Karaops morganoconnelli, Crews, 2023

Crews, Sarah C., 2023, But wait, there's more! Descriptions of new species and undescribed sexes of flattie spiders (Araneae, Selenopidae, Karaops) from Australia, ZooKeys 1150, pp. 1-189 : 1

Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov.

Figs 59A-E , 60A, B, E , Maps 1 , 9A, B

Material examined.

Holotype: Western Australia • ♀; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'27.66"S, 119°47'38.76"E (WGS84); 29 Apr. 2013 - 7 May 2013; S. Callan: Biologic Env. leg.; foraging, rock cracks and crevices, gorge, 55-OB24-T1-R; BES:0389; (WAM T131095) . Paratype: ♂ (reared in captivity) Cathedral Gorge , ~ 40 km from Newman; 23°16'30.60"S, 119°37'29.55"E; ~ 594 m; 15 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; outcrop just off the road (on right side, facing North) sel_1207; SCC016_035; (WAM T155583) . Other material examined: 1 imm.; same data as previous; sel_1206, 1208-1210; (WAM T155582, T155584-155586). Other records. 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'25.64"S, 119°43'32.66"E; 5-11 Apr. 2013; B. Durrant leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131088) • 1 imm.; Orebody 25, ~ 5 km N of Newman; 23°19'36.82"S, 119°46'06.43"E; 5-13 Aug. 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; gully; (WAM T131234) • 1 imm.; Orebody 25, ~ 5 km N of Newman; 23°19'36.82"S, 119°46'06.43"E; 29 Apr.-7 May 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131097) • 1 imm.; Orebody 25, ~ 5 km N of Newman; 23°19'24.30"S, 119°47'24.99"E; 5-13 Aug. 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; gully; (WAM T131225) • 1 imm.; same as previous; slope/ridge; (WAM T131233) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°16'26.31"S, 119°51'15.16"E; 29 Apr.-7 May 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131098) • same as previous; (WAM T131099) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'04.62"S, 119°46'23.89"E; 29 Apr.-7 May 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131104) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'48.13"S, 119°51'41.88"E; 29 Apr.-7 May 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131100) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'24.14"S, 119°46'14.31"E; 5-13 Aug. 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; gorge; (WAM T131239) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'00.58"S, 119°46'10.22"E; 29 Apr.-7 May 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131102) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'04.62"S, 119°46'23.89"E; 29 Apr.-7 May 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131103) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'04.62"S, 119°46'23.89"E; 5-13 Aug. 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; gorge; (WAM T131238) • 1 imm.; Ophthalmia Range , ~ 20 km N. of Newman; 23°10'31.1"S, 119°44'01.8"E; 19 Jun. 2014; J.M. Waldock, C.A. Car leg.; hand forage; hillslope/foot-slope; rock; (WAM T132728) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'35.04"S, 119°45'25.61"E; 5-11 Apr. 2013; B. Durrant leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131087) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'04.04"S, 119°44'25.09"E; 29 Apr.-7 May 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131093) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'06.95"S, 119°44'36.64"E; 29 Apr.-7 May 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131091) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'04.04"S, 119°44'25.09"E; 29 Apr.-7 May 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131094) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°16'26.97"S, 119°44'23.69"E; 29 Apr.-7 May 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131092) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'35.04"S, 119°45'25.61"E; 5 -13 Aug. 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; gully; (WAM T131223) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'06.04"S, 119°44'30.54"E; 5-11 Apr. 2013; B. Durrant leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131089) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'11.69"S, 119°44'39.94"E; 29 Apr.-7 May 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; under rocks; (WAM T131090) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'16.32"S, 119°44'48.41"E; 5-13 Aug. 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; gully; (WAM T131224) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'06.95"S, 119°44'36.64"E; 5-13 Aug. 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; drainage line; (WAM T131227) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°16'57.11"S, 119°44'58.86"E; 5-13 Aug. 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; gorge; (WAM T131228) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°16'57.11"S, 119°44'58.86"E; 5-13 Aug. 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; gorge; (WAM T131230) • 1 imm.; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°16'26.97"S, 119°44'23.69"E; 5-13 Aug. 2013; S. Callan leg.; foraging; slope/ridge; (WAM T131231) .

Diagnosis.

The female of Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov. is similar to other members of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group but differs by the conformation of the genitalia (Fig. 59B, C ). The lateral lobes of the new species are not fused, but they are fused in K. joehaeneri sp. nov., K. julianneae , K. badgeradda , K. nyamal , and K. martamarta . Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov. can be separated from K. karrawarla by the copulatory openings situated in a medial depression, and the copulatory ducts of the new species are much wider throughout their length and closer medially.

The male is similar to all the known males of the group by the large conductor that extends dorsally and ventrally (Fig. 60A, B, E ). It can be differentiated from Karaops joehaeneri sp. nov. and K. karrawarla by the narrower cymbium that is not elongated retrobasally as much as in the aforementioned. The conductor is shaped differently in both ventral and retrolateral views and is easily seen when the palp is expanded, as is the different position of the median apophysis (Fig. 60E ).

Description.

Female (holotype). Total length 5.89. Carapace: length 2.49, width 3.24. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth (1-0-1). Eyes: AER recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.15, ALE 0.11, PME 0.21, PLE 0.32; interdistances AME-PME 0.05, PME-PLE 0.16, ALE-PLE 0.29, PME-PME 0.88, ALE-ALE 1.37, AME-AME 0.43, PLE-PLE 1.70. Sternum: length 1.34, width 1.71. Abdomen: length 3.40, width 2.77. Color: Carapace: orangish with dark marks laterally and in between these and fovea, with dark, slender setae. Chelicerae: orange-brown, paturon with a longitudinal curved mark frontally, mostly dark setae, darkened anteromedially. Maxillae: orange-brown, pale distally. Labium: dark orange-brown. Sternum: orange-brown. Abdomen: dorsally reddish brown with four dark dots anteromedially on either side of darker median band, more flecks laterally, two dark patches medially, two laterally adjacent to the most posterior, two triangular marks anteromedially, connected to one another by a thin, dark mark, tip of abdomen with dusky mark (Fig. 59E ); ventrally yellowish. Spinnerets: anterior yellowish, posterior yellowish with dark marks dorsally. Legs: yellowish orange with dark mark prolaterally on Cx and Tr, marks on Fm that do not completely encircle legs, unpigmented medially, darker annulation proximally on Pt, proximally and distally on Ti and Mt, Ti dusky distally/dark marks faded in ethanol, Fm with white setal tufts, setae are long, slightly widened distally; spination leg I Fm d 1-1-1, pr 1-1-1, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2-2; leg II missing; leg III Fm d 1-1-1, Ti v 2-2; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1, Ti v 2-2; measurements leg I 8.44 (2.48, 0.96, 2.03, 1.88, 1.09); leg II missing; leg III 11.43 (3.37, 1.20, 3.04, 2.07, 1.75); leg IV 11.62 (3.01, 1.01, 2.85, 3.00, 1.75). Palp: spination Fm d 0-1-2; 2.86 (0.80, 0.54, 0.63, 0.89); claw with ~ 5 teeth. Epigyne: EP somewhat triangular, longer than wide, plicate; MF with narrow m-shaped depressions, in a larger depression rounded anteriorly; LL clearly separated, COs slightly asymmetrical. Endogyne: CDs nearly touching anteriorly, unsclerotized, extended anteriorly slightly beyond more sclerotized part of EP, curved sharply posteriorly, with small ABs where the CDs become sclerotized, textured at this juncture, CDs curve dorsomedially, then ventrally away from one another, wrapped around S, which are round anteriorly, then curved around to allantoid posterior part; FDs located distally on S, directed anterolaterally; small pdf medially.

Male (paratype). Total length 3.87. Carapace: length 2.06, width 2.53. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth (1-0-1). Eyes: AER recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.16, ALE 0.07, PME 0.16, PLE 0.27; interdistances AME-PME 0.06, PME-ALE 0.11, ALE-PLE 0.11, PME-PME 0.73, ALE-ALE 1.07, AME-AME 0.41, PLE-PLE 1.30. Sternum: length 0.98, width 1.38. Abdomen: length 1.81, width 1.80. Color (in life Fig. 59A /preserved Fig. 59D ): Carapace: yellowish brown to golden, three pairs of black marks laterally, with three more in between these and center of carapace/yellowish orange, setae dark, slightly stiff, evenly distributed, with reddish orange, thinner setae laid flat against carapace, especially prominent in ocular region. Chelicerae: yellowish orange, paturon with a longitudinal curved mark frontally, setae paler and less dense laterally, darker anteriorly and where the chelicerae meet. Maxillae: whitish. Labium: dusky, pale distally. Sternum: yellowish white. Abdomen: dorsally with dark brown and golden areas/with black and yellowish orange areas; ventrally, whitish to yellow-orange. Legs: yellowish, Cx and Tr with dark spot prolaterally, dots at base of Fm, two spots with darker edge, unpigmented medially, dots/dusky area at Fm-Pt joint, Pt with dark mark ventrally at Fm-Pt joint, Ti with basal and proximal annulation, basal extends further ventrally, pale annulations basally and distally on Mt, Ta tip a bit dusky; spination leg I Fm d 1-1-1, pl 1-1-1, rl 0-0-1, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2, pl 1-0-0, rl 1-1-1, Mt v 2-2-2-2; leg II Fm d 1-1-1, pl 0-1-1, rl 0-0-1, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2, d 1-2-0, pr 1-1, Mt v 2-2-2-2; leg III Fm d 1-1-1, pr 0-0-1, rl 0-1-1, Tirl 1-1, pr 0-1, v 2-2, d 1-1, Mt 2-1; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1, pr 0-0-1, rl 0-1-1, Ti v 2-2, rl 1-1, pr 0-1, d 1-1, Mt v 2-1; leg formula 3241; measurements leg I 7.29 (2.15, 0.73, 1.92, 1.53, 0.96); leg II 9.06 (2.89, 0.82, 2.29, 1.94, 1.12); leg III 9.14 (2.99, 0.77, 2.24, 2.05, 1.09); leg IV 8.37 (2.61, 0.63, 2.04, 2.11, 0.98). Palp: spination Fm d 0-1-1; 2.14 (0.54, 0.32, 0.38, 0.90); RTA with both branches smallish, approximately same size, vRTA spoon shaped in ventral view, rounded triangular in lateral view, dRTA rectangular in lateral view, plicate distally, Ti with dark mark dorsobasally extending prolaterally (Fig. 60B ), dark mark proximal to RTA; rbcp large; Cy roundish to triangular; C large, distally elongated dorsally and ventrally, twisted ventral tip, pointed, tapering in lateral view (Fig. 60B ); E long, thin arising from TL at ~ 6 o’clock, ending at ~ 2 o’clock, curved around edge of bulb in CS; MA with a broad base, tapered, increasingly sclerotized distally.

Etymology.

This species is named for Morgan O’Connell in recognition the work he has done in the Pilbara. Name in genitive case.

Distribution.

Known from only the region of the Ophthalmia Range, Pilbara, Western Australia (Map 9A, B ).

Natural history.

The species is only found in the Hamersley subregion of the Pilbara bioregion. The Pilbara is arid to tropical. The Hamersley subregion is characterized by mulga woodland over bunch grasses on fine soils and snappy gum over Triodia brizoides Burbidge on skeletal soils ( Kendrick 2001a).

The female was present in late April-May when the weather was getting wetter and cooler; however, mostly juveniles were collected, likely due to non-targeted collecting. The male was reared in captivity and did not molt for four months. It then molted twice within two weeks to a penultimate male, and then a month later, in December, to an adult. This is during the hottest and mostly dry part of the year. Necessarily, males and females should be present simultaneously. It is probable that there are females throughout the year, and males more common 1-2 times/year as in other selenopids species. All other records are from juveniles, and various sizes have been found August-April. The immatures and male and female were placed together based on molecular data (Suppl. materials 1, 2: tables S1, S17). This species has been collected by hand in gorges, gullies and drainage lines, on outcrops and slopes and ridges, in rock cracks and crevices, and under rocks.

Discussion.

This species is only known from a small area in the Pilbara. It overlaps with one species only known from immatures and is in close proximity to another (Map 9B ). The Hamersley subregion contains many organisms with restricted distributions. This area is heavily affected by the iron-ore industry.

Figures

Map 1. Map of Australia showing areas that are expanded in subsequent figures. CD = Central Desert group, D = Karaops dawara group, F = Karaops francesae group, K = Kimberley group, UA = species that are not assigned to a group, PG = Pilbara-Gascoyne group.

Map 9. Species of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group A diamonds (juveniles): blue = Erawandoo Hill, orange = Mt. Augustus, red = Nammuldi, yellow = Hillside-Corunna-Glenn Herring, black = Marble Bar-Glacier Valley, pink = Orebody 19, 31, teal = Wheelara North, orange with thick outline = Harding Dam (maybe Karaops ngarluma, see text); Circles: dark blue = Karaops julianneae, dark green = Karaops badgeradda, red = Karaops joehaeneri sp. nov., teal = Karaops karrawarla, blue = Karaops durrantorum sp. nov., brown = Karaops burbidgei, green = Karaops martamarta, purple = Karaops nyangumarta, black = Karaops banyjima, yellow = Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov., gray = Karaops nyiyaparli, red-brown = Karaops feedtime, bright pink = Karaops nyamal (probably, see text), white = Karaops kariyarra, bright green = Karaops yurlburr, orange = Karaops ngarluma, tan = Karaops jaburrara, peach = Karaops forteyi, teal = new species yet undescribed; small white diamonds are unidentifiable immatures for which no molecular data are available B boxed area expanded for clarity.

Figure 59. Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov. and Karaops nyamal from the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group A Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov., paratype male, Cathedral Gorge, ~ 40 km from Newman (sel _ 1207, WAM T 155583) B same, holotype female, epigyne, Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman (WAM T 131095) C same, endogyne D same, paratype male Cathedral Gorge, ~ 40 km from Newman (sel _ 1207, WAM T 155583) E same, holotype female, Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman (WAM T 131095) F Karaops nyamal, paratype female, Mt. Webber (WAM T 107698). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (B, C); 1 mm (D); 2 mm (F); 5 mm (E).

Figure 60. Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov. and Karaops nyamal from the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group A Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov., paratype male, palp, ventral, Cathedral Gorge, ~ 40 km from Newman (sel _ 1207, WAM T 155583) B same retrolateral C Karaops nyamal, paratype female, epigyne, Mt. Webber (WAM T 107698) D same, endogyne E Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov., paratype male, palp, expanded, (sel _ 1207, WAM T 155583); light gray = tip of conductor, dark gray = median apophysis. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.