Polydactylogonus sanctogwinear, Mesibov, 2025

Polydactylogonus sanctogwinear sp. nov.

Figs 14 View Figure 14 , 15 B View Figure 15

Type material.

Holotype. Male, Baw Baw National Park (Vic), 0.26 km NNW of Mt St Gwinear carpark, site NP 23-13 , -37.8388, 146.3306 ± 25 m, 1325 m, coll. Nicholas Porch, 2023-03 - 15, 2 m 2 litter sample from snow gum woodland, NMV K 16527 GoogleMaps . Paratypes. 7 M, details as for holotype, NMV K 16531 GoogleMaps ; 1 M in 95 % EtOH, details as for holotype, NMV K 16528 GoogleMaps ; 1 M, same details but 0.14 km N by W of Mt St Gwinear carpark, site NP 23-14 , -37.8396, 146.3315 ± 25 m, 1315 m, NMV K 16529 GoogleMaps ; 4 M, same details but 0.11 km W by N of Mt St Gwinear carpark, site NP 23-15 , -37.8407, 146.3307 ± 25 m, 1305 m, NMV K 16530 GoogleMaps .

Additional material.

None.

Description.

Small dalodesmids ca 7 mm long with body plan head + 19 rings (including telson). Male colour in alcohol almost uniformly pale white, with reddish speckling at paranotal margins on some specimens. 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 1.5 × socket diameter. Antenna strongly clavate, reaching tergite 3 when manipulated. Relative antennomere lengths (6, 3, 2)> (4, 5), 6 widest. Relative tergite widths 6> 5> 2> 4> 3> collum; rings 7–16 subequal in width, 17 and 18 narrower. Collum much narrower than head, half-moon-shaped in dorsal view, corner rounded. Paranotal margin on ring 2 much lower than ring 3 margin; no pit ventrally under ring 2 paranotum. Midbody paranotal margin level, at ca 2 / 3 ring height; paranotum with anterior corner rounded, lateral margin gently convex with setae at three marginal notches, notches more obvious on posterior rings; posterior margin more or less straight; posterior corners not projecting. Midbody metatergite ca 0.6 mm wide, ca 1.2 × prozonite width. Waist pronounced; prozonite posteriorly with small, tab-like elements clearly marking suture line; metatergites with three transverse rows of low bumps, the anterior bumps smallest, each bump bearing a single seta posteriorly; posterior margin of metatergite with 4 th transverse row of setae. Limbus composed of flat elements with minute, irregular, pointed branches (Fig. 14 B View Figure 14 ). Pore formula normal; ozopore small, round, opening dorsally at posterolateral corner of paranotum. Epiproct extending a little beyond anal valves, conical, apex truncate. Spinnerets in square array, not in depression on epiproct. Hypoproct subtrapezoidal. Sternites slightly wider than long, transverse impression deeper than longitudinal impression. Spiracles small, round, very slightly raised above pleurite surface. Relative podomere lengths of midbody leg: tarsus >> femur >> prefemur> (postfemur, tibia); tarsus straight. Anterior legs somewhat swollen, prefemur and femur arched dorsally. Numerous sphaerotrichomes (Fig. 14 C View Figure 14 ) on anterior leg tarsus, tibia; a few sphaerotrichomes on postfemur; sphaerotrichomes with flattened globular base, shaft straight, tapering, strongly declined. Brush setae dense on prefemur, femur tapering to blunt points, tips slightly curving. Gonopore opening distomedially on leg 2 coxa. Aperture ca 1 / 2 ring 7 prozonite width, anterior margin nearly straight, rim projecting laterally and posteriorly. Retracted gonopod telopodites reaching just past leg 6. Ring 6 sternite excavate with short setal brushes above leg bases supporting retracted telopodites.

Telopodites (Fig. 14 A, D View Figure 14 ) erect, closely appressed, with a few basal setae posterolaterally. Telopodite divided at ca 2 / 3 height into fan-like cluster of 5 branches. Anteromedial branch short, spine-like. Anterolateral branch flat, long-triangular, directed slightly medially. Lateral branch cylindrical at base, expanding and flattening into fork-like group of 3 terminal processes tapering to points, the central process longest. Posterolateral branch flattened, with truncate tip bent towards solenomere. Posteromedial solenomere flattened, tapering abruptly and strongly near tip, the tip curving posteriorly, then distomedially. Prostatic groove running on medial surface of telopodite, following curve of solenomere to opening at apex.

Name.

Noun in apposition, for Mt St Gwinear.

Distribution.

So far known only from subalpine woodland from 1305 to 1325 m in a small area ca 2 km southeast of the summit of Mt St Gwinear, near Mt Baw Baw in the Victorian mountains (Fig. 16 A View Figure 16 ).

Remarks.

No female specimens have been confidently assigned to this species.