Sondra aurea (L. Koch, 1880 ) Żabka, 2002

Żabka, Marek, 2002, Salticidae (Arachnida: Araneae) from the Oriental, Australian and Pacific Regions, XV. New Species of Astieae from Australia, Records of the Australian Museum 54, pp. 257-268 : 263-264

Sondra aurea (L. Koch, 1880) , n.comb.

Fig. 8

Astia aurea L. Koch, 1880: 1167 . Astia aurea .– Simon, 1901: 436. Rainbow, 1911: 279. Roewer,

1954: 968. Bonnet, 1955: 768. Prószyński, 1971: 379. Arasia aurea .– Wanless, 1988: 118. Żabka, 1991b: 59. Platnick,

1993: 736.

Material examined. Australia: New South Wales: 23, SW branch of Kunderang Stn Creek , 30°48'32"S 152°06'44"E, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC ,

AMS KS40576; 3, Grey Gums Forest Rd, Bulga SF, 1.1 km from Doyles River Rd, 31°33'35"S 152°14'36"E, pitfall traps, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS42764; 33, Carrai SF, Copper Rd, 1 km from Carrai Rd, 30°57'44"S 152°23'E, pitfall traps, 9 Apr 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS42165; 83, 2♀, 2 jj, Bulga SF, Wild Cattle Ck, 400 m NE of Spur Track, 31°36'24"S 152°07'45"E, pitfall traps, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS42263; 3, Boorook SF, Conlongan Rd, 1 km NW of Boorook Ck junction, midway between Boorook Ck and Gilcurry Ck., 28°51'24"S 152°11'27"E, pitfall traps, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS38315; ♀, Ballengarra SF, Ballengarra Ck, crossing on Gregs Rd, 31°13'56"S 152°45'23"E, pitfall traps, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS42078; 3, Conglomerate SF, Old Growth Rd, 2.85 km from E end and 1.15 km from W end off Sherwood Rd, 30°06'49"S 153°03'51"E, pitfall traps, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS42793; 3, Bulga SF, 600 m N of Homewoods Rd, 2.8 km W of Knodingbul Rd, 31°37'03"S 152°07'44"E, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS42731; 3, Kunderang Trail, 1.85 km from homestead 50 m S of Wonga Gully, 30°48'56"S 152°07'44"E, pitfall traps, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS40239; 3, Beaury SF, N along Wallaby Ck Rd, 28°24'47"S 152°27'39"E, pitfall traps, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS37885; 3, Richmond Range SF, Goanna Ck Rd, 28°36'12"S 152°41'09"E, pitfall traps, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS37785; 3, ♀, Spirabo SF, very end of Wattle Ck Rd, on ridge overlooking Wattle Ck Gorge to the NE, 880 m, 29°18'35"S 152°11'33"E, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS38286; 3, Chichester SF,Allyn River Forest Rd, 32°09'06"S 151°28'53"E, pitfall traps, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS38904; 33, 240 m E of junction of Kundarang East and Kundarang West Rds, pitfall traps, 30°48'53"S 152°02'09"E, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS41403; ♀, Spirabo SF, Wattle Ck Rd, 1.6 km S of right angle bend to SE Trib. Ck flowing into middle Ck, 600 m above drop to gorge, 29°18'38"S 152°10'49"E, 18 Feb 1993, MG, GC, AMS KS38199; 3, Tuross River Rd, Bodalla SF, site 2, 36°11'16"S 149°56'16E, 10 Mar 1999, L. Wilkie, R. Harris, H. Smith, AMS KS58776; 3, Reservoir Link Rd, Bodalla SF, site 2, 36°7'15"S 150°2'49"E, 9 Mar 1999, L.Wilkie, R. Harris, H. Smith, AMS KS58778; 3, Coomerang Rd, Dampier SF, site 1, 36°6'46"S 149°59'13"E, 10 Mar 1999, L. Wilkie, R.Harris, H.Smith, AMS KS58777; 3, Murramarang NP, North Head Rd, site 1, 35°42'32"S 150°16'15"E, 17 Mar 1999, L. Wilkie, R. Harris, H. Smith, AMS KS58773; 3, Richmond Beach Rd, Murramarang NP, site 1, 35°40'55"S 150°16'55"E, 17 Mar 1999, L. Wilkie, R. Harris, H. Smith, AMS KS58772; 3, Kuring-gai Chase NP, near Terry Hills, dry sclerophyll, 33°37'S 151°17'E, 18 Aug 1992, D. Bickel, AMS KS56373; 3, Buckenbowra Rd, 2 km W of Mogo, 35°47'27"S 150°6'36"E, 8 Mar 1999, J. Tarnawski, S. Lassau, AMS KS56367; ♀, Beecroft, 33°45'S 151°4'E, 20 Sep 1993, J. Noble, AMS KS58541; 3, Booti Booti NP, 32°16'15"S 152°31'42"E, 29 Mar 1997, L. Wilkie, AMS KS58923; 4♀, Paynes Crossing “Wirraminna” via Wollombi, handsorting, 32°55'S 151°E, litter from forest beside Werong Ck near homestead, 27 May 1990, G.S. Hunt, C. Horseman, AMS KS23068; 3, Bungonia Caves area near Information Centre, 34°48'2"S 150°0'57"E, 7 Jun 1990, G.S. Hunt, C. Horseman, AMS KS23052; ♀, Wattagan Mts, Mt Kyall beside Bakers Rd, 32°52'S 151°25'E, handsorting, dense forest, 7 May 1990, G.S. Hunt, C. Horseman, AMS KS23673; 23, 33°45'S 150°37'E, 33°45'S 150°37'E, B. Blaxland, 11 Apr 1997, AMS KS56392, KS56392; 3, Beecroft, 33°45'S 151°4'E, 31 May 1995, J. Noble, AMS KS56516; 3, Beecroft, 33°45'S 151°4'E, 5 Apr 1995, J. Noble, AMS KS56521; ♀, Hazelbrook, Winbourne Rd, site M6, 33°43'20"S 150°27'35"E, 3 Oct 1996, AMS KS51995; ♀, Mt Myall Wattagan Mts, dense forest beside Bakers Rd, 32°58'S 151°25'E, 7 May 1990, G.S. Hunt, C. Horseman, AMS KS23471; ♀, Tea Tree Hollow, Wirrimbirra Sanctuary nr Bargo, 34°16'S 150°34'E, under dense clumps of reeds (swampy), 17 Aug 1969, G.S. Hunt, AMS KS50154; ♀, Beecroft, 32°33'45"S 151°04'E, 3 Jul 1992, J. Noble, AMS KS46032; 3, Wild Cattle Ck SF, 30°17'S 152°41'E, wet sclerophyll, 30 May 1993, V.W.H. Lorimer, AMS KS45818; 3, Jamieson Pk, Narrabeen, 33°43'S 151°18'E, site 5, Casuarina glauca , open forest, pitfall traps, 19 Mar 1996, MG, H. Smith, AMS KS49748; ♀, Narrabeen, Jamieson Pk, site 3, 33°43'S 151°18'E, open forest, Eucalyptus botryoides , Allocasuarina torulosa , pitfall traps, 13 Mar 1996, MG, H.M. Smith, AMS KS49622; 3, Wild Cattle Ck SF, 30°13'S 152°44'E, 30 May 1993, V.W.H. Lorimer, AMS KS45812; ♀, Beecroft, 33°45'S 151°4'E, 5 Oct 1997, J. Noble, AMS KS51663.

Diagnosis. Epigyne with large caudal lobe, spermathecae ampullate, accompanied by accessory glands. Tegulum without lamella as in some Sondra species.

Re-description

Male. Cephalothorax generally brown, fovea area and median part of thorax lighter, eye surrounding black. Hairs sparse, greyish and brown. Abdomen elongate, dark-grey with lighter pattern of lines of small spots. Hairs sparse, greyish and brown. Anterior and posterior spinnerets dark, median yellowish. Clypeus dark-brown with single light hairs and brown bristles. Chelicerae brown, promargin with 3, retromargin with 7 teeth ( Fig. 8C). Pedipalps dark-brown, cymbium distally yellowish. Maxillae brown with orange apices. Labium smudgy brown with yellowish apex. Sternum brown, venter dark-grey. Legs I dark-brown, proximal patellae and tarsi yellowish, ventral femora orange, patellae and tibiae with ventral fringes of dark grey-brown hairs, tibiae with 3 and metatarsi with 2 pairs of ventrolateral spines. Legs II and III lighter, generally brown with darker sides and lighter ventrally and dorsally. Legs IV with orange and brownish bands around patellae and tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi smudged orange, the rest brownish. Palpal organ ( Fig. 8A,B) with pear-shaped bulbus, embolus dagger-like, tibial apophyses massive and complicated in Sondra -like manner. Dimensions: CL 1.85, EFL 0.92, AEW 1.53, PEW 1.42, AW 1.49, AL 1.92.

Female ( Fig. 8D). Cephalothorax short, rather robust with distinctive thoracic slope. Eye field brown, eyes with black surrounds. Thorax with dark-orange median stripe, the rest brown, darker towards lower margin, with radial lines from fovea area towards margins. Carapace not particularly hairy, grey and brownish, longer anteriorly. Abdomen elongate, dark-grey with lighter pattern of lines of small spots. Hairs sparse, greyish and brown.Anterior and posterior spinnerets dark, median yellowish. Clypeus brown with sparse brownish and greyish hairs. Chelicerae smudged orange, distally lighter, promargin with 4, retromargin with 8 teeth ( Fig. 8E). Pedipalps smudged brown, dorsal femora and distal parts of podomeres lighter, hairs greyish. Maxillae smudged orange, labium smudged brown, both with lighter apices, the first elongate. Sternum smudged orange-brown. Venter dark-grey with longitudinal rows of light spots. Legs orange-brown, not particularly hairy. Legs I with 3 and 2 pairs of spines on tibiae and metatarsi, respectively. Legs II with similar spines. Epigyne ( Fig. 8F–H) with posterior lobe—typical for Sondra , insemination ducts short, spermathecae bean-shape accompanied with accessory glands. Dimensions: CL 2.07, EFL 1.07, AEW 1.64, PEW 1.53, CW 1.67, AL 3.03.

Distribution ( Fig. 7). The species is common in eastern Australia and is found in rainforest leaf litter.

Remarks. Wanless (1988) classified the species within Arasia . It has, however, typical characteristics of Sondra : cephalothorax is box-shaped rather than pear-shaped as in Arasia , the epigyne lacks long insemination ducts, the embolus is short and the tibial apophyses is massive and complicated like in some Sondra species. The species should be classified within the Sondra nepenthicola species group ( Wanless, 1988).