Ariadna crypticola sp. nov.

Figs 13a–h, 14a–c, 12

http://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/86b58502-feff-4622-b0a0-d41e511cabe6

Type material. Holotype ♂. AUSTRALIA: Tasmania: Bruny Island, Mt Mangana Nature Trail, 43.37°S, 147.28°E, 18 June 1974, coll. R. Mawbey & D. Coleman, in moss (AM KS.111585).

Other material examined. Known only from the type specimen.

Etymology. The specific epithet is taken form the Latin adjective, meaning ‘cryptic’ and refers to superficial morphological similarities of this species to other species of Tasmanian Segestriidae .

Diagnosis. Males of A. crypticola sp. nov. are most similar to A. ferrogrisea sp. nov., A. muscosa and A. subnubilum sp. nov. . It can be distinguished from A. ferrogrisea sp. nov. by its longer and more curved embolus and elongated bulb (Fig. 14a, b cf. Fig. 16a, b) and by the pattern of, and greater number of macrosetae on tibia and metatarsus of leg I of A. ferrogrisea sp. nov. (Fig. 13f–h cf. Fig. 15f–h). The species can be differentiated from A. muscosa by the more pronounced prolateral projection on the cymbium, by the pedipalp tibia, which is broader and shorter in A. crypticola sp. nov. than A. muscosa and by the embolus, which has a more defined apical hook in A. crypticola sp. nov. (Fig. 14a–c cf. Fig. 25a–c). It can be separated from A. subnubilum sp. nov. by the squarer pedipalp cymbium, with a less well defined prolateral extension of A. subnubilum sp. nov. (Fig. 14c cf. Fig. 32c), by the lack of a transverse abdominal pattern in A. subnubilum sp. nov. (Fig. 13a cf. Fig. 31a). The species can also be distinguished by the number of macrosetae in the preening comb of leg IV, being composed of five macrosetae in A. crypticola sp. nov., eight in A. ferrogrisea sp. nov., seven in A. muscosa and seven in A. subnubilum sp. nov. (Fig. 13e cf. Figs 15e, 24e, 31e).

Description. ♂ (based on holotype; AM KS.111585). Total length 4.3.

Colour in ethanol: Carapace red brown, with irregular faint pallid patches laterally and anteriorly, with sparse brown setae; edges dark brown. Sternum orange-brown, with regular darker inter coxae patches; with scattered sparse, long dark setae. Labium, maxillae and chelicerae darker red brown. Abdomen dorsally dark grey, with faint, narrow white striations posteriorly; ventrally dark grey medially, paler laterally. Legs golden brown, with sparse dark setae (Fig. 13a–h).

Cephalothorax: 2.16 long, 1.5 wide, 1.1 high. Carapace oval, with a broad neck anteriorly, edges gently undulating, fovea a shallow indentation (Fig. 13a), from lateral view carapace gently domed, highest just posterior to eye group (Fig. 13c). Labium narrowed anteriorly, about ¾ length of maxillae; chelicerae with basal transverse ridge, retromargin with single tooth, promargin with three teeth; sternum rounded oval, convex, with precoxal triangles and with smaller, broadly triangular intercoxal extensions (Fig. 13b). Posterior eye row recurved, eyes large, eye group occupying 0.6 of carapace width (Fig. 13d).

Abdomen: 2.1 long; covering of short and long setae, longer posteriorly (Fig. 13a).

Legs: Leg length ratio: I>II>IV>III. Leg I femur 1.4, patella 0.6, tibia 1.3, metatarsus 0.9, tarsus 0.5; Leg II femur 1.5, patella 0.4, tibia 0.9, metatarsus 1.2, tarsus 0.6; Leg III femur 1.2, patella 0.6, tibia 0.9, metatarsus 0.6, tarsus 0.4; Leg IV femur 1.4, patella 0.5, tibia 0.8, metatarsus 1.0, tarsus 0.5. Femur I bowed in dorsal view. Leg I femur d1-1-1-1, dp1ap; tibia p1-1-1, pv1-1-1-1-1ap, rv1-1-1-1-1ap, r1-1-1; metatarsus pv1-1-1ap, rv1-1-1ap. Leg II femur d1-1-1, dp1/0ap; tibia p1-1-2, pv1-1ap, rv1-1-1-1ap, r1-1-1; metatarsus p1-1, pv1-1-1-1ap(broken), rv1-1-1- 1ap, r1. Leg IV femur d1-1-1; tibia rv1-1; metatarsus 1-1-1ap. Retrolateral distal preening comb with 5 macrosetae (Fig. 13e). STC I, II with 6 teeth, ITC with small tooth. Tarsi with sparse distal ventral scopulose setae.

Pedipalp: Tibia short, just greater than length of the cymbium; cymbium rounded square shape, with strongly triangular anterior prolateral extension, scopulose setae anteriorly. Bulb elongate globular in lateral view, embolus long, thin and strongly hooked apically (Fig. 14a–c).

Variation. Known only from the type specimen.

Distribution. Known only from one specimen from Bruny Island, a small island located off the south-eastern coast of Tasmania (Fig. 12).