Araneus diabrosis (Walckenaer, 1841)

W. Framenau, Volker, 2019, Generic and family transfers, and numina dubia for orb-weaving spiders (Araneae, Araneidae) in the Australasian, Oriental and Pacific regions, Evolutionary Systematics 3 (1), pp. 1-27 : 15

Araneus diabrosis (Walckenaer, 1841)

Epeira diabrosis Walckenaer, 1841: 131-132; L. Koch 1871: 116.

Araneus diobris (Walckenaer). Rainbow 1911: 185 (misspelled).

Type material.

Holotype of Epeira diabrosis Walckenaer, 1841: male, Port Jackson (Sydney) [33°50'S, 151°16'E, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA], J. R. C. Quoy and J. P. Gaimard collection (considered lost).

Remarks.

The original description of the male of Epeira diabrosis placed the species in a group with Eriophora pustulosa (Walckenaer, 1841), in Walckenaer’s (1841) family of ‘Irregulares’– i.e. the abdomen has tubercles–and within the race 'Triangularae truncatae’, a triangular anteriorly truncated (not rounded) abdomen that is drawn out posteriorly by tubercles into a triangle. However, in contrast to E. pustulosa (which has five posterior humps) (e.g. Court and Forster 1988), Epeira diabrosis was described to have only a single posterior tubercle in addition to distinct humeral humps ( Walckenaer 1841). Within the Australian context, this description is most consistent with a new genus represented by C. fuliginata ; however, a number of species of this genus are present in New South Wales (unpublished data) and it is unlikely that the species can be recognised by the short verbal original description alone. Therefore, I consider the species-group name Epeira diabrosis a nomen dubium.