Miturgopelma rar, 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 : 62-64

Miturgopelma rar sp. nov.

Figs 49–50

Diagnosis. Males most closely resemble those of Miturgopelma baehrae sp. nov., from which they differ in the much shorter median apophysis with two cross-over tips ( Fig. 49c ), which is chelate-like in M. baehrae sp. nov. ( Fig. 9c ). Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is the acronym for the Royal Australian Regiment (RAR), of whom B Company provided invaluable logistical support for a joint QM expedition to the Simpson Desert in 1976.

Type Material. Queensland: male holotype, Lake Muncoonie , NW Birdsville, 25°12’S, 138°41’E, 12–17 Nov 1976, R . Raven & B. Company RAR, QM S31429 .

Paratypes. Queensland: 2 ma., SDB, QM S31430 ; 2 ma., Ethabuka Stn , 23°46’S, 138°28’E, desert, pitfall, Jun–Jul 1995, C. Dickman et al., QM S33464 ; 1 ma., Ethabuka Station (8B), 26° 46’S, 138° 28’E, Aug 1991, C. Dickman, F. Downey, QM S116680 ; 1 ma., Ethabuka Station , 26° 46’S, 138° 28’E, 8 Aug 1991, QM S104643 ; 4 ma., 55 km NW Bedourie , 24° 21’S, 139° 28’E, pitfall trap, 1979, S. Morton, QM S111202 .

South Australia: 1 ma., Camerons Corner to Merty Merty , Jun 1984, B. Harvey, MV K4467 ; 1 ma., Innamincka area , Jun 1984, B. Harvey, MV K4466 ; 1 ma., Koonchera Waterhole , 26°41’S 139°30’E, 19 Jun 1975, J.D. Blyth, MV K4454 .

Description. Male, holotype QM S31429

Carapace 3.64 long, 2.56 wide. Opisthosoma 3.26 long, 2.26 wide. Total, 6.6.

Legs. I: 3.94, 1.34, 3.47, 3.34, 2.07, 14.16. II: 4.00, 1.34, 3.40, 3.60, 2.13, 14.47. III: 4.00, 1.20, 3.47, 4.40, 2.34, 15.41. IV: 5.00, 1.27, 4.14, 5.27, 2.67, 18.35. Palp: 1.40, 0.60, 0.53, -, 1.34, 3.87.

Colour: carapace, legs and opisthosoma yellow without pattern. Carapace: Long bushy hairs on posterior corners; light cover of fine hairs generally. Eyes: Eight in 2 recurved rows; front edge of ALE in base of back edge of AME, likewise in back row. ALE smallest. AME>PLE>>PME>>ALE. Group front width: back width: length, 40: 48: 29. AME 11, ALE 8, PME 9, PLE 10. AME-AME, 3, AME-ALE, 1, PME-PME, 5, PME-PLE 8. Chelicerae 3p, 2r. Sternum almost glabrous. Trochanteral notches ca.x 1.5 wider than deep. Paired claws with 7–8 long fine teeth. Scopula: thin scattered for 2/3 of metatarsi I–II, thin scattered on tarsi I–II; almost absent on metatarsi and tarsi III, IV; pseudotufts strong.

Spines: I: fe pv1p1d3r3; pa 0; ti p2d2r2v2.2.2; me p2r2v2.2. II: fe pv1p3d3r4; pa 0; ti p2d3r2v2.2.2; me p1.2r1.1.1v2.2.III:fe p4d3r3; pa 0; ti p2d2.1r2v2.2.2; me p1.2.1r2.1.1.v2.1.1.1.IV: fe p4d3r3;pa 0; ti p2d2.1r2v2.2.2; me p1.1.1.2r2.1.1.2v2.1.2.1.1. Palp: fe p1d1.1.2; pa p1d1; ti p1.

Spinnerets: PLS and ALS cylindrical; PLS ca. 0.5 x diameter of ALS with conical apical article; PMS smaller cylinders.

Palp: Tibia short. RTA bipartite; from below, trianguloid with bluntly rounded apex; dorsally with short claw-like recurved process. Cymbium asymmetrical; without scopula dorsally but with thick cluster of short setae apically; apical cone short, pointed; lateral margins narrow. Median apophysis short tripartite; chelate-like, with small median tooth. Embolus fused to base of median apophysis; central wide origin constricting and tapering quickly to short, curved tip rests on small concave conductor surface. Tegulum large gourd-shaped on prolateral edge with small lamellate shield over base of median apophysis; subtegulum L-shaped with basal plate under palp.

Distribution. Known from southwestern Queensland and adjacent areas of South Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Miturgopelma australiensis (Hickman, 1944) comb. nov., male lectotype, AM KS6628: a, b, male palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb, ventral (a) and dorsal (b) views; female paralectotype, AM KS6629: c, epigyne, ventral view; d, female internal genitalia, dorsal view.

FIGURE 49. Miturgopelma rar sp. nov., male palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, b, QM S111202, ventral view; b, scanning electron micrograph inset of median apophysis, embolus and conductor, ventral view; c–e, SAM 98-934: c, ventral view; d, median apophysis, embolus and conductor, proventral view; e, RTA, dorsal view.

FIGURE 50. Miturgopelma rar sp. nov., scanning electron micrographs, male palp: a, bulb, ventral view; b, median apophysis and embolus, ventral view; c, d, RTA; c, retrolateral view; d, ventral view.