Karaops badgeradda Crews & Harvey, 2011

Crews, Sarah C., 2023, But wait, there's more! Descriptions of new species and undescribed sexes of flattie spiders (Araneae, Selenopidae, Karaops) from Australia, ZooKeys 1150, pp. 1-189 : 1

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1150.93760

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A38C5FB6-9F66-4F85-8788-AAA53D21704D

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6474DDC5-11CA-572B-9A7E-45C885D89F19

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Karaops badgeradda Crews & Harvey, 2011
status

 

Karaops badgeradda Crews & Harvey, 2011 View in CoL

Figs 51B View Figure 51 , 52A-E View Figure 52 , 53A-C View Figure 53 , 54A, B, H View Figure 54 , Maps 1 View Map 1 , 9A View Map 9

Karaops badgeradda Crews & Harvey, 2011: 46, figs 33, 34 (♀, examined).

New records.

Western Australia • 3♀, 9 imm; Badgeradda Range, Muggon Station Road off Butcher’s Track; 26°46.220'S, 115°32.927'E; ~ 260 m; 8 May 2016; col. S. Crews, J. De Jong leg.; under rocks along range; sel_1118-1129; SCC16_017; (WAM T155494-155505).

Diagnosis.

Karaops badgeradda is similar to other members of the species group but can easily be distinguished by the genitalia. The copulatory openings are closer to the posterior margin of the epigyne, and the lateral lobes cannot be distinguished on the epigyne (Fig. 53B, C View Figure 53 ).

Description.

The description of the female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

Male. Unknown.

Distribution.

This species is known only from the type locality in the Gascoyne Region, Badgeradda Range, Western Australia (Map 9A View Map 9 ).

Natural history.

Karaops badgeradda (Figs 51B View Figure 51 , 52A-E View Figure 52 , 53A View Figure 53 ) remains known only from the type locality (Fig. 54A View Figure 54 ), which is located in the Murchison bioregion, subregion West Murchison. This region consists of mulga low woodlands on hardpan washplains and hummock grassland. The headwaters of both the Murchison and Wooramel Rivers are in the subregion. It has been highly altered by pastoral use over the years. There is bimodal rainfall that usually occurs in winter, May-July. January-March also sees rainfall, with less in April and August, and very little September-December. Adult females have been found in March, when it is warmer and wetter than other times of year. Females and egg sacs (Figs 53A View Figure 53 , 54B View Figure 54 ) have been found in March and May, when it is cooler and drier. The female guards the egg sac as in many selenopid species. The egg sac comprises thin silk, such as that of K. joehaeneri sp. nov. (Fig. 54E View Figure 54 ), and the eggs and spiderlings are easily visible, rather than the papery egg sac of some other species, such as K. strayamate sp. nov. (Fig. 6H View Figure 6 ). In captivity, immatures are found throughout the year. Males or penultimate males have never been found. Despite collecting many specimens at this locality, none were able to be reared adulthood. Males remain unknown despite pitfall traps remaining for quite a long time (Suppl. material 2: tables S1, S15). The spiders have been collected in pitfall traps and under stones on the range.

Discussion.

The genitalia of a newly collected specimen (sel_1118, WAM T155494) (Figs 51E, F View Figure 51 , 53B, C View Figure 53 , 54H, I View Figure 54 ) has been illustrated for ease of comparison with similar species. Measurements of additional specimens have been made, and lengths range from 5.36-7.45.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Selenopidae

Genus

Karaops

Loc

Karaops badgeradda Crews & Harvey, 2011

Crews, Sarah C. 2023
2023
Loc

Karaops badgeradda

Crews & Harvey 2011
2011