Xeromiturga bidgemia, 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 : 94-96

Xeromiturga bidgemia sp. nov.

Fig. 75

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of Xer. mardathuna sp. nov. in the absence of an apical barb on the dorsal lobe of RTA ( Fig. 75e ), and the base of the embolus without a retrolateral bulge ( Fig. 75a ). Female unknown.

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

Type Material. Western Australia: male holotype, Bidgemia Stn., Gasgoyne Junction , 25°12’34.5”S, 115°50’05”E, 13 Jan–5 Jun 1995, wet pits, J.M. Waldock et al., WAM / CALM Carnarvon Survey, WAM T74074 .

Paratype. 1 ma., Woodleigh Station , 26°12”S 114°34”E, 12 Jan–17 May 1995, P. West et al., Wet Pits WO 2, WAM / CALM Carnarvon Survey, WAM 98 /806.

Description. Male, holotype WAM T74074

Carapace 2.57 long, 1.83 wide. Opisthosoma 3.47 long, 1.51 wide. Total length, 6.1. I: 3.31, 1.13, 3.00, 3.00, 1.75, 12.19. II: missing. III: 3.50, 1.00, 3.13, 3.63, 1.94, 13.19. IV: 4.06, 1.13, 3.75, 5.00, 2.38, 16.31. Palp: 1.13, 0.69, 0.31, -, 2.71, 3.44.

Colour: Carapace pallid; opisthosoma long, dorsal pattern not discernible, poor condition; ventrally none, pallid; legs fawn without mottling. Eyes: AME very much bigger than PME. Posterior row more or less overlapping; PME and PLE inner edges well separated. Legs moderately long. Spines: Femora pv1 on I–IV; tibia I, II p2r0 on I, II; palp; fe with p1; ti with d1–2; cymbium 0.

Palp: Patella dorsally with distal point interlocking with sclerotised notch on basal tibia; cymbial hairs all similar, but with dense cluster of thicker hairs apically; retrobasally with distinct groove for at least 80% of length; ventral lobe of RTA long, apically roundly truncated as flared plate, dorsal plate apically spine-like; RTA distal; short, directed laterally; two plates sandwiching unsclerotised zone; embolus basal, directed to retrobasal palp.

Distribution. Known only from Bidgemia and Woodleigh Stations, north-west Western Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 75. Xeromiturga bidgemia sp. nov., male holotype, WAM T74074: male palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb, ventral (a), retrolateral (b) and dorsal (d, e) views; c, habitus, dorsal view.