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

Aname albicula sp. nov.

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Figs 13 View Fig , 99 View Fig

Diagnosis

Males of A. albicula sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known except A. mariala sp. nov. by a small body size (carapace length <4.0 mm), the presence of a short embolus (embolus length / bulb length <1.5) that is very thin and sharp, a relatively thin metatarsus I (metatarsus I length / width>4), and the absence of thorn-like setae on the retrolateral palp tibia ( Fig. 99A–Q View Fig ). Males of A. albicula can be distinguished from those of A. mariala by the presence of a small embolic apophysis on the copulatory organ, adjacent to the embolus ( Fig. 99L–M View Fig ; cf. Fig. 100 View Fig ).

Females of A. albicula sp. nov. are unknown.

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ albicula ’ is an adjective formed from the Latin ‘ albus ’, meaning ‘white’, and the suffix ‘- cula ’, which is associated with diminutiveness, referencing the spider’s physical appearance.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – New South Wales • ♂; Ledknapper Nature Reserve ; 29°16′ S, 146°14′ E; 5 Sep. 1994; QMB S108632 View Materials .

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Description

Male (holotype, QMB S108632)

GENERAL ( Fig. 99A–Q View Fig ). Body length 7.98,in good condition, colour presumably faded due to preservation.

DORSAL PROSOMA ( Fig. 99A, E–F View Fig ). Carapace length 3.09, width 2.26, length/width 1.37, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.67, caput width/carapace width 0.66, carapace pallid, almost white, reflective setae absent or inconspicuous, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.07 ( Fig. 99A, F View Fig ); chelicerae pallid, almost white, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.47 ( Fig. 99A View Fig ); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.96, eye tubercle present ( Fig. 99E View Fig ).

ABDOMEN ( Fig. 99B, D View Fig ). Abdomen length 3.45, very light grey, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA ( Fig. 99C, G–I View Fig ). Labium cuspules absent ( Fig. 99H View Fig ); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 60, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 45% of maxillae length ( Fig. 99C, I View Fig ); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present ( Fig. 99C, I View Fig ); sternum length/width 1.30, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges ( Fig. 99G–H View Fig ); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/ sternum length 0.34, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.06 ( Fig. 99G–H View Fig ); other sigilla small, round and lateral ( Fig. 99G–H View Fig ).

LEG I ( Fig. 99N–Q View Fig ). Leg I pallid, almost white, femur length 2.89, patella length 1.64, tibia length 2.05, metatarsus length 2.02, tarsus length 1.52, total length 10.12, leg I length/carapace length 3.27 ( Fig. 99N–O View Fig ); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus ( Fig. 99N–O View Fig ); spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 2, Ti RL 0, Me PL 2, Me RL 0, Ta 0 ( Fig. 99N–O View Fig ); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.49, even width along length, spur present, intermediate triangular/digitiform, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 21 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.57, spur height/tibia width [TISH/ TID] 0.64, megaspine length/tibia length 0.34 ( Fig. 99N–P View Fig ); metatarsus relatively straight, proximal excavation present, excavation gently concave, heel semi-sharp, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.37, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 4.20 ( Fig. 99N–O, Q View Fig ).

PEDIPALP ( Fig. 99J–M View Fig ). Tibia length 1.31, width 0.58, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.27, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.42, retrolateral face with consistent covering of light setae, ventral face with two elongate bristle-like setae below depression, prolateral face with no spines, disto-medial spine present ( Fig. 99J–K View Fig ); patella prolateral face with 2 spines ( Fig. 99J–K View Fig ); cymbium with scopulae present distally ( Fig. 99J–K View Fig ); copulatory organ total length 0.62, length/palp tibia length 0.48 ( Fig. 99L–M View Fig ); bulb length/width 1.08, with small apophysis adjacent to embolus ( Fig. 99L–M View Fig ); embolus tapering from bulb, attenuate, tapering and curving relatively evenly to point, one slight bend, at about 0.4 of length, width at base/bulb width 0.18, embolus length/bulb length 0.84 ( Fig. 99L–M View Fig ).

Distribution and natural history

Aname albicula sp. nov. occurs in north-western New South Wales, in the Mulga Lands bioregion, in Ledknapper Nature Reserve ( Fig. 13 View Fig ). The form of burrows constructed by spiders of this species is unknown.