Artoria terania, Framenau, Volker W. & Baehr, Barbara C., 2018

Framenau, Volker W. & Baehr, Barbara C., 2018, The wolf spider genus Artoria in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Australia (Araneae, Lycosidae, Artoriinae), Evolutionary Systematics 2 (2), pp. 169-241 : 169

Artoria terania sp. n. Figs 37, 39 A–H, 48H Terania Forest Runner

Material examined.

Holotype male, Terania Creek, N of Lismore, (28°34'S, 153°19'E, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA), 30 April 1976, M.R. Gray, C. Horseman, litter, 340 m alt., rainforest survey site 52, FN767 (AM KS10351). Paratypes: 16 males, 1 female, Beaury State Forest, Koorelah Range, Quarry Road (28°30 ’54” S, 152°21 ’14” E, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA), 23 March– 9 May 1999, S. Lassau, C. Lemann, pitfall trap (AM KS85226); 1 male, same data (ZSMH A0002172); 2 males, 5 females, 9 juv., Richmond Range State Forest, Tunners Road (28°37 ’33” S, 152°42 ’19” E, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA), 4 February - 9 April 1993, M. Gray, G. Cassis, pitfall trap, 560 m alt., NE NSW NPWS Survey, 04BM (AM KS36037); 1 female, same data (ZSMH A0002173).

Other material examined.

49 males, 59 females and 52 juveniles in 41 records (all NSW). AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 1 male, 3 females, 14 juv., Beaury State Forest, Bennetts Road ca. 10 km NW Urbenville, 28°25 ’32” S, 152°27 ’46” E (AM KS36079); 2 males, 4 females, Beaury State Forest, N along Wallaby Creek, 28°26 ’24” S, 152°27 ’31” E (AM KS36089); 1 male, 1 female, Beaury State Forest, northwards along Wallaby Creek Road, 28°24 ’47” S, 152°27 ’49” E (AM KS36146); 2 females, Beaury State Forest, Tooloom Scrub, 28°35'S, 152°22'E (AM KS51274, KS51331); 1 female, Big Scrub Flora Reserve, Gibbergunyah Range Road, 150 m W of Rocky Creek Crossing, Whian Whian State Forest, 28°38 ’31” S, 153°19 ’57” E (AM KS35927); 2 males, 3 females, Big Scrub Flora Reserve, Gibbergunyah Range Road, 900 m NW of Rocky Creek crossing, Whian Whian State Forest, 28°38 ’15” S, 153°19 ’34” E (AM KS35925, KS35931); 2 males, Blue Gum Hut, via Mallanganee, 28°47'S, 152°43'E (QM S70133, S70140); 1 female, Border Ranges National Park, Tweed Range Road, 1.2 km N of Sheepstation Creek turnoff, 28°24 ’47” S, 153°01 ’50” E (AM KS35965); 5 males, 3 females, 1 juv., Border Ranges National Park, Tweed Range Road, 2 km SSW of junction with Bridle Creek Road, 28°23 ’52” S, 153°03 ’22” E (AM KS35975); 1 female, Border Ranges National Park, Tweed Range Road, 4.6 km SW of Brindle Creek Road, 28°24 ’25” S, 153°02 ’04” E (AM KS35956); 4 males, 3 females, 1 juv., Border Ranges National Park, Tweed Range Road. 500 m N of Sheepstation Creek Track, 28°24 ’51” S, 153°01 ’39” E (AM KS35940); 1 female, Cherry Tree North State Forest, 28°58'S, 152°15'E (AM KS51261); 1 male, Dorrigo National Park, Wonga Walk near Hardwood Lookout, 30°22 ’53” S, 152°44 ’00” E (AM KS35946); 1 female, Ewingar State Forest., Elkhorn Road, 29°06 ’29” S, 152°26 ’30” E (AM KS39712); 1 male, 3 females, 'Forster Kennels’ (private land), 150 m from Failford Road and 400 m W of Failford, 32°05 ’33” S, 152°26 ’34” E (AM KS122622); 1 female, 7 juv., Gordon, 33°44'S, 151°9'E (AM KS10887); 2 females, Kangaroo River State Forest, 200 m E of a point 550 m along Burns Road, 30°04 ’36” S, 152°52 ’05” E (AM KS39713); 2 males, Mt Clunie, via Woodenbong, 28°20'S, 152°31'E (QM S70138-9); 1 female, 4 km NE of Mt Wog Wog, 17 km SE Bombala, 37°04 ’30” S, 149°28 ’00” E (AM KS99516); 7 males, 3 females, Nullica Beach, 37°06'S, 149°53'E (AM KS83721); 5 male, 6 females, Richmond Gap, 28°21'S, 152°58'E (QM S70124-32, S70134-5); 3 males, 2 females, 3 juv., Richmond Range State Forest, Goanna Creek Road, 0.4 km from junction with Sandy Creek Road, 28°37 ’14” S, 152°42 ’15” E (AM KS36001); 2 females, Richmond Range State Forest, Goanna Creek Road, 1.8 km from junction with Sandy Creek Road, 28°36 ’35” S, 152°42 ’04” E (AM KS35991); 1 female, Richmond Range State Forest, Gorge Creek Road, 28°20'S, 152°55'E (QM S41202); 1 female, Stydgy Creek, headwater, leasehold Land, 28°45 ’51” S, 152°17 ’31” E (AM KS37014); 1 male, 1 female, 4 juv., Terania Creek, N of Lismore, 28°34'S, 153°19'E (AM KS10353); 2 males, 1 female, 11 juv., Tooloom Scrub Flora Reserve, Urbenville-Legume Road, gully in middle of reserve, 28°28 ’30” S, 152°23 ’50” E (AM KS36119); 1 female, Tooloom Scrub, Beaury State Forest, 28°29'S, 152°24'E (QM S70141); 1 female, Tooloom Scrub, via Urbenville, 28°37'S, 152°25'E (QM S70136); 3 males, 1 female, Whian Whian State Forest, Nightcap Range, Junction of Rummery Road and Nightcap Range Road, 28°36 ’43” S, 153°21 ’47” E (AM KS85239); 4 males, 4 females, 2 juv., Yabbra State Forest, 28°30'S, 152°40'E (AM KS38414, KS38416-7, KS38422, KS122715).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition referring to the type locality, Terania Creek.

Diagnosis.

Males of A. terania sp. n. most closely resemble those of A. grahammilledgei sp. n. based on the shape of the tegular apophysis, which is apically truncated (Fig. 39E) and not lobed as in A. grahammilledgei sp. n. (Fig. 22E). The epigyne has concave lateral edges resulting in it being twice as wide posteriorly than anteriorly (Fig. 39G).

Description.

Male (based on holotype, AM KS10351).

Total length 5.4.

Prosoma. Length 3.0, width 2.3; carapace yellow-brown dusted with grey and indistinct dark radial pattern; lateral margin and central band pale yellow, broader in cephalic area and posterior margin (Fig. 39A); sternum yellow-brown, dusted dark grey (Fig. 39B).

Eyes. Diameter of AME: 0.10; ALE: 0.11; PME: 0.36; PLE: 0.29.

Anterior eye row. Slightly procurved, evenly spaced.

Chelicerae. Dark brown.

Labium. Dark brown, with lighter anterior rim (Fig. 39B)

Pedipalp coxae. Dark brown, with lighter anterior rim (Fig. 39B).

Legs. Yellow brown with darker annulations; tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi darker, less annulated (Fig. 39A).

Opisthosoma. Length 2.4, width 1.7; yellow-brown with light yellow-brown anterior cardiac mark and dark grey irregular pattern (Fig. 39A). Venter pale with darker pattern (Fig. 39B); spinnerets dark grey.

Pedipalps. Tibia longer as broad; cymbium tip without macrosetae (Fig. 39E, F); dorsal scopula patch present; tegular apophysis distally widely scooped, basally narrowed to 1/3, retrolateral tip hooked not reaching margin of cymbium (Fig. 39E); palea about twice as long as wide; basoembolic apophysis about as long as broad, triangular; embolus widely semicircular; terminal widely semicircular (Fig. 48H).

Female (based on AM KS85226).

Total length 5.6.

Prosoma. Length 2.9, width 2.1; carapace and sternum colouration as male (Fig. 39C).

Eyes. Diameter of AME 0.12, ALE 0.10, PME 0.34, PLE 0.28.

Anterior eye row. Straight, evenly spaced.

Chelicerae, labium, Pedipalp coxae, legs and opisthosoma. Opisthosoma length 2.7, width 2.1; otherwise as male, but opisthosoma pattern more obscure (Fig. 39C, D).

Epigyne. Atrium bell-shaped with rectangular anterior margin (Fig. 39G); spermathecal heads ellipsoid less than 1/2 diameter apart, spermathecal stalks short (Fig. 39H).

Life history and habitat preferences.

Habitat descriptions on locality labels of A. terania sp. n. include ‘rainforest’, 'microphyll vine forest’, 'dry rainforest’ and 'Hoop Pine plantation’, where the species seems to be litter-dwelling.

Mature males of A. terania sp. n. were mostly found in April and October, suggesting two reproductive periods. Females were found from December to May with a peak in April, but also in October.

Distribution.

Artoria terania sp. n. has been mostly found in north-eastern NSW in the NSW North Coast (NNC) and South Eastern Queensland (SEQ) IBRA regions, with isolated records around Sydney (Sydney Basin - SYB) and in the south-east of the state (South East Corner - SEC) (Fig. 37). This species has also been found in south-eastern Queensland (V.W. Framenau, unpublished data).