Sondra samambrayi, Żabka, 2002

Żabka, Marek, 2002, Salticidae (Arachnida: Araneae) from the Oriental, Australian and Pacific Regions, XV. New Species of Astieae from Australia, Records of the Australian Museum 54, pp. 257-268 : 267-268

Sondra samambrayi n.sp.

Fig. 12

Type material. HOLOTYPE Australia: South Australia: 3, Mambray Ck , 32°50'S 137°59'E, in logs and litter, 30 Apr 1973, M. Gray, AMS KS50905 .

Diagnosis. Embolus short, cymbium with retrolateral outgrowth, tibial apophysis is massive and spatulate with small conical outgrowth.

Description

Male (Fig. 12A). Eye field brown, eye surrounding darker— to black, thorax orange-brown. Abdomen with yellowish and dark grey chevrons, laterally with longitudinal narrow

light and dark lines. Spinnerets yellowish. Hairs few, pale and brownish. Clypeus light-brown, densely fringed with whitish hairs and with single brownish bristles. Chelicerae dark-orange, with 5 promarginal and 7 retromarginal teeth ( Fig. 12B), frontal surfaces of chelicerae covered with white hairs. Pedipalps yellow at the base, remainder smudged orange. Maxillae and labium dark-orange, the former twice as long as the latter. Sternum yellow, darkening marginally. Venter with light and dark-grey longitudinal stripes. Legs I massive, generally brown, only proximal podomeres and tarsi yellow, dorsal femora, ventral patellae, dorsal and ventral tibiae fringed with dense brown hairs, tibiae with 3 and metatarsi with 2 pairs of spines. Legs II slender and lighter, dorsally and centrally yellowish, sides and joint area greyish-brown, ventral patellae and tibiae with dense hairs. Other legs similar to legs II though slightly lighter in colour, not very hairy. Palpal organ ( Fig. 12C–E) with distinctive spatulate tibial apophysis. Tegular lamella missing, tegulum oval, embolus rather short. Dimensions: CL 2.50, EFL 1.14, AEW 1.92, PEW 1.78, CW 2.00, AL 2.42.

Distribution ( Fig. 10). Known only from type-locality.

Etymology. The specific epithet is based on the place-names of the type-locality: South Australia and Mombray Creek.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. The material for study was kindly provided by Dr M. Gray and Mr G. Milledge. This study was made during a four month Fellowship at the Australian Museum. Mike Gray provided research facilities and help, arachnology staff and volunteers created a unique and friendly atmosphere during my visit.