Miturgopelma rixi, 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 : 64

Miturgopelma rixi sp. nov.

Fig. 51

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of Miturgopelma harveyi sp. nov. in the smaller median apophysis with a basal lobe, and the RTA being deeply bifid dorsally. Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is a patronym in honour of Dr Michael Rix, in recognition for the many Western Australian species he has described.

Type Material. Western Australia: male holotype, Cocanarup Timber Reserve , 33°38”S 119°54”E, Nov 1993, G. Harold, Salmon gum woodland, WAM 98 /747.

Description. Male, holotype WAM98/747

Carapace 3.08 long, 2.60 wide. Opisthosoma 3.32 long, 2.60 wide. Total, 6.68.

I: 3.12, 1.28, 2.72, 2.72, 1.92, 11.76. II: 2.72, 1.20, 2.56, 2.80, 1.60, 10.88. III: 3.04, 1.04, 2.24, 3.12, 1.68, 11.12. IV: 4.00, 1.20, 2.88, 4.24, 1.68, 14.00. Palp: 1.28, 0.64, 0.64, -, 1.28, 3.84.

Colour: Carapace with dark shell-like areas reduced to 3 paired dark areas, caput laterally defined by dark lines; opisthosoma, dorsally laterally dark separated from dark median stripe by narrow pallid zone; ventrally mottled lightly but uniformly.

Eyes: All similar, small; ALE clearly smallest. Legs moderately long.

Palp: tibia and patella similar sized; cymbium with two large spines on edge and two midbasally mixed with uniform cover of hairs and long spine-like bristles with slight ovoid scopula; retrobasally with unmodified, narrow edge; apex of ventral lobe short, rounded; ventral lobe short, blunt; ventral lobe short blunt; dorsal lobe apically widely and deeply bifurcate, roughly triangular; RTA distal; short, directed laterally; two plates sandwiching unsclerotised zone; base of ventral lobe with triangular process; ventral lobe short, blunt; dorsal lobe apically widely and deeply bifurcate, roughly triangular; embolus central, directed transversely prolateral.

Distribution. Known only from Cocanarup, southwestern Western Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 51. Miturgopelma rixi sp. nov., male holotype WAM 98/747: a, b, d, palpal bulb, cymbium and tibia: a, ventral view; b, dorsal view; c, opisthosoma, dorsal view; d, retrolateral view; e, median apophysis, ventral view; f, g, RTA, ventral (f) and retrolateral (g) views.