Miturgopelma couperi, Raven & Hebron & Williams, 2023

Raven, Robert J., Hebron, Wendy & Williams, Kylie, 2023, Revisions of Australian ground-hunting spiders VI: five new stripe-less miturgid genera and 48 new species (Miturgidae: Miturginae), Zootaxa 5358 (1), pp. 1-117 : 38

Miturgopelma couperi sp. nov.

Fig. 26

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of Miturgopelma australiensis by the fluted tip of the median apophysis ( Fig. 26a ). Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is in honour of herpetologist and spider collector, Patrick Couper, Queensland Museum.

Type material. Western Australia: male holotype, 7–8 km. WNW of Point Salvation , 28°12”S 123°36”E, 1–3 Dec 1990, E. R . Pianka , pitfall trap, WAM T74061 .

Description. Male, holotype WAM T74061

Carapace 3.91 long, 3.21 wide. Opisthosoma 3.80 long, 2.83 wide. Total length, 7.7.

I: 5.38; 2.00; 4.63; 4.50; 2.50; 19.00. II: 4.13; 1.88; 4.25; 5.00; 3.00; 18.25. III: 5.00; 1.63; 4.25; 5.38; 3.13; 19.38. IV: 6.38; 1.75; 5.25; 6.75; -; 20.13. Palp: 1.75; 0.50; 0.63; -; 2.71; 5.00.

Colour: Carapace with caput dark with dark line and dark scallops laterally on thorax; opisthosoma, dorsally mottled orange to red brown, laterally pallid; ventrally none, pallid. Eyes: All similar, small; ALE clearly smallest. Legs moderately long.

Palp: Tibia and patella similar-sized; cymbial hairs all similar, retrobasally with unmodified, narrow edge, RTA: ventral lobe short rounded, almost entirely sclerotised; dorsal lobe spiniform, apically bifid; embolus central, directed transversely prolateral turning sharply basally. MA longer than wide, a short blunt hook.

Distribution. Known only from Point Salvation, Western Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 26. Miturgopelma couperi sp. nov., male holotype, WAM T74061: a, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia, ventral view; b, c, RTA, two slightly different dorsal views; d, habitus, dorsal view, composite image.