Misgolas dougweiri, Wishart & Rowell, 2008

Wishart, Graham & Rowell, David M., 2008, Trapdoor Spiders of the Genus Misgolas (Mygalomorphae: Idiopidae) from Eastern New South Wales, With Notes on Genetic Variation, Records of the Australian Museum 60 (1), pp. 45-86 : 52-54

Misgolas dougweiri n.sp.

Figs 4A–H , 24A

Type material. HOLOTYPE M, AM KS50006 , Killarney Vale (33°22'S 151°28'E), 25 May 1997, Lyn Abra . PARATYPES ??: AM KS44411 (damaged condition), Dora Creek nr Gosford (33°05'S 151°30'E), 25 May 1996, Lyn Abra ; AM KS49383 , Mannering Park (33°12'S 151°34'E), 24 Apr. 1997, Lyn Abra ; AM KS69961 , Gosford area (33°26'S 151°20'E), 25 July 1999, Lyn Abra .

Diagnosis. In male: medium sized dark brown spiders, carapace length c. 6.0–7.4; retrodorsal surface of metatarsi IV without spines; venter with dense cover small dark brown maculations ( Fig. 4H ). Both tarsi I and II with bilateral rows of small spines adjacent to scopula ( Fig. 4D–G ). Metatarsi I and II with bilateral small clusters of spines near distal edges. Palpal bulb with retrolateral embolic flange with 5 prominent and 2–3 minor folds; embolus tip sinuous from dorsal aspect ( Fig. 4B ), appears swollen from lateral aspect by thin ventral flange suspended from tip ( Fig. 4C ); embolic dorsal apophysis absent. Conformation of palp as figured ( Fig. 4A ). Female not known.

Description

Male holotype ( Fig. 4A–H ). Size. Carapace length 7.18, width 5.59. Abdomen length 8.53, width 5.03. Colour. In alcohol carapace, proximal limb segments and chelicerae dark brown. Some pallid hairs on carapace, absent on limbs. Patella and tibia of anterior limbs with weak darker smudges. Abdomen dorsum dark brown with six pale transverse chevrons. Venter pale, covered with many small brown maculations ( Fig. 4H ). Carapace. Edge fringed with black bristles that encroach onto posterior third of post foveal surface. Line of c. 8 (some rubbed off) median bristles on caput arch. Group of 8 bristles on clypeus; group of smaller setae on weakly chitinous area extending onto pleuron membrane below clypeus. Fovea width 1.46, straight with recurved edges, posterior wall centrally divided by large pitted intrusion. Eyes. Raised on small mound, area immediately adjacent to eyes black; anterior width 1.15, posterior width 1.10, length 0.73, width/length ratio 1.58. Line joining posterior edges of ALE bisects AME. Posterior row straight in front, recurved behind. Chelicerae. Rastellum row of 5(8) spines in front, 4(2) behind. Intercheliceral tumescence elongate each bearing a dark basal spot. Fang groove with 9(9) promarginal teeth & 9(11) smaller retromarginal/intermediate row teeth. Labium. Bulbous, length 0.67, width 1.10. Labio-sternal suture broad narrowing centrally. Maxillae c. 51(51) short blunt anteroental cuspules. Sternum. Length 3.92, width 2.94. Sigilla small, distinct, anterior pair submarginal, mid pair one diameter from margin, posterior pair largest and two diameters from margin. Legs. Tibia I with distal bifid apophysis; distal process with 2(2) short pointed spines, proximal process with 1 short and 1 long compact spines and 1 long spine rising from process base.

palp I II III IV femur 3.56 6.26 5.59 4.48 6.32 patella 1.72 3.19 2.94 2.27 3.13 tibia 3.31 4.36 3.87 2.58 5.59 metatarsus — 4.42 4.05 3.68 5.40 tarsus 1.78 2.82 2.58 2.33 3.19 total 10.37 21.05 19.03 15.34 23.63

Palp ( Fig. 4A ). Cymbium with c. 63 long narrow, sticklike, slightly anteriorly inclined spines distributed over distal half of d surface. RTA digitate, not swollen basally, inclined downwards, covered with squat pointed d spines which continue along rv edge of tibial excavation. DTA long, straight, inclined downwards almost parallel to RTA, suspending c. 13 long v spines. TEM prominent, adjacent to RTA; TET barely visible on anterior side of TEM. Bulb. Embolic rl flange with 5 long and 2 minor folds, margin gently convexly curved. Embolus tip sinuous from dorsal aspect ( Fig. 4B ); appears swollen from lateral aspect by thin v flange suspended from tip ( Fig. 4C ). Embolic apophysis absent. Scopula. Dense and complete on tarsi I, II and on distal eighth of metatarsi I; distal fragment on metatarsi II; absent on legs III and IV. Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 9, tibia pd 5, rd 5. Leg I: tarsi 15, metatarsi 13, tibia pd 4, rd 4. Leg II: tarsi 14, metatarsi 13, tibia pd 7, rd 5. Leg III: tarsi 10, metatarsi 9, tibia pd 6, rd 7. Leg IV: tarsi 11, metatarsi 15, tibia pd 7, rd 6. Leg spination. Leg I ( Fig. 4D,E ): tarsi bilateral rows small spines adjacent to scopula pv 7, rv 22; metatarsi pv 022 cluster of 7, rv 011 cluster of 21; tibia v 0012, pl 00010. Leg II ( Fig. 4F,G ): tarsi bilateral row small spines adjacent to scopula pv 20, rv 12; metatarsi pv 010 cluster of 9, rv 01111 cluster of 5. Leg III: tarsi v 43, metatarsi v 11, d 002120; tibia v 0112, pl 01010, rl 011; patella pd 8. Leg IV: tarsi v 41; metatarsi v 11; tibia v 022. Abdomen. Dorsum with cover of long brown hairs increasing in number, becoming finer laterally and covering venter. Dorsum hairs with underlying fine hairs.

Remarks. The species may be confused with other species included in this work that also have the male bulb with a sinuous tip but is separable from them by reference to the absence of an embolic apophysis.

Etymology. The species is named in recognition of a good friend of GW, Douglas Weir, late of Gerringong, NSW.

Distribution and natural history. ( Fig. 24A ) This species is known only from the type localities, all near Gosford, N.S.W. The burrow is unknown.

Figures

Fig. 4. Misgolas dougweiri n.sp. A–H?, holotype AM KS50006: (A), right palp retrolateral. (B,C), right bulb: B, dorsal; C, prolateral.(D,E), right tarsus/metatarsus joint I: D, prolateral; E, retrolateral. (F,G), right tarsus/metatarsus joint II: F, prolateral; G, retrolateral. (H), venter.

Fig. 24. A–D. Distribution of Misgolas species in the New South Wales Central Coast (eastern Australia) based on material examined (Inset [Fig. 24A] with catchment area).