Karaops nyangumarta Crews, 2013

Figs 61A, B, 62A, C-E, G, 63A, C, D, Maps 1A, 9A, B

Karaops nyangumarta Crews, 2013: 461, figs 25-28 (♀, examined).

Material examined.

Western Australia • 7 imm., ♂ (reared in captivity); Tom Price, Mt. Nameless, just after 4 WD Mt. Nameless sign, pullout ~ 15 m from parking area; 22°43'38.45"S, 117°44'58.13"E; ~ 765 m; 13 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; at night under rocks in creek bed; sel_1175-1182; SCC16_030; (WAM T155551-155558) • 3 imm.; Karijini National Park, Juna Downs Road at Wildflower Range, right side of road heading south; 22°47'38.05"S, 118°25'20.49"E; ~ 801 m; 14 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; on and under flat rocks on roadside, at night; sel_1191-1193; SCC16_032; (WAM T155567-155569) • 1♂, 3 imm.; near Mt. Meharry, just before road to Mt. Meharry curves east; 22°56'20.95"S, 118°34'2.16"E; ~ 803 m; 14 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; under rocks in gorge; sel_1194-1197; SCC16_033; (WAM T155570-155573). New records. 1 imm.; Tom Price, 2 km S of Tom Price, A20080815. CH 23-01; 22°42'46"S, 117°46'33"E; 15 Aug. 2008; Z. Hamilton leg.; under rock; (WAM T92503) • 8 imm.; 16.8 km SW of Tom Price, site 1000-tSX1; 22°46'46.30"S, 117°39'34.93"E; 1 Apr.-1 Jun. 2012; E. S. Volschenk leg.; litter sifting; (WAM T124820) • 2 imm.; 14 km WSW of Tom Price, site 1000-ts09; 22°45'41.22"S, 117°40'30.76"E; 30 Apr. 2012; E.S. Volschenk leg.; foraging; (WAM T124816) • 1 imm.; 30 km SW of Tom Price, site 1000-ts01; 22°53'46.16"S, 117°36'05.33"E; 20 Jun. 2012; E.S. Volschenk leg.; foraging; (WAM T124817) • 1 imm.; 16 km WSW of Tom Price, site 1000-ts12; 22°45'56.12"S, 117°39'22.91"E; 18 Jun. 2012; E.S. Volschenk leg.; foraging; (WAM T124819) • 1 imm.; 17 km WSW of Mt. Brockman, site 999-E3; 22°32'03.03"S, 117°09'37.90"E; 23 Jun. 2012; P. Langlands leg.; foraging; (WAM T124810) • 1 imm.; 129.2 km NW of Newman; 22°49'54"S, 118°36'09"E; 30 Mar. 2012; N. Watson, P. Brooshooft leg.; under rock; rocky gorge; (WAM T122804) • same as previous; (WAM T122805) • 1 imm.; 127.1 km NW of Newman; 22°50'13"S, 118°37'43"E; 30 Mar. 2012; C. Cole, N. Watson leg.; under rock; rocky gorge; (WAM T122806) • same as previous; (WAM T122807) • 1 imm.; -23.209548, 118.753; 16 Oct. 2018; A. Slabber leg.; gorge, gull, hand collected; BMR00069 • 1 imm.; Mudlark, 96 km WNW of Newman; 23°02'25"S, 118°51'06"E; 5 Jul. 2011; N. Watson leg.; by hand; collected from under rocks; (WAM T116567) • 1 imm.; Mudlark, 98 km WNW of Newman; 23°04'23"S, 118°49'12"E; 6 Jul. 2011; C. Cole, M. Greenham leg.; by hand; collected from under rocks; (WAM T116569) • same as previous; (WAM T116568) • 1 imm.; 98.5 km W of Newman; 23°04'14"S, 118°49'16"E; 5 Aug. 2011; N. Watson, J. Tatler leg.; turning rock; under rocks; (WAM T117877) • 1 imm.; same as previous; (WAM T117878) • 1 imm.; same as previous; (WAM T117879) • 1 imm.; same as previous; (WAM T117880) • 1 imm.; Mudlark, 98 km WNW of Newman; 23°04'23"S, 118°49'30"E; 6 Jul. 2011; N. Watson, J. Cairnes leg.; by hand; collected from under rocks; (WAM T116575) • 1 imm.; 119.4 km NW of Newman; 22°56'2"S, 118°39'50"E; 31 Mar. 2012; C. Cole; J. Tatler, N. Watson, P. Brooshooft leg.; under rock; rocky gorge; (WAM T122810) .

Diagnosis.

The genitalia are similar to those other species in the group by having medially located copulatory openings, long copulatory ducts, and spermathecae shaped like dumbbells. Karaops nyangumarta can be differentiated by the two oblong depressions toward the posterior where the copulatory openings are located on the epigyne. The endogyne differs by having fully sclerotized copulatory ducts, the copulatory ducts fold back on themselves rather than out to the sides, the ducts are narrow and short, the accessory bulbs are quite large and oval (erroneously labeled as spermathecae in Crews (2013)) and do not extend anteriorly of the spermathecae (Crews 2013: figs 25, 26).

The diagnosis of the male has been emended because of its similarity to the previously undescribed male of Karaops banyjima . More detailed differences can be found in the description of K. banyjima . Both K. banyjima and K. nyangumarta have a very large tegular lobe, but they can be easily separated by the median apophysis. In K. nyangumarta, there are many small spinules at the base, whereas there are none in K. banyjima (Figs 63C, 69A-C).

Description.

The description of the male (Figs 61B, 62C, E) has been emended with data from live spiders (Figs 62A, 63A). No live females were collected or reared. Color. Carapace: dark brown medially, three pairs of dark spots at lateral edges, tan background, very setose. Abdomen: dorsally highly setose, dark longitudinal band medially, just more than half of abdomen length, pairs of small, dark spots on either side, paler brown on sides, interspersed with darker (darker than median band) brown, mottled, posteriorly some pale setal tufts forming horizontal, w-shaped pattern, pale setal tufts at posterior; spinnerets dusky; setae appear soft and thin, very dense. Legs: yellowish brown; dark spots prolaterally and retrolaterally on Cx, dark mark prolaterally on Tr, Fm with markings that do not completely encircle leg, centers of markings unpigmented, Pt with dark annulation basally, two annulations on Mt and Ti basally and distally, Ta dark at tip. The full description of the male and female can be found in Crews (2013).

Distribution.

Known from the Hamersley subregion in the Pilbara, Western Australia (Fig. 62G, Map 9A, B).

Natural history.

The animals in captivity matured around the same time that the types were collected (August). The males reared matured in September and October. In August, it is cooler and drying. In September and October, it is dry and starting to get warmer (Suppl. material 2: tables S1, S18). More information about the Hamersley subregion can be found in the descriptions of other species found there.

Discussion.

In the original description there was a typo, and the male described is 5.77, not 6.77. The two males reared were sel_1179 and sel_1197, and they are 4.40 and 4.71, respectively. This species occurs in the Hamersley subregion of the Pilbara with Karaops martamarta and K. banyjima . Based on collecting records, it is clear that it overlaps with K. banyjima, and with more collecting it will probably overlap with K. martamarta, too. This species often gets misidentified. In Crews (2013), a record for a specimen from East of Meenatheena Outcamp, hundreds of kilometers away from where any K. nyangumarta had been found, was given for this species. The author doubted the identification and was sent images of this specimen. It is now known as an undescribed species that will be described in a future publication.