Misgolas phippsi, Wishart, 2011

Wishart, Graham, 2011, Trapdoor Spiders of the Genus Misgolas (Mygalomorphae: Idiopidae) in the Illawarra and South Coast Regions of New South Wales, Australia, Records of the Australian Museum 63 (1), pp. 33-51 : 40-41

Misgolas phippsi n.sp.

Figs 6A–G , 14A

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, AMS KS7688, Mollymook, NSW (35°20'S 150°29'E), 19 May 1981, J. Sheehan.

Other material examined (most in poor condition). NEW SOUTH WALES: ♂♂ AMS KS1339, Sussex Inlet South, NSW (35°10' S 150°36'E), 7 Mar. 1978, W.K.Jones. AMS KS44343, Greenwell Pt., 82 Greenwell Pt. Road, (34°54'S 150°44'E), 23 Apr.1991, Wayne Moore. AMS KS48695, AMS KS48696 and AMS KS48697, all Erowal Bay , N.S.W., nr. St Georges Basin (35°06'S 150°39'E), collected “prior to last few years” (c. 1990), I. Hammer .

Diagnosis. In male: Medium sized dark brown spider, carapace length c. 7.0–9.0, retrodorsal surface of metatarsus IV with at least one spine ( Fig. 6G ); venter pale with dense distribution of small dark brown markings most concentrated between book lungs and posterior area immediately adjacent to PMS as figured ( Fig. 6D ). Spines absent on all tarsi. Palpal bulb ( Fig. 6B,C ) retrolateral embolic flange with 5 major folds, 2–3 minor folds; embolus narrow, with small, low, subdistal, dorsal apophysis. Cymbium ( Fig. 6E ) with many closely concentrated acicular spines arising from distal quarter of dorsal surface. Conformation of palpal tibia as figured ( Fig. 6A ); tibia excavation surface chitinized, tibial excavation mound, pallid, prominent ( Fig. 6F ). Female not known.

Description

Male holotype ( Fig. 6A–G ). Size. Carapace length 7.00, width 5.83. Abdomen length 7.00, width 5.03. — Colour. In alcohol chelicerae, carapace and proximal limb segments dark brown, distal leg segments lighter brown; generally unicolourous. Dark brown lateral limb smudges absent. Fine golden prostrate hairs sparse, present on carapace cephalic and interstrial areas of thorax. Abdomen dorsum distorted, appearing bleached. Venter pallid with dense distribution of small dark brown markings most concentrated between book lungs and posterior area immediately adjacent to PMS ( Fig. 6D ). — Carapace. Edge fringed with black bristles; some smaller bristles encroach onto posterior third of post foveal surface; remainder of carapace with few weak bristles; 5 bristles between PME, 7 on clypeus. Weakly chitinized area on pleuron membrane below clypeus with 7 bristles. Fovea width 1.38, straight, recurved lateral edges, posterior wall divided by partly obscured pitted intrusion. — Eyes. Raised on mound. Ocular area darkest brown adjacent to eyes. Anterior width 1.05, posterior width 0.97, length 0.66, width/length ratio 1.59. Line joining posterior edges of ALE transects anterior quarter of AME. Posterior row procurved in front, straight behind. — Chelicerae. Rastellum single row of 7(8) spines, 1(2) smaller spines behind. Fang groove and intercheliceral tumescence obscured. — Labium. Bulbous. Length 0.79, width 1.05. Labiosternal suture continuous, straight, lateral edges broad. — Maxillae c. 38(47) anteroental, small, subulate cuspules. — Sternum. Bulbous, length 3.75, width 3.08. Sigilla all small, round, third pair largest, first and second pairs c. one and a half own diameter from margin, third pair c. twice own diameter from margin. — Legs. Tibia I with distal bifid apophysis; distal process with 2(2) short, compact spines; proximal process with compact group of 5(5) curved, pointed spines.

Palp I II III IV Femur 3.75 6.75 6.20 4.79 6.51 Patella 1.72 3.25 3.07 2.39 3.01 Tibia 3.68 4.61 4.24 2.89 5.46 Metatarsus — 5.47 4.79 4.17 6.08 Tarsus 1.90 3.07 2.82 2.58 3.19 Total 11.05 23.15 21.12 16.82 24.25 scattered short spines suspended from tibial excavation rv edge terminated by hooked DTA. Tibial excavation surface chitinized; pallid TEM prominent adjacent to RTA, pl surface with prominent TET ( Fig. 6F ). — Bulb. ( Fig. 6B,C ) Length 2.00. Embolic rl flange edge curved, with 5 major folds, 3 minor folds. Embolus narrow, almost straight, with small, low, subdistal, dorsal apophysis; length from embolic apophysis to embolus tip (a) 0.13; length from embolic flange terminus to embolus tip (f) 0.56; a/f ratio 0.23. — Scopula . Complete on tarsi I and II; sparse, complete on tarsi III and IV; metatarsi I and II sparse, incomplete; metatarsi III weak distal remnant; absent on metatarsi IV. — Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 9, tibia pd 6, rd 6. Leg I: tarsi 12, metatarsi 14, tibia pd 6, rd 6. Leg II: tarsi 12, metatarsi 11, tibia pd 6, rd 6. Leg III: tarsi 10, metatarsi 10, tibia pd 5, rd 6. Leg IV: tarsi 12, metatarsi 13, tibia pd 6, rd 6. — Leg spination. Leg I: metatarsi v 01002; tibia v 7 scattered, pd 010. Leg II: metatarsi v 01003; tibia v 6 scattered, pl 00110, patella pd 2(1). Leg III: metatarsi v 6 scattered, pd 0010110, rd 0010100; tibia v 0113, pd 00110, rd 00110; patella pd 5. Leg IV: metatarsi v 8 scattered, rd 000010 ( Fig. 6G ); tibia v 6 scattered. — Abdomen. Dorsum with sparse cover long, erect, brown bristles with fine, underlying setae. Lateral surfaces and venter with dense cover of long fine hairs.

Etymology. The species is named in recognition of friend and colleague, Dr R. Jon Phipps of Kiama, NSW.

Distribution and natural history ( Fig. 14A ) This species is known from Mollymook (the type locality), Sussex Inlet South (35°10'S 150°36'E), Erowal Bay (35°06'S 150°39'E) and Greenwell Point (34°54'S 150°44'E). All localities are within the narrow coastal plain extending from Mollymook to the Shoalhaven River entrance at Greenwell Point, a linear distance of 51 km. The limited information available indicates mature male spiders wander during April and May each year. The burrow is not known.

Palp. ( Fig. 6A,E ) Distal half of cymbium d surface with many closely concentrated, acicular, inclined spines. RTA stout, non-swollen; d surface covered with short, pointed spines; suspended brush of c. 10 longer curvilinear spines with few

Figures

Fig. 6. Misgolas phippsi n.sp. (A–G) ♂, holotype AMS KS7688: (A) right palp retrolateral. (B,C) right bulb: (B) dorsal, (C) prolateral. (D) venter. (E) right cymbium dorsal. (F) right palpal tibia excavation ventral. (G) right metatarsus IV retrolateral view.

Fig. 14 A–C. Distribution of Misgolas species in the New South Wales Illawarra and South Coast (easternAustralia) based on material examined. (Inset [Fig. 14A] with catchment area). (A) * M. gracilis, • M. rowelli,  M. rapax,  M. phippsi, Ƃ M. kampenae,  M. elegans. (B) Ƃ M. dereki,  M. robertsi,  M. horsemanae,  M. shawi. (C) Ƃ M. tannerae, • M. gwennethae, A M. kirstiae,  M. paulaskewi.