Misgolas watsonorum, 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 : 67-69

Misgolas watsonorum n.sp.

Figs 14A–I , 24C

Type material. HOLOTYPE?, AM KS22419 , Cape Hawke nr. Forster, 21 Carmona Drive (32°12'59"S 152°33'02"E), Ken Watson, 10 Jan. 1990, in pool . ALLOTYPE!, AM KS92877 , excavated from front lawn 29 Jan. 2006, GW, other details same as holotype . PARATYPE!, AM KS4517 , Cape Hawke nr. Forster (32°11'S 152°31'E), 15 Jan. 1980, Mr Paton .

Diagnosis. Medium (male carapace length, c. 6.75) to large (female carapace length, c. 12.85 maximum) brown spiders; retrodorsal surface of metatarsi IV without spines ( Fig. 14E,G ); venter with moderately dense brown pattern most dense adjacent to PMS ( Fig. 14D,H ). All femora dark brown ( Fig. 14F,G ), distal limb segments, including patella, much paler ( Figs 14E–G ). In male: palpal bulb with retrolateral embolic flange with 4 major folds, c. 2–3 minor folds; embolus with subdistal prolateral apophysis proximally pointed, thorn-like; secondary apophysis absent ( Fig. 14B,C ). Palpal tibia as figured ( Fig. 14A ); retrolateral tibial apophysis swollen, not digitate.

Description

Male holotype ( Figs 14A–E ). Size. Carapace length 6.75, width 5.15. Abdomen length 7.74, width 4.54. Colour. In alcohol carapace, chelicerae and proximal limb segments up to and including femora dark brown; distal segments and v surfaces of prosoma light tan. Dark brown smudges on some lateral limb surfaces. Abdomen dorsum dark brown bearing 5 pallid transverse chevrons. Venter with moderately dense dark brown pattern most dense immediately adjacent to PMS ( Fig. 14D ). Spinneret v surface brown, d surface pallid. Carapace. Edge with fringe of black bristles encroaching onto posterior third of post foveal surface. Line of 11 (some removed) weak median bristles on caput arch; 8 bristles between PME, 12 on clypeus; weakly chitinous pleuron membrane below clypeus without setae. Fovea width 1.10, straight, recurved edges, posterior wall centrally divided by pitted intrusion. Eyes. Raised on mound. Area immediately adjacent to eyes black. Anterior width 1.08, posterior width 0.95, length 0.59, width/length ratio 1.85. Line joining posterior edges of ALE bisects AME. Posterior row straight in front, recurved behind. Chelicerae. Rastellum row of 5(5) spines; c. 6(8) smaller spines behind. Intercheliceral tumescence small, pallid, indistinct, with few setae. Fang groove with 7(7) promarginal teeth & 8(9) smaller retromarginal/ intermediate row teeth. Labium. Broad, bulbous, length 0.59, width 0.92. Labio-sternal suture broad, continuous. Maxillae c. 35(32) anteroental pointed, cigar shaped cuspules, none terminated by a hair. Sternum. Length 3.50, width 2.58. Sigilla all small, round: Anterior pair marginal, mid pair sub marginal, posterior pair c. 1.5 diameters from margin.

Legs. Tibia I with distal bifid apophysis; processes reduced, spines not prominently elevated, distal process with 2(2) attenuate spines; proximal process with 1(2) long curvilinear spine(s) appearing as a megaspine. Tarsi and metatarsi I & II markedly reflexed.

palp I II III IV femur 3.87 6.00 6.07 4.67 6.51 patella 1.72 3.19 2.82 2.27 2.89 tibia 3.50 5.34 4.48 2.89 5.77 metatarsus - 5.22 4.42 3.87 5.59 tarsus 1.47 3.13 2.82 2.58 3.13 total 10.56 22.88 20.61 16.28 23.89

Palp ( Fig. 14A ). Many long, anteriorly inclined, mucronate, skewer shaped spines on distal half of cymbium d surface. RTA swollen, d and rd surfaces covered with long pointed spines which continue around rv edge of tibial excavation becoming shorter and continuing to end of DTA. TEM, with posteroental weak TET, contiguous with RTA. Bulb. ( Fig. 14B,C ) Narrow embolic rl flange with 4 major and c. 2–3 minor folds, margin twisted under short embolus. Embolus with proximally pointed thorn-like subdistal pl apophysis. Scopula. Complete on all tarsi, incomplete on all metatarsi. Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 9, tibia pd 5, rd 4. Leg I: tarsi 12, metatarsi 15, tibia pd 7, rd 6. Leg II: tarsi 12, metatarsi 13, tibia pd 7, rd 7. Leg III: tarsi 10, metatarsi 12, tibia pd 7, rd 8. Leg IV: tarsi 11, metatarsi 12, tibia pd 8, rd 7. Leg spination. Spines absent on all tarsi. Leg I: metatarsi v 011000; tibia v 01113. Leg II: metatarsi v 012100; tibia v 01112. Leg III: metatarsi v 0102, d 02223; tibia v 0112, pl 010, rl 0110; patella pd 5. Leg IV: metatarsi v 8; tibia v 5. Abdomen. Dorsum with dense cover of short brown bristles. Venter with cover of weaker setae.

Female allotype ( Fig. 14F–H ). Size. Carapace length 12.85, width 9.33. Abdomen length 18.82, width 11.76. Colour. In alcohol chelicerae dark brown, carapace and all femora brown, distal limb segments light tan.Abdomen dorsum with 6 faint pallid transverse chevrons. Venter entirely brown. Palp and legs I and II with bilateral dark brown smudges most apparent on patella and tibia ( Fig. 14F ). When dry carapace bedecked with golden hirsute sheen, abundant on caput. Carapace. Edge fringed with pale brown hairs which encroach onto area between posterior striae. Striae deeply indented. Line of c. 16 (c. 7 removed) small median bristles on caput arch; 16 bristles between PME; c. 35 bristles on clypeus; 3 small dark bristles on weakly chitinous pleuron membrane below clypeus. Fovea width 3.07, straight, posterior wall centrally divided by 2–3 small pitted intrusions. Eyes. Placed on low mound. Area immediately adjacent to eyes dark brown, PME excepted. Anterior width 1.74, posterior width 1.69, length 0.88, width/length ratio 1.97. Line joining posterior edges of ALE transects anterior fifth of AME. Posterior row straight in front, recurved behind. Chelicerae. Rastellum disordered front row of 10(12) spines; c. 14(11) smaller spines behind. Fang groove with 9(9) promarginal teeth and 32(32) small retromarginal/intermediate row teeth. Labium. Bulbous, length 1.66, width 2.17. Labio-sternal suture continuous, narrow centrally. Maxillae. An estimated 50(50) short, rounded, anteroental cuspules masked from view by copious long setae. Sternum. Length 6.96, width 5.49. Sigilla anterior pair round, its own width from margin; mid pair larger ovate, one and a half times its length from margin; posterior pair largest ovate, twice its length from margin. Legs:

palp I II III IV femur 6.96 9.02 7.84 6.08 8.33 patella 3.82 5.39 5.09 4.11 5.10 tibia 4.12 5.68 4.79 4.70 6.96 metatarsus — 4.70 4.36 3.81 5.88 tarsus 4.41 2.94 2.58 2.39 2.76 total 19.31 27.73 24.66 21.09 29.03

Scopula. Dense, dark grey in colour. Dense v cover on palpal tarsi and tarsi I and II with some thinning along narrow v band. Metatarsi I and II with dense v cover with exception of v band running length of segments broadening proximally. Weak remnants on tarsi III and IV. Trichobothria. Palp: tarsi 15, tibia pd 9, rd 9. Leg I: tarsi 18, metatarsi 22, tibia pd 10, rd 10. Leg II: tarsi 19, metatarsi 20, tibia pd 10, rd 9. Leg III: tarsi 17, metatarsi 17, tibia pd 9, rd 10. Leg IV: tarsi 20, metatarsi 20, tibia pd 9, rd 10. Leg spination. Palp: tarsi rv 3 proximal, pl 4 proximal; tibia pl 6 scattered, rv 02100. Leg I: metatarsi v 012103; tibia v 011213. Leg II: tarsi v 2 distal; metatarsi v 10 scattered; tibia v 011121. Leg III: tarsi v 10 scattered on distal half; metatarsi v 9 scattered on distal half, pl 0110000, d 0121220; tibia pd 011111, rd 011110; patella pd 12. Leg IV: tarsi v 22 scattered; metatarsi v 9 scattered. Abdomen. Dorsum with uniform sparse cover of small dark bristles over underlying fine setae. Venter with dense uniform cover of small dark bristles over underlying fine setae as on dorsum. Genitalia. Epigynum lip weakly sclerous, gently recurved.

Remarks. The species may be confused with M. crawfordorum n.sp. For males the species are separable by reference to the non-digitate RTA and absence of a small d second embolic apophysis.

Etymology. The species is named in recognition of Mr Ken Watson, an enthusiastic science teacher, and Mrs Sue Watson, both collectors and residents of the type locality.

Distribution and natural history. ( Fig. 24C ) This species is known only from the type locality and is sympatric with M. tarnawskiae n.sp. The burrow entrance favours shaded areas and is commonly found in lawns. The lip is about 10° oblique to the level ground and raised c. 1 cm above the ground resting on grass and leaves ( Fig. 14I ). The burrow structure is similar to that of M. crawfordorum .

Figures

Fig.14. Misgolas watsonorum n.sp.A–E?, holotypeAM KS22419:(A), right palp retrolateral.(B,C), right bulb:B, dorsal; C, prolateral. (D), venter. (E), right tarsus and metatarsus IV retrolateral. F–H!, allotype AM KS92877: (F), right leg I retrolateral. (G), right leg IV retrolateral. (H), venter. (I), burrow entrance.

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).