Phryganoporus vandiemeni (Gray) Gray, Michael R., 2002

Gray, Michael R., 2002, The Taxonomy and Distribution of the Spider Genus Phryganoporus Simon (Araneae: Amaurobioidea: Desidae), Records of the Australian Museum 54 (3), pp. 275-292 : 284-286

Phryganoporus vandiemeni (Gray) n.comb.

Figs. 4b , 5j–l

Badumna vandiemeni Gray, 1983 . Holotype male, Eaglehawk Neck , Tasmania, 43°01'S 147°55'E, 3 Jul 1980, MRG (KS6976, AMS—examined).

Ixeuticus candidus Hickman, 1967: 33 , figs. 50, 51.

Badumna vandiemeni Gray, 1983: 257 , figs. 29–34; Colgan & Gray, 1992: 86; Platnick, 1989: 408.

Material examined. TASMANIA: female paratypes: KS6977, data as for holotype; KS6978, data as for holotype, 6 Mar 1960, VVH; J763 ( TM), Lauderdale , 42°54'S 147°30'E, April 1971. 1♀, KS6042, 8 Mar 1960, other data as paratype KS6978. 8 j, KS6034, February 1948, in webs on shrubs, other data as above. 13, 1 j, KS19144, Eaglehawk Neck , Taranna area , Tas., 43°02'S 147°53'E, 27 Mar 1988, MRG; in solitary nests on Acacia uricifolia . 1♀, KS19146, West of Copping , Tas., 42°49'S 147°45'E, 27 Mar 1988, MRG; on gorse bushes. 1♀, 4 j, KS23452, outside “Liberty Castle”, 18 km S of Devonport, Tas. , 41°17'S 146°30'E, 4 Nov 1990, JT; in remnant vegetation (solitary nest on Acacia sp ). 13, 3♀, KS29076, Lenah Valley , Tas., 42°52'S 147°17'E, 22 May 1923, VVH; in webs on shrub. 43, 1 j, KS29094, Cascades , Tas., 41°10'S 147°49'E, 6 Apr 1953, VVH. 1♀, 1 j, KS31606, 14 km N of Triabunna , Tas. , 42°21'S 147°56'E, October 1990, MRG; on Acacia (prickly moses), solitary web. 1♀, KS34455, Bruny Island , Alonnah area , Tas., 43°16'S 147°19'E, 28 Oct 1990, MRG, CH & JT; in web on prickly pea. 1♀, 2 j, KS34470, Bruny Island 4 km S of Alonnah, Tas. , 43°16'S 147°19'E, 30 Oct 1990, MRG; in solitary nests. 3♀, KS45065, Electrona, Tas., 43°02'S 147°16'E, October 1990, MRG, CH, JT. VICTORIA. 13, 4♀, KS31663, Wilson’s Promontory, 39°05'S 146°25'E, April 1990, MRG .

Diagnosis. CL female 2.9–4.0, male 4.0–4.4. In solitary webs. Cribellum divided. Distinguished from P. candidus females by the distally recurved interlobar spermathecal ducts; and by the combined presence of longitudinally ovoid distal spermathecal lobes, a male palpal patellar apophysis and solitary webs. Found in Tasmania and far southeast mainland Australia.

Redescription

Male (KS6976, holotype). BL 8.55, CL 4.06, CW 2.80, LL 0.27, LW 0.34, SL 0.96, SW 0.78. Similar to female. Male palpal bulb and tibia like P. candidus . Palpal patella with a conical, retrodorsal apophysis, adorned with several white, spatulate hairs ( Fig. 5 l ).

Female (KS6977, paratype). BL 8.60, CL 3.69, CW 2.48, LL 0.54, LW 0.60, SL 0.88, SW 0.75. Similar to P. candidus . Posterodorsal abdominal patterning sometimes lighter, chevrons comprising light brown patches with limited dark brown edging. Lateral tufts of white hairs on chevrons well developed. Epigynal structure as for P. candidus . Internal genitalia with longitudinally ovoid distal spermathecal lobes and distally recurved interlobar ducts ( Fig. 5k ).

Distribution. Tasmania and far southern Victoria in open forest and heathland ( Fig. 4b ).

Biology. These spiders are known only from solitary webs These webs are commonly associated with sclerophyllous, often spiky, shrubs, including Acacia spp. The web typically consists of a small, irregular cribellate sheet radiating from a central retreat, consisting of a “cowl” of silk forming a roof over a wide entrance funnel opening to the side or down, and leading back into a thick-walled silk retreat tube twisted around a stem. The specimens examined suggest that male spiders are as large or larger than females, in contrast to other species.

Remarks. Electrophoretic studies show that P. vandiemeni has fixed differences at three loci and is highly differentiated at a fourth locus (Colgan & Gray, 1992). These studies have also confirmed its presence on the mainland at Wilson’s Promontory, Victoria, a southern coastal area formerly connected via a land bridge to Tasmania. The southern mainland distribution of this species may prove to be more extensive, but determination of this will probably require further molecular studies.

Figures

Figure 4. a,b, species distributions based on material examined: a, • Phryganoporus candidus; b, ' P. nigrinus, O P. davidleei, • P. melanopygus, Δ P. vandiemeni.

Figure 5. a–i, Phryganoporus candidus. a–c, Townsville, Qld, female: a, body, dorsal; b, body, ventral; c, epigynum. d,e, Grenfell, NSW, male palp: d, ventral; e, prolateral. f, Mellin Jerrie Well, WA, female: internal genitalia. g–i, Black Mountain,ACT: g, male palp, retrolateral tibia & patella; h,i, female: h, epigynum; i, internal genitalia. j–l, Phryganoporus vandiemeni, Wilson’s Promontory, Vic.: j,k, female: j, epigynum; k, internal genitalia. l, male palp, retrolateral. Scale lines: a, b: 1 mm; others 0.5 mm.