Miturgopelma calperum, Raven & Hebron & Williams, 2023

Raven, Robert J., Hebron, Wendy & Williams, Kylie, 2023, Revisions of Australian ground-hunting spiders VI: five new stripe-less miturgid genera and 48 new species (Miturgidae: Miturginae), Zootaxa 5358 (1), pp. 1-117 : 37-38

Miturgopelma calperum sp. nov.

Fig. 25

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of Miturgopelma alanyeni sp. nov. in the long, unequal quadrilobate median apophysis. Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is a noun in apposition from one of the localities of the species.

Type material. South Australia: male holotype, Renmark , 32 km N, 33°53’S, 140°44’E, mallee, malaise trap, 7 Jun–6 Jul 1995, K. R . Pullen , QM S38047 .

Paratypes. 2 ma., Renmark, 14 km WNW, 34°07’S, 140°37’E, mallee on dune, pitfall, 2 May–7 Jun 1995, K. R . Pullen, QM S32785 ; 2 ma., Renmark, 14 km WNW of, 34°6’59.976”S 140°37’0.12”E ,, Pitfall Trap, 28 Feb–7 Mar 1995, QM S39332 ; 4 ma., Renmark, 31 km NW, 33°58’59.988”S 140°30’E, Flight Intercept Trap, 30 Mar–2 May 1995, QM S35775 ; 1 ma., Calperum HS, 21 km W by N, 33°58’59.988”S 140°30’E, Flight Intercept & Pitfall Trap, 1–30 Mar 1995, QM S41778 .

Description. Male, holotype QM S38047

Carapace 2.71 long, 2.27 wide. Opisthosoma 3.07 long, 1.73 wide. Total, 5.8.

I: 2.59; 1.06; 2.13; 2.06; 1.44; 9.28. II: 2.44; 1.06; 2.06; 1.91; 1.25; 8.72. III: 2.38; 1.06; 1.94; 2.19; 1.31; 8.88. IV: 3.22; 1.16; 2.75; 3.38; 1.50; 12.00. Palp: 1.00; 0.59; 0.41; -; 2.71; 3.25.

Colour: Carapace with two moderately dark shell-like areas laterally; opisthosoma, dorsally dark, mottled with long ovoid paired pallid regions flanking poorly defined medial dark band; ventrally faintly discernible mottling on edges; femora basally strongly mottled fading gradually to patella. Eyes: All similar, small; ALE clearly smallest. Posterior row more or less overlapping; PME and PLE inner edges well separated. Legs moderately long. Spines: Femora pv1 on I–IV; tibia I, II p1r0 on I, II; palp cymbium 0.

Palp: cymbial hairs all similar; retrobasally cymbium with unmodified, narrow edge; probasal edge extended laterally with distinctly squared edge forming rounded lobe; ventral plate a long lobe apically with short, rounded hook, dorsal plate acute; RTA distal; short, directed laterally; two plates sandwiching unsclerotised zone; ventral plate a long lobe apically with short rounded, hook, dorsal plate acute; embolus central, directed transversely prolateral.

Distribution. Known only from South Australia but probably also found nearby in Victoria.

Figures

FIGURE 25. Miturgopelma calperum sp. nov., male holotype, QM S38047, male: a, habitus, dorsal view; b, median apophysis, ventral view; c–f, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia, ventral (c), retrolateral (d), retroventral (e), and dorsal (f) views.