Miturgopelma watarrka, 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 : 67-71

Miturgopelma watarrka sp. nov.

Figs 54–55

Diagnosis. Males of these pale, long-legged spiders differ from those of Miturgopelma buckaringa sp. nov. in lacking centrally directed setae and thickened setae on the sternum, the median apophysis apically a hook with a small flange retrolaterally, and the embolus arising just basal to MA, whereas in M. buckaringa sp. nov. it arises basally from the bulb. Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is a noun in apposition from the type locality.

Type Material. Northern Territory: male holotype, Watarrka NP 24°18’32”S 132°32’11”E Oct 1994, Horn Expedition, Site 5, MV K4448 .

Paratypes. 1 ma., Watarrka NP, sand dunes W of NP workshops, 24°19’S 131°32’E, Oct-94, Mus. Vic. Horn Expedition Centenary Survey, pitfall traps, MV K6964 ; 8 ma., Watarrka NP, sand dunes W of NP workshops, 24°19’S 131°32’E, Oct 1994, Museum of Victoria Horn Expedition Centenary Survey , MV K4447 ; 1 ma., Finke River , site 503, 26.2481°S, 135.9736°E, Oct-94, QM S34168 .

South Australia: 3 ma., Renmark, 31 km NW, 33°59’S, 140°30’E, mallee, pitfall & intercept traps, 12 Oct– 9 Nov 1995, K. R. Pullen, QM S35771 ; 1 ma., Renmark, 31 km NW, 33°59’S, 140°30’E, chenopod scrubland, pitfall & intercept traps, 8 Aug–7 Sep 1995, K. R. Pullen, QM S39099 ; 4–4.5 km WNW Coongie, 27°10’15”S 140°05’58”E, 6 Feb 1987, J. Ried / Coongie L. survey, SAM NN1998 ; 1 ma., Mt Kintore, 7.5 km, NNW, 26°29’56”S, 130°27’22”E, 9 May 1994, Pitjantjatjara Lands Survey, NN 1998.327; 1 ma., Mt Kintore , 10 km, NW, 26°29’50”S, 130°24’43”E, 10 May 1994, Pitjantjatjara Lands Survey, SAM NN1998.338 ; 1 ma., Kangaroo Island , West Bay , Flinders Chase NP, 35°56’S, 136°34’E, 6–7 Nov 1987, D. Hirst, NN1998.235; 1 ma., Central Ra. , Illinjitja, 26 km SSE, 26°24’12”S, 130°24’58”E, 5 May 1993, Pitjantjatjara Lands Survey, NN 1998.453; 1 ma., Great Victoria Desert, Vokes Hill Corner 41 km W 28°32’S 130°16’E, 13 Apr 1987, D. Hirst, NN1998.164–71; 1 ma., Serpentine Lakes, 1 km E, 28°30’S 129°02’E, D. Hirst, 18 Apr 1994 NN1998.148–51; 1 ma., Flinders Ra., near Balcanoona Homestead, 30°33’S 139°18’E, 30 Sep 1993, NN1998.163; 1 ma., Central Ra. , Blue Hills Bore, 4 km WNW, 27°07’09”S, 132°49’48”E, 15–20 Mar. 1993, Pitjantjatjara Lands Survey, NN 1998.175 .

Queensland: 1 ma., Marsupial Ck via Croydon , 18°16’S, 142°41’E, Pitfall Trap, Mar 1996 – Mar 1997, QM S39074 ; 1 ma., Ethabuka Station, Simpson Desert , 26°46’S, 138°28’E, Apr 1991 – May 1991, QM S95108 ; 1 ma., Ethabuka Station , 26°46’S, 138°28’E, 10-Aug-91, QM S110873 ; 2 ma., Ethabuka Station , 26°46’S, 138°28’E, 10- Aug-91, QM S110874 . Victoria: 7 ma., Watarrka NP, sand dunes W of NP workshops, 24°19’S 131°32’E, Oct-94, Mus. Vic. Horn Expedition Centenary Survey, pitfall traps, MV K4447 .

Western Australia: 23 ma., Woodleigh Station , 26°11’54”S, 114°25’23”E, 17 May–21Aug 1995, N.Hall, WAM / CALM Carnarvon survey, WAM T74075–74097 ; 2 ma., 39. E. of Laverton , 28°28’S, 122°05’E, 22–24 Nov 1990, pit trap, E. R . Pianka , WAM 98 /1793-5; 5 ma., Queen Victoria Spring 100 metres W of site 1, 30°28’S, 123°41’E, 16–17 Oct 1995, WAM 98 / 897–901; 6 ma., Point Salvation , 7–8 km WNW, 28°12’S 123°36’E, 16–19 Dec. 1990, Pitfall traps, E. R . Pianka , WAM 98 / 705–710; 1 ma., Kiwirrkurra , 22°51’S 127°45’E, pitfall traps, 8–18 Sept 2015, Bush Blitz, WAM T138020 .

Description. Male, holotype MV K4448

Carapace 5.84 long, 4.56 wide. Opisthosoma 6.32 long, 3.60 wide. Total, 12.2.

I: 3.15, 1.15, 3.08, 2.77, 1.85, 12.00. II: 3.15, 1.15, 3.08, 3.00, 1.69, 12.07. III: 3.23, 1.00, 2.77, 3.54, 2.15, 12.69. IV: 3.77, 1.08, 3.61, 4.31, 2.23, 15.00. Palp, 0.92, 0.54, 0.46, 0.00, 1.08, 3.00

Colour. Carapace yellow brown with dark pattern edging around strial edges distally, bands of white hair along and inside carapace margin, radial bands of white hair from fovea and white brows across PLE. Opisthosoma yellow brown with black shoulder and series of 2 pairs of small black marks radially and the edges of 4 behind those laterally; small tufts of white hair at least 5 paired tufts of white hair down back. Femora with irregular banding broken by patches of white hair dorsally.

Eyes: All eyes of similar size except ALE much the smallest. Group front width: back width: length, 30:39:22. Sizes: AME 8, ALE 6, PME 6, PLE 9. Interspaces: AME–AME 5, AME–ALE 1, PME–PME 11, PME=PLE, 4. Sternum: and coxae with long hoary erect white hairs, on sternal margin, inside narrow border prostrate pallid hairs focus centrally. Trochanteral notches ca. x1.2 wider than deep. STC with 7 long teeth. Scopula: In distal half in two bands on tibiae I, II; all scopula divided by setal band 2–4 wide; Thin for 2/3–3/4 of metatarsi I–IV; denser but still thin on tarsi I–IV extends just beyond tip as pseudotufts.

Spines: I: fe pv1long p2d3r4; pa 0; ti p2d3r2v2.2.2; me p1.2r1.1v2.1. II: fe pv1long p3d3r4; pa 0; ti p2d3r2v2.2.2; me p1.2r1.1v2. III: fe p4d3r4; pa 0; ti p2d2.1r2v2.2.2; me p1.2.1r2.2.1v2.2.1. IV: fe p4d3r3; pa 0; ti p2d2.1r2v2.2.2; me p1.1.1.1r2.1.1.1v2.2.1. Palp: fe p1d1.1.2; pa p1d1.1 (including 1 apical); ti p3d1.

Spinnerets: Both PLS and ALS long cylindrical; PLS about 1/2 diameter and slightly shorter than ALS; apical ALS with long coniform spigots.

Palp: Tibia short with shallow invagination on proventral edge. RTA of two trianguloid sclerotised folds, tips opposed, back or upper face of join a shallow sclerotised groove lower face a deep long sclerotised groove. Cymbium pointed leaf-shaped, asymmetrical with darkly sclerotised narrow transverse saddle across basodorsal edge and opposite RTA. Margins all narrow, retromargin flared out distinct. Groove none evident. MA a shallow scoop with short distal keel retrolaterally and short transverse dorsal fluted/grooved hook retrolaterally. Embolus origin diagonal, mid-length of bulb constricting quickly under proapical corner of bulb to emerge at transverse conductor behind median apophysis cradling embolus for some length. Tegulum long gourd shaped along retrolateral edge. Subtegulum dark elongate C-shaped along prolateral edge. Hair density of cymbium slightly greater near tip but not describable as scopula:

Distribution. Known from South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Figures

FIGURE 54. Miturgopelma watarrka sp. nov., male, MV K6964: a, b, d, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, median apophysis, ventral view; b, ventral view; c, habitus, dorsal view; d, RTA, retrolateral view.

FIGURE 55. Miturgopelma watarrka sp. nov., male palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia, scanning electron micrographs: a, proventral view; b, ventral view.