Lampona monteithi, PLATNICK, 2000

PLATNICK, NORMAN I., 2000, A Relimitation And Revision Of The Australasian Ground Spider Family Lamponidae (Araneae: Gnaphosoidea), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2000 (245), pp. 1-328 : 111

Lampona monteithi , new species Figures 242–245 ; Map 28

TYPE: Female holotype taken at an elevation of 1100 m at a site 3 km W Bones Knob, 178139S, 1458259E, Queensland (Dec. 10, 1995; G. Monteith, D. Cook, G. Thompson), deposited in QMB ( S28538 ) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a patronym in honor of Dr. Geoff Monteith of the Queensland Museum, whose indefatigable collecting has vastly improved our knowledge of the Queensland lamponid fauna.

DIAGNOSIS: Males resemble those of L. kirrama but have an unmodified palpal femur (fig. 243); females have a distinctively arched and elevated anterior epigynal margin (fig. 244).

MALE: Total length 5.8. Abdominal dorsum with anterior pair of longitudinal white stripes connected to median transverse white band, band with posterolateral white extensions almost reaching transverse posterior white band; femora with distal, tibiae with proximal and distal slightly darkened rings. Palpal femur short, unmodified; retrolateral tibial apophysis sinuous, with tip directly distodorsally (fig. 243); tegulum not enlarged, extending posteriorly only slightly past base of tarsus; embolus small, recesses behind conductor (fig. 242).

FEMALE: Total length 9.2. Abdominal dorsum with median pair of white spots fused medially, extended anteriorly along midline; leg coloration as in male. Epigynum with arched, elevated anterior margin (fig. 244); spermathecae tripartite, middle portion largest (fig. 245).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Queensland: Hugh Nelson Range , 178279S, 1458299E, July 3–Aug. 1, 1995, intercept trap, elev. 1150 m (P. Zborowski, QMB), 1 ?; Lambs Head , 10 km W Edmonton, 178029S, 1458389E, Dec. 4, 1988, rainforest (G. Monteith, G. Thompson, QMB S34281 ), 1 ?; Massey Creek , 178379S, 1458349E, Jan. 3–Feb. 4, 1995, pitfall, elev. 1000 m (P. Zborowski, QMB), 1 ?; Summit TV station, Bellenden Ker Range , 178169S, 1458519E, Nov. 1–7, 1981, pyrethrum knockdown on logs, stones, and tree trunks, elev. 1560 m (ex QMB S28087 ), 1 ?.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from northern Queensland (map 28).

Figures

Map 28. Records of Lampona monteithi, new species.

Figs. 242–245. Lampona monteithi, new species. 242. Left male palp, ventral view. 243. Same, retrolateral view. 244. Epigynum, ventral view. 245. Same, dorsal view.