Nucastia virewoods, Raven, 2015

Nucastia virewoods View in CoL sp. nov.

( Fig. 65a–e View FIGURE 65 . Map 32)

Material. Victoria: holotype ♂, McDonalds Rd , 1.8 km S Shepparton –Barmah Rd, 36°04'S, 145°02'E, 17–22 Jan 1994, G. Milledge, MV K4397 . Paratypes GoogleMaps : Victoria: 2♂, Murray Valley Hwy, Deep Creek Xing , 36°08'S, 145°11'E, 17–22 Jan 1994, G. Milledge, MV K4524 ; 1♂, McLellands Rd, 0.1 km N Rathbones Rd, 36°09'S, 145°13'E, 17–22 Jan 1994, G. Milledge, MV K4528 ; 2♂, Goulburn River , 12 km SSE Nathalia, 36°09'S, 145°13'E, 17–22 Jan 1994, G. Milledge, MV K4530 ; 1♂, State Forest , 1 km SE Yambuna, 36°09'S, 145°00'E, 17–22 Jan 1994, G. Milledge & P. Lillywhite, MV K4396 ; 3♂, Murray Valley Hwy, 0.3 km NNW Walshs Bridge, 36°06'S, 145°11'E, 17–22 Jan 1994, G. Milledge, MV K4521 ; 2♂, Brooms Rd, 7.5 km NE Yambuna, 36°06'S, 145°05'E, 2– 7 Dec 1994, S. Hinkley et al., MV K4404 ; 1♂, Pomfrets Rd, 0.6 km S Picola –Katunga Rd, 36°00'S, 145°13'E, 17– 22 Jan 1994, G. Milledge, MV K4533 ; 2♂, Rathbones Rd , 3 km E of Booths Rd, 36°09'S, 145°13'E, 17–22 Jan 1994, G. Milledge & P. Lillywhite, MV K4526 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of N. culburra sp. nov., in the less acuminate posterior end of the flatter sternum, the high spinose retrobasal cheliceral ridge (as in N. supunnoides sp. nov., Fig. 1f View FIGURE 1 ), and the absence of pale spots dorsally on the abdomen ( Fig. 65c View FIGURE 65 ); females differ from other species in the almost total absence of large white spots with, at most, just bands of white hair.

Etymology. The species epithet is a combination of letters from Victoria Remnant Woodlands Study, on which survey the material was taken.

Description holotype male MV K4397

Carapace 3.52 long, 1.84 wide. Abdomen 3.36 long, 1.2 wide. Total length 6.9.

Colour: carapace brown orange with vague black hemispheres on margins above coxae I/II, II/III and IV; sternum, maxillae, labium and chelicerae brown orange; abdomen dorsally very dark brown with pair ovoid spots of white hair centrally and fine transverse bands posteriorly; coxae I brown orange, II–IV fawn; palp and femora I and II brown orange, rest of I and II pallid or translucent; femur III darker brown orange, other segments paler; femur IV dark brown with white scales; base of patella IV brown, rest yellowish, tibiae and metatarsi brown orange, tarsi pallid; ventral genital scute brown, otherwise venter dark brown; eye region black. Carapace: long cephalic portion distinctly raised with fine black hairs around caput margin, anteromedially and along strial ridges; posterior margin hardly indented; fovea long closed; clypeus about one AME diameter. Eyes: AME clearly largest, ca. 1.2 diameters apart; other eyes small; MOQ long. Chelicerae: small, vertical but distinct spinose ridge basally on posterior face adjacent to maxillae; fang transverse, long but tips well below maxillae; furrow short, diagonal, with two similar teeth on promargin set close to fang base; one large and one smaller on promargin set below that; fang shield rounded with slender transverse hair. Maxillae: posterior ectal corner truncate with domed edge, inner margin excavate for length; apex rounded with long serrula, inner corner truncate and sloping to ectal edge. Labium long. Sternum with strong margin rising quickly to broad domed centre; strong sclerotised precoxal sclerites and intercoxal extensions interlock with strong basal triangle on coxae; setae sparse, only ca. 30 long bristles around margin and few shorter hairs; posterior angle distinct, continuous with less sclerotised shield back to unsclerotised portion of pedicel. Legs: trochanteral notches almost absent on I–III, shallow on IV; scopula absent; no distal tufts ventrally on metatarsi III and IV. Claws: hidden by short dense but not distensible tufts; white scales on femora III and IV; feathery hairs on femora I–IV, few dorsally on I and II also laterally on III and IV. Spines: I: fe pv1p1d3; me v2 basal; rest 0. II: fe p1d3, metatarsus v2 basal, rest 0. III: fe p2d3r2; pa apical 1w; ti p2d1r2v1.2; me p3r3v2.2.2. IV: fe p2d3r1; pa apical 1w; ti p2d1r2v1.2.2; me p3r3v2.2.3. Palp: fe p1d2; pa 2 dorsal bristles; ti p2 basal; cymbium p2 basal, v1 on apical cone. Abdomen: large oval scute for 3/4 length dorsally; genital scute setose; no ventral scute evident; only slight sclerotisation evident near tracheal spiracle on paratypes. Palp: tibia ventrally with low prebasal ridge before distal glabrous saddle and distal collar, prolateral process interlocking with basal cymbial hollow; paracymbial spine absent; cymbium with short retrobasal constriction and retrolateral margin convex, apical cone with groove to tip; bulb with low collar and sinuous embolus.

Allotype female MV K4404

Carapace 3.36 long, 2.00 wide. Abdomen 4.08 long, 2.24 wide. Total length 7.4.

Colour: carapace reddish brown with triangle of white hair at posterior caput angle in front of fovea; chelicerae red brown, femora orange brown, patellae–tarsi fawn; femora III and IV darker distally; abdomen dorsally dark brown with two large diagonal oval patches of white hair at midlength; posteriorly with two small crescentic white patches just above anal tubercle, ventrally pale gray flanked by wide band of white hair well defined on dorsal edge; sternum, maxillae and labium orange brown with pallid coxae. Carapace: with 3–6 fine black bristles along each strial ridge and ca. 20–30 on caput; posterior margin not indented; crescent of white plumose hairs anterior to short, straight, closed fovea. Eyes: AME clearly largest. Chelicerae: stout, slight concavity prolaterally above fang; distal process rounded with long curved thick hairs. Two large teeth on retromargin, one large flanked by one small, all set near fang base. Maxillae with long, curved serrula; outer margin straight. Sternum: distinct triangular intra- and intercoxal triangles. Legs: band of large black feathery hairs dorsally (I–IV) and pallid feathery laterally on femora (III–IV); trochantersl notches shallow. Scopula on tarsi I–IV and weak distal on metatarsi I and II. Spines: I: fe pv1p1d3; ti v 1.1w; me v2 basal. II: fe p1d3; ti 0; me v2 basal. III: fe p2d3r2; pa distal 1; ti p2d1r2v1.2.2; me p3r3v2.2.3. IV: fe p2d3r1; pa distal ti p2d1r2v1.1.1; me p3r3v2.2.3. Palp: fe p1d2; pa p1d1.1; ti p2d1; ta p2r1v3 distal. Claws: palpal claw small, curved, with two small teeth. Paired claws as long as high, tufts larger on IV than I; ca. 3–4 teeth on I, 7–8 on IV. Abdomen: small ovoid scute anteriorly; white hairs feathery, genital scute lightly sclerotised with soft anterior edge; tracheal scute similar, not heavily sclerotised. Epigyne: with pair of spiralled lateral fossae.

Distribution. Known only from the greater Murray River valley, near Barmah, Victoria.