Battalus spinipes Karsch, 1878

Battalus spinipes Karsch, 1878 View in CoL

( Figs 17a–g View FIGURE 17 , 18a–d View FIGURE 18 . Map 4)

Battalus spinipes Karsch, 1878: 817 View in CoL ; Moritz & Fischer, 1988: 148.

Material. Queensland: holotype ♀, "Austral. Sept [northern Australia]", coll. E. Daemel, ZMB 2146 View Materials , examined. Non-types: Queensland: ♂, McIlwraith Range, Leo Creek Track, J. Thompson, M. Moulds, AM KS44293 .

Diagnosis. The male differs from those of B. wallum sp. nov. in the small nubbin-like paracymbial spine and the more subtle keel predistal of the embolus. The female differs from those of B. microspinosus sp. nov. and B. adamparsonsi sp. nov. in that head of the spermathecae is much smaller, the smallest of all described species. None of the females of the new species described herein have even a similar combination to that of B. spinipes , i.e., the relatively small head of the spermathecae and long overall shape, no spines on the ventral palpal femur of the female, and the epigyne that lacks a posterior medial U-shaped ridge.

Description Male AM KS44293

Carapace 2.98 long, 1.07 wide. Abdomen 2.96 long, 1.51 wide. Total length 6.0.

Colour: carapace orange brown with dark scallops in submargins; abdomen dorsally with orange brown scute for 0.8 of length, and dark margins with large pallid area anteriorly and 4 fused chevrons posteriorly. Legs: femora fawn, save for IV brown in distal third. Sternum, coxae and femora rugose. Spines: like female, but 3 strong dorsally on femora I–IV; no ventral spines on palpal femur. Full ventral scute. Palp: bulb pear-shaped with distal cone tapering gradually, embolus base a diagonal ridge, tip simple, reflexed, tapering tube. Paracymbial spine low, broad.

Holotype female ZMB 2146 View Materials

Carapace 4.81 long, 3.31 wide. Abdomen partially shrivelled, not measured. Colour: carapace dark brown; distal half of femora dark, otherwise legs red brown; abdomen dorsally with two large pairs of pallid spots anteriorly and one medial posterior spot. Chelicerae: distinct fang shield on lobe with slightly enlarged broken setae; large, diagonal fangs. Legs: small RCH. Distodorsal palpal tarsus with uniform pile of long dense hair not in ranks. Coxae I and II smooth ventrally. Spines: no strong spines on palpal femur ventrally. I and II: fe pv1 (long strong) p1d3, pa 0, ti p2 v2.2.2.2. (all long strong), me p1 v2.2. III: fe p1d3r1; pa0; ti p1d1r2v2.2.1; me p3r3v2.2.4. IV: fe p1d3r1; pa 0; ti p1r1v2.2.1; me p3r3v2.2.4. Palp: fe p1d2; pa p1d1; ti p2d1; ta p1d2. Scopula: weak, distal on metatarsi, more distinct on tarsi. Claws with 3 long teeth. Abdomen with small pear-shaped scute for dorsal fourth. Broad, low, curved ridge over tracheal spiracle. Epigyne: paragenital brackets present; two large longitudinally lunate widely separated biconcave ridges; shallow, indistinct U-shaped depression posteriorly. Internally, large wide funnel leads to head of spermathecae, ducts folding back (both across and down) on themselves strongly to large basal lobe.

Distribution. Known only from the McIlwraith Range, near Coen, Cape York, Queensland, which is consistent with the type locality, "northern Australia ". Daemel's other collections are from Cape York. The absence of other new material reflects reduced sampling of Cape York, which is untrafficable because of flooding in the most arachnologically active "Wet Season" from about November to April.

Remarks. Simon (1897a: 168) suggested, solely from Karsch's "[brief description]", that Battalus was a synonym of Supunna .