Australiobates dictyodermis, Smit & Pešić, 2025

Australiobates dictyodermis sp. nov.

Figures 3–4 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4

Material examined. Holotype male, New South Wales, Upper Minnemurra River W of Robertson , 6-xi-2001, leg. Smit, dissected and slide mounted ( AMS). Paratypes: 11/14/0, same data as the holotype, 0/1/0 dissected and slide mounted ( AMS, RMNH) .

Other material. New South Wales. 5/4/0, Minnemurra River at Minnemurra Rainforest , 34°38.183 S 150°43.272 E, 18-xii-2003 GoogleMaps 2/2/0, Bugong Creek near Morton NP, 5-xi-2001 ; 0/1/0, Brindle Creek , Border Ranges NP, 28°22.780 S 153°04.023 E, 12-xi-2003 GoogleMaps ; 2/0/0, Diehard Creek, Mann River Nature Reserve , 29°40.528 S 152°05.282 E, 585 m asl, 21-xi-2003 GoogleMaps . 7/5/0, Urumbilum River , Bindarri NP, 30°15.966 S 152°57.042 E, 137 m asl, 7-xi-2003 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Integument reticulate; P3 without setae, ventral margin of P4 with two, somewhat pointed, peg-like setae.

Description. Male. Idiosoma ventrally 916 long and 750 wide. Integument reticulate (both on ventral and dorsal surface) ( Figure 4A View FIGURE 4 ). Coxal field 541 long, Cx-III width 612; posterior apodemes of Cx-IV short. Genital plate 166 long and 175 wide, genital plate anterior margin equally convex, and with a border of secondary sclerotization, posterior margin slightly concave, three pairs of acetabula in a triangular arrangement ( Figure 3B View FIGURE 3 ), maximum diameter Ac 1-3: 53, 60, 56; gonopore 116 long.

Palp as illustrated in Figures 3C–D View FIGURE 3 : dorsal length/height: P1, 44/38; P2, 113/75; P3, 153/69; P4, 172/34; P5, 58/21; ventral margin of P3 nearly straight, without setae, ventral margin of P4 with two, somewhat pointed, peg-like setae, distanced from each other, setae at tip of P5 small and only slightly downturned. Gnathosoma with its long posterior process 389 long.

Dorsal lengths of I-leg: 92, 125, 175, 238, 264, 252; terminal segments of I-leg comparatively long and slender ( Figure 3E View FIGURE 3 ); dorsal lengths of IV-leg: 178, 175, 259, 359, 388, 325; IV-leg-5 with one very short swimming setae.

Female. Similar to male, except for the shape of the genital field ( Figure 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Idiosoma ventrally 1194 long and 1044 wide. Coxal field 596 long, Cx-III width 744. Genital field 218 long and 238 wide; genital plate 178 long, pregenital sclerite 109 wide, maximum diameter Ac 1–3: 63–66, 63–66, 47; gonopore 188 long; eggs (n = 3) maximum diameter 134–141.

Palp: dorsal length/height: P1, 50/44; P2, 131/81; P3, 183/77; P4, 186/38; P5, 59/20. Gnathosoma with its long posterior process 434 long.

Dorsal lengths of I-leg: 88, 125, 178, 253, 282, 263; dorsal lengths of IV-leg: 181, 188, 281, 386, 436, 334; IVleg-5 with one very short swimming seta.

Etymology. Named for its reticulate integument.

Remarks. The integument with a strong reticulation is not seen in other Australiobates species. This is difficult to see in young specimens, but locally such a pattern is present.

Distribution. New South Wales.