Aname nigrotarsa, Wilson & Harvey & Simmons & Rix, 2025

Aname nigrotarsa sp. nov.

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Figs 12 View Fig , 89 View Fig

Diagnosis

Males of A. nigrotarsa sp. nov. are unknown.

Females of A. nigrotarsa sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which females are known except A. fossoria sp. nov., A. fuscochelicera sp. nov., A. nigrochelicera sp. nov., A. rubrochelicera sp. nov., and A. savannensis sp. nov. by the presence of spermathecae with two vesicles, with very short, wide lateral vesicles (lateral vesicle length / genitalia width <0.25) and thinner medial vesicles projecting from the ventral face of the lateral vesicles ( Fig. 89A–L View Fig ). Females of A. nigrotarsa can be distinguished from those of A. nigrochelicera , A. rubrochelicera , and A. savannensis by the presence of spermathecae with tightly undulating medial vesicles ( Fig. 89L View Fig ; cf. Figs 88 View Fig , 91 View Fig , 93 View Fig ). Females of A. nigrotarsa can be distinguished from those of A. fuscochelicera by the presence of lighter red chelicerae ( Fig. 89A, C View Fig ; cf. Fig. 85 View Fig ). Females of A. nigrotarsa can be distinguished from those of A. fossoria by the presence of spermathecae with more elongate medial vesicles (medial vesicle length /width>5) and anterior legs usually with dark tarsi and distal metatarsi ( Fig. 89J–L View Fig ; cf. Fig. 83 View Fig ).

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ nigrotarsa ’ is an adjective formed from the Latin ‘ niger ’ meaning ‘black’ or ‘dark’, and ‘ tarsus ’ meaning ‘foot’. Combined, the epithet references the conspicuous black tarsi of live females.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♀; Mulligan Highway , NW of Mount Molloy; 16°39′ S, 145°15′ E; 395 m a.s.l.; 9 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, no wishbone); QMB S118311 View Materials .

GoogleMaps

Paratypes

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♀; Burke Development Road , SE of Almaden; 17°21′ S, 144°41′ E; 486 m a.s.l.; 11 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, no wishbone); QMB S118318 View Materials • 1 ♀; Silver Valley Road, off Kennedy Highway , W of Ravenshoe; 17°36′ S, 145°18′ E; 718 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, no wishbone); QMB SS118330 View Materials GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Silver Valley Road, off Kennedy Highway , W of Ravenshoe; 17°36′ S, 145°18′ E; 718 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, no wishbone); QMB S118331 View Materials GoogleMaps .

GoogleMaps

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 juv.; Burke Development Road , SE of Almaden; 17°21′ S, 144°41′ E; 476 m a.s.l.; 11 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, with parallel wishbone re-connecting to main shaft); QMB S118319 View Materials GoogleMaps • 1 juv.; Silver Valley Road, off Kennedy Highway , W of Ravenshoe; 17°36′ S, 145°18′ E; 708 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground (no silk, with parallel wishbone re-connecting to main shaft); QMB S118329 View Materials GoogleMaps .

Description

Female (holotype, QMB S118311)

GENERAL ( Fig. 89A–L View Fig ). Body length 22.79, in good condition.

DORSAL PROSOMA ( Fig. 89A, E–F View Fig ). Carapace length 8.33, width 7.10, length/width 1.17, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.71, caput width/carapace width 0.77, carapace pallid-orange, reflective setae absent or inconspicuous, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.16 ( Fig. 89A, F View Fig ); chelicerae orange, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.60 ( Fig. 89A View Fig ); eye group rectangular, width/length 2.1, eye tubercle present ( Fig. 89E View Fig ).

ABDOMEN ( Fig. 89B, D View Fig ). Abdomen length 9.11, brown, darker dorsally and lighter laterally, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA ( Fig. 89C, G–I View Fig ). Labium cuspules absent ( Fig. 89H View Fig ); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 162, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 55% of maxillae length ( Fig. 89C, I View Fig ); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present ( Fig. 89C, I View Fig ); sternum length/width 1.08, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges, setae at higher density around anterior edges ( Fig. 89G–H View Fig ); posterior sigilla semi-elongate, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.26, posterior sigilla length/ sternum length 0.18 ( Fig. 89G–H View Fig ); other sigilla small, round and lateral ( Fig. 89G–H View Fig ).

LEG I ( Fig. 89J–K View Fig ). Leg I pallid, darker on distal metatarsus and tarsus, femur length 6.60, patella length 4.19, tibia length 4.66, metatarsus length 4.43, tarsus length 2.83, total length 22.70, leg I length/ carapace length 2.73; scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus; spine count Fe D 2, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 4, Ti RL 4, Me PL 4, Me RL 3, Ta 0; tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.40.

GENITALIA ( Fig. 89D, L View Fig ). Epigastric furrow unmodified ( Fig. 89D View Fig ); spermathecae with two vesicles each ( Fig. 89L View Fig ); lateral vesicle very wide, short and roughly triangular, length 0.31, lateral vesicle length/ genitalia width 0.21, length/width at base 0.52, crown distinct and narrow ( Fig. 89L View Fig ); medial vesicle short, undulating, and projecting postero-ventrally, medial vesicle length/genitalia width 0.32, length/ width 5.46, medial vesicle length/lateral vesicle length 1.53 ( Fig. 89L View Fig ).

Distribution and natural history

Aname nigrotarsa sp. nov. occurs in northern Queensland, in the Einasleigh Uplands bioregion, where it is known from three locations west of the wet tropics, roughly from Mount Garnet north to Mount Carbine ( Fig. 12 View Fig ). It constructs an open burrow with very inconspicuous (or absent) silk-lining and often without a secondary ‘wishbone’ entrance, or if a wishbone is present, the tunnels of the two entrances run parallel and adjacent to one another ( Fig. 12 View Fig ).