Xistera, 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 : 105

Xistera gen. nov.

Diagnosis. Males with basal, central or prolateral embolus origin, with slender embolus base directed posteriorly or prolaterally, with long, thin embolus at least for prolateral diameter of bulb. The RTA consists of long to very long dorsal scoop, and short, round ventral plate medially notched, two trianguloid plates restricted to the base of cymbium, each joined by unsclerotised zone.

Etymology. The genus name is taken from the Basque word for a long scoop used in jai alai (or pelota basca), a game in which the scoop is used to catch and thrown a ball; the scoop is like the RTA in this genus; the gender is feminine.

Type species: Xistera auriphila sp. nov.

Description. As for Miturgopelma gen. nov. but males with RTA positioned basally and in form of yoke (missing one lobe in Xis. jandateae sp. nov.), with distal scooped RTA (very short in Xis. coventryi sp. nov.), distal lobe of tegulum (under median apophysis) is less darkly sclerotised, often with distal arc (retrolaterally making conductor) unsclerotised, apex of cymbium broad, domed, not conical, almost truncate. All species have the RTA with a widely bifid basal part (as in Figs 82b , 83b ) and a scooped distal part, often very long ( Figs 82b , 83e ), the MA is a short hook ( Fig. 83c ); embolus origin retrobasal (all but Xis. coventryi sp. nov.), or mid-prolateral (as in most Miturgopelma gen. nov.).

Species included. Five: Xis. auriphila sp. nov.; Xis. barlee sp. nov.; Xis. coventryi sp. nov., Xis. jandateae sp. nov.; and Xis. serpentine sp. nov.

Key to males of Xistera gen. nov.

1. Scoop of RTA very long, in lateral view, reaching almost to midlength of cymbium ( Figs 82a , 84a )...2

Scoop of RTA short, in lateral view, at most reaching basal third of cymbium ( Fig. 86b )............................. 3 2(1). Base of embolus deeply incursed by tegulum ( Fig. 84a )......................................... Xis. barlee sp. nov.

Base of embolus slightly incursed by tegulum ( Fig. 82a )..................................... Xis. auriphila sp. nov. 3.(1). Base of RTA with single lobe ( Fig. 87b ).................................................. Xis. jandateae sp. nov.

Base of RTA with pair of lobes forming U or yoke ( Fig. 86b , 88b )............................................... 4 4(3). Embolus origin mid-prolateral ( Fig. 85a , 86a )............................................. Xis. coventryi sp. nov.

Embolus origin retrolateral ( Fig. 88b )................................................... Xis. serpentine sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 82. Xistera auriphila sp. nov., male holotype, WAM T33517: a, b, male palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb, ventral (a) and retrolateral (b) views; c, carapace, dorsal view; d, opisthosoma, dorsal view.

FIGURE 83. Xistera barlee sp. nov.: a, b, scanning electron micrographs, male palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb, ventral (a) and retrolateral (b) views; c–e, male holotype, WAM T33413: c, median apophysis, ventral view; d, habitus, dorsal view; e, RTA, retroventral view.

FIGURE 84. Xistera barlee sp. nov., male holotype, WAM T33413, palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb: ventral (a), retrolateral (b) and retroventral (c) views.

FIGURE 85. Xistera coventryi sp. nov., male holotype, MV K4322: a, b, palp, bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, ventral view; b, retrolateral view; c, d, female, MV K4317: c, epigyne, ventral view; d, internal genitalia, dorsal view; e, male, habitus, dorsal view; f, female, QM S50987, opisthosoma, dorsal view.

FIGURE 86. Xistera coventryi sp. nov., male, QM S106969: palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, ventral view; b, retrolateral view.

FIGURE 87. Xistera jandateae sp. nov., male holotype, QM S34726, palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb: ventral (a) and retrolateral (b) views.

FIGURE 88. Xistera serpentine sp. nov., male holotype, SAM NN1998.339: a, habitus, dorsal view; b–d, palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb, ventral (b), retroventral (c) and retrolateral (d) views.