Nucastia muncoonie, Raven, 2015

Nucastia muncoonie View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 69a, b View FIGURE 69 , 70a–d View FIGURE 70 . Map 35)

Material. Queensland: Muncoonie Lakes, NW Birdsville , 25°12'S, 138°41'E, Sandy Desert Plain , 12–17 Nov 1976, R GoogleMaps . Raven & B. Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment : holotype ♂, QM S4229 . Paratypes: QM S39573 : 1♀ (allotype); 1♀, QM S3817 ; 2♂ QM S39574 .

Diagnosis. Among species in which the male has a dorsal scute for half the abdomen length, males differ from those of N. culburra sp. nov. in having a second pair of white spots on the dorsal abdomen behind the anterior pair. Females differ from those of all other Nucastia in the presence of an accessory diverticula on the head of the spermathecae ( Fig. 70d View FIGURE 70 ).

Etymology. The species epithet is a noun in apposition from the type-locality.

Description holotype male QM S4229

Carapace 3.84 long, 2.24 wide. Abdomen 4.48 long, 2.32 wide. Total length 8.3.

Colour: carapace and femora bright brown orange, femora III and IV also with light (III) or dark (IV) brown lateral faces, patellae–tarsi I–III and tarsi IV brown yellow, tibiae and metatarsi IV dark brown; abdomen dorsally blue black with narrow convergent red brown scute for anterior 3/8, a transverse pallid band through posterior tip of scute; ventrally, sternum brown orange, coxae contrasting yellow, abdomen blue black with two pallid bands sinuous longitudinal paramedially; eye region black. Carapace: long fine black hairs sparse on thoracic region, more on lateral caput and in eye group. Eyes: AME project forward on common tubercle (as in other species). Sternum almost glabrous with intercoxal triangles. Maxillae with retrobasal ridge (as in other species). Legs: trochanter IV notch distinct, ca. 1.5 times wider than deep, on others very shallow. Spines: I: fe p2d3; me v2.0 II: fe p2d3; me v2.0. III: fe p2d3r3; pa p1 strong ti p2d1r2v1.1.2(w); me p3r3v2.2.3. IV: fe p2d3r3; pa d1; ti p2d1r2v2.1.2; me p3r3v2.2.3. Palp fe p1d2; pa 0; ti p1; cymbium p2 basal, d 1w. Palp: embolus with shallow twist apically. Abdomen: genital scute strong, without collar; tracheal scute minute or absent; full ventral scute. Colulus a distinct equilateral triangle.

Allotype female QM S39573 . As ♂ except:

Carapace 4.00 long, 2.48 wide. Abdomen 5.76 long, 3.92 wide. Total length 9.8.

Colour: carapace dark red brown and lateral femur IV dark red brown with pallid band for length dorsally and for basal half prolaterally; abdomen dorsally dark brown with two pairs of white spots at half length, anterior pair ca. 4 times the larger, and series of close set pallid chevrons down posterior third; narrow band of fawn coloured hair anteromedially. Tibia and metatarsus IV only slightly darker than III; ventrally, coxa I darker than II–IV; abdomen light brown with faded paler areas midlaterally, medial band faded brown. Carapace with triangle of white feathery hairs behind (sparse) and in front of fovea (dense); uniform cover of fine black hairs. Chelicerae: without enlarged fang setae; all trochantersl notches shallow. Scopula on tarsi I–IV and metatarsi I and II. Spines: I: fe pv1p1d3; me v2.0. II: fe p2d3; me v2.0. III: fe p2d3r2; pa d1; ti p2d1r2v1.2.2; me p3r3v2.0. IV: fe p2d3r1; ti p2d1r2v1.2.2; me p3r3v2.2.3. Palp: fe p1d2; pa d1; ti p2 basal; ta p2 basal r1. Epigyne: trianguloid without paragenital weakness; two small lateral fossae; genital plate not a scute; internally, as for genus but accessory diverticula present on head of spermathecae ( Fig. 70d View FIGURE 70 ).

Distribution and Habitat. Known only from desert around the (shallow) Muncoonie Lakes , west of Birdsville, south-western Queensland.