Misgolas thompsonae, Wishart & Rowell, 2008

Wishart, Graham & Rowell, David M., 2008, Trapdoor Spiders of the Genus Misgolas (Mygalomorphae: Idiopidae) from Eastern New South Wales, With Notes on Genetic Variation, Records of the Australian Museum 60 (1), pp. 45-86 : 49-51

Misgolas thompsonae n.sp.

Figs 2A–H , 24A .

Type material. HOLOTYPE?, AM KS36705 , Chichester State Forest ( RM), Berrico Road, about 2 km north of intersection with Kunungra Road (32°05'53"S 151°45'43"E), 1023 m, 4 Feb.–9 Apr. 1993, pit fall trap site 35BR, M. Gray, G. Cassis.

Diagnosis. In male: medium sized tan spiders, carapace length c. 6.45; retrodorsal surface of metatarsi IV without spines; venter pallid with few short dark brown maculations in 2–3 weak transverse bands ( Fig. 2D ). Spines absent on tarsi I and II. Bilateral small clusters of spines absent or weak on distal edges of metatarsi I and II ( Figs 2E–H ). Palpal bulb with retrolateral embolic flange with c. 4 prominent folds and 2–3 minor folds; embolus tip sinuous from dorsal aspect ( Fig. 2B ), appears swollen from lateral aspect by thin flange suspended from tip ( Fig. 2C ); embolic dorsal apophysis placed midway remote from tip ( Fig. 2C ). Conformation of palp as figured ( Fig. 2A ). Female not known.

Description

Male holotype ( Fig. 2A–H ). Size. Carapace length 6.45, width 5.16. Abdomen length 5.65, width 3.93. Colour. In alcohol carapace, legs, palps and chelicerae mid tan; darker brown smudges absent. Few sparse pallid hairs on caput, absent elsewhere. Abdomen dorsum pallid mottled with dark brown. Venter pallid with few small dark brown maculations mostly arranged in transverse band ( Fig. 2D ). Carapace. Edge fringed with black bristles which extend onto post foveal surface; some smaller bristles mostly associated with stria. Line of 7 median bristles anteriorly inclined on caput arch. Group of 6 bristles between PME; group of 7 bristles on clypeus. Area extending onto pleuron below clypeus narrow, weakly chitinous, with one seta. Fovea width 1.31, straight, posterior wall centrally divided by small pitted intrusion. Eyes. Raised on mound. Areas adjacent to eyes, anterior to ALE excepted, black. Anterior width 1.12, posterior width 1.02, length 0.64, width/length ratio 1.75. Line joining posterior edge of ALE transects anterior quarter of AME. Posterior row straight in front, recurved behind. Chelicerae. Rastellum first row 6(6) strong spines; many smaller spines behind retreating back along pd chelicerae edge. Intercheliceral tumescence shapeless, raised on low pallid mound; with cover of prostrate brown setae. Fang groove with 10(9) promarginal teeth and 10(7) smaller retromarginal/intermediate row teeth. Labium. Bulbous, length 0.69, width 1.08. Labio-sternal suture broad, narrowed medially, continuous. Maxillae c. 50(50) short, squat, anteroental cuspules, many with terminal fine hair. Sternum. Length 3.43, width 2.46. Sigilla small round; first pair submarginal, mid pair separated from margin by c. 1.5 times their own diameter, third pair by twice their diameter. Legs. Left leg I missing. Tibia I with distal bifid apophysis; distal process with 2 short spines with blunt points, proximal process with 2 long pointed spines.

palp I II III IV femur 3.56 6.20 5.64 4.42 6.20 patella 1.72 2.82 2.70 2.09 2.82 tibia 3.44 4.42 4.05 2.64 5.28 metatarsus — 4.61 3.99 3.43 5.34 tarsus 1.72 2.70 2.52 2.21 2.82 total 10.44 20.75 18.90 14.79 22.46

Palp ( Fig. 2A ). Cymbium with c. 50 long skewer-like pointed spines, anteriorly inclined c. 45° to cymbium axis, distributed over distal third of d surface and distal two-thirds of pd surface. RTA broad without swellings, d and rd surface covered with 35 large squat pointed spines; c. 36 similar spines reduced in size continue on rv edge of tibial excavation; c. 12 long spines suspended from straight DTA. TEM large pallid, adjacent to RTA. TET present on pl face of TEM and v surface of tibial excavation. Bulb. Embolic rl flange with 4 prominent and c. 3 minor folds; margin gently convexly curved, distal edge folds under embolus. Embolus tip sinuous from d aspect ( Fig. 2B ), appears swollen from lateral aspect by thin v flange suspended from tip ( Fig. 2C ). Embolic apophysis placed c. midway, remote from tip, terminating small ridge. Scopula. Dense and complete on tarsi I and II; weak and incomplete on metatarsi I and II and tarsi III; absent on metatarsi III and leg IV. Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 9, tibia pd 5, rd 5; Leg I: Tarsi 11, metatarsi 14, tibia pd 6, rd 6; Leg II: tarsi 10, metatarsi 11, tibia pd 5, rd 5; Leg III: tarsi 9, metatarsi 9, tibia pd 5, rd 6; Leg IV: tarsi 10, metatarsi 13, tibia pd 7, rd 6. Leg spination. Leg I ( Fig. 2E,F ): metatarsi v 0010010, pv 01; tibia v 0112. Leg II ( Fig. 2G,H ): metatarsi pv 0101(0101), rv 0111112(0011111); tibia v 0113. Leg III: tarsi v 12 scattered; metatarsi v 9 scattered, d 002020; tibia v 0113, pl 0110, rl 011; patella pd 7. Leg IV: tarsi v 16 scattered; metatarsi v 10 scattered; tibia v 8 scattered. Abdomen. Dorsum with cover of erect long brown bristles. Sides flanked with softer prostrate hairs; prostrate bristles on venter with understory of fine setae.

Remarks. The species may be confused with M. mudfordae n.sp. and M. tarnawskiae n.sp. but is separable from them by reference to conformation of RTA, absence of distal spine clusters on metatarsi I and spines absent on tarsi I and II.

Etymology. The species is named in recognition of Judy Thompson, one time technical officer in the arachnology section of the Australian Museum, Sydney.

Distribution and natural history. ( Fig. 24A ) This species is known only from Cape Hawke near Forster, NSW. The burrow is unknown.

Figures

Fig. 2. Misgolas thompsonae n.sp. A–H?, holotype AM KS36705: (A), right palp retrolateral. (B,C), right bulb: B, dorsal; C, prolateral. (D), venter. (E,F), right leg I: E, prolateral; F, retrolateral. (G,H), right leg II: G, prolateral; H, retrolateral.

Fig. 24. A–D. Distribution of Misgolas species in the New South Wales Central Coast (eastern Australia) based on material examined (Inset [Fig. 24A] with catchment area).