathecae spherical and very large (Fig. 5A View Figure 5 ).

Variation.

Total length males 3.2-5.5 (n = 7); females 4.5-9.2 (n = 10). As in many orb-weaving spiders, colour patterns in S. fuliginata comb. nov. can vary considerably, mainly in how distinct the folium is and how well it is delineated. Colour shades range from pale beige to orange- and reddish brown to dark brown (e.g., Fig. 1A-D View Figure 1 ).

Remarks.

Renner (1988) listed a ‘cotyp’ in the Stuttgart Museum that was destroyed in WWII. However, the original description clearly states (L. Koch 1872, p. 107: "Von Sydney. Ein Exemplar im k. k. Museum zu Wien" (= From Sydney. One Specimen in the Vienna Museum), which means the female specimen present in the NHMW should be considered the single holotype and the specimen destroyed in the Stuttgart Museum was not of taxonomic relevance.

Rack (1961) listed a female collected in Sydney as holotype of Epeira rubicundula from the ZMH ( Rack (1961) -catalogue no. 270). This specimen, however, does not match the original description by Keyserling (1887), but is clearly a female of S. brisbanae comb. nov. Keyserling’s (1887) illustration of the female clearly shows the small sub-triangular scape of S. fuliginata comb. nov. with a very small epigyne plate, also typical for that species. We could not find a female specimen in any historical collection (NHMUK, ZMH, ZMB) that matched the description of E. rubicundula and was labelled as such. We therefore consider the holotype of this species lost. The original description, however, leaves no doubt that this species is conspecific with S. fuliginata comb. nov. and we therefore consider E. rubicundula a junior synonym of S. fuliginata comb. nov.

Life history and habitat preferences.

Mature males of S. fuliginata comb. nov. are more common from October to January, with much lower numbers occurring in other months, especially September and February. Very few adults were found between these two months, with no males recorded for August. Equally, females are spring/summer-mature, with the majority of specimens being collected between October and January, but with comparatively more specimens in September and February than males. Few females have been collected between February and September, but differently from males there are no specimens collected in July and one that was collected in August.

Salsa fuliginata comb. nov. does not seem to be very habitat-specific as it has been found in a variety of forests to more open habitats with lower vegetation. Habitat descriptions on labels with specimens include "dry sclerophyll forest", "open forest", “shrubs”, and “bushes”; but also “garden” and “swamps”.

Distribution.

The distribution of S. fuliginata comb. nov. encompasses four Australian states: New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria (Fig. 8A View Figure 8 ). This species is also found in New Zealand (Fig. 8B View Figure 8 ).