Nyssus emu, Raven, 2015

Nyssus emu View in CoL sp. nov.

( Fig. 91a, b View FIGURE 91 . Map 50)

Material. Queensland: holotype ♂, Eight Mile Ck ( NQ31 /1), 18°40'S, 144°42'E, eucalypt woodland, pitfall, 6 Nov 1991 – 26 Jul 1992, P. Lawless, R. Raven, M. Shaw, QM S21883 View Materials . Paratypes GoogleMaps : Queensland: 5♂, same data as holotype, QM S21840, S21849, S21850, S21865, S21873 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Males are unusual in having a very widely coiled embolus ( Fig. 91a, b View FIGURE 91 ) and differ from those of N. wendyae sp. nov. in lacking both short spines on the distal cymbium and strong bristles on the retrolateral edge of the palpal tibia, as well as the slightly larger diameter of the embolic spiral. Female unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition taken from the large Austalian flightless birds common in the type locality.

Description Holotype male QM S21883 View Materials

Carapace 3.75 long, 2.75 wide. Abdomen 4.17 long, 2.50 wide. Total, 8.0.

Colour: carapace dark red brown with broad bands of white hair anteromedially to fovea, submarginally and a pair in posterior striae; abdomen with dark red brown scute with paired white hair patches; a long pair anteriorly, two large ovoid, two lateral pairs beside tip and white patch on the tip; no white spots on flanks; ventrally sternum, coxae and scutes dark red brown. Femora dark brown with lateral bands of white hair; patellae to tarsi I–II paler brown, rest dark brown. Distal patella and tibia IV with band of white hair. Carapace: uniform cover of black feathery hairs; fovea short, set ca. one length from gradual posterior slope. Legs: femora III and IV with strong subdistal constriction. Scopula on metatarsi and tarsi I and II. Spines: I: fe p1d2; ti v2.2(w); me v2.2. II: fe p1d3; ti v1.1(w); 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. Abdomen: dorsal scute for 7/8 length without collar; post-epigastric sclerites short, not distally sclerotised; ventral scute converges from base to weakly separate tracheal scute, strongly asymmetrical from above with long tip apically unsclerotised, a small cone. Colulus absent. Palp: tibia with ventral groove; cymbium with large but short paracymbial spine on raised base; bulb large, narrows gently to broad flat pre-embolic ridge with long coiled embolus. Subtegulum evident slightly prolaterally with strong retrolateral indentation.

Distribution and Habitat. Known only from Eight Mile Creek, near Greenvale, west of Townsville, northeastern Queensland; the area is open grassland and eucalypt forest.