Leichhardteus strzelecki, Raven, 2015

Leichhardteus strzelecki View in CoL sp. nov.

( Fig. 60a–f View FIGURE 60 . Map 29)

Material. Victoria: holotype, ♂, Strzelecki Range, Jeeralang West Rd , 0.1 km N Binns Hill Junction, 38°25'S, 146°28'E, 14 Nov 1995 – 10 Jan 1996, G. Milledge, MV K4440 GoogleMaps ; paratype, 1♂, Kinglake National Park, Melbourne Field Naturalists Club , 26 Nov 1983, MV K12247 View Materials .

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of all other species in lacking any noticeable enlargement of the ventral palpal femur; and from those of L. kroombit in the cymbium lacking any paracymbial spine ( Fig. 60f View FIGURE 60 ) but with strong retrolateral ridge basally. Female unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition from the Strzelecki Ranges , Victoria.

Description holotype male MV K4440

Carapace 3.56 long, 2.72 wide. Abdomen 3.71 long, 2.18. Total length 8.5.

Colour: carapace dark red brown with dark brown areas around eyes along caput edge and as U-shaped marks on interstrial ridges; chelicerae dark brown; legs red brown without bands; abdomen dorsally dark brown, dorsal scute orange brown with hairs, broken pallid patches medially and three diamond-shaped small areas of white hair just above spinnerets; ventrally, genital scute dark red brown, otherwise dark brown with broken white areas medially and two irregular lines of ca. 14 small sclerotised sigilla like spots. Carapace: light cover of white feathery hairs. Sharp serrate ridge on lateral margin. Eyes: AME slightly larger than others. Sternum: precoxal sclerites at III, IV; precoxal sclerites at I/II, II/III. Lacking intercoxal sclerotised band between III and IV. Legs: RCH present; femur IV distally unmodified; all trochanters with similar shallow distinct notches; feathery hairs on femora to metatarsi. Scopula weak on tarsi, in distal 1/5, divided on metatarsi I and II. Spines: as for genus but tibial spines almost overlapping, tapering, otherwise as follows. I: fe p1d2; ti v2.2.2; me v2.2. II: fe p1d2; ti v2.2.2; me v2.2. III: fe p1d3. IV: fe d3. Palp. fe d2; ti p2 long, weak, basal. Abdomen: scutes: dorsal extends for 1/3 length, ovoid; ventral absent; genital without weak zone or collar and weak leading edge; tracheal oval with wide curved ridge. Two lines of sclerotised sigilla medially. Small triangular colulus present. Palp: femur not mid-ventrally incrassate; tibia with groove; bulb expanded, large concave rectanguloid plate in basal haematodocha; cymbium without paracymbial spine but with strong retrolateral ridge basally, deeply excavate in distal cone, lateral margins on ridge; embolic portion with two close rugose spirals; sperm duct basally short, crook-shaped, then recurving back toward tip and arching around basal duct sinuously to tip.

Remarks. The inclusion of L. strzelecki sp. nov., which has no evident enlargement of the male palpal femur, requires the generic diagnosis to be amended. In the combination of the form of the bulb and especially the embolus tip, L. strzelecki sp. nov. unequivocally belongs in Leichhardteus , even if possibly the sister group of all other species.

Distribution and Habitat. Known only from Strzelecki Ranges and Kinglake , Victoria.