Portacosa cinerea, Framenau, Volker W., 2017

Framenau, Volker W., 2017, Portacosa, a new genus for the south-east Australian Grey Wolf Spider (Araneae, Lycosidae, Lycosinae), Evolutionary Systematics 1 (1), pp. 77-86 : 78-80

Portacosa cinerea sp. n. Grey Wolf Spider Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Lycosa simsoni Simon.- Hickman 1967: 80, figs 142, 143 (misidentification; see Framenau and Baehr 2007).

Material examined.

Holotype male, Mildura, near Apex Park (34°10 ’53” S, 142°09 ’26” E, Victoria, AUSTRALIA), Framenau, V.W., Thomas, M.L., Ramamurthy, S., Eucalyptus camaldulensis riparian woodland, 11 January 2006 (WAM T68032). Paratype female, Mildura (34°11'S, 142°09'E, Victoria, AUSTRALIA), D. Mead-Hunter, 31 October 1984 (WAM T53550).

Other material examined

(131 males, 120 females - 8 with eggsacs, 3 with spiderlings - and 11 juveniles in a total of 214 records). AUSTRALIA: Australian Capital Territory: 1 female, Ainslie, 35°16'S, 149°9'E (ANIC); 1 female, Black Mountain, 35°16'S, 149°06'E (ANIC); 1 female, Campbell, 35°18'S, 149°9'E (ANIC); 1 female, Red Hill, cr Hindmarsh Ave and Mugga Lane, 35°20 ’47” S, 149°08 ’03” E (WAM T67906); 1 female, Yarralumla, 35°19'S, 149°07'E (ANIC); New South Wales: 1 female, no data, no exact locality (AM KS86314); 2 females, Armidale, 30°31'S, 151°40'E (AM KS86364, KS86359); 2 females, Artarmon, 33°47'S, 151°11'E (AM KS86313, KS86324); 2 females, Ashfield, 33°53'S, 151°07'E (AM KS86278, KS86287); 1 female, 1 juv., Avalon, 33°38'S, 151°20'E (AM KS86325); 1 female, Belrose, 33°44'S, 151°13'E (AM KS86360); 1 female, Blacktown, 33°46'S, 150°55'E (AM KS86361); 1 female, Bombala, 36°55'S, 149°15'E (AM KS86279); 1 female, Broken Hill, 31°57'S, 141°27'E (SAM NN14784); 1 male, same locality (WAM T62654); 1 female, Burwood, 33°53'S, 151°06'E (AM KS86277); 1 female, Callala Bay, 35°00'S, 150°43'E (AM KS53800); 1 male, Carlingford, 33°47'S, 151°03'E (AM KS4340); 1 female, Carlingford, 33°46'S, 151°04'E (AM KS86282); 1 female, Carlton, 33°58'S, 151°07'E (AM KS86281); 1 female, Chatswood, 33°48'S, 151°11'E (AM KS16519); 1 female, Coomba Station, West End, 28°30'S, 150°28'E (NMV K8142); 1 male, Dunedoo, 32°00'S, 149°23'E (AM KS82586); 1 female, Earlwood, 33°55'S, 151°08'E (AM KS86319); 1 female, East Hills, 33°57'S, 150°59'E (AM KS86280); 1 male, East Roseville, 33°47'S, 151°12'E (AM KS86363); 1 male, Eastwood, 33°47'S, 151°05'E (AM KS21619); 1 male, Euglo State Forest, 33°29'S, 147°15'E (AM KS91371); 1 female, Euston Station, Lower Murray-Darling region, 34°31 ’49” S, 142°47 ’9” E (AM KS67024); 2 males, Garston Station, Lower Murray Darling Region, 33°47 ’37” S, 142°00 ’14” E (AM, KS72695, KS91608); 1 male, 2.5 km NW Gin Gin, on road to Riverview Station, 31°54 ’13” S, 148°03 ’41” E (AM KS76336); 1 male, Glenie Station, approx. 70 km W of Tottenham, 32°19 ’45” S, 146°37 ’02” E (AM KS76335); 1 male, Glenie Station, approx. 69 km W of Tottenham, 32°17 ’35” S, 146°37 ’19” E (AM KS70817); 1 female, Greenacre, 33°55'S, 151°03'E (AM KS86285); 1 male, Greenwich, 33°49'S, 151°11'E (AM KS82600); 3 males, Gubatta, 33°35 ’03” S, 146°36 ’43” E (QM S35935, S53765, S53869); 1 female, Gunnedah, 30°59'S, 150°15'E (AM KS86358); 1 male, Hazelbrook, 33°44'S, 150°27'E (AM KS17210); 1 male, Hebersham, 33°44'S, 150°49'E (AM NN16404); 1 male, 7 km W Coonalpyn, 35°42 ’00” S, 139°46 ’48” E (SAM NN16316); 2 males, 8 km SW Coonalpyn, 35°44 ’42” S, 139°46 ’44” E (SAM NN16317-8); 1 male, Cooper Creek, 28°23'S, 137°41'E (SAM NN435); 1 male, Dog Lake Road, SE Langhorne Creek, 35°17'S, 139°02'E (SAM NN14772); 2 males, 1 female, same locality (SAM NN14773-5); 1 male, Goolwa, 35°30'S, 138°46'E (SAM NN14780); 3 males, Karte Conservation Park, 35°07 ’03” S, 140°43 ’33” E (SAM NN21354-6); 1 female, same locality (SAM NN21352); 1 male, same locality (SAM NN17088); 1 male, Katarapko Island, 34°24 ’16” S, 140°33 ’25” E (ANIC); 1 female, Langhorne Creek, 35°18'S, 139°02'E (SAM NN16415); 1 female, 8 km SE Langhorne Creek, 35°17'S, 139°02'E (SAM NN21357); 1 female, 22.5 km SW Loxton, 34°33'S, 140°22'E (SAM NN14777); 1 male, Monarto Zoo, 35°06 ’54” S, 139°08 ’9” E (SAM NN21654); 1 female, Nappyalla, 35°20'S, 139°07'E (SAM NN14768); 1 male, same locality (SAM NN14767); 1 female, same locality (SAM NN14764); 1 male, same locality (SAM NN14769); 1 female, same locality (SAM NN14765); 1 male, same locality (SAM NN14770); 1 male, same locality (SAM NN16414); 1 male, same locality (SAM NN14766); 1 male, 1 female, same locality (SAM NN14762-3); 1 male, 1 juv., 3 km NW Nappyalla, 35°18'S, 139°05'E (SAM NN14771); 1 male, Naracoorte, 36°57'S, 140°45'E (SAM NN16479); 1 male, Ngarkat Conservation Park, Pertendi Hut Campsite, 35°38 ’17” S, 140°46 ’50” E (AM KS77362); 1 male, 8 km SE Peake, 35°26 ’06” S, 139°58 ’55” E (SAM NN16315); 1 female, Peebinga Conservation Park, 34°59 ’16” S, 140°48 ’12” E (SAM NN21358); Punkah Island, Chowilla, 33°55 ’42” S, 140°57 ’01” E (SAM NN679); 1 male, Rockleigh, 34°57'S, 139°05'E (SAM NN14009); 1 male, Silas, W of Walpeup, 35°08'S, 142°02'E (SAM NN21353); 1 male, Stoneleigh Park, near Meningie, 35°32'S, 139°30'E (SAM NN14782); 1 male, 9.9 km NE Woolumbool telephone exchange, 36°43 ’04” S, 140°26 ’39” E (SAM NN16478). Tasmania: 1 female, no exact locality (QVMAG 13:44913); 1 male, `Milford`, Cambridge, 41°48'S, 147°31'E (TMAG J1525); 1 male, Avoca, 41°46'S, 147°43'E (TMAG J864); 1 female, 1 juv., Bellerive, Hobart, 42°52 ’51” S, 147°22 ’01” E (WAM T55285); 1 male, Bridgenorth, 41°22'S, 146°58'E (QVMAG 13:39772); 2 females, Bridgewater, 42°44'S, 147°13'E (TMAG J3013, J1626); 1 female, Brighton, Brighton Army Camp, 42°42'S, 147°15'E (TMAG J2133); 1 female, Campania, 42°39'S, 147°25'E (TMAG J3012); 1 female, Claremont, 42°47'S, 147°15'E (TMAG J746); 1 male, Cressy, 41°40'S, 147°04'E (QVMAG 13:39861); 1 female, Dodges Ferry, 42°51'S, 147°37'E (TMAG J1627); 1 female, Evandale, 41°34'S, 147°14'E (QVMAG 13:44937); 1 female, Flagstaff Gully, 42°51'S, 147°22'E (TMAG J2389); 3 males, Flat Rock Reserve, Chauncy Vale, 42°37'S, 147°15'E (TMAG J4172, J4180, J4306); 2 males, Gagebrook, 42°45'S, 147°16'E (TMAG J1761); 1 female, Geilston Bay, 42°50'S, 147°21'E (TMAG J632); 1 female, Hobart, 42°52'S, 147°19'E (TMAG J697); 1 female, same locality (TMAG J863); 1 female, same locality (NMV K8256); 1 female, same locality (TMAG J444); 1 female, Howrah, 42°52'S, 147°23'E (TMAG J865); 1 male, Kempton, 42°31'S, 147°12'E (TMAG J1393); 1 male, Launceston, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG); 3 males, same locality (QVMAG); 1 male, same locality (QVMAG); 1 female, same locality (AM KS10412); 1 female, same locality (QVMAG 1957.13.42); 1 male, same locality (QVMAG); 1 female, same locality (QVMAG); 1 female, Launceston, 11 Pitt Ave, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG); 1 female, Launceston, 125 High St, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG); 1 female, Launceston, 14 Dandenong Road, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG 13:44918); 1 female, 1 juv., Launceston, 3 Galvan St, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG); 1 female, Launceston, 3 Gorge Rd, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG); 1 female, Launceston, 4 Eurella St, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG); 1 female, Launceston, 42a Quarantine Road, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG); 1 female, Launceston, High St, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG 1956.13.1); 1 female, Launceston, Juliana St, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG); 1 male, Launceston, Peel St, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG 13:43529); 1 female, Launceston, St Mary St, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG 13:44931); 1 female, Launceston, Thistle St, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG); 1 male, Launceston, Velodrome, 41°26'S, 147°08'E (QVMAG 13:44939); 2 females, Lutana, 42°50'S, 147°18'E (TMAG J665, J3129); 2 males, Midway Point, 42°48'S, 147°31'E (TMAG J745, J1118); 2 females, Moonah, 42°50'S, 147°17'E (TMAG J1117, J1293); 1 female, northern Tasmania (no exact locality) (QVMAG 13:43026); 1 female, Orford, near Orford rivulet, 42°34'S, 147°52'E (TMAG J892); 1 female, Porter Hill, 42°55 ’24” S, 147°21 ’18” E (TMAG J4126); 1 female, Queens Domain, Hobart, 42°52'S, 147°19'E (AM KS30552); 1 female, Richmond, 42°44'S, 147°26'E (TMAG J2695); 1 female, Risdon Brook Reservoir, 42°48'S, 147°19'E (TMAG J2694); 1 male, Rosetta, Glenorchy, 42°49'S, 147°15'E (TMAG J862); 1 male, South Hobart, 42°53'S, 147°18'E (TMAG J2844); 2 females, same locality (TMAG J474, J1165); 1 male, St Leonards area, Launceston, 41°27'S, 147°12'E (QVMAG); 2 females, Trevallyn, 41°26'S, 147°07'E (QVMAG 13:44912, 13:44932); 1 female, same locality (QVMAG); 1 female, Tunbridge, 42°08'S, 147°25'E (QVMAG 13:43226); 1 female, Waverley, 3 Fryet Street, 41°26'S, 147°11'E (QVMAG); 1 female, West Launceston, 41°27'S, 147°07'E (QVMAG 13:44938). Victoria: 1 male, 6 km N of Baddaginnie, Basin Road, 36°32 ’24” S, 145°50 ’01” E (WAM T56463); 1 female, Belmont, 38°10'S, 144°20'E (NMV K8187); 1 male, Birthday Tank, Sunset Country, 34°54'S, 141°35'E (NMV K8178); 2 males, Gypsum, 35°16'S, 142°23'E (NMV K8192); 1 female, Kooloonong, 34°53'S, 143°08'E (NMV K8184); 1 male, 1 juv., Merbein, 34°10'S, 142°04'E (AM KS36926); 1 male, Reservoir, 37°43'S, 145°00'E (NMV K8193); 1 female, Runnymede Flora Reserve, 600 m along Two Chain Road from Elmore/Clonbinane Road, 36°35 ’20” S, 144°43 ’54” E (WAM T56072); 1 female, Specimen Hill Bushland Reserve, Bendigo Regional Park, 36°46 ’29” S, 144°14 ’08” E (WAM T56062); 1 male, Werribee, Dept of Agriculture, Animal Research Institute, 37°59'S, 144°33'E (NMV K8140).

Diagnosis.

Only species known in genus (see generic Diagnosis above).

Description.

Male (based on holotype, WAM T68032). Carapace. Brown to dark reddish-brown; indistinct dark radial pattern; centrally somewhat lighter (Fig. 2A); grey and few black setae, denser in eye region, in particular medially of PLE (Fig. 2A). Eyes. Row of anterior eyes slightly procurved and narrower than row of PME. Sternum. Light brown; few brown setae of variable length (Fig. 2B). Labium. Dark brown; front end truncated and white (Fig. 2B). Chelicerae. Very dark reddish-brown; covered frontally with grey dense setae. Cymbium tip with ca. 20 macrosetae (Fig. 3A, B); tegular apophysis with ventral spur that connects to apical point with sharp edge (Fig. 3C, D); embolus and pars pendula slender, terminal apophysis very broad (Fig. 3E). Abdomen. Laterally olive-brown, dorsally lighter and with dark heart mark, covered in dense grey setae (Fig. 2A). Venter uniformly yellow-brown, covered with dense white and few longer brown setae (Fig. 2B). Spinnerets light brown. Legs. Leg formula IV> I> II> III; uniformly brown; dense scopulate setae ventrally on tarsi and metatarsi of leg I and II. Spination of leg I: femur: 3 dorsal, 2 retrolateral, 2 prolateral; patella: 1 prolateral, 1 retrolateral; tibia: 3 ventral pairs, 2 prolateral, 2 retrolateral; metatarsus: 3 ventral pairs, 3 prolateral, 3 retrolateral, 1 apicoventral.

Female (based on paratype, WAM T53550). Carapace. Brown, with indistinct darker radial pattern present; uniformly dense grey setae (Fig. 2C). Eyes. Row of anterior eyes slightly procurved and narrower than row of PME. Labium, sternum, chelicerae. As male (paratype female with unidentified dark colouration on posterior sternum and right coxae II and III - potentially burn?) (Fig. 2D). Abdomen. Uniformly light brown, covered with grey setae (Fig. 2C). Venter and spinnerets as male (Fig. 2D). Epigyne. Median septum inverted T-shaped that widens anteriorly and with edges continuously forming distinct anterior hoods, atrium deep (Fig. 4A, C); spermathecal heads oval, wider than spermathecal stalks, spermathecal stalks S-shaped bent (Fig. 4B). Legs. Leg formula IV> I> II> III; uniformly brown; dense scopulate setae on tarsi and metatarsi of all legs and apical half of tibiae I. Spination of leg I: Femur: 2 dorsal, 3 retrolateral, 2 apicoprolateral; patella: 1 prolateral; tibia: 3 ventral pairs, 1 prolateral; metatarsus: 3 ventral pairs, 1 apicoventral.

Measurements. Male holotype, WAM T68032 (female paratype, WAM T53550): TL 13.9 (20.0), CL 8.2 (10.1), CW 5.5 (7.9). Eyes: AME 0.41 (0.49), ALE 0.22 (0.32), PME 0.79 (1.11), PLE 0.68 (1.03). Row of eyes: ALE 1.35 (1.89), PME 1.62 (2.32), PLE 2.01 (2.97). Sternum (length/width) 3.6/2.8 (3.7/3.1). Labium (length/width) 1.00/0.91 (1.4/1.3). AL 5.8 (10.3), AW 4.2 (8.1). Legs: Lengths of segments (femur + patella/tibia +metatarsus + tarsus = total length): Pedipalp 3.6 + 3.1 + - + 2.6 = 9.3, I 7.1 + 8.0 +6.6 + 3.6 = 25.4, II 6.6 + 8.0 + 6.5 + 3.6 = 24.7, III 6.5 + 7.1 + 6.5 + 3.6 = 23.6, IV 7.7 + 8.8 + 8.3 + 3.6 = 28.4 (Pedipalp 4.1 + 3.9 + - + 2.7 = 10.7, I 7.00 + 8.4 + 5.4 + 2.8 = 23.6, II 6.8 + 8.1 + 5.4 + 3.0 = 23.3, III 6.4 + 7.7 + 5.8 + 3.2 = 23.1, IV 7.6 + 9.3 + 7.7 + 3.2 = 27.8).

Variation. Males (females) TL 9.5-14.5 (TL 15.0-25.0). Live specimens are generally uniformly grey in colour based on their dense pubescence, in particular if freshly moulted. Females have two small dark spots on the anterior half of their abdomen (Fig. 1C, D). Older specimens, in particular males, may have some discernible patterning due to the loss of setae over time (Fig. 1A, B).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a Latin adjective (cinereus - grey), referring to the colour and common name of the species, Grey Wolf Spider.

Distribution.

South-eastern mainland Australia from south-east Queensland into South Australia, and Tasmania (Fig. 5)

Life history and habitat preferences.

Mature females have been found throughout the year with the exception of August. Numbers gradually increase peaking in January, to decrease gradually to July. Females with eggsac or spiderlings have generally been found from November to February, with a single female with eggsac in collections recorded in April. Mature males have been found from October to May, with two distinct peaks of activity in November/December and March. These more extensive phenology data based on specimens examined for this study extend the seasonal activity for the species as previously reported for Tasmania, where females con struct an eggsac in early summer and adults are found from January to April ( Hickman 1967).

The Grey Wolf Spider has been reported from a number of generally open habitats, including (based on label data found with specimens): spinifex grassland, semi-arid grassland, River Red Gum ( Eucalyptus camaldulensis ) woodlands (including river banks), mallee ( Acacia ) woodlands, and Box-Ironbark (or Black Box) woodlands. The species also occurs in cultural landscapes where it was found on road verges and in gardens or backyards, with males sometimes straying into houses. Immature and mature female spiders live in a straight burrow of approximately 20 cm depth, often constructed in heavily compacted soils, which they close with a plug-like trapdoor ( Hickman 1967; VWF, personal observation) (Fig. 1G, H).