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

Aname scutitheca sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:15DFB331-1E69-48D5-8943-A0AB14FEEFBB

Figs 1 View Fig , 11 View Fig , 76–77 View Fig View Fig

Aname collinsorum Raven, 1985 – Raven 1985 (pars): figs 12, 31, 55, 57 (illustrated female allotype QMB S1260 [100 Mile Swamp, Rosella Plains], and two females QMB S1284 [Mount Mulligan] assigned to A. collinsorum Raven, 1985 , here identified as A. scutitheca sp. nov.).

Diagnosis

Males of A. scutitheca sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known except A. bifaceta sp. nov., A. occivillosa sp. nov., A. villosa , and A. warialda by a moderate to large body size (carapace length> 4.0 mm), a short tibial megaspine (megaspine length /tibia length <0.2), and three or more spines on the prolateral patellae of the pedipalp and leg I ( Fig. 76A–P View Fig ). Males of A. scutitheca can be distinguished from those of A. occivillosa and A. villosa by the presence of a longer asetose depression on the palp tibia (depression length / palp tibia length>0.6) ( Fig. 76J–K View Fig ; cf. Figs 74 View Fig , 78 View Fig ). Males of A. scutitheca can be distinguished from those of A. bifaceta and A. warialda by the presence of a tibia I that widens from the proximal end to the base of the tibial spur when in lateral view and a relatively spiny palp tibia ( Fig. 76N, P View Fig ; cf. Figs 71 View Fig , 81 View Fig ).

Females of A. scutitheca sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which females are known by the presence of a large rounded extension of the posterior genital plate (“scute”) over the epigastric furrow ( Fig. 77D, L View Fig ).

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ scutitheca ’ is an adjective formed from the Latin ‘ scutum ’, meaning ‘shield’, and ‘ theca ’, meaning ‘cover’ or ‘case ‘and alluding to the spermathecae. Combined, the epithet references the posterior extension of the epigynal plate that covers the epigastric furrow in adult females of this species.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♀; Silver Valley Road, off Kennedy Highway , W of Ravenshoe; 17°37′ S, 145°18′ E; 690 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118327 View Materials .

GoogleMaps

Paratypes

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♀; 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; QMB S118328 View Materials • 1 ♀; Silver Valley Road, off Kennedy Highway , W of Ravenshoe; 17°36′ S, 145°18′ E; 713 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118332 View Materials GoogleMaps .

GoogleMaps

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 juv.; Emerald Creek Falls , lookout track, Dinden West Forest Reserve , SE of Mareeba; 17°03′ S, 145°33′ E; 555 m a.s.l.; 1 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118320 View Materials GoogleMaps • 1 juv.; Emerald Creek Falls, lookout track, Dinden West Forest Reserve , SE of Mareeba; 17°03′ S, 145°33′ E; 530 m a.s.l.; 1 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118321 View Materials GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; Irvinebank ; 17°27′ S, 145°09′ E; Feb. 2022; J. Meade leg.; QMB S72248 GoogleMaps • 1 juv.; Forty Mile Scrub National Park , off Kennedy Highway; 18°03′ S, 144°52′ E; 780 m a.s.l.; 13 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118338 View Materials GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Undara Road, N of Undara Volcanic National Park ; 18°11′ S, 144°37′ E; 754 m a.s.l.; 14 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118340 View Materials GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Undara Road, N of Undara Volcanic National Park ; 18°11′ S, 144°37′ E; 754 m a.s.l.; 14 May 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118341 View Materials GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Rosella Plains, 100 Mile Swamp ; 18°25′ S, 144°28′ E; 4–7 Nov. 1979; K. McDonald leg.; grassy open forest; QMB S1260 View Materials (allotype of Aname collinsorum Raven, 1985 ) GoogleMaps .

Description

Male (QMB S722248)

GENERAL ( Fig. 76A–P View Fig ). Body length 23.05, in poor condition, cuticle and tissue quite damaged and fragmented, colour probably faded significantly.

DORSAL PROSOMA ( Fig. 76A, E–F View Fig ). Carapace length 9.33, width 8.58, length/width 1.09, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.71, caput width/carapace width 0.67, carapace red, caput slightly darker than thorax, reflective setae present, heavy on caput, light on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.15 ( Fig. 76A, F View Fig ); chelicerae dark red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.53 ( Fig. 76A View Fig ); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.94, eye tubercle present ( Fig. 76E View Fig ).

ABDOMEN ( Fig. 76B, D View Fig ). Abdomen length 9.11, grey-brown, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA ( Fig. 76C, G–I View Fig ). Labium cuspules absent ( Fig. 76H View Fig ); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 130, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 45% of maxillae length ( Fig. 76C, I View Fig ); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present ( Fig. 76C, I View Fig ); sternum length/width 1.15, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges ( Fig. 76G–H View Fig ); posterior sigilla elongate, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.21, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.22 ( Fig. 76G–H View Fig ); other sigilla small and lateral, medial sigilla semi-elongate, anterior sigilla round ( Fig. 76G–H View Fig ).

LEG I ( Fig. 76N, P View Fig ). Leg I red, femur length 7.20, patella length 4.85, tibia length 5.29 ( Fig. 76N, P View Fig ); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus ( Fig. 76N, P View Fig ); spine count Fe D 5, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 4, Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Ta 0 ( Fig. 76N, P View Fig ); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 2.95, even width along length, spur present, digitiform, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 3 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/ TIL] 0.48, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.63, megaspine length/tibia length 0.18 ( Fig. 76N, P View Fig ); metatarsus slightly sinuous ( Fig. 76N, P View Fig ).

PEDIPALP ( Fig. 76J–K View Fig ). Tibia length 4.20, width 1.60, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.62, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.65, retrolateral face with consistent covering of light setae, ventral face with one spine below depression, prolateral face with patch of spines on distal half, disto-medial spine present; patella prolateral face with 3 (proximal rubbed off) spines.

Female (holotype, QMB S118327)

GENERAL ( Fig. 77A–L View Fig ). Body length 30.52, in good condition.

DORSAL PROSOMA ( Fig. 77A, E–F View Fig ). Carapace length 9.43, width 8.00, length/width 1.18, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.71, caput width/carapace width 0.71, carapace pallid, reflective setae absent or inconspicuous, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.15 ( Fig. 77A, F View Fig ); chelicerae orange, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.59 ( Fig. 77A View Fig ); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.83, eye tubercle present ( Fig. 77E View Fig ).

ABDOMEN ( Fig. 77B, D View Fig ). Abdomen length 15.05, dark brown, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA ( Fig. 77C, G–I View Fig ). Labium cuspules absent ( Fig. 77H View Fig ); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 175, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 40% of maxillae length ( Fig. 77C, I View Fig ); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present ( Fig. 77C, I View Fig ); sternum length/width 1.18, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges ( Fig. 77G–H View Fig ); posterior sigilla elongate, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.19, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.20 ( Fig. 77G–H View Fig ); other sigilla small and lateral, medial sigilla semi-elongate, anterior sigilla round ( Fig. 77G–H View Fig ).

LEG I ( Fig. 77J–K View Fig ). Leg I pallid, darker on distal tarsus, femur length 7.26, patella length 4.96, tibia length 4.90, metatarsus length 4.58, tarsus length 2.86, total length 24.56, leg I length/carapace length 2.60; scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus; spine count Fe D 0, Fe PL 2, Pa PL 3, Ti PL 2, Ti RL 4 (weak), Me PL 2, Me RL 1, Ta 0; tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.09.

GENITALIA ( Fig. 77D, L View Fig ). Epigastric furrow extending significantly, posterior edge with rounded shape ( Fig. 77D View Fig ); spermathecae with one vesicle each ( Fig. 77L View Fig ); lateral vesicle undulating, with several distinct bends, length 1.19, lateral vesicle length/genitalia width 0.64, length/width at base 4.13, crown slightly wider than stem ( Fig. 77L View Fig ).

Distribution and natural history

Aname scutitheca sp. nov. has a wide distribution in northern Queensland, in the Einasleigh Uplands bioregion, from Irvinebank and Silver Valley, west to the Forty Mile Scrub and Undara Volcanic National Parks, and north to near Mareeba ( Fig. 11 View Fig ). It constructs an open, silk-lined burrow with silk spilling out from the entrance, sometimes with a built-up mound of soil around the entrance. The burrow has a short, hidden ‘wishbone’ entrance, which, when excavated, is revealed to terminate in a distinctly thick, white sheath of silk ( Fig. 11 View Fig ).