Tasmanicosa hughjackmani, Framenau, Volker W. & Baehr, Barbara C., 2016

Framenau, Volker W. & Baehr, Barbara C., 2016, Revision of the Australian Union-Jack wolf spiders, genus Tasmanicosa (Araneae, Lycosidae, Lycosinae), Zootaxa 4213 (1), pp. 1-82 : 27-29

Tasmanicosa hughjackmani sp. nov.

Wolverine wolf spider

( Figs 1B–D , 3N , 4E , 13 , 14A–K )

Type data. Holotype. Male, Epsom, Londonderry Way [37°42'37”S, 144°18'11”E, Victoria, AUSTRALIA], 25 December 2009, V.W. Framenau ( WAM T 141161).

Paratypes. 2 males, data as holotype (WAM T 100132), 1 female, data as holotype (WAM T 141162).

Other material examined. 44 males, 22 females and 10 juveniles in 49 records (Appendix B).

Etymology. The specific epithet for this wolf spider species honours the Australian actor Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine in the X-Men film series, for his extraordinary artistic skills and more so for his numerous philanthropic activities. Wolf spiders are, of course, much more remarkable than Wolverines; for example, they are best caught by the fearless at night by spotlighting their sparkling green eyes, can orientate using polarised light even in the absence of direct sunshine or moonlight (e.g. Papi & Tongiorgi 1963; Dacke et al. 2001), can fly ( Richter 1970), use multimodal (visual, chemical, percussive) communication (e.g. Hebets 2004), their mothers carry their eggs and subsequently often hundreds of young on their back (e.g. Humphreys 1976b), and they can starve without food for more than a year ( Anderson 1974).

Diagnosis. The males of T. hughjackmani differ from all other species in the genus by the strongly S-shaped ridge of the tegular apophysis that forms a deep notch in the tegular apophysis ( Fig. 3N ). Female genitalia ( Fig. 4C ) most closely resemble those of T. godeffroyi ( Fig. 4E ), but the medium septum is apically much wider (i.e. wider than the posterior transverse part) than in that species, in which the anterior part of the medium septum is as wide as the posterior transverse part.

Description. Male (based on holotype, WAM T 141161).

Total length 13.6.

Prosoma. Length 8.2, width 6.3; carapace reddish-brown with genus-specific Union-Jack pattern and distinct irregular lateral and smooth median light bands ( Fig. 14A ); sternum dark brown and covered with black setae ( Fig. 14C ).

Eyes. Diameter of AME 0.35, ALE 0.26, PME 0 63, PLE 0.84.

Chelicerae. Dark brown, with an elongated patch of yellowish-golden setae frontally.

Labium. Brown, with light brown anterior rim ( Fig. 14C ).

Endites. Brown, apically yellow-brown ( Fig. 14C ).

Legs. Femora yellowish-brown, patellae, tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi brown; venter of coxae dark brown, venter of patellae and tibiae apico-ventrally dark brown; legs overall covered with silvery setae. Opisthosoma. Length 8.2, width 5.1; dorsally with folium pattern bordered with light lines and patches ( Fig. 14A ); venter black ( Fig. 14C ).

Pedipalps. Cymbium with dense layer of silvery setae; tip with three macrosetae ( Figs 14E–F ); terminal apophysis with strongly S-shaped ridge and therefore deeply notched ( Figs 14I –J ); embolus sickle-shaped and gently narrowing towards tip; terminal apophysis broad and flat with rounded and slightly notched tip ( Fig. 14K ).

Female (based on WAM T41162).

Total length 20.4.

Prosoma. Length 10.7, width 7.7; carapace and sternum colouration as male ( Figs 14B, D ).

Eyes. Diameter of AME 0.39, ALE 0.28, PME 0.82, PLE 0.64.

Chelicerae, labium, endites, legs and opisthosoma. Opisthosoma length 10.9, width 7.9; otherwise as male, but labium and endites dark brown ( Figs 14B, D ).

Epigyne. Slightly wider than long; medium septum inverted T-shaped, but anteriorly wider than posterior transverse part ( Fig. 14G ); spermathecal heads longer than wide and only little wider than spermathecal stalks; spermathecal stalks coiled, originating medially at epigyne ( Fig. 14H ).

Life history and habitat preferences. Habitat descriptions with records of T. hughjackmani include open forest of Pink Gum ( Eucalyptus fasciculosa ), Box-Ironbark forest or sclerophyll bushland. Here, the spiders construct a shallow burrow in leaf litter ( Fig. 1C ). The phenology of T. hughjackmani appears similar to that of T. godeffroyi and T. fulgor . Males have been found between October and February, with most records from December. Female activity is between September and February, with a single record in May.

Distribution. Tasmanicosa hughjackmani is found in south-eastern South Australia and Victoria ( Fig. 13 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1 A – H. Life images of Tasmanicosa. A, T. godeffroyi (L. Koch, 1865) comb. nov., male from Canberra (Australian Capital Territory); B – D, T. hughjackmani sp. nov. from Epsom (Victoria); B, female; C, female in burrow, D, male; E – F, T. leuckartii (Thorell, 1870) comb. nov. from Perth (Western Australia); E, female; F, penultimate female; G, T. musgravei (McKay, 1974) comb. nov., female in burrow from Mt Kosciuszko (New South Wales); H, T. semicincta (L. Koch, 1877) comb. nov., female from Brisbane (Queensland).

FIGURE 3 A – T. Illustrations for the key to the Tasmanicosa species of Australia. Roman letters refer to the key choices in the text.

FIGURE 4 A – K. Illustrations for the key to the Tasmanicosa species of Australia. Roman letters refer to the key choices in the text.

FIGURE 13. Distribution records of Tasmanicosa harmsi sp. nov. (full circles) and T. hughjackmani sp. nov. (white squares) in Australia.

FIGURE 14 A – K. Tasmanicosa hughjackmani sp. nov., male (WAM T 141161) and female (WAM T 1041162); A, C, male, dorsal (A) and ventral (C) view; B, D, female, dorsal (B) and ventral (D) view; E, F, right male pedipalp, retrolateral (E) and ventral (F) view; G, H, female epigyne, ventral (G) and dorsal (H) view; I, J, tegular apophysis of right pedipalp in (I) ventral and (J) apical view; K, palea of right pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: A – D, 2 mm; E, F, 1 mm; G, H, 0.5 mm; I – K, 0.2 mm.