Afraflacilla gunbar, Żabka & Gray, 2002

Żabka, M. & Gray, M. R., 2002, Salticidae (Arachnida: Araneae) from Oriental, Australian and Pacific Regions, XVI. New Species of Grayenulla and Afraflacilla, Records of the Australian Museum 54, pp. 269-274 : 272-274

Afraflacilla gunbar n.sp.

Fig. 3

Type material. HOLOTYPE Australia: New South Wales: 3, 2 km E of Gunbar , 34°3'S 145°24'E, ex nest of Badumna candida , 25 Apr 1987, M.R. Gray, AMS KS17618.

Diagnosis. This species has distinctive abdominal patterning and palpal organ form.

Description

Male. Thorax light brown. Eye field darker with black eye surrounds, central longitudinal stripe of white hairs and brown bristles—most numerous anteriorly. Sides orange, with numerous white hairs and with stridulatory tubercles (10 and 13 at left and right sides, respectively). Lower margins darkgrey.Abdomen ( Fig. 3C) greyish-brown, darker centrally with light pattern of paired spots. Dark-grey hairs and less numerous bristles present along central and lateral sides. Spinnerets greybrown. Clypeus orange with numerous white hairs and with 3 central brown bristles. Eyes surrounded with orange scale-like hairs. Chelicerae light-brown with 2 prolateral teeth and 1 retrolateral tooth. Maxillae and labium elongate, orange with lighter chewing margins. Sternum smudged orange, darker marginally. Venter beige. First legs massive, dark-orange, femora with 5–6 stridulatory tubercles, tibiae with a single anterolateral spine and metatarsi with 2 pairs of short spines. Palpal organ ( Fig. 3A,B). typical for the genus. Tegulum with anterior process, embolus curving around the tegulum. Tibial apophysis long and thin with dorsolateral process. Dimensions: CL 1.82, EFL 0.71, AEW 0.92, PEW 0.87, CW 1.21, AL 2.42.

Distribution ( Fig. 5). Known only from localities in New South Wales.

Etymology. The proposed name is based on the type locality.

Type material. HOLOTYPE Australia: Western Australia: ♀, Kimberley Region, Great Northern Highway , 52 km N of Turkey Creek , 16°38'05"S 128°11'38"E, beating savannah woodland, 9 Jun 1999, M. Gray, G. Milledge, H. Smith, AMS KS59857.

Diagnosis. This species can be recognised by its epigyne and internal genitalia.

Description

Female. Thorax brown with radial pattern of darker lines. Eye field brown-black. Fovea region and lateral thorax orange, the latter with a narrow dark grey marginal band. 11 and 9 stridulatory tubercles on left and right side of cephalothorax, respectively. Cephalothorax covered with numerous white hairs, eye field with additional brown bristles—most numerous anteriorly. Abdomen ( Fig. 4A) with yellowish and dark pattern, the latter made of pigment and dense hairs. Clypeus orange, densely covered with white scale-like and longer yellowish hairs. Chelicerae dark orange with 2 prolateral teeth and 1 retrolateral tooth. Pedipalps yellow, covered with long yellowish hairs. Legs yellow with sparse white hair cover and long brown bristles. Femora I with 5–6 stridulatory tubercles. Epigyne ( Fig.

4B,C) relatively short, with 2 anterior depressions and translucent internal structures. Insemination ducts long and coiled, distally more sclerotised, spermathecae in the form of parallel central channels, fertilisation ducts distinctive, epigynal pockets located posteriorly—close to the epigastric furrow. Dimensions: CL 1.92, EFL 0.78, AEW 1.03, PEW 1.14, CW 1.24, AL 2.57.

Distribution ( Fig. 5). Known only from the type-locality in Western Australia.

Etymology. For Graham Milledge, Collection Manager, Arachnology Department, Australian Museum, Sydney— one of the collectors of the material studied.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. The material studied here was collected during biodiversity surveys conducted by the Australian Museum and was kindly made available by Mr G. Milledge. Dr M. Harvey and Ms J. Waldock (Western Australian Museum, Perth) sent specimens from Western Australia. M. Żabka’s visit in Australia was made possible thanks to a Visiting Fellowship offered by the Australian Museum and through co-operation of the staff of the Arachnology Department. Prof. J. Prószyński (Warszawa, Poland) provided critical remarks on Afraflacilla .