Miturgopelma yarmina, 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 : 73-74

Miturgopelma yarmina sp. nov.

Fig. 58

Diagnosis. Males most closely resemble those of Miturgopelma buckaringa sp. nov. in the basally directed origin of the embolus, but differ in the normal sternum setation, the median apophysis wide and widest medially ( Fig. 58a ; cf narrow and narrowest medially) and the ventral palpal tibia without a longitudinal ridge. Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is taken from one of the localities in which the species occurs.

Type Material. Queensland: male holotype, Narrien (site 5), C.S.I. R . O. Tree Clearing project, T . Churchill, QM S116673 .

Paratypes. 1 ma., Yarmina Station , C.S.I. R .O. Tree Clearing project, T. Churchill, QM S116231 ; 1 ma., Oakleigh, C.S.I. R .O. Tree Clearing project, T. Churchill, QM S116670 .

Description. Male, holotype QM S116673

Carapace 3.04 long, 2.30 wide. Opisthosoma 2.74 long, 1.89 wide. Total length, 5.8.

I: 3.21; 1.30; 3.57; 3.29; 1.65; 13.03. II: 3.33; 1.11; 3.07; 3.18; 2.01; 12.68. III: 3.51; 1.13; 2.66; 3.42; 2.33; 13.05. IV: 3.02; 1.53; 3.62; 4.01; 2.31; 14.49. Palp: 1.95; 0.59; 1.16; –; 1.14; 4.83.

Colour. Carapace and legs yellow brown, carapace with submarginal irregular dark lines. Opisthosoma dark with four paired white spots anteriorly, anterior and posterior pair larger and further apart. Venter entirely pallid. Eyes. ALE noticeably smaller than other eyes; AME, PME & PLE similar sized. Sternal setae all similar. Weak scopula on metatarsi & tarsi I–IV. Palp. RTA short, lower lobe trianguloid with small distal lobe; dorsal lobe bipartite. Median apophysis a broad flange with small apical hook. Embolus origin subbasal prolaterad.

Variation. The figured male has the common broad, ostiate median dark zone anteriorly on opisthosoma.

Distribution. Known only from Yarmina, Oakleigh and Narrien Stations, northeastern Queensland.

Figures

FIGURE 58. Miturgopelma yarmina sp. nov., male holotype, QM S116673: a, b, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia; a, ventral view; b, dorsal view; c, habitus, dorsal view.