Helpis gracilis Gardzińska, 1996

Żabka, Marek & Patoleta, Barbara M., 2014, New species of Helpis Simon, 1901 from Australia (Araneae: Salticidae), with a new definition of the genus, Zootaxa 3873 (5), pp. 571-589 : 573-577

Helpis gracilis Gardzińska, 1996

Figs 18–25 , 85

Material examined. AUSTRALIA, New South Wales: 1 ♀, Newnes State Forest, Sunnyside Road, 1.6 km from Blackfellows Hand Road, 1170 m, 33°22'33" S, 150°11'14" E, [-33,3758, 150,1872], beating and hand collecting, 16 Nov. 2005, G.A. Milledge, L.M. Kampen & J. Tarnawski, AMS KS93198; 1♀, Barrington Tops National Park, Gloucester Tops, gate on Kerripit Rd., 1253 m, 32°03'43" S, 151°34'39" E, [-32.0619, 151.5775], beat, sweep, under bark & logs, 6 Dec. 2006, G.A. Milledge & H.M. Smith, AMS KS98590; 1♀, Barrington Tops Reserve, Gummi Rd, Manning River Xing, 31º51'42" S, 151º33'08" E, [-31.8617, 151.5522], sclerophyll, 1109 m, site 9, beat/sweep, under bark and logs, 7 Dec. 2006, G. Milledge & H. Smith, AMS KS98612; 1♂, Blue Mountains National Park, Murphy’s Glen camping area, S of Woodward, 33º46'07.04" S, 150º29'10.6" E, [-33.7686, 150.4864], 3 Nov. 2008, G. Milledge & H. Smith, AMS KS106060; Queensland: 1♂, Walton Bridge Reserve, The Gap, Brisbane, 153º01' E, 28º27' S, [-28.45, 153.0167], 23 Oct. 2010, R. Whyte, QMB S90776 .

Diagnosis. Tegular lobe distinctive, embolus longer than in other species ( Figs 19–21 ). Accessory glands diagonal in relation to insemination ducts ( Fig. 25 ).

Remark. The species has been adequately described by Gardzińska (1996). Here we only give the figures showing intraspecific variation ( Figs 18–25 ).

Distribution. Originally recorded from north Queensland, here more southern localities are given. The predicted distribution shows that it is likely to also be present in parts of Victoria.

Figures

FIGURES 18 – 25. Helpis gracilis. 18 male, dorsal view; 19 – 20 same, palp, ventral view; 21 palp, same, retrolateral view; 22 same, ventral view; 23 same, female, epigyne; 24 – 25 same, vulva; (ag: accessory gland, cd: copulatory duct, cf: cymbial flange, co: copulatory opening, e: embolus, mg: median guide, p: pouch, rta: retrolateral tibial apophysis, s: spermatheca, tl: posterior tegular lobe). Scale: 18 – 22 = 1 mm, 23 = as in Fig.