Araneus viridulus (Urquhart, 1891)

W. Framenau, Volker, 2019, Generic and family transfers, and numina dubia for orb-weaving spiders (Araneae, Araneidae) in the Australasian, Oriental and Pacific regions, Evolutionary Systematics 3 (1), pp. 1-27 : 17

Araneus viridulus (Urquhart, 1891)

Epeira viridula Urquhart, 1891: 242-244.

Aranea viridula (Urquhart). Roewer 1942: 835.

Type material.

Holotype of Epeira viridulus Urquhart, 1891: female, Tasmania [no exact locality, AUSTRALIA] (whereabouts unknown).

Remarks.

The holotype of Epeira viridulus seens to be lost. The original description suggests a species with close affinities to E. pustulosa ( Urquhart 1891, p. 243: "posterior tubercles [of abdomen] well-developed, centre tubercle of first row much the largest and stoutest") which belongs to a fairly diverse group with at least three different species in Tasmania (unpublished data). The description of the epigyne suggests the holotype to be a penultimate female ( Urquhart 1891, pp. 243-244: "Vulva pale yellowish-brown; represents a low, transverse, oval elevation, prolonged into a broad, tapering, flatly convex, close lying scapus, fore-end slightly segmented") and it does not seem to be possible to identify this species with certainty. Therefore, I consider the species-group name Epeira viridula a nomen dubium.