Karaops yumbubaarnji, Crews, 2023

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

Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov.

Figs 33A-E , 34A, B , 35A, B , 36A, B , 37A, C , Maps 1 , 8

Material examined.

Holotype: Western Australia • ♀ (reared in captivity); Purnululu National Park, Bungle Bungles, Cathedral Gorge , Picaninny Lookout ; vic. 17°29'20.67"S, 128°22'29.27"E; 29 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; at night on rock walls near overhangs; sel_1302, SCC16_065; (WAM T155678) . Paratype: ♂ (reared in captivity); same data as previous; sel_1300; (WAM T155676) . Other material examined: 7 imm., same data as holotype; sel_1296-1299, 1301, 1303-1304; (WAM T155672-T155675, T155677, T155679-T155680) .

Diagnosis.

Females of Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov. (Figs 33A , 35B , 37A ) are superficially similar to those of K. burbidgei and K. nyamal as they all have m-shaped hoods on the median field. Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov. can be distinguished by having long, narrow copulatory ducts that are less sclerotized at their origin and extend lateroposteriorly (Fig. 33C ). Karaops burbidgei has very short copulatory ducts, and the copulatory ducts of K. nyamal extend anteriorly then sharply curve posteriorly ( Crews 2013: figs 32, 34).

The males of Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov. (Figs 34A , 35A ) are not really similar to any other known species. They do have a chemosensory patch on the cymbial tip (Fig. 36A, B ) as in K. markharveyi sp. nov.; however, the patch is small and restricted to the retrolateral side of the cymbium apically. The conductor of K. yumbubaarnji sp. nov. has an apophysis that is projected ventrally like several Karaops species in the Pilbara, but it is connected to the larger tegular sheath (Fig. 36A ). Unique features include a bifid dRTA (in lateral view) and the median apophysis has a small, spine-like apophysis that is difficult to see (Fig. 36C ).

Description.

Female (holotype). Total length 5.22. Carapace: length 2.55, width 3.37. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth. Eyes: AER recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.14, ALE 0.08, PME 0.23, PLE 0.29; interdistances AME-PME 0.04, PME-ALE 0.10, ALE-PLE 0.28, PME-PME 0.80, ALE-ALE 1.11, AME-AME 0.39, PLE-PLE 1.38. Sternum: length 1.43, width 1.70. Abdomen: length 2.67, width 2.04. Color (in life Figs 33A , 35B , 37A /preserved Fig. 33D ): Carapace: yellowish with dark marks medially just behind eyes, two dark patches laterally extending to middle of carapace, dark spot behind furrow, white setae behind eyes, tufts laterally that extend along radial furrows, dispersed, short, dark, thick setae/whitish yellow, dark spots, pale setal tufts not as conspicuous. Chelicerae: yellow-brown with small dark mark just below clypeus, paturon with longitudinal curved mark frontally, cheliceral setae pale, darkened anteromedially. Maxillae: yellowish white. Labium: tan, pale distally. Sternum: yellow-brown. Abdomen: dorsally brownish with dark and pale spots and patches, most prominent are two anterior white spots and a darker posterior chevron, hirsute, with longer, thick, dark setae and longer dark, thin setae interspersed/more yellowish orange, dark and pale spots and patches less conspicuous; ventrally yellowish white. Legs: yellowish with unfilled annulations, Cx, Tr all with an anterior dot, slightly dusky jagged annulations on Fm, Pt dark at Fm-Pt joint, two jagged dusky annulations on Ti, Mt with dark annulations on Ti-Mt joint and Mt-Ta joint, Ta tip dusky; Fm ventrally with flat, enlarged, white setae, spines on all legs dark at base, lightened to orange distally; spination leg I Fm d 1-1-1, pr 1-1-0, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2-2, there is a small 7th spine toward pl side, and 6thrl is also small, Mt v 2-2-2-2; leg II Fm d 1-1-1, pr 0-0-1, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2-2-2, single, very small spine toward pl side; leg III Fm d 1-1-1, pr 0-0-1, Ti v 1-1-1; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1; leg formula 3241; measurements leg I 9.56 (3.03, 0.98, 2.59, 1.96, 1.00); leg II 10.81 (3.45, 1.15, 2.98, 2.14, 1.09); leg III 11.03 (3.55, 1.16, 3.04, 2.04, 1.24); leg IV 9.66 (3.19, 0.97, 2.61, 1.90, 0.99). Palp: spination Fm d 0-1-2; 2.41 (0.89, 0.36, 0.45, 0.71); claw with eight teeth. Epigyne: EP rounded anteriorly, with straight posterior margin, not much longer than wide, MF with hoods forming an m-shape; LLs separated posteriorly; COs beneath hoods, anteriorly (Fig. 33B ). Endogyne: CDs originate medially, extend lateroposteriorly, coiling anteriorly, less sclerotized than AB and S; oval ABs reaching lateral edges of EP; S more oblong; FDs extended anterolaterally; very small pdf that grades into UE (Fig. 33C ).

Male (paratype). Total length 3.77. Carapace: length 2.12, width 2.64. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth. Eyes: AER recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.10, ALE 0.08, PME 0.14, PLE 0.22; interdistances AME-PME 0.04, PME-ALE 0.10, ALE-PLE 0.21, PME-PME 0.57, ALE-ALE 0.80, AME-AME 0.28, PLE-PLE 0.97. Sternum: length 1.16, width 1.48. Abdomen: length 1.65, width 1.19. Color (in life Fig. 35A /preserved Fig. 37C ): Carapace: yellowish brown, two dark patches behind PLEs extended posteriorly nearly midway, dark patch extended from posterior part of furrow to posterior of carapace, two pairs of lateral dark patches/yellowish white, paler, less conspicuous markings, pale setae just behind and lateral to eyes, slender, short, stiff setae. Chelicerae: yellowish brown, paturon with a longitudinal curved mark frontally, setae pale, darkened anteromedially. Maxillae: yellowish white. Labium: dusky, pale distally. Sternum: yellowish white. Abdomen: dorsally yellowish brown, two pairs of white dots anteromedially and medially, dark patches from center to posterior/orangish with markings less conspicuous; ventrally yellowish brown. Legs: yellowish tan with darker markings, Cx, Tr with dark spot prolaterally, Fm with dark dot near Fm-Tr joint, jagged dusky annulations, pale in centers, Pt with dusky annulation at Fm-Pt joint, Ti with two jagged annulations, centers slightly darker than those on Fm, Mt same as previous but space between annulations pigmented, Ta dusky/pale, yellowish white; Fm with white setal tufts enlarged distally along ventral surface of legs; spination leg I Fm d 1-1-1, pr 1-1-0, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-1-2; leg II Fm d 1-1-1, pr 0-0-1, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2-2; leg III Fm d 1-1-1, rl 0-0-1, Ti v 2-2, Mt v 2-0; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1, rl 0-1-1, Ti v 1-1; leg formula 3241; measurements leg I 8.26 (2.40, 0.79, 2.27, 1.80, 1.00); leg II 10.21 (3.10, 0.92, 2.79, 2.30, 1.10); leg III 10.91 (3.51, 0.93, 3.01, 2.40, 1.06); leg IV 9.53 (3.06, 0.80, 2.43, 2.23, 1.01). Palp: spination Fm d 0-1-2; 2.20 (0.77, Pt 0.37, Ti 0.31, Ta 0.75); RTA darker than Ti, vRTA smaller than dRTA, squared off distally, dRTA bifid, with more basal branch rounded, apical one squared off; rbcp small; Cy roundish, patch of sensory setae conspicuous in retrolateral view; C located ~ 9 o’clock, CS completely covering ~ 1/2 of E, at 2 o’clock position, TS connects to the CS and the distal end of C that arises anteromedially from the T (Fig. 36A ), projected ventrally (Fig. 36B ); E long, beginning at ~ 6 o’clock, ending ~ 2 o’clock, arising from a small TL; MA uniformly sclerotized, base wide, narrowed distally, slightly widened at tip, truncate, narrow spine-like process retrolaterally (Fig. 36C ).

Etymology.

The species name is a combination of the Kija/Gija word for spider and the Jaru word for spider, baarnji (Gija) ( Purdie et al. 2018) and Karaops yumbu (Jaru) ( Deegan et al. 2010). Noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality Purnululu National Park, northeastern Western Australia (Fig. 20F , Map 8 ).

Natural history.

This species occurs in the Purnululu subregion of the Ord Victoria Plains bioregion. A major river system, that of the Ord River, is found in the subregion, draining plains and hillier areas. Rainfall is 500-800 mm/year. Vegetation includes Eucalyptus spp. and several grasses (Mitchell grass, curly bluegrass, golden beard grass, spinifex). There are many localized and rare species in the area associated with the Bungle Bungle Ranges, such as the skink Lerista bunglebungle Storrand, and many plants, and the Bungle massif is an important refuge ( Morton et al. 1995). Although there have been targeted surveys of plants and animals in Purnululu National Park, this species was unknown. The climate is dry monsoonal.

All specimens were collected as immatures and reared in captivity. They were all collected at night on sandstone walls beneath overhangs (Fig. 35B ). Females matured when the climate is transitioning from cooler to warmer, and adult males soon after, when it begins to get wetter and hotter (Suppl. material 2: tables S1, S12).

Discussion.

Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov. can be added to the list of endemics for Purnululu National Park. Despite the area being surveyed for plants and animals previously, this spider went undetected, indicating that there are probably other species, including endemics, that were missed during previous surveys. This is one of the smallest selenopid species, only surpassed by K. kwartatuma sp. nov. and K. markharveyi sp. nov. Karaops yumbu also occurs in this subregion, but it has not been found in the park.

Figures

Map 1. Map of Australia showing areas that are expanded in subsequent figures. CD = Central Desert group, D = Karaops dawara group, F = Karaops francesae group, K = Kimberley group, UA = species that are not assigned to a group, PG = Pilbara-Gascoyne group.

Map 8. Species that are not currently placed in a species group. Diamonds (juveniles): blue = Little Mertens, red = Ruby Plains, pink = Nackeroo Lookout; Circles: yellow = Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov., green = Karaops markharveyi sp. nov., purple = Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov., blue = Karaops madhawundu sp. nov., red = Karaops mareeba sp. nov. Juveniles are treated as distinct species based on molecular data.

Figure 20. Members of the Kimberley species group A Karaops dejongi sp. nov., eating a hymenopteran, RAAF Boab Quarry, Western Australia (photo: J. DeJong) B Karaops sp., Geike Gorge, Western Australia C Karaops dejongi sp. nov., paratype male, palp, dorsal, RAAF Boab Quarry, Western Australia (sel _ 1272, WAM T 155648) D Karaops sp., Mimbi Caves, Western Australia E Karaops sp., Keep River National Park, Northern Territory. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 33. Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov. and Karaops sp. A Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov., holotype female, Cathedral Gorge Lookout, Purnululu National Park, Western Australia (sel _ 1302, WAM T 155677) B same, epigyne C same, endogyne D same E Karaops sp., Ruby Plains, Western Australia (sel _ 1279, WAM T 155655). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (B, C); 1 mm (D, E).

Figure 34. Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov., Cathedral Gorge Lookout, Purnululu National Park, Western Australia A live spider on sandstone B habitat, Bungle Bungles.

Figure 35. Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov., Cathedral Gorge Lookout, Purnululu National Park, Western Australia A holotype male (sel _ 1300, WAM T 155676) B adult female.

Figure 36. Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov., holotype male, Cathedral Gorge Lookout, Purnululu National Park, Western Australia (sel _ 1300, WAM T 155676) A palp, ventral, arrow indicates expanded part below B palp, retrolateral C close up of the median apophysis showing small, spine-like process. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 37. Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov. and Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov. A Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov., with hymenopteran prey, Cathedral Gorge Lookout, Purnululu National Park, Western Australia B Karaops yumbubaarnji, paratype male (sel _ 1300, WAM T 155676) C Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov., holotype male, Southern Lost City, Limmen National Park, Northern Territory (sel _ 1343, MAGNT A 004899). Scale bars: 1 mm (B); 2 mm (C).