Genus Ariadna Audouin, 1826

Pylarus Hentz, 1842 (synonymised by Beatty 1970)

Macedonia Hogg, 1900 (synonymised by Rainbow 1920)

Segestriella Purcell, 1904 (synonymised by Beatty 1970)

Diagnosis. Ariadna differs from Gippsicola by the labium being narrowed distally (Figs 6b, 8b cf. fig. 1c Giroti & Brescovit 2017), by the labrum lacking dorsal median setae and being longer than the labium (Fig. 13b cf. 5b Giroti & Brescovit 2017); by the presence of a basal transverse ridge on the chelicerae (Figs 8d, 13d, cf. fig. 5a Giroti & Brescvoit 2017); by the posterior eyes being slightly recurved or straight (Figs 1d, 3d, 6d cf. fig 1a Giroti & Brescvoit 2017), by the presence of tubular invaginations on the posterior receptaculum (fig. 11d Giroti & Brescovit 2018 cf. fig. 7d Giroti & Brescvoit 2017) and by the tarsus of the female palp having five or more macrosetae (Fig. 39d).

Key to the Ariadna of Tasmania

Males

(Males unknown for Ariadna alta sp. nov.)

1 Abdomen with clear, well defined dark transverse markings on a pale cream background (Figs 1a, 8a, 19a, 21a, 26a, 33a, 37a) ................................................................................................... 2

- Abdomen dark, with indistinct pale transverse lines, posteriorly (Figs 12a, 15a, 23a)................................ 8

- Abdomen with no transverse markings, but with a mottled light grey and dark grey colouration; species with a rounded oblong pedipalp bulb (Figs 31a, 32a)..................................................... Ariadna subnubilum sp. now.

2 Metatarsus of leg I with a row of three shortened, blunt prolateral macrosetae apically (Fig. 1f, g)................................................................................................... Ariadna abbreviata sp. nov.

- Macrosetae on metatarsus I of equivalent length to other macrosetae............................................ 3

3 Embolus arising medially from the pedipalp bulb and hooked at around the midpoint to ¾ of the embolus length (Figs 22a, 27a)............................................................................................... 4

- Embolus arising from the edge of the pedipalp bulb and hooked apically (Figs 2a, 9a, 20a)........................... 5

4 Embolus short, thickened and hooked at around its midpoint (Fig. 27a)................. Ariadna segmentata Simon, 1893

- Embolus elongate and hooked at around ¾ its length (Fig. 23a)............................... Ariadna gonzo sp. nov.

5 Pedipalp bulb squared, or rounded oblong in lateral view (Figs 9a, 34a).......................................... 6

- Pedipalp bulb pyramidal in lateral view (Figs 2a, 20a)........................................................ 7

6 Pedipalp bulb rounded square and on lateral view is distinctly bulbous dorsally. Embolus long, slender and smoothly curved along its length, to a rounded apical hook (Fig. 9a)....................................... Ariadna amabilia sp. nov.

- Pedipalp bulb rounded oblong. Embolus elongate, curved, with a short sinuous section just posterior to a distinct apical hook (Fig. 35a)..................................................................... Ariadna thylacinus sp. nov.

7 Macrosetae of tibia and metatarsus I paired (Fig. 19f, g, h).................................. Ariadna fragilis sp. nov.

- Macrosetae of tibia and metatarsus I non-sequential (Fig. 37f, g, h)........................... Ariadna tigrina sp. nov.

8 Retrolateral preening comb on leg IV with 7 or 8 macrosetae (Figs 15e, 23e)...................................... 9

- Retrolateral preening comb on leg IV with 5 macrosetae (Fig. 13e)......................... Ariadna crypticola sp. nov.

9 Embolus strongly curved, with well-defined apical hook (Fig. 16a, b)...................... Ariadna ferrogrisea sp. nov.

- Embolus weakly curved, with only slight apical hook (Fig. 25a, b).................... Ariadna muscosa Hickman, 1929

Females

(Females unknown for A. crypticola sp. nov., A. fragilis sp. nov., A. gonzo sp. nov., A. subnubilum sp. nov.; species delineation of females, in most cases, requires examination of internal genitalia, this was not possible for A. major, A. muscosa or A. thylacinus sp. nov., so these species have not been included in this key).

1. With a distinct row of dual prolateral macrosetae on tibia I and 12 pairs of macrosetae on tarsi I (Fig. 6f, g)..................................................................................................... A. alta sp. nov.

- not with the above combination, with row of prolateral macrosetae on tibia I not distinctly dual and with fewer than 12 paired macrosetae on tarsi I (Figs 3g, 10g, 17g, 28g, 36g, 39g)...................................................... 2

2. In lateral view, anterior receptaculum with 3 or 4 apical finger-like projections (Fig. 11b)............ A. amabilia sp. nov.

- Anterior receptaculum not as above, with lateral projections (e.g. Fig. 4b), or with apical projections that are other than 3 or 4 and finger-like (e.g. Figs 29a, 40a)........................................................................ 3

3. In ventral view, anterior receptaculum elongate, with distinct hook at apex (Fig. 29a)...... Ariadna segmentata Simon, 1893

- Anterior receptaculum without distinct hook at apex (e.g. Figs 11a, 7a).......................................... 4

4. In ventral view anterior receptaculum strongly sinuous (Fig. 40a)................................. A. tigrina sp. nov.

- Anterior receptaculum may be curved, or hooked in ventral view, but not strongly sinuous (e.g. Figs 11a, 18a, 29a)....... 5

5. Abdomen with distinct transverse markings (Fig. 3a)................................... Ariadna abbreviata sp. nov.

- Abdomen dark, with indistinct pale transverse lines, posteriorly (Fig. 17a).................. Ariadna ferrogrisea sp. nov.