Araneopedis, Mesibov, 2025

Araneopedis gen. nov.

Type species.

Araneopedis porchi sp. nov., by present designation.

Other assigned species.

Araneopedis bogong sp. nov., A. buffalo sp. nov., A. dargo sp. nov., A. gibbae sp. nov.

Diagnosis.

Gonopod telopodite split at 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 height into large, erect, similarly sized, lateral and medial branches, with a smaller, shorter, separate, posteromedial solenomere. The only other Australasian dalodesmid with a gonopod split into similarly sized branches with a separate solenomere is Paurodesmus sjoestedti ( Verhoeff, 1924) ( Mesibov 2008 b) , but in that species the solenomere is nearly as large as the medial and lateral branches and arises basally, rather than at ca 1 / 2 telopodite height.

Description.

Small dalodesmids ca 7–9 mm long with body plan head + 19 rings (including telson). Male colour in alcohol pale brownish-yellow, darker on head, distally on antennae and marginally on tergites and metatergites. Head with vertex sparsely setose, frons and clypeus setose; vertigial sulcus reaching ca 1 / 2 way to level of line between top of antennal sockets. Sockets separated by ca 2 × socket diameter. Antenna almost reaching tergite 3 when manipulated. Relative antennomere lengths (6, 3)> 2> (4, 5), 6 widest. Relative tergite widths 6> 5> 4> 3> 2> collum; rings 6–16 subequal in width, 17 and 18 narrower. Collum much narrower than head, ovoid in dorsal view, corner rounded. Paranotal margin on ring 2 lower than ring 3 margin; large pit ventrally under ring 2 paranotum. Midbody paranotal margin at ca 2 / 3 ring height, level; paranotum with anterior corner gently convex, laterally very slightly convex and slightly wider behind, with a few short marginal setae laterally and posteriorly; posterior margin more or less straight; posterior corner slightly projecting on last few rings. Metatergites with 3 transverse rows of low bumps carrying short setae where not abraded; anterior row of bumps narrowest, posterior row widest. Limbus an irregular row of blunt doubled spines. Pore formula normal; ozopore opening dorsally at posterolateral corner of paranotum. Epiproct extending a little beyond anal valves, sides slightly concave, apex truncate; spinnerets in square array. Hypoproct trapezoidal. Sternites slightly wider than long, impressions shallow, transverse impression a little deeper than longitudinal impression. Spiracles small, round or slightly ovoid, on diplosegments with posterior spiracle between leg bases. Length of midbody leg ca 1.5–1.7 × midbody ring diameter. Relative podomere lengths tarsus >> (prefemur, femur) >> (postfemur, tibia); tarsus very slightly curved. Anterior legs somewhat swollen, prefemur and femur arched dorsally. Numerous sphaerotrichomes on anterior leg tarsus, tibia; sphaerotrichomes with pointed shafts strongly declined and with flattened globular bases. Brush setae on prefemur and femur, tapering to blunt points, often curving proximally. Gonopore opening distomedially on leg 2 coxa. Aperture transversely ovoid, ca 1 / 2 width of ring 7 prozonite, rim projecting a little posterolaterally. Retracted gonopod telopodites reaching just past leg 6. Ring 6 sternite excavate with short setal brushes laterally, supporting retracted telopodites. Telopodites erect, closely appressed, divided into lateral branch, medial branch and posteromedial solenomere.

Female closely similar to male, with shorter legs; epigynum slightly raised, subrectangular; cyphopods not examined in any species.

Name.

Latin aranea + pedis, “spider-foot”. The well-separated lateral and medial branches on the gonopod telopodite together with the smaller posteromedial solenomere remind me of the two principal claws and smaller median claw on the tarsus of a web-building spider. Gender masculine.

Remarks.

The five known species of Araneopedis gen. nov. are closely similar in overall appearance and are geographically clustered in the Victorian mountains, with a known genus range of ca 3500 km 2 (Fig. 15 A View Figure 15 ).