Miturgopelma oakleigh, 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 : 56-58

Miturgopelma oakleigh sp. nov.

Fig. 44

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of Miturgopelma australiensis in the very distal position of the short embolus on the bulb (arrow on Fig. 44a ), and the large, trianguloid base of the median apophysis ( Fig. 44a ). Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is a noun in apposition from the name of the type locality.

Type Material. Queensland: male holotype, Oakleigh Station , 25°56’S 147°08’E, tree clearing study (A3010), 28 Nov 1999, C.S.I. R . O., QM S116675 .

Paratypes. Queensland: 2 ma., same data, QM S116670 ; 2 ma., Whycheproof , tree clearing study (A3125), 23°58’59.988”S, 151°01’0.12”E, July 1999, QM S116671 ; 2 ma., Texas , 28°52’S, 151°10’E, CSIRO tree clearing study (A2725), Summer 1998, QM S116672 .

Description. Male, holotype QM S77092

Carapace 3.32 long, 3.25 wide. Opisthosoma 3.25 long, 1.93 wide. Total length, 6.6.

I: 3.76; 1.36; 3.46; 3.37; 2.60; 14.55. II: 3.81; 1.02; 3.43; 3.43; 2.28; 13.96. III: 3.09; 1.22; 3.28; 3.13; 2.40; 13.12. IV: 4.48; 1.55; 4.02; 4.18; 2.79; 17.01. Palp: 1.27; 0.58; 0.62; -; 1.33; 3.81.

Colour in alcohol. Carapace yellow brown with dark lateral scallops on strial ridges; opisthosoma dorsally pallid with dark irregularly defined ostiate pattern centrally to end; legs yellow brown without bands or faint darkening on patellae. Venter entirely pallid.

Eyes. ALE much smaller than AME and PME; AER just form two rows, from above but not in front; PER with 5% overlap. Sternal setae all similar. Weak scopula on metatarsi & tarsi I–IV.

Palp. RTA with short, trianguloid vRTA with rounded tip, dRTA a short d triangular process with small distal tip. Cymbium with very narrow retrolateral groove in basal third. Bulb with large shield-like tegulum for length retrolaterally; embolus arising in distal third prolaterally ( Fig. 44a , arrow shows origin), tapers quickly. Median apophysis roughly triangular, basally broad, with short, pointed apex with ventral unsclerotised groove.

Distribution and Habitat. Known only from Oakleigh Station, near Morven, western Queensland, an area of sparse dry vegetation.

Figures

FIGURE 44. Miturgopelma oakleigh sp. nov., male, QM S116675: a–c, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, ventral view, arrow shows embolus origin; b, RTA, dorsal view; c, embolus and median apophysis, prolateral view; d, habitus, dorsal view.