Miturgopelma hebronae, 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 : 50-51

Miturgopelma hebronae sp. nov.

Figs 35–36

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of Miturgopelma alanyeni sp. nov. in the presence of a pointed projection on the distal outer spike of the RTA ( Fig. 36c ), and non-triserrate tip of the median apophysis ( Fig. 36b ). Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is in honour of Mrs Wendy Hebron, whose singular abilities and attention to detail in matters of morphology through to locality details have long well served the Queensland Museum and RJR.

Type Material. South Australia: male holotype, Renmark , 19 km N, 34°00’S, 140°47’E, chenopod scrubland, pitfall & intercept traps, 8 Nov–14 Dec 1995, K. R . Pullen , QM S67863 . Paratypes. 1 ma., Calperum Homestead , 8 km NE by E of, 34°00’S, 140°47’E, chenopod scrubland, 28 Feb–7 Mar 1995, A. Lambie, QM S70303 ; 1 ma., Renmark , 19 km N, 34°00’S, 140°47’E, chenopod scrubland, pitfall & intercept traps, 8 Nov–14 Dec 1995, K. R . Pullen , QM S67863 ; 5 ma., same data but 14 Dec 1995 – 25 Jan 1996, QM S70307 .

Description. Male, holotype QM S67863

Carapace 3.44 long, 2.88 wide. Opisthosoma 3.20 long, 1.92 wide. Total, 6.6.

I: 3.48; 1.44; 3.00; 2.80; 1.64; 12.36. II: 3.40; 1.40; 2.68; 2.80; 1.40; 11.68. III: 3.20; 1.28; 2.36; 3.08; 2.00; 11.92. IV: 4.52; 1.48; 3.72; 4.88; 2.48; 17.08. Palp: 1.40; 0.84; 0.32; -; 2.71; 4.16.

Colour: Carapace with two moderately dark shell-like areas laterally; opisthosoma, dorsally laterally dark separated from dark median stripe by narrow pallid zone; ventrally none, pallid; femora strongly mottled, fading gradually to metatarsus.

Eyes: PME clearly bigger than AME but not by much. Posterior row just two rows, back of PME in line with front of PLE; PME and PLE inner edges in line. Legs moderately long. Spines: Femora pv1 on I–IV; tibia I, II p1–2r0–1 on I, II; palp fe with p1; cymbium 0.

Palp. Cymbium hairs all similar; retrobasally with unmodified, narrow edge. RTA apex of ventral lobe short, rounded; dorsal lobe with distinct reverse barb. Embolus origin at mid-length, base curves sharply. MA longer than wide or subquadrate, a broad scoop appearing as blunt hook in ventral view but a plate with three low points in retrolateral view.

Distribution. Known from Renmark to Calperum, South Australia and probably areas in nearby Victoria.

Figures

FIGURE 35. Miturgopelma hebronae sp. nov., male, QM S70307: a, palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb, retrolateral view; b, ventral view.

FIGURE 36. Miturgopelma hebronae sp. nov., male holotype, QM S76863, palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb: a, ventral view; b, median apophysis, ventral view; c, RTA, dorsal view.