Tetralycosa wundurra ( McKay, 1979 ) Framenau & Hudson, 2017

Framenau, Volker W. & Hudson, Peter, 2017, Taxonomy, systematics and biology of the Australian halotolerant wolf spider genus Tetralycosa (Araneae: Lycosidae: Artoriinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 335, pp. 1-72 : 31-35

Tetralycosa wundurra ( McKay, 1979) comb. nov.

Figs 2F ; 10 E–H; 12A–F; 13

Trochosa wundurra McKay, 1979b: 296–297 , figs 4i–j.

Trochosa wundurra – McKay 1985: 87. — Platnick 1989: 391.

Diagnosis

Within the oraria -group, T. wundurra comb. nov. is most similar to T. oraria (see Diagnosis there).

Type material

AUSTRALIA: holotype of Trochosa wundurra McKay, 1979 , ♀, Western Australia, Hyden Lake, Hyden , 32°27′ S, 118°54′ E, on sandy shoreline, 28 Mar. 1970, R.J. McKay leg. ( QM S96 ).

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA, Western Australia: 1 ♂, Damboring East Road, 30°31′ S, 116°44′ E ( WAM T70296); 1 ♂, Dumbleyung Lake North, 32°21′29″ S, 117°38′40″ E ( WAM T47200); 1 ♀, Jerramungup, 33°56′34″ S, 118°54′54″ E ( WAM T70503); 1 ♀, Kellerberrin SE, Shackleton Road, 31°54′39″ S, 117°50′15″ E ( WAM T47208); 1 ♀, Lake Bryde East Nature Reserve, Lake Bryde Road, 33°21′20″ S, 118°54′26″ E ( WAM T47205); 2 ♀♀, Lake Gulson, 65 km SE of Hyden, 32°45′59″ S, 117°24′12″ E ( WAM T51472, T62666); 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Muir Highway South, Thomson Road, 34°26′43″ S, 116°38′44″ E ( WAM T47326 , T62785); 2 ♀♀, Salt River, 45 km ENE of Quairading, 31°53′31″ S, 117°49′46″ E ( WAM T51467, T51469); 41 ♀♀, 11 juvs, Taarblin Lake, SW shore, 10 km SW of Toolibin Lake, 32°59′20″ S, 117°32′37″ E ( WAM T48062–3, T51453, T62667); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Toolibin Lake, 32°55′05″ S, 117°36′57″ E ( WAM T47159).

Description

MEASUREMENTS. ♂ WAM T62785 (♀ holotype, QM S96): TL 6.60 (7.65), CL 4.05 (4.50), CW 2.93 (3.45). Eyes: AME 0.19 (0.18), ALE 0.14 (0.15), PME 0.29 (0.28), PLE 0.26 (0.26). Row of eyes: AE 0.83 (0.90), PME 0.77 (0.79), PLE 1.17 (1.23). Sternum length/width: 1.65/1.35 (1.80/1.50). Labium length/ width: 0.43/0.57 (0.59/0.61). AL 3.00 (3.50), AW 2.4 (3.50). Legs: Lengths of segments (femur + patella/ tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): Pedipalp 1.35+1.20+ – +1.13 = 3.68, I 2.85+3.75+2.85+1.35 = 10.80, II 2.85+3.60+2.85+1.35 = 10.65, III 2.70+3.00+2.85+1.28 = 9.83, IV 3.30+4.05+3.75+1.65 = 12.75 (Pedipalp 1.50+1.73+ – +1.13= 4.36, I 2.85+3.60+2.25+1.20 = 9.90, II 2.85+3.45+2.40+1.20 = 9.90, III 2.78+3.15+2.55+1.20 = 9.68, IV 3.30+4.20+3.45+1.65 = 12.60).

VARIATION. ♂ (♀) (range, mean ± SD): TL 5.25–6.30, 5.90 ± 0.57; CL 3.30–3.75, 3.60 ± 0.26; CW 2.70–2.85, 2.80 ± 0.09; n = 3 (TL 5.40–10.50, 7.71 ± 1.19; CL 2.85–5.25, 4.02 ± 0.68; CW 1.95–3.75, 3.03 ± 0.46; n = 14).

Male (based on WAM T62785)

CARAPACE ( Fig. 10E ). Dorsal line straight in lateral view; brown with indistinct darker radial pattern; indistinct narrow light median band limited to posterior two thirds and very distinct light lateral bands of one tenth of carapace width extending to margin; covered with brown setae, white setae in marginal band; few dark setae between eyes; brown bristles lateral of PE and between PME and PLE; four long bristles below AE; one long bristle between AME.

EYES. Row of AE slightly wider than row of PME; row of AE very slightly procurved.

CHELICERAE. Light orange-brown; white setae and brown macrosetae; three promarginal teeth with the median largest; three retromarginal teeth of similar size.

STERNUM ( Fig. 10F ). Yellow-brown with some grey pigmentation; covered with brown setae that are longer and denser towards margins.

LABIUM. Brown; front end truncate and white. PEDIPALPS ( Fig. 12 A–C). Tegular apophysis broad with a baso-laterally pointing tip ( Fig. 12A ); embolus broad with short, slim tip ( Figs 2F , 12C ).

ABDOMEN. Dorsally olive-grey with lighter brown spots and lines; yellow-brown lanceolate heart mark in anterior half; a pair of two large yellow-brown patches in posterior half; covered with olive-brown setae, light brown or white setae in heart mark and posterior patches ( Fig. 10E ). Ventrally light yellowbrown with some rudimentary, indistinct olive-grey median discolouration; covered with white setae. Spinnerets yellow-brown ( Fig. 10F ).

LEGS. Leg formula IV>I>II>III; light yellow-brown; distal half of metatarsi and tarsi of leg I darker; hair-like erect setae in particular on metatarsi of leg I. Spination of leg I: femur: three dorsal, two prolateral, two retrolateral; patella: one prolateral, one retrolateral; tibia: one dorsal, three ventral pairs, two prolateral, two retrolateral; metatarsus: three ventral pairs, two prolateral, two retrolateral, one apicoventral, one apicoprolateral, one apicoretrolateral.

Female (based on WAM T70296)

CARAPACE ( Fig. 10G ). Light brown with indistinct darker radial pattern; indistinctly lighter medially; distinct lighter lateral bands and indistinct grey marginal bands; covered with brown setae, but white setae in lateral bands; brown bristles around eyes; four long bristles below AME, one long bristle between AME.

EYES. Row of AE wider than row of PME; median line through AE slightly procurved.

CHELICERAE. Very dark reddish-brown, long silverish setae and long brown bristles medially; three promarginal teeth with the median one largest, three retromarginal teeth of similar size.

STERNUM ( Fig. 10H ). Yellow-brown with some grey pigmentation; brown bristles, denser and longer towards margin.

LABIUM. Dark brown, darker centrally; front end truncate and wide.

ABDOMEN. Irregularly dark olive-grey, indistinct yellow-brown lanceolate heart mark in anterior half; mainly white setae and fewer brown macrosetae ( Fig. 10G ). Venter yellow-brown; setae as dorsal but less macrosetae. Spinnerets yellow-brown ( Fig. 10H ).

EPIGYNE. Ventral view ( Fig. 12 D–E): wider than long, median septum with indistinct inverted T-shaped dark pattern. Dorsal view (WAM T47205; Fig. 12F ): spermathecal heads distinctly wider than spermathecal stalks that attach posteriorly.

LEGS. Leg formula IV>I=II>III. Light brown, basal third of femora lighter. Spination of leg I: femur: two dorsal, one retrolateral; tibia: one apicoventral pair; metatarsus: three (small) ventral pairs, one apicoventral.

Remarks

Tetralycosa wundurra comb. nov. was initially described in the lycosine genus Trochosa solely based on the eye pattern, with the row of the anterior eyes being wider than that of the posterior median eyes ( McKay 1979b). However, genital characters clearly identify this species as a member of the genus Tetralycosa with no affinities to the Lycosinae and it is consequently transferred from Trochosa . The male of T. wundurra comb. nov. is here described for the first time.

Life history and habitat preferences

Most specimens where collected in pitfall traps exposed from October to March in samphire vegetation near salt lakes or on the lake floor.

Distribution

South-western Western Australia ( Fig. 13 ).

Figures

Fig. 2. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) of Tetralycosa Roewer, 1960, male pedipalps. A. T. alteripa (McKay, 1976), right pedipalp, apico-ventral view (SAM NN21799). B. T. alteripa (McKay, 1976), palea region of right pedipalp, baso-ventral view (SAM NN21794). C. T. eyrei (Hickman, 1944), right pedipalp, retrolatero-ventral view (SAM NN21741). D. T. eyrei (Hickman, 1944), palea region of right pedipalp, ventral view (SAM NN21737). E. T. alteripa (McKay, 1976), left pedipalp, retrolatero-ventral view (Sinclair Gap Lake, South Australia; PH, pers. collection). F. T. wundurra (McKay, 1979), palea region of right pedipalp, ventral view (Lake Daringdella, Western Australia; P.H., pers. collection). Abbreviations: BL = basal lobe of tegular apophysis; EMB = embolus; TEG = main branch of tegular apophysis; TER = terminal apophysis. Scale bars: A = 0.5 mm; B–C, F = 0.2 mm; D = 0.1 mm; E = 1.00 mm.

Fig. 10. Tetralycosa Roewer, 1960, microscopic photographs showing dorsal and ventral views. A–B. T. orariola sp. nov., ♂, holotype (WAM T62787). C–D. T. orariola sp. nov., ♀, paratype (WAM T62788). E–F. T. wundurra (McKay, 1979), ♂ (WAM T70503). G–H. T. wundurra (McKay, 1979), ♀ (WAM T70296). Scale bars: A–H = 2.00 mm.

Fig. 12. Tetralycosa wundurra (McKay, 1979) comb. nov. A–B. Left male pedipalp, ventral and retrolateral view (WAM T62785). C. Left male pedipalp, palea section of bulbus, ventral view (WAM T62785). D. Female epigyne, ventral view (holotype QM S96). E–F. Female epigyne, ventral and dorsal views (WAM T47205). Scale bar: A–B = 0.86 mm; C = 0.51 mm; D–F = 0.80 mm.

Fig. 13. Tetralycosa orariola sp. nov. and T. wundurra (McKay, 1979) comb. nov., distribution records in Australia.