The Austrocyphon tribulator- complex

(Figs 95–98)

New material studied. 1♂: 11.45S 142.35E QLD Heathlands dump 7June-25 July 1992 P.Zborowski, E.Nielsen Malaise #2 open forest ; 1♂: 11.45S 142.35E QLD Heathlands- Dump site 18 Aug-18 Sep 1992 Malaise Trap P.Zborowski & L.Miller ; 3♂: 13.44S 143.20E QLD 11km WbyN of Bald Hill McIlwraith range 27 June-12 July 1989 T.A.Weir 520m search party campsite / ex light trap . 1 ♂: Bellender Ker NP, QLD 1.5km ENE Broken Nose 28 June 1992 C.Reid beating rainforest vegetation 500m (all ANIC).

Austrocyphon tribulator Zwick, 2013 is a small (BL ~ 2 mm) yellowish to light brown species that is widespread in Queensland. It differs from other members of the A. adelaidae -group by the wide, completely bare plate of T8 and mainly by the X-shaped arrangement of the sclerites representing T9. The basal apodemes converge and eventually meet, and from the meeting point issues a pair of divergent caudal sclerites. In the typical morph, the caudal sclerites are flat lanceolate blades with fine asperities on the surface (Fig. 95).

Some aberrant specimens were recorded when the species was first described. They differed mainly by the narrowness of the caudal T9 sclerites (Fig. 96). Shapes of T8, S9 and the penis also differed but were not uniform among the aberrant individuals from several localities. Some more variations have now been observed (Fig. 97), further increasing the diversity of morphs.

The significance and cause of the heterogeneity are unknown. For the time being the specimens are regarded as members of an unresolved complex, including a single individual (from Broken Nose) whose T9 sclerites have an approximately circular cross section and appear club shaped (Fig. 98).