Karaops vadlaadambara, Crews, Sarah C. & Harvey, Mark S., 2011

Crews, Sarah C. & Harvey, Mark S., 2011, The spider family Selenopidae (Arachnida, Araneae) in Australasia and the Oriental Region, ZooKeys 99, pp. 1-104 : 46-49

Karaops vadlaadambara sp. n. Figs 51-54Map 9

Type material.

Holotype male (SAM N199353): Arcoona Creek, near Sambot Waterhole, Gammon Ranges National Park, 30°27'S, 139°02'E, South Australia, Australia, 4.V.1989, D. Hirst. Paratypes: same data as holotype, 1♀ (SAM N199354).

Other material examined.

AUSTRALIA: South Australia: same data as holotype, 1 immature (SAM N199355); Gammon Ranges National Park, West of Arcoona Bluff [30°25'S, 138°59'E], 3.V.1989, D. Hirst, 1♂ (SAM N199358); Gammon Ranges National Park, near Sambot Waterhole, Arcoona Creek, 30°27'S, 139°02'E, 4.V.1989, D.C. Lee, 2♀ (SAM N199351-2); Gammon Ranges National Park, near Sambot Waterhole, Arcoona Creek, 30°27'S, 139°02'E, 4.V.1989, D. Hirst, 2♀ (SAM N199360-1); Mount Serle Station, 0.4 km northwest Mount Cline, 30°20'54"S, 138°46'41"E, 16-27.XI.1998, Flinders Range survey, pitfalls, 1♂ (SAM NN20978); Wilpena Pound, Wilpena Creek, 31°30'S, 138°36'E, 24.IV.1987, D. Hirst, 1♀, 1 immature (SAM N199349).

Etymology.

The specific name comes from the Adnyamathanha words vadla, meaning flat, and adambara, meaning spider, in the language of the indigenous Adnyamathanha people of the region of the type locality. The name is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Males can be differentiated from all other species by having a portion of the conductor behind the MA, and the conductor being sclerotized terminally. Additionally, the embolus is short and hook shaped, and in the center of the bulb rather than the lateral edge (Fig. 51). Females can be separated from other species by a quadrangular medium septum and well-separated, round spermathecae and short copulatory ducts (Figs 53-54).

Description.

Male (holotype):Color: carapace yellow-brown, with slightly darker marks medially; sternum pale yellow-brown; chelicerae pale yellow with darker infuscations anteriorly; maxillae pale yellow-brown; labium pale yellow-brown; abdomen dors ally yellow-brown with red-brown markings; ventrally pale yellow-brown; legs with femora, patellae and tibiae I-IV clearly annulated, yellow-brown, darkening distally; annulations not entirely encircling legs. Cephalothorax:setae short, stout and rodlike; 0.88 times longer than broad; fovea longitudinal, broad, very shallow. Eyes:AER slightly recurved; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye group width 1.25; eye diameters, AME 0.15, ALE 0.09, PME 0.18, PLE 0.27; interdistances AME-ALE 0.23, PME-PLE 0.20, ALE-PLE 0.16, AME-PME 0.04; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.38, PME-PME 0.69; clypeus 0.12 high. Mouthparts: chelicerae with a few stout setae medially and anteriorly; lateral boss present, smooth; promargin with 3 teeth, retromargin with 2 teeth; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:0.87 times longer than broad, posteriorly indented. Pedipalp:femur, spination dorsal 0 –1– 1; retrolateral tibial apophysis with 2 processes, dorsal process small and directed laterally, ventral process slightly larger, dilated at tip; retrolateral basal cymbial process present; cymbial scopulae absent, cymbium oval and angled bottom right. Conductor large, pointed at tip, tip well-sclerotized; embolus very long and slender, wide at base and tapering, to abruptly tapering midway, hook-like, going up center of palpal bulb, beginning at 6 o’clock, terminating at 1 o’clock; MA large with two processes (Figs 51-52). Legs:leg I much shorter than legs II, III and IV; leg formula 3421; scopulae absent on all legs; tarsus I–IV with strong claw tufts; claws without teeth; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0; Ti d 0, v 2 –2–2–2– 2; Mt v 2 –2– 2; Ti and Mt I and II with strong spines; leg II, Fm pr 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –1– 1; Ti v 2 –2–2–2– 2; Mt v 2 –2– 2; leg III, Fm pr 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –1– 1; Ti 0; Mt 0; leg IV, Fm pr 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0; Ti 0; Mt 0. Abdomen:terminal setal tufts present. Dimensions: Total length 4.68. Cephalothorax length 2.34, width 2.65. Sternum length 1.25, width 1.44. Abdomen length 2.40, width 2.19. Pedipalp: Fm 0.70, Pt 0.45, Ti 0.41, Ta 0.75, (total) 2.31. Leg I: Fm 3.12, Pt 1.19, Ti 2.75, Mt 2.34, Ta 1.16, (total) 10.56. Leg II: Fm 4.00, Pt 1.29, Ti 3.24, Mt 2.84, Ta 1.31, (total) 12.68. Leg III: Fm 4.37, Pt 1.17, Ti 3.48, Mt 3.07, Ta 1.27, (total) 13.36. Leg IV: Fm 4.20, Pt 1.06, Ti 3.32, Mt 3.04, Ta 1.28, (total) 12.90.

Female (paratype):Color: carapace yellow-brown, with slightly darker marks medially; sternum pale yellow-brown; chelicerae pale yellow with darker infuscations anteriorly; maxillae pale yellow-brown; labium pale yellow-brown; abdomen dorsally yellow-brown with red-brown markings; ventrally pale yellow-brown; legs with segments clearly annulated, but annulations do not completely encircle femorae, legs darkening distally at tibiae; annulations lighter in centers giving a 'leopard spot’ appearance. Cephalothorax:setae short, stout, rodlike; 0.89 times longer than broad; fovea longitudinal, broad, very shallow. Eyes:AER slightly recurved; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye group width 1.56; eye diameters, AME 0.14, ALE 0.10, PME 0.20, PLE 0.28; interdistances AME-ALE 0.30, PME-PLE 0.28, ALE-PLE 0.19, AME-PME 0.06; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.46, PME-PME 0.85; clypeus 0.13 high. Mouthparts: chelicerae with a few stout setae medially and anteriorly; lateral boss present, smooth; promargin with 3 teeth, retromargin with 2 teeth; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum: 0.88 times longer than broad, posteriorly indented. Pedipalp:tarsus slightly swollen, claw present with c. 6 teeth. Legs:leg I only slightly shorter than legs II, III and IV; leg formula 3241; scopulae absent on all legs; tarsus I–IV with strong claw tufts; claws without teeth; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0; Ti d 0, v 2 –2–2–2– 2; Mt v 2 –2– 2; Ti and Mt I and II with strong spines; leg II, Fm pr 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –1– 1; Ti v 2 –2–2–2– 2; Mt v 2 –2– 2; leg III, Fm pr 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –1– 1; Ti 0; Mt 0; leg IV, Fm pr 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0; Ti 0; Mt 0. Abdomen:possible setal tufts (hairs worn off). Epigyne:lateral lobes surrounding a quadrate to keyhole shaped median area, copulatory openings located anterolaterally, epigynal pockets absent; internally, short copulatory ducts lead to round spermathecae, fertilization ducts located posteriorly, posterodorsal fold absent (Figs 53-54). Dimensions: Total length 5.51. Cephalothorax length 2.92, width 3.28. Sternum length 1.47, width 1.68. Abdomen length 2.86, width 2.77. Pedipalp: Fm 0.92, Pt 0.51, Ti 0.66, Ta 1.18, (total) 3.27. Leg I: Fm 2.86, Pt 1.36, Ti 2.54, Mt 1.39, Ta 1.00, (total) 9.15. Leg II: Fm 4.08, Pt 1.45, Ti 2.86, Mt 2.47, Ta 1.09, (total) 11.95. Leg III: Fm 4.20, Pt 1.37, Ti 3.07, Mt 2.68, Ta 1.10, (total) 12.42. Leg IV: Fm 3.96, Pt 1.19, Ti 3.02, Mt 2.67, Ta 1.07, (total) 11.91.

Natural history.

Collected at night.

Distribution.

Known from throughout the Gammon and Flinders Ranges in South Australia (Map 9).