Taphiassa robertsi Rix & Harvey, 2010

Rix, Michael & Harvey, Mark, 2010, The spider family Micropholcommatidae (Arachnida: Araneae: Araneoidea): a relimitation and revision at the generic level, ZooKeys 36 (36), pp. 1-321 : 82-84

Taphiassa robertsi Rix & Harvey , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D3B8D09B-71C2-49EF-97F1-0C145EEAB3CA

Figs 7P , 8B, 8D, 8F, 8H , 10E–F, 152A–B, 152F, 154C–D, 155–162, 215, 223F–G

Type material. Holotype male: Yanchep National Park , Mambibby Cave (YN-12), Western Australia, Australia, web strand on rock wall near stair, 31°33'S, 115°41'E, 4.VII.1998, R. Foulds ( WAM T94519 ).

Paratypes: Allotype female, Tuart Cave (YN-474), Carabooda area, A. Lombardo’s property, Western Australia, Australia, off soil cone litter, edge of daylight, 20.III.1999, R. Foulds ( WAM T94520 ) .

Other material examined. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: same data as holotype except 18.V.2002, 1♁ ( WAM T94521 SEM♁) ; same data as holotype ex-

cept web strand, twilight zone, 30.VI.2001, 1♀ ( WAM T94522 ) ; Yanchep National Park, Chingah Cave (YN-416), rock wall under daylight hole, twilight zone, 16.XII.2000, R. Foulds, 1♀ ( WAM T94523 ) ; Yanchep National Park , unnamed cave (YN-420), 4 m into cave, twilight of entrance overhang, dragline, 16.IV.1996, R. Foulds, 1♀ ( WAM T94524 ) ; Yanchep National Park, Carpark Cave (YN- 18), web strand in rockwall, daylight edge, 7.VII.1998, R. Foulds, 1♀ ( WAM T94525 SEM ♀) ; Bibbulmun Track, E. of Albany Wind Farm , sifting elevated leaf litter, 35°04'10"S, 117°48'26"E, 18.III.2008, M. Rix, M. Harvey, 1♁ ( WAM T94529 ) ; D’Entrecasteaux National Park, Chesapeake Road , sifting leaf litter, 34°51'30"S, 116°24'46"E, 14.III.2007, M. Rix, M. Harvey, M. Moir, 1♀ ( WAM T94528 ) ; Gull Rock National Park, end of Ledge Point Road , 35°00'51"S, 118°00'23"E, 17.III.2008, M. Rix, M. Harvey, 1♁ ( WAM T94492 ) ; Limeburners Road, near Torndirrup National Park , sifting elevated leaf litter in deep gully, 35°05'27"S, 117°54'40"E, 14.III.2008, M. Rix, M. Harvey, 3♁, 1♀ ( WAM T94527 ) ; Margaret River region, Foxhole Cave (MR-9), from web among rocks in breezeway, 33°55'S, 115°00'E, 2.XI.1996, R. Foulds, 1♁ ( WAM T94526 ) ; Porongurup National Park, Waddys Hut , sifting elevated leaf litter, 34°40'55"S, 117°50'55"E, 29.IV.2008, M. Rix, M. Harvey, 1♁ ( WAM T94482 ) ; Sand Patch Beach Reserve, end of Mutton Bird Road , sifting elevated leaf litter, 35°02'41"S, 117°41'31"E, 18.III.2008, M. Rix, M. Harvey, 1♀ ( WAM T94530 ) ; Torndirrup National Park, Salmon Hole Road , sifting elevated leaf litter, 35°06'07"S, 117°58'03"E, 14.III.2008, M. Rix, M. Harvey, 1♀ ( WAM T94493 ) ; Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, near Picnic Area , sifting elevated leaf litter, 34°58'27"S, 118°10'42"E, 1.V.2008, M. Rix, M. Harvey, J. Newell, 1♀ ( WAM T94483 ) ; Walpole-Nornalup National Park , litter, 9.II.1979, M. Gray, 1♀ ( AMS KS14625 ) ; same data, 1♀ ( AMS KS14636 ) ; Walpole-Nornalup National Park, Anderson Road, near Valley of the Giants Road , Tingle-Karri forest , leaf litter Tullgren funnel, 34°59'32"S, 116°52'17"E, 3.V.2008, M. Rix, M. Harvey, 1♁, 2♀ ( WAM T94481 ) ; West Cape Howe National Park, sifting leaf litter above Shelley Beach , 35°06'22"S, 117°37'39"E, 7.XI.2007, M. Rix, 1♁, 1♀ ( WAM T94532 ) ; West Cape Howe National Park, off Torbay Beach Road , sifting elevated leaf litter in gully opposite Richard Island , 35°04'35"S, 117°38'49"E, 16.III.2008, M. Rix, M. Harvey, 1♁, 2♀ ( WAM T94531 ) ; Westcliffe fireline track, litter, 9.II.1979, M. Gray, 1♁, 1♀ ( AMS KS14646 ) ; Witchcliffe region, Pentorifice Cave (WI-122), off web near stalagmite drip at north-eastern end of cave, 25.III.1995, R. Foulds, 1♁ ( WAM T35078 ) ; near Yate Road, S. of Bremer Bay , sifting elevated leaf litter, 34°24'10"S, 119°22'43"E, 2.V.2008, M. Rix, M. Harvey, J. Newell, 1♀ ( WAM T94484 ) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym in honour J. Dale Roberts, of the University of Western Australia (Perth), for his exceptional supervision, patient guidance and wonderful support during M. Rix’s postgraduate study at the University of Western Australia.

Diagnosis. Males and females of Taphiassa robertsi can be distinguished from all other described congeners by the distinctive, bi-coloured pattern on the abdomen ( Figs 7P , 155A–B), similar only to undescribed species in south-eastern Australia. In the field this species is likely to be confused only with the sympatric species T. globosa , which is much smaller, with relatively shorter legs.

Description. Holotype male: Total length 1.43. Carapace 0.67 long, 0.49 wide. Abdomen 0.74 long, 0.61 wide. Leg I femur 1.29. Cephalothorax, anterior sclerite, abdominal sclerotic spots brown; legs, spinneret sclerite tan-yellow; abdomen dark grey, with cream mesal stripe and cream lateral patches. Carapace raised anteriorly, fused to sternum via pleural sclerites, with circular sclerotic rim around petiole; dorsal surface of pars cephalica slightly convex in lateral view; carapace and sternum heavily punctate. Eight eyes present on anterior margin of pars cephalica; AME 0.8x diameter of ALE; PME separated by slightly less than their own diameter. Chelicerae without bulging anterior projections; promargin without peg teeth. Legs relatively long (leg I femur-carapace ratio 1.93); macrosetae absent. Abdomen globose, covered with hair-like setae, each seta projecting from small sclerotic spot; dorsal scute and lateral sclerotic strips absent. Pedipalpal patella with retrolaterally-directed, hooked lRPA and strongly recurved distal apophysis; bulb spherical, with posteriorly-bulging subtegulum; tegulum smooth, with curved ETR; embolus long (length> 5× width), curving distally (Fig. 156).

Allotype female: Total length 1.55. Carapace 0.68 long, 0.50 wide. Abdomen 0.82 long, 0.76 wide. Leg I femur 1.29. Cephalothorax, anterior sclerite, abdominal sclerotic spots brown; legs, spinneret sclerite tan-yellow; abdomen dark grey, with cream mesal stripe and cream lateral patches. Carapace raised anteriorly, fused to sternum via pleural sclerites, with circular sclerotic rim around petiole; dorsal surface of pars cephalica slightly convex in lateral view; carapace and sternum heavily punctate. Eight eyes present on anterior margin of pars cephalica; AME 0.8x diameter of ALE; PME separated by slightly less than their own diameter. Chelicerae without bulging anterior projections; promargin without peg teeth. Legs relatively long (leg I femur-carapace ratio 1.90); macrosetae absent. Abdomen globose, covered with hair-like setae, each seta projecting from small sclerotic spot; dorsal scute and lateral sclerotic strips absent. Pedipalp entire, five-segmented. External epigyne indistinct (Fig. 155D); spermathecae globular, almost spherical; insemination ducts short; fertilisation ducts simple, curved (Fig. 154C).

Distribution. Known from the western and southern coasts of south-western Western Australia (Fig. 215).

Remarks. Taphiassa robertsi is a common and relatively widespread species in south-western Western Australia, where specimens have been collected by beating and sifting low vegetation and elevated leaf litter in mesic habitats. The main population extends along the south coast from Margaret River in the west to at least Bremer Bay in the east, with outlying populations in the Porongurup National Park and in caves at Yanchep National Park, north of Perth (Fig. 215). Similar species are also known from throughout south-eastern Australia.

Figures

Figure 7. The genera of Micropholcommatidae, illustrated with habitus photographs of representative male specimens. A–D tribe Micropholcommatini: A Micropholcomma caeligenum Crosby & Bishop B Pua novaezealandiae Forster C Austropholcomma florentine sp. n. D Tricellina gertschi (Forster & Platnick). E–M tribe Textricellini: E Eterosonycha aquilina sp. n. F Epigastrina fulva (Hickman) G Raveniella peckorum sp. n. H Rayforstia vulgaris (Forster) I Normplatnicka lamingtonensis (Forster)] Eperiella alsophila sp. n. K Algidiella aucklandica (Forster) L Taliniella nigra (Forster) M Tinytrella pusilla (Forster). N Patelliella adusta sp. n., tribe Patelliellini. O–P subfamily Taphiassinae: O Olgania excavata Hickman P Taphiassa robertsi sp. n. Q–R subfamily Gigiellinae: Q Gigiella milledgei sp. n. R Gigiella platnicki sp. n. Note that Guiniella tropica (Forster) is not illustrated.

Figure 8. Diagnostic characters of the family Micropholcommatidae, illustrated with scanning electron micrographs: A–B evaginated tegular ridge and otherwise smooth tegulum of male Tinytrella pusilla (Forster) (left) and male Taphiassa robertsi sp. n. (right) C–D absence of the posterior minor ampullate gland spigot nubbin and tartipore on the posterior median spinnerets of female T. pusilla (left) and female T. robertsi (right) E–F ligulate retrolateral patellar apophysis of male T. pusilla (left) and male T. robertsi (right) G–H single anterior seta on the posterior median spinnerets of male Normplatnicka lamingtonensis (Forster) (left) and female T. robertsi (right).