Elleguna, Gray & Smith, 2008

Gray, Michael R. & Smith, Helen M., 2008, A New Subfamily of Spiders with Grate-shaped Tapeta from Australia and Papua New Guinea (Araneae: Stiphidiidae: Borralinae), Records of the Australian Museum 60 (1), pp. 13-44 : 35-36

Elleguna n.gen.

Type species. Elleguna major n.sp.

Etymology. The name is an anagram of Eungella, a reference to the type species locality in mid-east Queensland. The gender is considered to be feminine.

Diagnosis. Separated from all other genera by the unique presence of a ventral process on the male palpal conductor; from all except Therlinya and Pillara by the presence of a unipartite MA; and from all except Karriella by the small to indistinct tegular lobe. Females are separated from other genera by the presence of paired “sockets” in the posterior fossa floor or wall.

Description. Medium-sized, cribellate spiders (CL 3.10–4.00). Similar to Couranga in general characters. Putative cheliceral/palpal stridulatory organ present, but seen in males only, structure similar to that in Karriella but with only patch-like, rather than linear, setal groups.

Legs 1423. Male metatarsi I and II dark brown and strongly bowed (concave dorsally) for much of length (especially leg I), thinner distally but not obviously flattened. Spination: representative leg spination: Male (KS62169)— femur d1202, p0011; tibia d0010, v2102 (2202), p1110, r1110; metatarsus d2102, v2021, p1001, r0101; II: femur d10202, p01011; tibia d0010, v2202, p1110, r1010(1110); metatarsus d2102, v2021, p1001, r0101; III: femur d1202, p0111; patella d101; tibia d1010, v122(112), p1010, r1010; metatarsus d2102, v2021, p1001, r0101; IV: femur d112(20102), p001(01011); patella d001; tibia d1010, v1102, p01010, r01010; metatarsus d200102, v020201, p011001, r000101. Female (KS79521)—I: femur d1202, p011; tibia d0010, v222, p1110, r1110(1010); metatarsus d212, v221, p0101, r0101; II: femur d1202, p0111; tibia d0010, v222, p1110, r1010; metatarsus d2012, v221, p0101, r0101; III: femur d1202 p0101(0111); patella d101; tibia d1010, v112, p0110, r0110; metatarsus d2012, v221, p101, r011; IV: femur d1012, p001(0101); tibia d1010, v112, p01010, r01010; metatarsus d222, v221, p0101, r001.

Male palp ( Figs 16a,b , 17a,b ). Cymbium with a short digitiform apex with 3 bristle-like spines; retrolateral flange of moderate to large size. Bulb rounded. Tegular lobe retrobasal, small or indistinct, the sperm duct in two axial loops visible in ventral or retrolateral view. Embolus a tapering, curved spine resting in the deep marginal conductor groove. Conductor a modified, broad T-shape, with a thick stem directed prolaterally to anteriorly, the “T” margin with flange-like processes; a ventral conductor process (VCP) extends anteriorly across the embolus and conductor groove. Tegular window prolateral to basal, moderate size. MA small, unipartite, membraneous and prolaterally placed. Tibia about as long as wide, with 3 strong prolateral bristles; with a short, blunt RVTA and a short or long RDTA. Patella about as long as wide with a dorsoapical bristle.

Epigynum ( Figs 16c–e , 17c–e ). Fossa divided by a median septum or an indistinct median ridge; septum or fossa margins may appear broken and irregular; posterior fossa floor or wall with a pair of shallow socket-like recesses; copulatory ducts open anterolaterally. Internal genitalia simple, with a pair of short copulatory ducts entering the spermathecae ventrolaterally; spermathecae globose, contiguous or subadjacent medially, placed just anterior to the epigastric groove.

Included species. Elleguna major n.sp., E. minor n.sp.

Remarks. The species included here occur sympatrically in the Eungella region. They show some marked differences in genitalic structure. However, both share the unique presence of a ventral conductor process on the male palp, and paired “sockets” in the posterior epigynal fossa (floor or wall) of females. Damage may be seen to the lateral margins ( E. major ) or the median septum ( E. minor ) of the epigynal fossa.

Distribution. From the Eungella NP region to the coastal Mt Dryander range, NE of Mackay, mid-eastern Queensland.

Figures

Fig. 16. Elleguna major. (a,b), male palp (holotype): a, ventral; b, retrolateral. (c–e), epigynum: c, ventral, fl = flange (KS57656); d, ventral, flanges broken (KS83624); e, dorsal—internal genitalia (KS83624). Scale lines 0.5 mm: upper, a,b; lower, c–e.

Fig. 17. Elleguna minor. (a,b), male palp (KS57652): a, ventral; b, retrolateral. (c–e), epigynum (KS79572): c, ventral; d, lateral; e, dorsal—internal genitalia. Scale lines 0.5 mm: upper, a,b; lower, c–e.