Knotodo shoadi, 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 : 88-90

Knotodo shoadi sp. nov.

Fig. 71

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of all other species in the median apophysis apically a simple hook directed prolaterally ( Fig. 71a ), not retrolaterally, and the RTA lobes similar, long, and longitudinal ( Fig. 71b ). Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is a patronym in honour of Mr Ben Shoad, for his contribution to public education on Australian spiders via the Facebook page of similar name.

Type Material. Victoria: male holotype, Mallee Site 19, 3.5 km N Inglewood, 15–20 Oct 1989, A.J. Coventry, MV K4339 .

Description. Male, holotype MV K4339

Carapace 3.67 long, 2.87 wide. Opisthosoma 4.67 long, wide 1.73. Total, 8.3.

I: 4.14, 1.47, 4.27, 3.67, 2.34, 15.89. II: 4.14, 1.54, 4.00, 4.00, 2.54, 16.22. III: 4.40, 1.27, 4.00, 4.47, 2.67, 16.81. IV: 5.60, 1.20, 4.87, 5.60, 2.93, 20.20. Palp: 1.20, 0.60, 0.34, -, 1.40, 3.54.

Colour. Carapace yellow brown with dark edging around strial edges distally, along back caput margin. Opisthosoma with 2 dark shoulders anteriorly, dorsally gray medially band becomes wider at mid-opisthosoma length; venter entirely pallid-first dark markings well up on lateral faces. Femora, patellae and tibiae with irregular mottled bands. Carapace: Fovea begins well behind caput convergence. Light pile of white and black hairs. Eyes: 2 very recurved rows; from above, almost in 3 rows—front edge of ALE cuts back edge of AME; likewise in back row. All eyes but ALE (smallest) of similar size, PLE behind outer edge of ALE and “look” to side and up. Front width: back width: length, 39:50:29. Sizes: AME, 9; ALE, 7; PME, 10; PLE, 11. Interspaces: AME–AME, 5; AME–ALE, 2; PME–PME, 4; PME–PLE, 8. Chelicerae. Promargin with 3 teeth, retromargin with 2. Sternum centrally darker coloured but setae rubbed off, some sign of radial effect. Palpal coxae shallow, tear-shaped groove basally.

Legs. Scopula. Thin for 2/3–3/4 of metatarsi II–IV; denser but still thin on tarsi I–IV extends just beyond tip as pseudotufts; divided by setal band 2 setae wide on III, IV bipartite; similar for ca. 1/4 of metatarsi III, IV. STC with ca. 4 long teeth. Spines. I: fe pv2p2d3r4; pa 0; ti p2d2r3v2.2.2; me p1.2r1.1.v2. II: fe pv1p3d3r4; pa 0; ti p2d1.2r2v2.2.2; me p1.2.r1.1v2. III: fe pv1p3d3r4; pa 0; ti p2d2.1r2v2.2.2; me p1.2.1r2.2.2v2.1.1. IV: fe p4d3r3; pa 0; ti p2d2.1r2v2.2.2; me p1.1.1.2r2.2.2v2.1.1.1.1. Palp: fe p1d1.2; pa p1d1.1 (including 1 apical); ti p3.

Spinnerets: Both PLS and ALS cylindrical; PLS ca. 0.5 diameter of ALS and slightly shorter; PMS smaller cylinders.

Palp. Tibia short with large trianguloid RTA; prodistal edge concave. RTA with two similar length trianguloid prongs, ventral and dorsal; ventral sclerotised only ventrally and reaches to junction with tibia; dorsal larger, dorsally sclerotised, folded with blade-like sclerotised process arising as lower edge of fold upper edge simple trianguloid. Cymbium roughly leaf-shaped, scopula of long hairs for distal 2/3; promargin narrow, retromargin basal edge wider, apical cone long, groove not evident but glabrous ridge and setal comb along retrobasal edge above which is small glabrous sclerotised plate; distal of comb cymbium margin retreats just opposite base of median apophysis. Median apophysis medial with folded transverse ridge before folding through 90 degrees to form cupped tip and small point arises off longitudinal ridge and points prolaterally. Embolus fused to prolateral base of median apophysis with narrow basal origin reflexing down and prolateral under subtegulum and ending behind median apophysis in long narrow conductor. Tegulum gourd-shaped, retrolateral. Subtegulum reniform, probasal with larger portion basal of embolus. Cluster of hair apically on cymbium.

Distribution. Known only from Victoria.

Figures

FIGURE 71. Knotodo shoadi sp. nov., male holotype, MV K4339: a, b, male palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, ventral view; b, retrolateral view; c, habitus, dorsal view.