Helpis longipalpis, 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 : 45-47

Helpis longipalpis new species

( Figs 33–44 )

Type material. Holotype: male, Australia: Western Australia: Theda Pass Campsite, 14°47'S 126°38'E, under rocks, 14 June 1992, M.S. Harvey & J.M. Waldock ( WAMP 93/1694).

Etymology. Derived from elongate palpal organ, adjective.

Diagnosis. In comparison with closely related H. minitabunda and H. occidentalis , abdomen much shorter, palpal tibia as long as cymbium, embolus shorter, its base with a kind of “step”.

Description. Male (holotype, Figs 33–44 ): Carapace brown with paler median thoracic stripe, eye surroundings dark brown. Whole surface with scattered fine, pale brown and whitish hairs, the latter more numerous in fovea region. Light brown bristles around ALE and AME, PME and PLE surroundings with short, brown chairs. Abdomen ovoid, dark grey, with light and dark dots and two transverse stripes of whitish hairs. Clypeus very narrow, dark brown, fringed with whitish hairs, more dense and lanceolate below AME. Chelicerae dark brown, with sparse light brown hairs, longer and thicker on pro- and retromargins. Promargin with five, retromargin with four teeth. Maxillae and labium pale brown, chewing margins yellow. Sternum orange, with fine, pale hairs. Venter with mosaic of grey dots and lines. Spinnerets yellow-grey. Legs long and slender, with yellow and brown markings, the first the longest and darker than the others. Tibia I with seven proventrolateral and six retroventrolateral spines, metatarsus with four pairs of ventrolateral spines. Leg formula: I–IV–III–II.

Palpal patella and tibia whitish, the latter dorsally brown, both with very long, dense, flattened, white hairs. Cymbium brown, with lighter tip. Palpal structure as illustrated in Figs 40–44 .

Dimensions: CL 2.45, CW 2.00, AEW 2.05, PEW 1.68, EFL 1.25, CH 1.40, AL 2.05, AW 1.55, LI 9.90 (2.95+1.40+2.95+1.85+0.75), LII 7.65 (2.45+0.95+2.05+1.45+0.75), LIII 7.75 (2.25+0.95+2.05+1.75+0.75), LIV 8.60 (2.40+0.95+2.40+2.10+0.75).

Female: unknown.

Distribution. Known from type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 33 – 42. Helpis longipalpis new species, male holotype. 33 dorsal view; 34 frontal view; 35 side view; 36 ventral view; 37 chelicera; 38 – 39 abdomen (38 dorsal, 39 ventral); 40 – 42 palpal organ (40 ventral, 41 dorsal, 42 prolateral). Scale bars: 33, 35 – 36 & 39 = 1 mm; 40 - 41 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 43 – 44. Helpis longipalpis new species, male holotype. Palpal organ (43 ventral, 44 retrolateral). Scale bar = 0.5 mm.