Karaops nitmiluk, Crews, 2023

Crews, Sarah C., 2023, But wait, there's more! Descriptions of new species and undescribed sexes of flattie spiders (Araneae, Selenopidae, Karaops) from Australia, ZooKeys 1150, pp. 1-189 : 1

Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov.

Figs 10C-G , 11A, B, D, E , 12A-F , 13A-D , Maps 1 , 5

Material examined.

Holotype: Northern Territory • ♀ (reared in captivity); Nitmiluk National Park, Baruwei Walk; vic. 14°18'50.36"S, 132°25'23.16"E; 1 Jun. 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; on rocks at night; sel_1333; SCC16_071; (MAGNT A004906) . Paratype: ♀ (reared in captivity); Nitmiluk National Park , Leliyn; vic. 14°10'45.40"S, 132°11'19.58"E; 2 Jun. 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; under rocks along trail during the day; sel_1339; SCC16_072; (MAGNT A004895) . Other material examined: 1♀ (reared in captivity), 3 imm., same data as holotype; sel_1334-1337; (MAGNT A004890-A004893) • 1♀ (reared in captivity), 3 imm.; same data as paratype; sel_1338, 1340-1342; (MAGNT A004894, A004896-A004898) .

Diagnosis.

Females of Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. (Figs 11B, D, E , 12E , 13B ) are most similar to K. jawayway sp. nov. (Figs 13E , 14B ) and K. dawara by the tortuous copulatory ducts (Figs 10F , 13C, D , 14C-F ; Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 79, 80) and the unsclerotized part of the copulatory ducts. In K. nitmiluk sp. nov., the copulatory ducts are of mostly uniform diameter throughout their length and are straight or slightly curved anterior to posterior (Figs 10C , 11E , 12D , 13D ), but in K. jawayway sp. nov., they are wide from the copulatory openings, narrowing posteriorly and curving outward within the first third of their length (Fig. 14D, F ). In K. nitmiluk sp. nov., the sclerotized portion of the copulatory ducts nearly reaches the epigynal windows where the copulatory openings are located. Additionally, the sclerotized portion of the ducts has coils that largely run anterior to posterior, whereas in K. jawayway sp. nov., they are more than one diameter of the sclerotized ducts away from the epigynal windows, and the ducts are mostly horizontal. In K. dawara , the ducts are horizontal and thin, with longer lengths between turns, and the accessory bulbs are easily visible at the anterior part of the copulatory duct. In K. nitmiluk sp. nov., the accessory bulbs are very difficult to discern (Fig. 10E ).

Description.

Female (holotype). Total length 4.55. Carapace: length 2.18, width 2.42. Chelicerae: promargin with five teeth, the fourth one, closest to base of fang, larger than others, retromargin with three teeth. Eyes: AER recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.13, ALE 0.10, PME 0.20, PLE 0.26; interdistances AME-PME 0.06, PME-ALE 0.11, ALE-PLE 0.27, PME-PME 0.77, ALE-ALE 1.05, AME-AME 0.37, PLE-PLE 1.34. Sternum: length 1.08, width 1.05. Abdomen: length 2.37, width 2.01. Color (in life/preserved): Carapace: pale brownish yellow with two pairs of dark spots behind ocular area laterally, dark near furrow, dark patch posteriorly, setose with white setae behind eyes, three pairs of dark spots laterally, some whitish patches/more orangish tan with markings less conspicuous. Chelicerae: tan, paturon with a longitudinal curved mark frontally, setae sparse, pale, darkened anteromedially. Maxillae: yellowish brown. Labium: tan, pale distally. Sternum: yellowish. Abdomen: dorsally with anterior reddish brown medial anchor-shaped marking extended about halfway posteriorly, dark markings laterally, two dark chevrons ~ 1/3 from posterior, anteriormost extended to lateral edges, posterior are not/same markings but colors more orangey than yellowish; ventrally yellowish brown. Spinnerets: orangey/yellowish. Legs: grayish in situ (Fig. 11B ), yellowish ex situ (Figs 11D , 13B )/yellowish tan (Figs 11A , 12F , 13A ), Cx anteriorly with dark mark, Tr with dark dot, Fm I basally with dark markings anteriorly, proximally with annulation with slightly dusky area, dusky area at Fm-Pt joint, Pt with dark annulation at Pt-Ti joint, Ti with dusky annulation with darker edges, dark annulation at Ti-Mt joint, Mt with dark annulation at Mt-Ta joint, Ta tip dusky; Fm ventrally with flat, white setae enlarged distally, spines dark at base, lightened to orange distally, sometimes darkened at tip (Fig. 11E ); spination leg I Fm d 1-1-1, pr 1-1-0, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2-2; leg II Fm d 1-1-1, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2-2; leg III Fm d 1-1-1; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1; leg formula 3241; measurements leg I 9.36 (2.77, 1.07, 2.42, 1.97, 1.13); leg II 10.81 (3.40, 1.01, 2.93, 2.26, 1.21); leg III 11.14 (3.54, 1.09, 2.82, 2.35, 1.34); leg IV 10.38 (3.26, 1.02, 2.55, 2.30, 1.25). Palp: spination Fm d 0-1-3; 2.39 (0.77, 0.38, 0.54, 0.70); claw with five teeth. Epigyne: EP squarish, rounded or truncate anteriorly; MF unsclerotized, diamond to oval shaped, with EWs; LLs distinct, abutting one another posteriorly, COs located at EWs; Endogyne: CDs asymmetrical, unsclerotized at origin, forming one large coil dorsally, sclerotized at point where they coil ventrally, tortuous; ABs are difficult to see; S located posteriorly, FDs long, extended anterolaterally, small pdf (Figs 10C , 12B-D , 10G , 13D ).

Male. Unknown.

Variation.

(n = 4) The epigyne and endogyne of each individual differ in EW size and shape, MF shape, overall shape of the EP, anterior sclerotized portion of the CDs, the direction of ducts, the number of coils, where and how the unsclerotized portion connects to the sclerotized portion, size and shape of pdf, and size and shape of FDs (Figs 12A-D , 10F, G , 13C, D ). They are different enough that one might consider them separate species had they not been collected from the same place at the same time and did not have independent molecular data supporting the hypothesis that they are the same species. The sample sel_1342 is more reddish brown dorsally/brown. Body length range: 4.40-4.71.

Etymology.

The species name is derived from the name of the type locality. Nitmiluk is the Jawoyn name for Katherine Gorge and means "Cicada Place". Noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Known from only Nitmuluk National Park, Northern Territory.

Natural history.

Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. occurs in the Pine Creek subregion of the Pine Creek bioregion. It contains eucalypt woodland and monsoon forest patches. The climate is tropical monsoonal, with most rainfall between November and March. Surveys have been conducted for birds, mammals, reptiles and plants, but there is no information on the bioregion’s invertebrate fauna. For information related to rearing, see Suppl. material 2: tables S1, S2). This species has been collected under rocks and on rock walls at night.

Discussion.

The internal ducts and other features of the endogyne are transparent and thus very difficult to see. They were temporarily stained with chlorazol black. Despite the very small sample size, it is notable that the two adult females from Leliyn were penultimate and matured at nearly the exact same time, but there were more months in between the penultimate and adult stages in the specimens from Baruwei. The latter during hot, transitioning to wet, the others, cool, dry and hot, dry to penultimate, and hot and wet to adulthood. Most lived several months after reaching adulthood. The two populations are genetically distinct (Suppl. material 1), but the sample size is small and no consistent morphological differences have been found, so they are described as the same species. Further collecting and rearing of males will help to arrive at conclusions regarding temporal overlap and species boundaries.

Figures

Map 1. Map of Australia showing areas that are expanded in subsequent figures. CD = Central Desert group, D = Karaops dawara group, F = Karaops francesae group, K = Kimberley group, UA = species that are not assigned to a group, PG = Pilbara-Gascoyne group.

Map 5. Species of the Karaops dawara species group; green = Karaops yumbu, pink = Karaops dawara, blue = Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., purple = juvenile from Cutta Cutta Cave, orange = juvenile from Wongalara Wildlife Sanctuary, red = Karaops jawayway sp. nov. Juveniles are treated as distinct species based on molecular data.

Figure 10. Karaops marrayagong and Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. A Karaops marrayagong on tree, Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden, New South Wales (Photo: Wendy Grimm) B Karaops marrayagong, male palp, retrolateral, same data as previous (sel _ 1091, AM KS. 126522) C Karaops marrayagong, epigyne, caudal same data as previous (sel _ 1089, AM KS. 126520) D Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., holotype, epigyne, Baruwei Walk, Nitmiluk National Park, Northern Territory (sel _ 1333, MAGNT A 004906); pink = median field, blue-violet = epigynal windows, yellow = lateral lobes / epigynal plate E same, endogyne, yellow = accessory bulbs, blue = spermathecae, red = fertilization ducts, green = posterodorsal fold F same, epigyne G same, endogyne. Scale bars: 1 mm (B); 0.2 mm (D-G).

Figure 11. Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. and Karaops dawara from the Karaops dawara species group A Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., holotype, Baruwei Walk, Nitmiluk National Park, Northern Territory (sel _ 1333, MAGNT A 004906) B Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. C Karaops dawara, female holotype, Kakadu National Park, Kapalga, Northern Territory (WAM T 54998) D Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., holotype, (sel _ 1333, MAGNT A 004906) E Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., arrows indicate orange and black spines (sel _ 1334, MAGNT A 004890). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 12. Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. from Nitmiluk National Park, Northern Territory A epigyne, Baruwei Walk (sel _ 1334, MAGNT A 004890) B same, endogyne C paratype, epigyne, Leliyn (sel _ 1339, MAGNT A 004895) D same, endogyne E same F same. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A-D); 1 mm (F).

Figure 13. Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. and Karaops jawayway sp. nov. from the Karaops dawara species group A Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., Leliyn, Nitmiluk National Park, Northern Territory (sel _ 1342, MAGNT A 004898) B same C same, epigyne D same, endogyne E Karaops jawayway sp. nov., holotype, Savannah Way, Northern Territory (sel _ 1349, MAGNT A 004905). Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Figure 14. Karaops jawayway sp. nov., holotype, Savannah Way, Northern Territory (sel _ 1349, MAGNT A 004905) A preserved B alive C epigyne, pink = median field, blue-violet = epigynal windows, yellow = lateral lobes D endogyne, yellow = accessory bulbs, blue = spermathecae, red = fertilization ducts, green = posterodorsal fold, AB = accessory bulb E epigyne F endogyne. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.