Helpis colemani ( Wanless, 1988 ) Wanless, 1988

Żabka, Marek & Patoleta, Barbara M., 2014, New species of Helpis Simon, 1901 from Australia (Araneae: Salticidae), with a new definition of the genus, Zootaxa 3873 (5), pp. 571-589 : 573

Helpis colemani ( Wanless, 1988) comb. nov.

Figs 1–17 , 84

Material examined. AUSTRALIA, Queensland: ♂, Almaden, Chillagoe Distr., 17°20'19" S, 144°40'28" E, [- 17.3386, 144.6744], Mar. 1929, W.D. Campbell, AMS KS19190; ♀, Fotzroy Is., 16°56' S, 146°00' E, [-16.93, 146], 1951, J.G. Brooks, AMS KS16526. Comparative material. AUSTRALIA, Queensland: ♂ holotype, ♀ paratype, Davies Ck, 145º32' E, 16º55' S [-16.9167, 145.5333], summer 1971-2, N. Clyde Coleman, QMB S17589 .

Diagnosis. The species shares similar tegulum and embolus with H. minitabunda , H. occidentalis and H. longipalpis , but the tegular lobe is weakly marked and the tibial apophysis slightly bent towards the cymbial flange ( Figs 7–10 ). Female copulatory openings smaller than in H. staregai , accessory glands bulb-like, insemination ducts V-shaped; spermathecae are pear-shaped extensions of insemination ducts ( Figs 15, 17 ).

Description. Male (KS19190). Cephalothorax oval, brown ( Fig. 1 ). Eye surroundings dark brown with sparse white bristles. Abdomen with greyish brown pattern on light background and with white posterior chevrons. Spinnerets whitish, only anterior ones grey. Clypeus greyish brown, narrow (about 12% of AME diameter), with some protruding bristles below and between AME ( Fig. 4 ). Chelicerae brown, with rugose frontal surfaces; promargin with three separate teeth, retromargin with one small single tooth and one 4-cuspidate tooth ( Figs 5–6 ). Endites and labium greyish brown with lighter distal halves. Sternum pale brown, with darker margins. Venter greyish brown with lighter pattern ( Fig. 2 ). Legs brownish, dorsally lighter. Pedipalps greyish brown, patellae whitish. Palpal embolus short and wide, set at the top of bulbus; tegulum oval, tibial apophysis slender, wider at the base, distally slightly hooked ( Figs 8–10 ). Dimensions: CL 2.30, CW 1.80, CH 1.17, AL 2.51, AW 1.47, EFL 1.12, AEW 1.77, PEW 1.43, both legs I missing, leg II 6.22 (1.94+0.96+1.60+1.18+0.54), leg III 6.15 (1.86+0.80+1.60+1.33+0.56), leg IV 7.33 (2.05+0.84+2.17+1.64+0.63).

Female (KS16526). Cephalothorax generally brown, eye field lighter, dark orange, eye surrounding dark brown, thorax with middle orange stripe ( Fig. 11 ). Setae sparse. Abdomen dark grey with light pale posterior patch, probably chevrons. Spinnerets pale. Clypeus dirty yellow, brownish towards “cheeks”. Chelicerae brown, pedipalps brown, endites and labium brown with light grey tips ( Fig. 14 ). Sternum dark grey with darker margin and minute lighter dots. Venter dark grey. Legs I beige grey, tarsi lighter, tibiae and metatarsi with 2-2-2 and 2-2 ventral spines, respectively ( Fig. 13 ). Other legs grey, spination of legs II as in legs I. All femora with light dorsal and ventral stripes. Epigyne and vulva as illustrated in Figs 15–17 . Dimensions: CL 2.69, CW 2.19, CH 1.61, AL 3.42, AW 2.11, EFL 1.26, AEW 2.00, PEW 1.50, leg I 7.16 (2.13+1.14+1.82+1.40+0.67), leg II 5.53 (1.92+0.88+1.71+0.62+0.41), leg III 6.74 (2.18+1.04+1.45+1.45+0.62), leg IV 7.01 (1.92+0.78+1.82+1.87+0.62).

Distribution. Known from the continental NE Queensland and from Fitzroy Island ( Fig. 84 , squares).

Remarks. The species has been described as Astia colemani by Wanless (1988). Here we provide complete documentation, including vulva (missing in Wanles’ paper) and transfer it to the genus Helpis .

Figures

FIGURE 84. Distribution records of Helpis colemani (squares) and H. wisharti (triangle).

FIGURES 1 – 10. Helpis colemani (Wanless, 1988) comb. nov. 1 male, dorsal view; 2 same, ventral view; 3 same, lateral view; 4 same, frontal view; 5 same, chelicerae, endites and labium, ventral view; 6 same, cheliceral dentition; 7 same, palp, retrolateral view; 8 – 9 same, palp, ventral view; 10 same, palp, retrolateral view; (cf: cymbial flange, e: embolus, rta: retrolateral tibial apophysis, tl: posterior tegular lobe). Scale: 1 – 7 = 1 mm, 9 – 10 = as in Fig.

FIGURES 11 – 17. Helpis colemani (Wanless, 1988) comb. nov. 11 female, dorsal view; 12 same, ventral view; 13 same, leg first, lateral view; 14 same, endites, labium and chelicerae; 15, 17 same, vulva; 16 same, epigyne (ag: accessory gland, cd: copulatory duct, co: copulatory opening, p: pouch, s: spermatheca). Scale: 11 – 14 = 1 mm, 16 = as in Fig.