Phryganoporus nigrinus Simon, 1908

Gray, Michael R., 2002, The Taxonomy and Distribution of the Spider Genus Phryganoporus Simon (Araneae: Amaurobioidea: Desidae), Records of the Australian Museum 54 (3), pp. 275-292 : 286-290

Phryganoporus nigrinus Simon

Figs. 1b–f,h–j , 2g –j , 3c , 4b , 7a–h , 8a–i

Phryganoporus nigrinus Simon, 1908: 368 . Holotype female

(MNHN) from Boyanup, Western Australia, 1905 (Stat. 146,

Michaelsen and Hartmeyer Expedition to Southwest Australia). Ixeuticus candidus .– Main, 1971: 119. Badumna candida .– Gray, 1983: 250, figs. 9, 37.

Material examined. NORTHERN TERRITORY: 13, KS55813, Watarrka National Park, King’s Canyon, 24°15'S 131°31'E, 16 May 1999, MRG, GAM & HMS; solitary web with horn-shaped retreat on dead shrub. 1♀, KS55814, 13, KS55833, data as KS55813. 1♀, KS55818, Watarrka National Park, Kathleen Springs, 24°20'38"S 131°40'54"E, 15 May 1999, MRG, GAM & HMS; in horn-shaped retreat on dead shrub. 1♀, KS55819, 1♀, KS55820, data as KS55818. 13, KS55812, data as KS55818 except 16 May 1999. 1♀, KS55821, 1♀, KS55822, 1♀, KS55823, 13, 1♀, KS55824, data as KS55812. 1♀, KS55815, 1 km E of Glen Helen, Namatjira Drive, West MacDonnell Ranges National Park, 23°40'57"S 132°40'50"E, 17 May 1999, MRG, GAM & HMS; horn-shaped retreat. 1♀, KS55816, Uluru National Park, 6 km SSW of Ranger Station, 25°24'03"S 130°59'18"E, 13 May 1999, MRG, GAM & HMS; on dead mallee. 13, 1♀, KS55826, Uluru National Park, Ranger accommodation area, 25°21'16"S 131°04'11"E, 14 May 1999, MRG, GAM & HMS; on prickly acacia. 13, KS55834, S of Barrow Ck near communications tower beside Stuart Highway, 21°37'43"S 133°45'13"E, 18 May 1999, MRG, GAM & HMS; in short, horn shaped retreat on dead shrub. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 13, KS6941, Burnside, 2.3 km N of Witchcliffe Rd turn off on Caves Rd, Margaret R. region, 33°56'S 115°01'E, 26 Jan 1979, MRG; retreat a horn-shaped tube (“dark colour variant of B. candida in Gray, 1983). 1 3, KS6984, Wooderarrung Ck, 3 km N of Mullewa, 28°32'S 115°30'E, 22 Feb 1979, MRG; on Acacia brachystachya . 1♀, 91/1691 ( WAM), Parkerville, 31°53'S 116°08'E, October 1976, R. Browne; horn shaped retreat. 13, 2♀, 2 j, N1992175–7 ( SAM), Albany, 35°00'S 117°52'E, 27–30 Oct 1981,DH (in separate webs). 1 ♀, BY19( AMS), Albany Highway on Capella Rd, 28 Jul 1984, BYM. 1♀, 91/1638 ( WAM), Steep Pt Rd, 1 km S of Clough Bar, 26°08'S 113°10'E, 2 May 1990, A.F. Longbottom. 1♀, 91/1656 ( WAM), 14 km SW of Bridgetown on Mockerdillup Rd, 34°01'S 116°00'E, 27 Aug 1987, J.M. Waldock. 1♀, 32 j, 91/1657–90 ( WAM), Mt Barker, S of Lookout, 34°38'S 117°40'E, 18 Nov 1990, A.F. Longbottom. 1♀, 91/1695 ( WAM), Wal-Arrie Pool, 25°47'S 115°58'E, 7 May 1989,D.Knowles. 1♀, 91/1610 ( WAM),Barwidgee Station, 2 km E of Little Well, 27°08'S 121°00'E, 16 May 1990, S. Gilligan. 2♀, 2 j, 91/1650–3 ( WAM), Glen Cummings Gorge, 25°02'S 128°18'E, 13–14 Jan 1990, M.S. Harvey & T.F. Houston; in solitary webs. SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 1♀, N1991356 ( SAM),Great Victoria Desert, August 1980. 1♀, j, N1991357 ( SAM), Great Victoria Desert, 175 km W of Vokes Hill Corner, 28°30'S 129°01'E, 25 Aug 1980, G.J. Baker. 1♀, N1991358–9 ( SAM), data as for N1991357; conical, webbed nest on Acacia colletoides . QUEENSLAND: 1♀, KS42616, 12 km N of Mungindi beside Carnarvon Highway, 28°53'S 148°57'E, 25 Apr 1994, M. Moulds & JT; eucalypt woodland. 2♀, KS45062 & KS45119, roadside rest area 1 km E of Barcaldine, 23°33'S 145°18'E, 9 Jul 1995, JT,M.Tio,S. Cowan; solitary webs, on dead spiky bush (KS45062) and bottlebrush (KS45119). 5♀, KS44167, roadside rest area 1 km E of Barcaldine, 23°33'S 145°18'E, 1Aug 1995,JT; solitary webs on dead bushes. 1♀, KS44158, 30 km S of St George, 28°12'S 148°44'E, 2 Aug 1995, JT.

Diagnosis. CL female 2.2–3.1, male 1.8–2.5. Cribellum entire. Separated from P. davidleei by the dark brown posterodorsal abdominal patch and from P. melanopygus by the rather cylindrical body shape and the horizontal central limb of the S-shaped embolus/conductor. In solitary webs with tapering, horn-shaped retreats ( Fig. 3c ).

Description

Male (KS6941). BL 5.55, CL 2.44, CW 1.65, LL 0.37, LW 0.42, SL 1.22, SW 0.98. Similar to female. Spination: leg I, femur d112 p0011, tibia v122 p11 r11, metatarsus d002 v221 p011 r011; leg II, femur d112 p001, tibia v112 p11 r01, metatarsus d002 v221 p11 r11; leg III, femur d122 p001, tibia v12 p10 r11, metatarsus v221 p01 r11; leg IV, femur d002 v121 r01, tibia d012 r01, metatarsus d002 v221 p011 r001. Palp with central limb of “S” shaped embolus/conductor passing horizontally across bulb; apical section of “S” relatively broad, about two-thirds width of basal section. Prolateral tegular bulge height less than half cymbium length.

Female (WAM 91/1691). BL 7.23, CL 3.05, CW 1.84, LL 0.46, LW 0.49, SL 1.49, SW 1.14. Body shape more cylindrical than other species. Carapace colour varies from silvery grey to brown, depending on the density of white hairs present. Abdomen silvery grey-brown laterally with both numerous recumbent white hairs and scattered dark brown flecks, the latter increasing in density ventrolaterally. Anterior mid-dorsal stripe broad, dark brown and coalescent behind with the first chevron marking. The remaining four to five chevrons are dark brown, free anteriorly but partially or fully fused posteriorly, forming a dark patch on the posterodorsal abdomen. Legs with wide, brown-black pigment rings. Spination: leg I, femur d111 p001, tibia v012 p01010, metatarsus v221 p0101 r0101; leg II, femur d110 p001, tibia v011 p01010, metatarsus d002 v221 p0101 r0101; leg III, femur d101, tibia v001 r0010, metatarsus d002 v221 p0101 r0101; leg IV, femur d100, tibia v011 r0010, metatarsus d001 v111 r001. Transverse epigynal ridge procurved and narrow, longitudinal width less than one-eighth as wide as epigynal fossa. Fossa wider than long. Lateral teeth narrowly pointed. Internal genitalia Figs. 7c , 8d,f .

Distribution. Western Australia, central Australia, western Queensland ( Fig. 4b ). In open forest, woodland and shrubland.

Variation. Female specimens from the Great Victoria Desert ( SAM 1991356–9 ) were a distinctive light, rusty reddish colour (in alcohol) with all chevrons fused ( Fig. 8h ). Specimens from Queensland have weakly pigmented abdominal patterning ( Fig. 8a ) compared with central & western Australian representatives .

Biology. P. nigrinus occupy solitary sheet webs. The simple, asymmetrical, sheet rarely spans more than 25 cm and is often found on the dead branches of spindly shrubs. The retreats are of unique shape throughout the large range of this species—elongate, horn-like silk tubes attached along a branch, with the wider entrance usually opening downward, sometimes to the side ( Fig. 3c , from the Kimberley region of northwestern Australia; Gray, 1983, fig. 37, from south western Australia [attributed to B. candida ]; and Main, 1976, fig. 40a [attributed to Dictyna sp. ]).

Figures

Figure 1. a,g, Phryganoporus candidus. b–f,h–j, Phryganoporus nigrinus. a,b, dorsal tarsi—tarsal organ and trichobothria:a,

Figure 2. a–j, spinnerets (female). a–f, Phryganoporus candidus: a, spinneret field; b, ALS; c, PMS; d, PLS; e, modified PLS and paracribellar spigots; f, cribellum.g–j, Phryganoporus nigrinus: g, spinneret field; h, PMS; i, modified PLS and paracribellar spigots; j, cribellum.

Figure 3. a–d, spiders and webs. a,b, Phryganoporus candidus: a, communal web; b, female. c, Phryganoporus nigrinus: female on solitary web with horn-shaped retreat. d, Phryganoporus melanopygus: female (note partial loss of white setae on carapace).

Figure 4. a,b, species distributions based on material examined: a, • Phryganoporus candidus; b, ' P. nigrinus, O P. davidleei, • P. melanopygus, Δ P. vandiemeni.

Figure 7. a–h, Phryganoporus nigrinus. a–d, Parkerville, WA, female: a,b, body, a,

Figure 8. a–i, Phryganoporus nigrinus. a–d, Mungindi, Qld, female: a, body, dorsal; b, abdomen, ventral; c, epigynum; d, internal genitalia. e, Kathleen Springs, N.T.: male palp, ventral. f–i, Great Victoria Desert, SA, female: f, internal genitalia; g, epi gynum; h, body, ventral; i, body, dorsal. Scale lines: a,b,h,i: 1 mm; others 0.5 mm.