Adoxotoma sexmaculata, Gardzińska, Joanna & Żabka, Marek, 2010

Gardzińska, Joanna & Żabka, Marek, 2010, A new genus and five new species of Astieae (Araneae: Salticidae) from Australia, with remarks on distribution, Zootaxa 2526, pp. 37-53 : 41-43

Adoxotoma sexmaculata new species

( Figs 25–32 )

Type material. Holotype: female, Australia: Western Australia: 15 km NE of Augusta, 34°12'S, 115°13'E, Jarrah/mari woodland, heathland on grey sand, 6 June 1989, G. Harold ( WAMP 93/1677).

Etymology. Derived from six pale spots on dorsal surface of abdomen: sex (Lat.) = six, macula (Lat.) = dot, spot, adjective.

Diagnosis. May be distinguished from other species by abdominal pattern of light patches and details of epigyne: anterior depression semicircular, copulatory openings oriented anteriorly, insemination ducts moderately long, distally close to each other.

Description. Female (holotype, Figs 25–32 ): Carapace brown, with short scattered, scale-like, pale hairs, surroundings of eyes dark brown. Whole surface with scattered brown bristles and fine, pale hairs. Abdomen with light patches on brownish grey background. Spinnerets greyish-yellow. Clypeus very narrow, dark brown, with three central, brown bristles and sparse, very fine light hairs. Chelicerae orange-brown, with scattered, fine, brown hairs and bristles, promargin with two single teeth, retromargin with a fissidentate tooth. Maxillae and labium brown, chewing margins yellow. Sternum greyish-brown, thinly clothed in very fine, pallid hairs. Venter yellowish, greyish-brown on sides. Pedipalps pale brown, with contrasting light patella and tibia. Legs with yellow-grey-brown markings. First pair robust, longer and darker than others, their tibiae with five and metatarsi with two pairs of ventrolateral spines. Leg formula: IV–I–III–II.

Epigyne strongly sclerotized, with semicircular anterior depression, its structure shown in Figs 31–32 .

Dimensions: CL 2.10; CW 1.75; AEW 1.55; PEW 1.40; EFL 1.25; CH 1.00; AL 2.50; AW 1.90; LI 5.15 (1.60+1.00+1.30+0.75+0.50); LII 4.20 (1.35+0.70+1.00+0.70+0.45), LIII 4.30 (1.25+0.60+1.10+0.90+0.45), LIV 5.55 (1.40+0.70+1.60+1.30+0.55).

Male: unknown.

Distribution. Known from type locality.

Remarks. The species shows a combination of characters of Adoxotoma (body form, robust legs and spines, fissidentate cheliceral dentition) and Helpis (epigyne and internal genitalia). The finding of the male will solve the species’ generic status.

Figures

FIGURES 25 – 32. Adoxotoma sexmaculata new species, female holotype. 25 dorsal view; 26 side view; 27 ventral view; 28 frontal view; 29 chelicerae, maxillae and labium; 30 leg I; 31 epigyne, ventral view; 32 vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 25 – 27 & 30 = 1 mm; 31 – 32 = 0.5 mm.