Nyssus jonraveni, Raven, 2015

Nyssus jonraveni View in CoL sp. nov.

( Fig. 81f–h View FIGURE 81 . Map 42)

Material. South Australia: holotype ♂, Renmark, 32 km N, 33°53'S, 140°44'E, mallee, pitfall, 9–22 Nov 1995, A. Lambie, K. Pullen, QM S32120 View Materials . Paratypes GoogleMaps : South Australia: 1♂, as for holotype , QM S39575 View Materials ; 1♂, 3.7 km NE

Poogingoric , 36°24'34"S, 140°51'42"E, pitfall, 5–8 Dec 1995, Box Bulloak Survey, BBG02601, SAM NN8086 View Materials GoogleMaps . Queensland: 1♂, Lords Table, SE slopes, 22°40'S, 148°01'E, vine forest, malaise trap, 9 Jan–4 Mar 2006, C.J. Burwell, QM S80061 View Materials GoogleMaps .

MAPS 43–48. Records of Australian and Pacific species of Nyssus Walckenaer, 1805 .

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of N. pseudomaculatus sp. nov. in the much longer twisted pre-embolic tip of bulb ( Fig. 81g View FIGURE 81 ), smaller ventral scute, and orange and black-banded femora. Female unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is in honour of my son, Jonathan Raven.

Description holotype male QM S32120 View Materials

Carapace 3.44 long, 2.48 wide. Abdomen 3.36 long, 2.24 wide. Total length 6.7.

Colour: carapace dark red brown with areas of feathery hairs: a narrow broken marginal band, small patches on interstrial ridge, two diagonal bars radially down posterior slope; a broader band on lateral caput; abdomen with dorsal scute for three-quarters of length with several white areas: a pair on anterior face; long ovoid pair in anterior quarter; medial and lateral pairs near half length; two pairs of smaller spots at two-thirds length, dumbbell pair laterally at three-quarter length, terminal spot; overall with four distinct pairs of white spots; coxae orange with black edges, femora and patellae orange and boldly marked with large irregular black areas; tibiae and metatarsi dark brown, tarsi pallid; ventrally, coxae and sternum dark brown, scutes dark brown with black flanks. Carapace cuticle and margins smooth; black feathery hairs absent; almost glabrous except for white hairs; fovea short, set forward of slope. Chelicerae: without enlarged fang setae; dentition 2R, 3P. Sternum smooth with light cover of black bristles. Legs: trochanter IV with wide shallow (ca. 4 times wider than deep) notch. Few white feathery hairs on lateral femora; femur IV with strong predistal constriction, weaker on III. Scopula on metatarsi (distal) and tarsi. RCH absent. Spines: strong on III and IV, weaker on I and II. I: fe p1d3; ti v1.2; me v2.2. II: fe p1d3; ti v 1.1w; me v2.2. III: fe p2d3r2; ti p2r2v2.2.2; me p3r3v2.2.3. IV: fe p2d3r1; ti p2d1r2v2.2.2; me p3r3v2.2.3. Palp: fe p1d2; ti p1. Palp: tibia with broad, open excavation ventrally, not extending retrodorsally; cymbium slender, paracymbial spine absent; bulb constricts quickly from base to broadly spiralled short neck with long straight screw-tip embolus. Spermatic duct folds very strongly. Abdomen: petiolar collar absent, ventral scute short, almost square, with broad anterior notch; tracheal scute ovoid with broad central ridge; no black feathery hairs on scutes.

Distribution and Habitat. Known only from mallee at Renmark and south at Poogingoric, South Australia, and Lords Table Plateau, northern Queensland.