Poecilipta metallica, Raven, 2015

Raven, Robert J., 2015, & lt; strong & gt; A revision of ant-mimicking spiders of the family Corinnidae (Araneae) in the Western Pacific & lt; / strong & gt;, Zootaxa 3958 (1), pp. 1-258 : 200-202

Poecilipta metallica sp. nov.

( Figs 111b , 113a–e . Map 71)

Material. Queensland: Expedition National Park, Amphitheatre camp, 25°12'S, 148°59'E, ironbark woodland, 18 Dec 1997 – 5 Mar 1998, D. Cook, G. Monteith: holotype ♂, pitfall, 25 Sep 1997 – 18 Dec 1997, QM S44380 . Paratypes (same data as holotype but) 1♂, flight intercept trap, QM S60095 ; 1♀, pitfall, 18 Dec 1997 – 5 Mar 1998, QM S79929 ; 1♂, pitfall, QM S52273 ; allotype ♀, pitfall, QM S52272 ; 1♂ 1♀, pitfall, QM S31984 ;

Diagnosis. Males and females differ from those of P. kohouti sp. nov. in that the iridescence on the abdomen is dark metallic copper brown ( Fig. 111b ), not emerald green as on the carapace; enlarged setal bases on sternum (♂), and the large edges of abdominal pedicel collar are more flared.

Etymology. The species epithet comes from that of the ant, Rhytidoponera metallica (Smith, 1858), which this species, among others, appears to mimic.

Description Holotype male QM S44380

Carapace 2.50 long, 1.41 wide. Abdomen 2.34 long, 1.25 wide. Total length, 5.1.

Colour: carapace dark emerald green with white scales in broad band around margins; legs dark red brown, tarsi paler; abdomen dorsally dark metallic copper brown; ventrally scute and sternum red brown; femur and metatarsus I brown, patella and tibia lighter, tarsus pallid; legs II–IV femora dark, rest lighter, tarsi pallid. Carapace: rugose; lateral margins serrate. Sternum: domed, rugose. Legs: distinct predistal constriction evident in femora III and IV. Ventral coxa and femora rugose. Tarsi III and IV ventrally with no scopula but thick black setae; no enlarged setae ventrally on femora. Spines: I: fe p1d2; ti v1.2.2 strong; me v2.2. II: fe p1d2; ti v2.2; me v2.2. III: fe p1d3r1; pa 0; ti p2r2v2.2.0; me p3r3v2.2.2. IV: fe p1d3r1; pa 0; ti p2r2v2.2.2; me p3r3v2.2.2. Palp: fe p1d2. Abdomen: dorsal and genital scutes clearly separate; pedicel with long collar flared anteriorly, met by separate sclerite ring anteriorly; dorsal scute for anterior five-sixths with small anterior saddle at anterior one-sixth and widens at 0.8 of length. Palp: cymbium narrow, foliform with coniform paracymbial spine; bulb expanded. Small cucumiform plate basally, not fused to cymbial, large haematodochae with small lateral subtegular lobe, tegulum and embolus like P. kohouti sp. nov.

Allotype Female QM S52272

Carapace 2.06 long, 1.12 wide. Abdomen 2.25 long, 1.00 wide. Total length 4.4.

Colour: carapace iridescent emerald green; femora dark red brown, patellae and tibiae I pale brown; all leg tarsi pallid; tibia IV with pallid distolateral spots and with white feathery hairs; femora with large, scattered white feathery hairs; abdomen dorsally with rugose copper brown scute for half length, band of white hairs behind scute in saddle, a band at three-quarters of length and pallid cone posteriorly; sternum red brown; ventral abdomen centrally pallid with broad white band midlaterally. Carapace: iridescent rugose with scattered white feathery hairs; margin deeply serrate; posterior declivity long, gentle, with posterior flatter zone; fovea short, at edge of posterior declivity, profile of carapace anteriorly gently sloping to eyes; clypeus subvertical; between carapace edge and coxae a strip-like post-epigastric sclerite widens over coxae IV, between III/IV additional triangular sclerite with central aperture; above coxa I a similar aperture posteriorly on strip; chilum in two small subovoid parts. Eyes: lower edge of AME and ALE in line. Chelicerae: pair of long bristles criss-cross on anterior face; dentition: 2p + 2r; 6–7 long thick fang setae. Maxillae: serrula wide, curved. Sternum: rugose; gently domed, short triangular basally; intercoxal sclerites short. Legs: all coxae rugose; RCH small, dorsoapical; distinct femoral constriction on III and IV; black setae ventrally on all legs. Spines: most strong. I: fe p1d3; pa 0; ti v2.2.s; me v2.2. II: fe d3; pa 0; ti v1.2.2; me pv1rv2. III: fe p2d3; pa d1; ti p2r2v2.2; me p2r3v2.2.3. IV: fe p1d3r1; pa d1; ti p2r2v1.1.2; me p3r3v2.2.3. Palp: fe p2v4; pa p1d1; ta p2. Claws: palpal claw curved, bare; pedal claw tufts not erectible. Scutes: dorsal, a separate rugose iridescent plate with low saddle in anterior quarter of scute, then widens to distinct mound with posterior edge forming anterior edge of wide mid-saddle; sparse white feathery hairs; genital, dorsally broken by two wide paragenital brackets with wide deep dorsal plate; pedicular collar short, laterally with few pointed "cuspules"; tracheal, deep, rounded, triangular; post-epigastric sclerite very short, marginal. Epigyne: two small oblique recurved crescentic ridges leading to long copulatory duct; spermathecae M-shaped.

Distribution and Habitat. Known only from open forest at Expedition Range National Park, Queensland.

Figures

FIGURE 111. Poecilipta kohouti species group, habitus, males. a, P. kohouti sp. nov., b, P. metallica sp. nov., c, P. ruthae Santana & Raven, sp. nov.

FIGURE 113. Poecilipta metallica sp. nov.: a–c, scanning electron micrographs, male palpal bulb, ventral view (a); b, embolus tip, ventral view; c, paracymbial spine, ventral view. Allotype female, QM S52272: epigyne, d, e, external (d), and internal (e).