Aname ningaloo sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 4B63D5C1-524A-41C6-BBDD-09B8469F86BA

Figs 1–3

Diagnosis

Males of A. ningaloo sp. nov. are currently unknown. Females can be distinguished from all other described species of Aname by their genitalia: each spermatheca is divided into two clearly demarcated, short vesicles. The only other species with similar genitalia is A. watsoni Castalanelli, Framenau, Huey, Hillyer & Harvey, 2020; however A. ningaloo can be distinguished from this species by the much shorter outer vesicles (Fig. 3L; cf. Castalanelli et al. 2020: figs 146–147).

Etymology

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition in reference to the type locality of this species within the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area, Western Australia.

Material examined

Holotype AUSTRALIA – Western Australia • ♀; Cape Range, [light trap site]; 21°50′ S, 114°08′ E; 17 Jun. 2019; P. Kay and A.L. McMah leg.; WAM T148012.

Paratype AUSTRALIA – Western Australia • 1 ♀; Cape Range, site SS2; 21°50′ S, 114°08′ E; 19 Jun. 2019; L.S. Umbrello leg.; WAM T148030 .

Description

Female holotype (WAM T148012)

DIMENSIONS (mm). Total body length 17.4. Carapace length 7.0, width 5.9; abdomen length 7.0, width 4.2. Leg I: femur 5.5; patella 3.7; tibia 3.8; metatarsus 3.4; tarsus 2.0.

COLOUR (in alcohol) (Fig. 3). Carapace uniformly orange-brown; legs and ventral prosoma concolorous; chelicerae darker red-brown; abdomen entirely yellow-brown without pattern. In life carapace and legs darker, chocolate-brown (Fig. 1B)

CARAPACE, CHELICERAE, ABDOMEN (Fig. 3A–F). Carapace 1.18 × longer than broad; virtually glabrous; clypeal edge slightly convex; fovea slightly procurved. Eye group rectangular (width/length 2.06), on distinct tubercle. Chelicerae with small rastellum. Abdomen 1.65 × longer than wide, lightly pilose.

MOUTHPARTS AND STERNUM (Fig. 3G–I). Labium width/length 2.17, without cuspules. Left maxilla with 140–150 cuspules, spread laterally on inner 50% of maxilla. Coxae without cuspules. Sternum length/ width 1.15; with setae over entire surface; with 3 pairs of sigilla, each pair increasing in size from anterior to posterior; all pairs close to sternum margin; posterior pair elongate.

LEG I (Fig. 3J–K). Spination, femur 2 dorsal bristles, patella 2 (2PL), tibia 8 (3PL, 1V and 4RL), metatarsus 6 (3PL, 3RL), tarsus 0, total 18; metatarsus length/width 4.36; scopulae present on tarsus and metatarsus.

GENITALIA (Fig. 3L). Each spermatheca with two strongly sclerotised sections, presumably two vesicles. The inner vesicle is short and circular. The outer vesicle is short (about as long as wide) and globular.

Remarks

This species was previously known under the code name Aname ‘MYG728’. It is a member of the mellosa group (Clade 8) sensu Rix et al. (2021) (Fig. 1).

Distribution and natural history

Aname ningaloo sp. nov. is only known from the Cape Range, with the habitat in this area dominated by spinifex grasslands on limestone hills, and coastal sandplains (Fig. 2).