Habronestes minor, Baehr, 2003

Baehr, Barbara, 2003, Revision of the Australian Spider Genus Habronestes (Araneae: Zodariidae). Species of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Records of the Australian Museum 55 (3), pp. 343-376 : 368-369

Habronestes minor n.sp.

Figs. 62 , 84, 85 , 103 , 127, 128 , 141

Type material. HOLOTYPE 3: NSW, Booti Booti NP, 32°16'15"S 152°31'42"E, 9.x.1997, L. Wilkie, AM KS55916 . PARATYPES: NSW: 13 Booti Booti NP, 32°16'15"S 152°31'42"E, 13.xii.1996, L. Wilkie, AM KS56175 ; 233 as previous, AM KS56098 and AM KS56099 ; 1♀ as previous, 13.xii.1996, AM KS56100 ; 333 as previous in AM: KS56101 , KS56102 , KS56103 ; 13 as previous, 9.x.1997, AM KS56097 ; 13 Booti Booti NP, 32°16'47"S 152°31'28"E, 13.xi.1996, L.Wilkie, AM KS56092 ; 4 in AM as previous: 1♀ KS56093, 13 KS56095, 2♀ coll. 13.xii.1996, KS56094 and KS56096; 233 in AM , 700 m E of Wallaces Gap , Bendoura SF, 35°34'37"S 149°41'16"E, 16.iii.1999, J. Tarnawski & S. Lassau, KS55875 and KS55873; 13 North Head Rd, Murramarang NP, 35°42'25"S 150°16'30"E, 17.iii.1999, L. Wilkie, R . Harris & H. Smith, AM KS55874 .

Diagnosis. Eyes in 2 rows, both rows procurved, AME smallest, other eyes subequal. One of the 3 smallest species, with 2 pairs of white patches on anterior part of abdomen and 1 or 2 patches in front of spinnerets, differs from H. piccolo and H. wilkiei by shape of tibial apophysis, cymbium extremely bent, RCF nearly reaches tip.

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 3.28; carapace 1.68 long, 1.28 wide; 0.64 high; cl/cw 1.31; sternum 0.80 long, 0.76 wide; sl/sw 1.05. Abdomen 2.08 long, 1.52 wide. Colour. Carapace, sternum sepia brown, iridescent; chelicerae medium brown; maxillae and labium pale brown, distally white. Abdomen sepia brown with 2 pairs of white patches on anterior part and 1 or 2 patches in front of spinnerets; laterally with 2 stripes equal in length; ventrally pink brown. Legs pale brown; clearly annulated; legs I–IV white coxa, medium brown trochanter, proximal margin of femora sepia brown, proximal ½ white and distal ½ sepia brown, darker brown lateral stripes on patella and tibia. Eyes. In 2 rows each with 4 eyes, both rows procurved. AME smallest, other eyes equal. Eye group width 0.57 of headwidth; AME 0.07; ALE 0.08; PME 0.08; PLE 0.08; AME–AME 0.02; AME–ALE 0.02; ALE–PLE 0.02; PME– PME 0.04; PME–PLE 0.06. MOQ:AME–PME 0.24; AME– AME 0.16; PME–PME 0.20. Clypeus & chilum. Clypeus 0.28 high; chilum undivided, short. Legs. Length formula 4123; femora I, II with 1 row, III, IV with 2 rows of long thin setae ventrally. Male palp ( Figs. 84, 85 , 103 ). RCF deep, reaching tip of cymbium. LTA with a thick short vertical stalk and irregular horizontal plate, birdhead shape retrolaterally; DTA, with long, thin stalk; VTA long, with sharp tip. Tibiae short, a small hook between; DTiA with sharp tip, as long as tibia; VTiA ( Fig. 85 ).

Female (paratype AM KS56094). Total length 3.76; carapace 1.68 long, 1.04 wide; 0.76 high; cl/cw 1.61; sternum 0.72 long, 0.68 wide; sl/sw 1.05.Abdomen 1.60 long, 1.08 wide. Colour. Same as male. Eyes. Eye group width 0.57 of headwidth; AME 0.08;ALE 0.10; PME 0.10; PLE 0.10;AME–AME 0.02; AME–ALE 0.02; ALE–PLE 0.02; PME–PME 0. 04; PME– PLE 0.06. MOQ: AME–PME 0.22; AME–AME 0.18; PME–PME 0.24. Clypeus 0.36 high. Epigyne ( Figs. 125, 126 ). With triangular scape. Vulva with long, spiralled copulatory ducts ending in large spermathecae.

Distribution. Coastal New South Wales ( Fig. 141 ).

Etymology. Species name refers to the small size of the species (Latin, minor = small).

Figures

Figs. 59–63. Habronestes pictus species-group body, dorsal view: (59) Habronestes helenae n.sp.; (60) Habronestes grayi n.sp.; (61) Habronestes longiconductor n.sp.; (62) Habronestes minor n.sp.; (63) Habronestes wilkiei n.sp. Scales 1 mm.

Figs. 80–85. Habronestes pictus species-group male palps, ventral view (above), lateral view (below): (80, 81) Habronestes piccolo n.sp.; (82, 83) Habronestes wilkiei n.sp.; (84, 85) Habronestes minor n.sp. Scales 0.5 mm.

Figs. 98–110. Habronestes pictus species-group male palps, LTA ventral view: (98) Habronestes bradleyi (Pickard-Cambridge); (99) Habronestes grayi n.sp.; (100) Habronestes piccolo n.sp.; (101) Habronestes jocquei n.sp.; (102) Habronestes grahami n.sp.; (103) Habronestes minor n.sp.; (104) Habronestes helenae n.sp.; (105) Habronestes wilkiei n.sp.; (106) Habronestes giganteus n.sp.; (107) Habronestes longiconductor n.sp.; (108) Habronestes pictus (Koch); (109) Habronestes raveni n.sp.; (110) Habronestes hunti n.sp. Scales 0.25 mm.

Figs. 127–132. Habronestes pictus species-group epigynes, ventral view (above), vulvae, dorsal view (below): (127, 128) Habronestes helenae n.sp.; (129, 130) Habronestes grahami n.sp.; (131, 132) Habronestes grayi n.sp. Scales 0.25 mm.

Figs. 138–143. New South Wales, showing collection localities: (138) species of Habronestes australiensis species-group; (139) species of Habronestes macedonensis species-group; (140–143) species of Habronestes pictus species-group.

Figs. 121–126. Habronestes pictus species-group epigynes, ventral view (above), vulvae, dorsal view (below): (121, 122) Habronestes piccolo n.sp.; (123, 124) Habronestes wilkiei n.sp.; (125, 126) Habronestes minor n.sp. Scales 0.25 mm.