Artoria plicata sp. nov.

Figs 26, 29

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: CEEBBE33-4EFE-4F03-8ED1-BCA90B08CBA8

Type material. Holotype male, Woodleigh Station, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA, 26º11’31’’S, 114º30’33’’E, 12 January–17 May1995, P. West et al., WAM/CALM Carnarvon Survey, site WO4, wet pitfall trap (WAM T68736).

Other material examined. Only known from holotype.

Etymology. The specific epithet “ plicata ” is a Latin adjective meaning ‘folded’ and refers to the tegular apophysis of the male, whose distal half is expanded in a fan-like projection with many folds.

Diagnosis. The male pedipalp of A. plicata sp. nov. resembles that of A. emu sp. nov. with the distal portion of their tegular apophyses bearing a retrolateral rounded projection pointing basally and with a little sclerotized basoembolic apophyses bearing a rounded tip. However, in A. plicata sp. nov. the tegular apophysis is longer and wider, with a plicated distal margin, and a thin, plicated, slightly translucent retrolateral projection and with a central and rounded concavity (Fig. 29C, D), while in A. emu sp. nov. the tegular apophysis has an evenly rounded distal margin, and the retrolateral projection has robust elevated and heavily sclerotized distal and proximal margins, which delimit a median latitudinal concavity (Fig. 9C, D).

Description. Male (holotype, WAM T68736).

Total length, 4.09. Carapace, length 3.52, width 1.80, dark-brown to reddish-brown, poorly preserved (Fig. 29A). Sternum, dark yellow with (Fig. 29B). Eyes, diameter of AME: 0.08; ALE: 0.08; PME: 0.17; PLE: 0.14, anterior eye row procurved, evenly spaced. Chelicerae, brown, paler distally, two retromarginal and two promarginal teeth, apical largest. Labium, dark brown, with pale anterior rim (Fig. 29B). Legs, background colour yellowish-brown, with femur mostly brown, patella, tibia, metatarsus, and tarsus stained in brown (Fig. 29A, B). Opisthosoma, length 1.64, width 1.27. Dorsum mostly dark grey, with a dark reddish-brown diamond-shaped longitudinal median band covered with black setae and whitish-setae and dusted with irregular dark grey spots. Cardiac mark indistinct (Fig. 29A). Venter and spinnerets dark reddish brown. (Fig. 29B).

Pedipalp (Fig. 29C–E), Tibia trapezoidal in ventral view, narrower at its base; cymbium free tip as long as 1/3 of the cymbium in ventral view, with small set of macrosetae distally; subtegulum inconspicuous in ventral view. Tegular apophysis a flat stalk, slightly concave distally, with distal margin plicated and truncated, the retrolateral projection broad, rounded and plicated with its apex pointing basally in ventral view. Basoembolic apophysis wider than long, weakly sclerotized, with rounded tip. Embolus comma-like, narrow, and flat, tapering to its acute and flexible tip. Terminal apophysis weakly sclerotized, broad, wider than embolus, especially at its retrolateral truncated apex.

Life history and habitat preferences. The single specimen recorded does not allow an interpretation of the natural history of A. plicata sp. nov.

Remarks. As A. plicata sp. nov. is only known from a single locality outside conservation reserves, we propose conservation Priority 1 for this species.

Distribution. Known only from type locality Woodleigh Station, Western Australia (Fig. 26).