Xistera jandateae, 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 : 112-114

Xistera jandateae sp. nov.

Fig. 87

Diagnosis. Males closely resemble those of Xis. barlee sp. nov. and Xis. auriphila sp. nov. in the bulb and RTA, but differ from both in the longer median apophysis ( Fig. 87a ) and absence of basal yoke on the RTA ( Fig. 87b ). Males also differ from those of Xis. auriphila sp. nov. in that the basal extent of the embolus and tegulum are similar, and RTA is basally unilobate. Female unknown.

Etymology. The species is named in honour of the late Mrs Janice Date (1934–2018), volunteer in Mammals & Birds, Queensland Museum, in recognition of her long serving dedication to the job of skinning and mounting.

Type Material. Queensland: male holotype, Osbourne Mine site, SSE Mt Isa, Site 5B, 22°07’S, 140°34’E, pitfall, received Dec 1996, QM S34726 .

Paratypes. Queensland: male, Culgoa Floodplain NP, Toulby Gate, 10 km NE ( CG3 PN), Brigalow, K.A. Coward , 10 Mar–20 Apr 2009, QM S34726 ; 1 ma., Culgoa Flood plain NP, Toulby Gate, 10 km NE, 28°56’S 147°13’E, 140 m, 10 Mar–20 Apr 2009, brigalow, K.A. Coward, QM S84770 ; 1 ma., Fleurs Station , near Clermont, tree clearing, T . Churchill, QM .

South Australia: 1 ma., Lake Eyre Basin, Granite Downs , 26°56’S 133°30’E, 1993, T . Herbert , pitfall, SAM NN1998.487 .

Description. Male, holotype QM S34726

Carapace 3.38 long, 2.81 wide. Opisthosoma 3.44 long, 2.34 wide. Total, 6.8.

I: 3.03; 1.25; 2.66; 2.53; 1.75; 11.22. II: 2.97; 1.19; 2.59; 2.50; 1.75; 11.00. III: 2.81; 1.22; 2.41; 3.06; 1.75; 11.25. IV: 4.00; 1.41; 3.38; 4.66; -; 13.44. Palp: 1.09; 0.59; 0.63; -; 3.95; 4.57.

Colour: Carapace with dark bands along caput edge, dark scallops laterally on carapace; opisthosoma, dorsally not discernible, poor condition; femora basally strongly mottled fading gradually to patellae.

Eyes: All similar, small; ALE clearly smallest. Posterior row clearly two well separated rows; PME and PLE inner edges on line. Legs with moderately long. Spines: Femora pv1 only on I–III; tibia I, II p1–2r0–1 on I, II; palp ti with d1–2; cymbium 0.

Palp: Tibia and patella of similar size; ventral ridge on tibia distinct, retrolateral and prolateral ventral ridge on tibia; cymbium entire dorsal surface with hairs uniformly interspersed with slightly thicker spine-like setae; retrobasally with a flattened, partially grooved ridge for half length; yoke-like but with single rounded lobe; RTA occupies full length of tibia; a long scoop but only to basal cymbium; basal RTA yoke-like but with single rounded lobe; embolus central, directed basally.

Distribution. Known only from near Dulacca and Culgoa, western Queensland, and from the Lake Eyre Basin, South Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 87. Xistera jandateae sp. nov., male holotype, QM S34726, palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb: ventral (a) and retrolateral (b) views.