Tropizodium peregrinum, Jocqué, Rudy & Churchill, Tracey B., 2005

Jocqué, Rudy & Churchill, Tracey B., 2005, On the new genus Tropizodium (Araneae: Zodariidae), representing the femoral organ clade in Australia and the Pacific, Zootaxa 944, pp. 1-10 : 4-7

Tropizodium peregrinum n. sp.

Figures 1–13

Holotype: Ψ: Australia, Northern Territory, Berrimah, 12°24’46”S, 130°55’16”E, August 1996, pitfalls in tropical savanna woodland with mown lawn as understorey, T. B. Churchill ( MAGNT A000947).

Paratypes: 1 ♂: together with holotype; 1 ♂: same data ( MAGNT A000945); 1 ♂: May 1996, further as previous ( MAGNT A000946); 1 Ψ: as previous ( MAGNT A000948).

Diagnosis: The male of this species is readily recognized by the shape of the retrolateral tibial apophysis which is strongly curved upward and indented at tip.

Etymology: The species name is Latin for “wanderer” and refers to the enormous range its clade covers.

Description: Male (2 specimens; 1 male damaged not measured): total length 1.54– 1.86; carapace 0.72–0.90 long, 0.54–0.64 wide.

Colour: Prosoma and legs pale yellow; carapace darkened in eye region; opisthosoma pale cream except dorsum which is sepia. Eyes: ALE 0.09; other eyes 0.04. Palp ( Figs. 4–5 , 10–11 ): Large RTA; dorsal prong of RTA long and sinuous, strongly curved upward in distal part; embolus short and slightly sinuous. MA with broad base and bifid tip.

Female holotype (paratype in brackets): Total length 3.55 (2.82); carapace 1.22 (1.22) long, 0.86 (0.84) wide. Colour: As in male. Eyes: ALE 0.10; other eyes 0.04.

Epigyne ( Figs. 12–13 ): Hardly sclerotized; small central indentation; spermathecae globular.

Distribution: Only known from type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Tropizodium peregrinum n. gen., n. sp. Scanning electron micrographs. 1. femoral organ on leg II of female, dorsolateral view; 2. chelicerae, ventral view; 3. Female right palpal tarsus, dorsal view showing distal toothed claw turned inwards over 45 ° and modified setae; 4. male right palp, retrolateral view; 5. Median apophysis, prolateral view.

FIGURES 6 – 9. Tropizodium peregrinum n. gen., n. sp. 6. Female, habitus; 7. Female, lateral view; 8. Prosoma, ventral view; 9. Prosoma, frontal view. (scale lines: 0.5 mm)

FIGURES 10 – 13. Tropizodium peregrinum n. gen., n. sp. 10. Male palp, lateral view; 11. Male palp, ventral view; 12. Epigyne, ventral view; 13. Epigyne, cleared, dorsal view. (scale lines: 0.1 mm)