Teyloides, MAIN, 1985

GENUS TEYLOIDES MAIN, 1985 View in CoL

FIG. 8 View Figure 8

Teyloides Main, 1985a: 748 View in CoL . Type species: Teyloides bakeri Main, 1985 View in CoL , by original designation.

Diagnosis: Teyloides bakeri differs from all other Anamini except species of Teyl and Namea by the embolus arising from the retrolateral side of the pedipalpal bulb ( Fig. 8C, D View Figure 8 ) – a morphology which is presumably homoplastic given the phylogenetic placement of Teyloides in the Chenistonia group rather than the Teyl group. It differs from Teyl and most species of Namea by the presence of a megaspur and an enlarged spine on the tibia I of males ( Fig. 8F View Figure 8 ), and by the coiled spermathecae in females ( Fig. 8G View Figure 8 ) ( Main, 1985a). It can be further distinguished from most species of Namea by the absence of a stout and thick or long spine on the retroventral edge of the male pedipalpal tibia (see Raven, 1984a).

Description: Large nemesiid spiders. Coloration: generally yellow-brown.

Cephalothorax: Carapace ( Fig. 8A View Figure 8 ) sparsely hirsute, with eight eyes in two rows; PME slightly smaller than other eyes; fovea straight. Maxilla ( Fig. 8E View Figure 8 ) with strongly produced basal heel; with numerous cuspules distributed over medial half and heel of each maxilla, not restricted to narrow band; maxillary serrula absent. Labium ( Fig. 8E View Figure 8 ) wider than long, slightly indented anteriorly, without cuspules. Coxal cuspules absent ( Fig. 8B View Figure 8 ). Sternum ( Fig. 8B View Figure 8 ) with three pairs of sigilla; posterior pairs rounded; all marginal.

Chelicera: Rastellum absent; cheliceral furrow with several prominent promarginal teeth and several small granules basomesally; intercheliceral tumescence absent.

Pedipalp ( Fig. 8C, D View Figure 8 ): Male tibia uniformly setose, without patch of spinules on retrolateral face, and without asetose ventral depression; tarsus (cymbium) long and slender, with distinct medial constriction (in lateral view); with rounded bulb and long, tapering embolus; embolus reflexed, arising from retrolateral side of bulb.

Legs: Male tibia I ( Fig. 8F View Figure 8 ) with large ventral spur bearing one, or occasionally two, megaspines; metatarsus I strongly incrassate; scopula usually present on entire ventral tarsi of legs I and II, and lighter scopula on tarsi III and IV, and metatarsi I and II; tarsi without spines; tarsus I not inflated; three claws, lateral claws each with two short rows of teeth; medial claw small and without ventral teeth.

Abdomen: Longer than wide. Two pairs of spinnerets; posterior median spinnerets unsegmented and separated by about diameter of spinneret; posterior lateral spinnerets three-segmented, apical segment elongate, digitiform.

Distribution: Teyloides bakeri is currently known only from southern South Australia, in the mesic Mount Lofty Range east of Adelaide.

Remarks: The specimen of Teyloides bakeri in our molecular analyses was found to group with the Chenistonia group ( Fig. 3 View Figure 3 ). This was an initially unexpected result given the Teyl -like morphology of the male pedipalpal bulb, however, molecular data and the presence of a large leg I megaspur provide strong evidence of its affinities to the Chenistonia group.