Nucastia supunnoides, Raven, 2015

Nucastia supunnoides View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 1f View FIGURE 1 , 71a–e View FIGURE 71 , 72a–d View FIGURE 72 , 79c View FIGURE 79 . Map 36)

Material: Victoria: Avon R near Valencia Ck , 37°47'S, 146°57'E, gravel bank in stream bed, pitfall, V. Framenau GoogleMaps :

holotype ♂, 12–28 Feb 1997, QM S44068 . Paratypes: 1♂, 1♀ (allotype), 20 Jan–12 Feb 1997, QM S44067 View Materials ; 1♂, 12–28 Feb 1997, QM S44070 View Materials ; 1♀, 13–26 Mar 1997, QM S44071 View Materials ; 2♂, 29 Jan–12 Feb 1997, QM S44073 View Materials ; 1♂, 1–18 Dec 1996, QM S44076 View Materials ; 2♀, 29 Jan–12 Feb 1997, QM S44077 View Materials ; 2♂, 29 Jan–12 Feb 1997, QM S44078 View Materials ; 2♂, 15–29 Jan 1997, QM S44081 View Materials ; 1♀, 12–28 Feb 1997, QM S44084 View Materials ; 1♂, 1–15 Jan 1997, QM S44085 View Materials ; 1♂, 20 Jan–12 Feb 1997, QM S39465 ; 1♂, 15–29 Jan 1997, QM S44072 View Materials ; 1♀, 12–28 Feb 1997, QM S44091 View Materials ; 1♂, 2–28 Feb 1997, QM S44092 View Materials ; 1♂, 18 Dec 1996 – 1 Jan 1997, QM S44093 View Materials ; 1♂, 12–28 Feb 1997, QM S44094 ; 3♂, 12–28 Feb 1997, QM S44095 View Materials .

Diagnosis. Differs from N. virewoods sp. nov. in the shorter dorsal scute in males, and also from N. culburra sp. nov. in the T-shaped pattern on the abdomen of males. The pattern on the abdomen of the female is like that of Nyssus coloripes and so differs from all other species.

Etymology. The species epithet alludes to the abdominal pattern, at least of females, resembles that of the sympatric Nyssus coloripes , formerly Supunna picta .

Description holotype male QM S44068

Carapace 3.28 long, 1.84 wide. Abdomen 3.52 long, 1.68 wide. Total length 6.9.

Colour: carapace and chelicerae orange brown; femora I–III lighter, orange brown (III with bands of white hair laterally), patellae–tarsi pallid, almost translucent; femur IV dark brown with orange zone retrolaterally, basally extending onto prolateral face, patella IV basally dark, distally band of white hair with 3/4 yellow brown; tibiae and metatarsi brown, tarsi pallid; abdomen dorsally dark gray with short (0.5 length) ovoid scute, broad inverted pallid T-shaped mark and small pallid triangle and ovoid area posteriorly. Coxae pallid; abdomen ventrally blue-black without scute but with darker medial zone. Carapace: light cover of fine black hairs on margin and interstrial ridges, hairs longer on caput. Chelicerae: retrobasal ridge distinct, setose. Sternum: broad, gently arched, with distinct intercoxal projections. Spines: I: fe pv1p1d3; ti 0; me v2 basal. II: fe p1d3; ti 0; me v2 basal. III: fe p2d3r2; pa d1 apical long; ti p2d1r2v1.1; me p3r3v2.2.1. IV: fe p2d2r2; pa d1 apical long; ti p2d1r2v1.2.2; me p3r3v2.2.1. Palp: fe p1d2; pa p1d1 (weak); ti p2 long. Abdomen: scute extends for 0.5 length, covered with pallid feathery hairs; long black feathery hairs in dark areas; small triangular colulus; tracheal spiracle short, without sclerotised edge. Palp: light scopula on distodorsal cymbium, strong spine distally on prolateral cymbial edge; bulb with open apical twist.

Allotype Female QM S44067 View Materials . Like ♂ except:

Carapace 3.52 long, 2.00 wide. Abdomen 3.76 long, 2.32 wide. Total length 7.2.

Colour: carapace dark brown; femora I and II light brown; abdomen dorsally dark gray with anterior medial pallid band to one-third, a pair of broad C-shaped pallid marks with oval yellow zone anteriorly and narrow zone concentina band posteriorly, ventrally pallid. Carapace: with prefoveal triangular area of white hair. Legs: femora more hirsute and more feathery hairs than in ♂. Spines: I and II as in ♂. III: like ♂ but ti p2d1r2v2.2.2. IV: like ♂ but fe p2d2r1; ti p2d1r2v1.2.1. Palp: fe p1d2; pa p1d1.1 weak; ti p2r1; ta p2r1v2. Abdomen: small oval scute in anterior 1/8th. Colulus indistinct. Tracheal spiracle weakly sclerotised. Epigyne: apertures ca. three diameters apart with two banana-shaped lobes internally between them.

Distribution and Habitat. Known only from river banks near the Avon River, Victoria.