Cernethia dysmica, Mesibov, 2025

Cernethia dysmica sp. nov.

Figs 8 View Figure 8 , 15 B View Figure 15

Type material.

Holotype. Male, Kosciuszko National Park ( NSW), 0.34 km W of summit of Mt Guthrie, site HS 39-C-L 2 , -36.4280, 148.3334 ± 25 m, 1880 m, 2025-02 - 09, coll. Nicholas Porch and Aidan Fitt, 1 m 2 litter sample from shrubby subalpine snow gum woodland, NMV K 16501 GoogleMaps . Paratypes. 1 M, 5 F, 11 J, same details, NMV K 16502 GoogleMaps ; 2 M, 1 F, same details but 0.31 km W by N of summit of Mt Guthrie, site HS 39-C-L 1 , -36.4275, 148.3338 ± 25 m, 1875 m, NMV K 15990 GoogleMaps .

Additional material.

2 M, 6 F, 10 J from four other sites. See Suppl. material 1 for details.

Diagnosis.

Solenomere with medial portion directed anteromedially in Cernethia dysmica sp. nov., directed distally in C. inopinata ; small, finger-like, posterobasally directed process near telopodite division in C. inopinata lacking in C. dysmica sp. nov. Medial process of telopodite more or less straight in C. inopinata , sinuous in C. dysmica sp. nov.

Description.

Males and females as for C. inopinata , including colour pattern in alcohol (Fig. 8 A View Figure 8 ); length ca 14–15 mm. Gonopod telopodite (Fig. 8 B View Figure 8 left, C) erect, subcylindrical, tapering from base, divided at ca 1 / 2 telopodite height into mediolaterally flattened, lateral solenomere and medial branch. Solenomere divided near apex; lateral portion carrying prostatic groove, medial portion short, finger-like, directed anteromedially; lateral portion with very small spine-like process directed posterolaterally, sometimes broken off; solenomere tip rounded and slightly expanded posteriorly. Medial branch of telopodite flattened mediolaterally, directed distolaterally, then sinuously curving distomedially, with small tooth on anterior edge at ca 1 / 3 branch height; medial branch terminating just distal to solenomere tip. Prostatic groove on medial surface of telopodite, running between telopodite branches and following solenomere to tip.

Female a little shorter than male, stouter and with thinner legs; epigynum elevated medially; cyphopods not examined.

Distribution.

Collected in subalpine woodland at 1590 to 1880 m, at several localities from Dead Horse Gap to Rennix Gap in Kosciuszko National Park, NSW, a linear range of ca 20 km (Fig. 15 B View Figure 15 ).

Name.

Adjective from Greek dysmikos, “ western ”. This species was found west of the type locality for C. inopinata .

Remarks.

The two Cernethia species are very similar and can only be distinguished by inspection of the gonopod telopodite of a mature male. Like C. inopinata , C. dysmica sp. nov. has a powerful defensive secretion whose smell persists in alcohol-preserved material.