Misgolas gwennethae, 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 : 36-38

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.3853/j.0067-1975.63.2011.1553
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/823987EB-1657-0C08-62D4-FAA89A50FEE7
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Misgolas gwennethae
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Misgolas gwennethae View in CoL n.sp.

Figs 3A–J View Fig , 14C View Fig

Misgolas hubbardi .– Wishart, 1992, 264–266, figs 1–6, misidentification. Removed from synonymy with M. hubbardi in Wishart & Rowell, 2008.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, AMS KS38678, Berry, NSW, Primary School grounds (34°46'41"S 150°41'21"E), 15 Nov.1989, Janice Tanner. ALLOTYPE ♀,AMS KS44312, excavated from Berry Primary School grounds (34°46'41"S 150°41'21"E), 18 Sep. 1986, GW. PARATYPES ♂♂, AMS KS50064, Berry, in home swimming pool (34°47'S 150°42'E), 10 Sep. 1997, Don Webster. AMS KS38689, 6 June, 1988, other details as for holotype. AMS KS92885, 13 Sep. 2008, other details as for paratype AMS KS50064. Paratypes ♀♀, AMS KS44311, Berry, NSW, Primary School grounds (34°46'41"S 150°41'21"E), 18 Sep. 1986, GW. AMS KS92886, 13 Sep. 2008; other details as for paratype AMS KS44311. AMS KS22394, Berry, NSW, found in shoe (34°47'S 150°41'E), 28 Oct. 1992, Wendy Bramley, nee Hanbridge.

Other material examined. NEW SOUTH WALES: ♂♂, AMS KS38682, Foxground (34°42'44"S 150°44'27"E), 26 Aug.1982, J. Voorwinden. AMS KS23631, Kangaroo Valley (34°44' 10"S 150°32' 03"E), 15 Feb.1991, K. Goyer. AMS KS38680, Bomaderry railway station (34°51'15"S 150°36'35"E), 17 Sep.1990, C. Davis. AMS KS38679, North Nowra (34°52'23"S 150°35'30"E), 4 Oct.1987, Janice Tanner. AMS KS42343, Nowra (34°52' 23"S 150°36'12"E), 15 Nov.1994. AMS KS38688, South Nowra , Quinns Lane (34°54'33"S 150°36'23"E), A. Cooper. AMS KS4279, St. Georges Basin (35°05'28"S 150°35' 54"E), 15 Jan.1984, W. Bell. AMS KS22392, Wandandian (35°03'22"S 150°30'34"E), 20 Jul.1985. AMS KS1768, Bendalong (35°14'48"S 150°31'46"E), 2 Oct.1978. AMS KS38598, Milton (35°18'56"S 150°26'05"E), 15 Feb.1972, Carter. AMS KS38683, Bannister Head (35°19'05"S 150°28'20"E), 29 Feb.1988, T. Whittle. AMS KS16420, Batemans Bay (35°42'28"S 150°10'34"E), 15 Feb.1986, Lyn Abra GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Large ( Fig. 3I View Fig ), dark brown-black spiders (female lighter brown than male); carapace length male, c. 9.3–11.7, female to 12.3 maximum, retrodorsal surface of metatarsi IV lack spines ( Fig. 3H View Fig ); venter entirely dark brown-black ( Fig. 3F,G View Fig ); limb segments unicolourous. In male palpal bulb ( Fig. 3B,C View Fig ) with narrow retrolateral embolic flange with c. 8 folds, margin straight; embolic apophysis subdistal, retrolateral, apex flat as figured ( Fig. 3D View Fig ); conformation of palp as figured ( Fig. 3A,E View Fig ).

Description

Male holotype ( Fig. 3A–F View Fig ). Size. Carapace length 11.66, width 9.41. Abdomen length 8.92, width 6.27. — Colour. In alcohol chelicerae, carapace, abdomen dorsum and limbs dark brown; live spider appearing black. Venter entirely black. Dark brown lateral smudges not evident on limbs. Abdomen dorsum bearing few indistinct transverse chevrons. When dry carapace bedecked with golden hirsute sheen. — Carapace. Fine golden setae abundant on edge, caput and proximal leg segments. Edge fringed with black bristles which encroach onto posterior half of post foveal surface. Line of median bristles absent from caput arch; 8 posteriorly inclined and 6 anteriorly inclined bristles on clypeus. Fovea width 2.18, straight, recurved edges; posterior wall centrally divided by 2 pitted intrusions. — Eyes. Raised on a mound. Area immediately adjacent to eyes black. Anterior width 1.79, posterior width 1.66, length 1.01, width/length ratio 1.77. Line joining posterior edges of ALE transects anterior fifth of AME. Posterior row procurved in front, recurved behind. — Chelicerae. Rastellum front row of 7(7) spines, 3(3) behind on inner edge. Intercheliceral tumescence pallid, with cover of prostrate, anteriorly inclined setae. Fang groove with 8(8) promarginal teeth and 10(9) smaller retromarginal/ intermediate row teeth. — Labium. Bulbous, length 1.31, width 1.72. Labio-sternal suture continuously broad. — Maxillae c. 49(60) small, pointed antero-ental cuspules, few terminated by a hair. — Sternum. Bulbous, length 6.14, width 4.54. Sigilla all small; first and second pairs submarginal, posterior pair each c. 3 times own diameter from margin. — Legs. Tibia I with distal bifid apophysis. Distal process with 2(2) short compact spines; proximal process row of 4(4) longer, curved pointed spines.

Palp I II III IV Femur 6.57 10.48 9.51 4.85 10.39 Patella 3.07 5.29 4.80 2.57 4.80 Tibia 5.83 7.35 6.66 2.95 8.72 Metatarsus — 7.74 6.95 3.99 8.53 Tarsus 2.88 4.80 4.50 2.64 4.80 Total 18.35 35.66 32.42 17.00 37.24

Palp. ( Fig. 3A,E View Fig ) Many short anteriorly inclined, skewer-like spines on distal half of cymbium d surface. RTA thick set, not inclined from horizontal, not swollen, d and rd surfaces covered with squat pointed spines. Tibial excavation rv edge with suspended brush of c. 27 long spines. Prominent DTA hooked lacking spines. Large TEM, with postero-ental TET, contiguous with RTA. — Bulb. ( Fig. 3B,C View Fig ) Length 3.16. Embolic rl flange with 8 major folds, 2 minor folds; margin straight. Embolus straight with subdistal, rl apophysis as figured ( Fig. 3D View Fig ). Length from embolic apophysis to embolus tip (a) 0.17; length from embolic flange terminus to embolus tip (f) 0.69; a/f ratio 0.25. — Scopula . Complete on all tarsi and metatarsi I and II; incomplete on metatarsi III and IV. — Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 12, tibia pd 7, rd 7. Leg I: tarsi 16, metatarsi 15, tibia pd 8, rd 9. Leg II: tarsi 14, metatarsi 18, tibia pd 9, rd 7. Leg III: tarsi 18, metatarsi 16, tibia pd 10, rd 10. Leg IV: tarsi 16, metatarsi 15, tibia pd 9, rd 9. — Leg spination. Spines absent on all tarsi. Leg I: tibia rv 0111. Leg II: metatarsi v 0100; tibia v 0113. Leg III: metatarsi v 021, pd 001110, rd 001110; tibia v 0112, pl 0110, rl 00110; patella pd 3. Leg IV: metatarsi v 33 scattered on proximal half; tibia v 0112, rl 010. — Abdomen. Dorsum with cover of long, dark brown, erect bristles and underlying dense cover of fine pallid hairs. Venter with cover of shorter dark brown bristles and underlying prostrate hairs.

Female allotype ( Fig. 3H,G View Fig ). Size. Carapace length 10.88, width 8.13. Abdomen length 11.56, width 7.64. — Colour. In alcohol chelicerae and carapace brown; limbs where pubescent dark brown, glabrous areas lighter; abdomen dorsum dark brown, bearing few indistinct transverse chevrons.Venter entirely dark brown-black ( Fig. 3G View Fig ). When dry carapace displays golden hirsute sheen; long, wispy, golden setae extend onto proximal segments of legs I and II. — Carapace. Edge sparsely fringed with pallid brown hairs. Line of weak setae (some removed) on caput arch; c. 12 bristles on clypeus and weakly chitinous pleuron membrane below clypeus. Fovea width 1.89, straight, edges slightly recurved; posterior wall not pitted. — Eyes. Placed on a low mound. Area immediately adjacent to eyes dark brown. Anterior width 1.59, posterior width 1.48, length 0.92, width/length ratio 1.73. Line joining posterior edges of ALE is anterior tangent of AME. Posterior row procurved in front, recurved behind. — Chelicerae. Rastellum row of 10(9) spines; 10(9) in disordered second row; few retreating along pl edge. Fang groove with 10(8) promarginal teeth and 13(17) small retromarginal/intermediate row teeth. — Labium. Bulbous, length 1.26, width 1.70. Labio-sternal suture continuous, narrow. — Maxillae c. 40(39) blunt cigar-shaped antero-ental cuspules. — Sternum. Length 5.97, width 4.31. Sigilla all small, round; first and second pairs submarginal, posterior pair each c. 3 times own diameter from margin. — Legs:

Palp I II III IV Femur 6.39 8.23 7.25 5.49 7.94 Patella 1.96 4.61 4.21 3.53 4.51 Tibia 2.89 5.19 4.31 2.84 6.37 Metatarsus — 4.31 3.82 3.43 5.49 Tarsus 2.58 2.74 2.65 2.40 2.74 Total 13.82 25.08 22.24 17.69 27.05

Scopula . Dense, dark grey in colour. Complete v cover on palpal tarsi, tarsi I and II and metatarsi I. Weak, incomplete on metatarsi II. Absent on legs III and IV. — Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 13, tibia pd8, rd8. Leg I: tarsi 15, metatarsi 16, tibia pd 9, rd 8. Leg II: tarsi 14, metatarsi 16, tibia pd 9, rd 8. Leg III: tarsi 13, metatarsi 15, tibia pd 9, rd 8. Leg IV: tarsi 11, metatarsi 15, tibia pd 9, rd 8. — Leg spination. Palp: tarsi pv 010000, rv 01000; tibia pv 7 scattered, rv 0111. Leg I: metatarsi v 0102; tibia rv 0111. Leg II: metatarsi v 0203; tibia v 0111. Leg III: tarsi v 14 scattered; metatarsi v 9 scattered, pd 001110, rd 000110; tibia pd 0010, rd 01010; patella pd 6. Leg IV: tarsi v 20 scattered; metatarsi v 6 plus many spinules scattered. — Abdomen. Dorsum with sparse cover of weak dark brown erect bristles and underlying dense cover of fine hairs. Venter with cover of shorter dark brown bristles and underlying prostrate hairs. — Genitalia. Sclerous lip of epigynum as figured ( Fig. 3G View Fig ).

Remarks. Wishart & Rowell (1997) referred to this spider as “Berry population” and attributed it, with some reservations, to Misgolas hubbardi Wishart, 1992 . Wishart & Rowell (2008) reversed the earlier decision and what was referred to as “Berry population” is raised here to the new species M. gwennethae . M. hubbardi was placed in synonymy with Misgolas rapax Karsch.

Etymology. The species is named in honour of my wife, Gwenneth, and in recognition of a great part of her lifetime spent encouraging my spider interests.

Distribution and natural history ( Fig. 14C View Fig ). Distribution of the species is taken to be coastal east of the Great Dividing Range, from Foxground (34°42'44"S 150°44'27"E) to the north, southwards to Batemans Bay (35°42'28"S 150°10'34"E), a range of about 120 km.

Of 14 wandering male spiders captured within the Berry township all were collected during the June to December periods of several years. The sample size is small and collection undisciplined but, at least for the restricted Berry region, the conclusion is significant and does not greatly contradict Wishart & Rowell’s result (1997) based on 38 spiders collected throughout the range.

The burrow ( Fig. 3J View Fig ) is similar to that of M. rapax (= M. hubbardi ) described by Wishart (1992) with an exception being the entrance which is often only marginally oblique. The underground burrow appears to be identical and is as described for the “Berry population” by Wishart & Rowell (1997).

The male spider is large, essentially very black and has a propensity for prolonged aggressive behaviour in the manner of the Sydney Funnelweb spider, Atrax robustus ( Hexathelidae : Atracinae). It is not known to be seriously harmful.