Meedo gympie, PLATNICK, 2002

PLATNICK, NORMAN I., 2002, A Revision Of The Australasian Ground Spiders Of The Families Ammoxenidae, Cithaeronidae, Gallieniellidae, And Trochanteriidae (Araneae: Gnaphosoidea), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2002 (271), pp. 1-1 : 1-

Meedo gympie , new species Figures 89–92 ; Map 6

NOTE: Scanning electron micrographs of the spinnerets of this species were provided by Platnick (1990, figs. 167–169).

TYPES: Male holotype and female allotype taken in pitfall traps in rainforest at an elevation of 183 m in Marys Creek State Forest, via Gympie , 26 ° 15 ̍ S, 152 ° 35 ̍ E, Queensland (Aug. 11–Nov. 10, 1974; G., S. Monteith), deposited in QMB .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS: This species resembles M. munmorah ; males have a much narrower embolar base (fig. 89), and females have a distinctive epigynum, with a wide, oval atrium (fig. 91) and transversely oriented anterior portions of the spermathecae (fig. 92).

MALE: Total length 5.4. Coloration, mouthparts, and tarsi as in N. munmorah . Retrolateral tibial apophysis absent (fig. 90), unsclerotized portion of tibia occupying more than half of ventral surface; embolar base relatively narrow (fig. 89).

FEMALE: Total length 8.1. Carapace dark brown with black reticulations, abdominal dorsum dark gray, femora, patellae, and tibiae dark brown, metatarsi and tarsi brown. Mouthparts as in N. munmorah . All tarsi entire. Epigynum with wide, oval atrium bearing transverse ridge, broken portions of embolus often protruding from posterolateral corners (fig. 91); spermathecae anteriorly wide, approximate (fig. 92).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: New South Wales: Cherry Tree State Forest, via Mallanganee , 28 ° 53 ̍ S, 152 ° 45 ̍ E, May 27–Oct. 2, 1978 (G., S. Monteith, QMB), 13 ; Cherry Tree North State Forest , 28 ° 58 ̍ S, 152 ° 15 ̍ E, Dec. 17, 1988, pitfall, dry rainforest, exposed slope. elev. over 300 m (Smith, Hines, Pugh, Webber, AMS KS55284 ), 1♀ ; New Brighton Beach, via Brunswick Heads , 28 ° 29 ̍ S, 153 ° 33 ̍ E, Aug. 3–Nov. 16, 1975, rainforest pitfall, elev. 10 m (G., S. Monteith, QMB), 2♀ ; Rocky Waterholes Road, Beaury State Forest , 28 ° 32 ̍ S, 152 ° 20 ̍ E, Feb. 4–Apr. 9, 1993, pitfall, elev. 705 m (M. Gray, G. Cassis, AMS KS37833 ), 13 ; Stotts Island, 28 ° 14 ̍ S, 153 ° 31 ̍ E, Nov. 19, 1978 (R. Raven, QMB), 1♀. Queensland: Archookoora, via Nanango , 26 ° 43 ̍ S, 151 ° 46 ̍ E, Oct. 26, 1975 – Jan. 25, 1976, rainforest pitfall, elev. 580 m (G., S. Monteith, QMB), 1♀ ; Bellbowrie, Brisbane , 27 ° 33 ̍ S, 152 ° 53 ̍ E, July 1988 (J. Gallon, QMB S28267 ), 1♀ ; Burleigh Headland, Gold Coast, 28 ° 10 ̍ S, 153 ° 33 ̍ E, May 25–Oct. 13, 1975, rainforest pitfall, elev. 10 m (G., S. Monteith, QMB), 1♀ ; Calamvale, Brisbane , 27 ° 28 ̍ S, 153 ° 03 ̍ E, June 3, 1988 (E. Dahms, QMB S7002 ), 13 ; Carina Heights, Brisbane , 27 ° 28 ̍ S, 153 ° 01 ̍ E, Feb 1983 (F. Bedford, QMB), 1♀ ; Cooloola , 26 ° 12 ̍ S, 153 ° 03 ̍ E, Oct. 1978, pitfall, high dune (K. Plowman, QMB), 1♀ ; Elginvale , 30 km NE Nanango, 27 ° 58 ̍ S, 152 ° 22 ̍ E, Mar. 26–Oct. 28, 1977, rainforest pitfall, elev. 610 m (G., S. Monteith, QMB), 13 ; Finch Hatton Gorge, Eungella National Park , 21 ° 05 ̍ S, 148 ° 39 ̍ E, July 28–Dec. 3, 1992, pitfall (R. Raven, P., E. Lawless, M. Shaw, QMB S24791 ), 1♀, Dec. 3, 1992 – Apr. 23, 1993, pitfall (R., J., S. Raven, P., E. Lawless, QMB S24615 ), 1♀ ; Freshwater Road, Cooloola , 25 ° 58 ̍ S, 153 ° 10 ̍ E, Nov. 10–Dec. 26, 1974, rainforest pitfall, elev. 183 m (G., S. Monteith, QMB), 1♀ ; Gold Creek Reservoir, Brookfield , 27 ° 30 ̍ S, 152 ° 55 ̍ E, Nov. 9, 1975 – Feb. 27, 1976, rainforest pitfall, elev. 110 m (G., S. Monteith, QMB), 1♀, Oct. 1– 15, 1980, pitfall, closed forest (V. Davies, R. Raven, QMB), 1♀ ; Hugh Nelson Range , 17 ° 27 ̍ S, 145 ° 29 ̍ E, Jan. 3–Feb. 4, 1995, pitfall, elev. 1150 m (P. Zborowski, QMB), 1♀ ; Marys Creek State Forest, via Gympie , 26 ° 15 ̍ S, 152 ° 35 ̍ E, Mar. 28–June 16, 1975, rainforest pitfall, elev. 183 m (G., S. Monteith, QMB), 13 ; Mount Coolum , 26 ° 34 ̍ S, 153 ° 05 ̍ E, Jan. 1984, pitfall (B. Jahnke, QMB), 1♀ ; Mount Cotton, Scott’s Dam , 27 ° 36 ̍ S, 153 ° 13 ̍ E, Dec. 12, 1997 – May 7, 1998, rainforest pitfall, elev. 120 m (G. Monteith, QMB S42480 ), 13 ; Rockhampton, 23 ° 22 ̍ S, 150 ° 32 ̍ E, 1991, pitfall (D. Wallace, R. Raven, QMB S36054 ), 1♀ ; Wongabel State Forest , 17 ° 20 ̍ S, 145 ° 30 ̍ E, July 23– Nov. 26, 1992, pitfall (R. Raven, P., E. Lawless, M. Shaw, QMB S22620 ), 1♀ ; 3 km E Yarraman , 26 ° 50 ̍ S, 151 ° 59 ̍ E, Aug. 17–Nov. 10, 1974, rainforest pitfall, elev. 518 m (G., S. Monteith, QMB), 2♀ .

DISTRIBUTION: Northeastern Queensland south to northeastern New South Wales (map 6).

Figures

Map 6. Records of Meedo booti, new species (squares) and M. gympie, new species (circles).

Figs. 89–92. Meedo gympie, new species. 89. Left male palp, ventral view. 90. Same, retrolateral view. 91. Epigynum, ventral view. 92. Same, dorsal view.