Epeira albida
Araneus albidus
Epeira fastidiosa
Araneus fastidiosus
A new genus of Australian orb-weaving spider with extreme sexual size dimorphism (Araneae, Araneidae)
Framenau, Volker W.
Castanheira, Pedro de S.
Zoosystematics and Evolution
2022
2022-05-05
98
1
137
149
438BEACD-6DFF-5AE1-8E80-771438FEB4D3
(L. Koch, 1871)
Framenau & Castanheira
2022
L. Koch
1871
Araneidae
Mangrovia
treatment-meta
Animalia
Mangrovia albida
Araneae
0
137
species
albida
comb. nov.
Figs 1A-D , 2A-D , 3A-E , 4A , 5
Epeira albidaL. Koch 1871: 83-84, plate 7, figs 2, 2a. Araneus albidus(L. Koch).- Rainbow 1911.- 181. Epeira fastidiosa Keyserling 1887: 183-184, plate 16, figs 1, 1a. New synonymy. Araneus fastidiosus(Keyserling).- Rainbow 1916: 101, plate 21, figs 16, 17.
Type material. Holotypeof Epeira albidaL. Koch 1871: female, Rockhampton, ( 23°23'S, 150°30'E, Queensland, Australia) (NHMUK 1915.3.5.65), examined. Holotypeof Epeira fastidiosaKeyserling, 1887: male Rockingham, ( 23°23'S, 150°30'E, Queensland, Australia) (ZMH ( Rack 1961)-catalog 237), examined.
Other material examined. Australia: Queensland: 1 female, Brisbane, 27°28'S, 153°01'E(AM KS.32873); 1 male, Buhot Creek, Burbank, 27°35'S, 153°10'E(QM S67277); 1 female, Bundaberg Forest, 24°52'S, 152°21'E(QM); 1 female, Baldwins Swamp(QM S25331); 1 female, Cabbage Tree Creek, 25°27'S, 150°01'E(QM); 2 female, 4 juv., Cabbage Tree Point, 25°27'S, 150°01'E(QM); 1 female, Cabbage Tree Point, Beenleigh, 25°27'S, 150°01'E(QM); 1 female, 1 juv., Camira, 27°38'S, 152°55'E(QM); 1 male, D'AguilarNational Park, Lepidozamia Road, 27°17'S, 152°45'E(AM KS.128413); 7 females, Glasshouse Mountains, 26°53'55.3"S, 152°56'56.0"E(QM); 1 female, Karawatha Forest, 27°37'S, 153°05'E, (QM S65833); 1 male, Koah Road, 16°49'S, 145°31'E(QM S83480); 1 female, Mareeba, 17°S, 145°26'E(AM KS.32640); 1 female, Molangdool, 24°45'S, 151°33'E(AM KS.98754); 1 female, Mt Chalmers, near Rockhampton, 23°20'S, 150°40'E(QM S15531); 1 male, Rockhampton, 23°23'S, 150°30'E(NHMUK 1890.7.1.4150); l female, same locality (NHMUK 1890.7.1.4171); 1 female, same locality (NHMUK 77.37); 1 immaturefemale, same locality (ZMH Rack (1961)-catalog 218).
Diagnosis. Males M. albidacomb. nov. can be separated from M. occidentalissp. nov. by subtle differences in key pedipalp sclerites, specifically the conductor is less elongate (Figs 2B, 7B), and the terminal apophysis is less bent apically (Figs 1C, 6C). In addition, the subterminal branch of the embolus appears larger in M. albidacomb. nov. than in M. occidentalissp. nov. (Figs 2B, 7A). Females of M. albidacomb. nov. are distinguished from those of M. occidentalissp. nov. by the shorter scape and its wider tip (scape longer and thinner with thinner tip in M. occidentalissp. nov.) (Figs 3C, 8C). Figure 1. Mangrovia albidacomb. nov., male (QM S67277). A.Habitus, dorsal view; B.Habitus, ventral view; C.Left pedipalp, ventral view; D.Left pedipalp, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm ( A, B); 0.1 mm ( C, D).
Description. Male(based on QM S67277): Total length: 2.8. Carapace (Fig. 1A) 1.4 long, 1.2 wide; dark brown, lighter in cephalic area. Eyes diameter AME 0.14, ALE 0.07, PME 0.10, PLE 0.07; row of eyes: AME 0.38, PME 0.29, PLE 0.65. Chelicerae small with paturon dark grey basally and beige apically; two promarginal teeth, the apical larger, three retromarginal teeth of similar size. Legs (Fig. 1A, B) yellow-brown with distinct dark brown annulations. Leg formula I> II> IV> III; length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I - 1.6 + 0.6 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 0.6 = 4.8, II - 1.3 + 0.5 + 0.9 + 0.9 + 0.5 = 4.1, III - 0.8 + 0.3 + 0.3 + 0.4 + 0.4 = 2.3, IV - 1.2 + 0.4 + 0.7 + 0.7 + 0.5 = 3.5. Labium and endites beige. Sternum 0.5 long, 0.4 wide, beige with dark brown contour (Fig. 1B). Abdomen (Fig. 1A, B) 1.6 long, 1.3 wide; rounded; dorsum with instinct dark folium pattern bordered by irregular, wavey light band; two small triangular white spots anteriorly sparsely covered with long brown setae; laterally beige with greyish bands; venter dark brown with two large, rounded white spots near spinnerets. Pedipalp (Figs 1C, D, 2A-D) length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + cymbium = total length): 0.3 + 0.1 + 0.2 + 0.5 = 1.1; cymbium broad, tegulum and subtegulum well-developed; conductor broad, basally slightly sclerotised, otherwise fleshy; median apophysis oval with an apical, slightly curved spine-like prong; radix elongate; terminal apophysis well-developed, with rounded distal portion; subterminal apophysis originating near the basis of terminal apophysis, thin and sclerotized; embolus basally inflated, otherwise thin, straight and with distinct subterminal branch. Figure 2. Mangrovia albidacomb. nov., expanded male left pedipalp (QM S67277). A.Apico-ventral view; B.Mesal view; C.Retrolateral view; D.Dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm ( A-D). Female(based on AM KS.98754): Total length 8.6. Carapace (Fig. 3A) 3.9 long, 3.5 wide; pear-shaped, uniformly dark reddish-brown, weak cover of long and short white setae. Eyes diameter AME 0.27, ALE 0.18, PME 0.20, PLE 0.18; row of eyes: AME 0.70, PME 0.54, PLE 1.98. Chelicerae paturon reddish brown; four promarginal teeth, apical and third largest; three retromarginal teeth of similar size. Legs colouration similar to male (Fig. 3A, B). Pedipalp length (femur + patella + tibia + tarsus = total length): 1.2 + 0.5 + 0.8 + 1.3 = 3.8. Leg formula 1> IV> II> III; length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I - 4.2 + 1.8 + 3.0 + 3.1 + 1.1 = 13.2, II - 3.8 + 1.7 + 2.7 + 0.9 + 1 = 10.1, III - 2.4 + 1.1 + 1.4 + 1.5 + 0.9 = 7.3, IV - 3.6 + 1.6 + 2.2 + 2.3 + 0.9 = 10.6. Labium and endites light brown. Sternum almost heart-shaped, yellowish-brown with dusky contour (Fig. 3B). Abdomen (Fig. 3A, B) 5.5 long, 4.7 wide; dorsum beige, with black band on anterior margin; four pairs of dark brown sigillae; venter as in male, but with thin white band behind epigastric furrow area. Epigyne (Fig. 3C, D, 4A) oval, around 1.5 times wider than long; copulatory openings lateral to scape; scape broad lip with terminal pocket; spermathecae sub-spherical, almost touching; fertilisation ducts basally convoluted and attaching posteriorly to spermathecae (Fig. 4A). Figure 3. Mangrovia albidacomb. nov., female (AM KS.98754). A.Habitus, dorsal view; B.Habitus, ventral view; C.Epigyne, ventral view; D.Epigyne, lateral view; E.Epigyne, posterior view. Scale bars: 2 mm ( A, B); 0.2 mm ( C-E). Figure 4. Mangrovia albidacomb. nov. (AM KS.98754) and M. occidentalissp. nov. (WAM T75326), cleared female epigynes, posterior view. A. Mangrovia albidacomb. nov.; B. M. occidentalissp. nov. Scale bar: 0.2 mm ( A, B).
Variation. Total length males 2.7-3.0 (n = 3), females 8.3-9.7 (n = 5). There is very little colour variation in both males and females, although the folium pattern in males can be very distinct.
Remarks. Rack (1961)listed the holotype of Epeira albidaL. Koch, 1871 as her catalog number 218 in the collection of the ZMH; however, this cannot be the holotype as this specimen is an immature female and the original description and illustrations by L. Koch (1871)clearly show a mature female with fully developed epigyne. We here consider a female in the collection of the NHMUK London the holotype of E. albida. This specimen has the typical label handwritten by L. Koch and matches well the description in L. Koch (1871). Keyserling (1887)described Epeira fastidiosaKeyserling, 1887 based on a mature male. The holotype of this species matches in all diagnostic characters the males that are here recognised as conspecific with the female M. albidacomb. nov. We therefore consider E. fastidiosaa junior synonym of M. albidacomb. nov. Similarly to M. albidacomb. nov., the designation of the holotype of E. fastidiosaremains ambiguous. Rack (1961)considered a male in the ZMH ( Rack (1961)-catalog no. 237) as holotype of the species, but there is also a male in the NHMUK (1890.7.1.4150) from the type locality Rockingham that could be the holotype, as part of the Keyserling-collection was sold to the NHMUK (J. Beccaloni, pers. comm.). Both specimens are very similar and match Keyserling's(1887)original description. We here follow Rack's(1961)initial designation of the holotype of E. fastidiosato maintain consistency with previous literature.
Habitat preferences and life history. Habitat descriptions found on labels with museum specimens include 'mangroves'and 'riparian', where spiders were found in rolled leaves near the orb-web. Mature spiders were found between December and April.
Distribution. This species is only known from coastal Queensland (Fig. 5). Figure 5.Distribution records of Mangrovia albidacomb. nov.
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-27.466667
Brisbane
1237
153.01666
1
1
Queensland
S67277
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-27.583334
Burbank
1236
153.16667
Buhot Creek
1
1
Queensland
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-24.866667
Bundaberg Forest
1249
152.35
1
1
Queensland
S25331
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
Baldwins Swamp
1
1
Queensland
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-25.45
Cabbage Tree Creek
1246
150.01666
1
1
Queensland
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-25.45
Cabbage Tree Point
1246
150.01666
6
2
4
Queensland
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-25.45
Beenleigh
1246
150.01666
Cabbage Tree Point
1
1
Queensland
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-27.633333
Camira
1235
152.91667
2
1
1
Queensland
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-27.283333
Lepidozamia Road
1237
152.75
D'Aguilar National Park
1
1
Queensland
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-26.898695
Glasshouse Mountains
1
152.94888
7
7
Queensland
S65833
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-27.616667
Karawatha Forest
1236
153.08333
1
1
Queensland
S83480
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-16.816668
Koah Road
1280
145.51666
1
1
Queensland
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-17.0
Mareeba
0
145.43333
1
1
Queensland
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-24.75
Molangdool
1249
151.55
1
1
Queensland
S15531
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-23.333334
Rockhampton
1256
150.66667
Mt Chalmers
1
1
Queensland
S15531
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-23.383333
Rockhampton
1256
150.5
Mt Chalmers
1
1
Queensland
S15531
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-23.383333
Rockhampton
1256
150.5
Mt Chalmers
1
1
Queensland
S15531
2022-01-01
2022-12-31
2022-01-01
Australia
-23.383333
Rockhampton
1256
150.5
Mt Chalmers
1
1
Queensland