Rhynchaustrobates (Rhynchaustrobates) capitalis sp. nov.

Figure 17

Material examined. Holotype male, Pierces Creek, Namadji NP, Australian Capital Territory, 35°21.131 S 148°54.456 E, 659 m asl, 5-ii-2024, leg. Smit, dissected and slide mounted (ANIC).

Diagnosis (Female unknown). Coxae in two groups, these being fused on their respective sides, but separated medially; genital field with four pairs of acetabula; ventral margin of P3 with small rounded projection.

Description. Male. Idiosoma ventrally 456 long, dorsally 406 long and 322 wide. Dorsum soft and lined; postocularia on moderately developed platelets (Figure 17A), seven pairs of glandularia lying free in the integument; excretory pore terminal. Coxae in two groups, these fused on their respective sides, but separated medially (Figure 17B), distance between tips of Cx-I and posterior margin of Cx/IV 400, Cx-III width 291; anterior coxae projecting, gnathosomal bay moderately deep and roundly V-shaped, 77 deep; a triangular projection forming the roof of the camerostome; Cxgl-4 situated well laterally, over the sockets of IV-leg; secondary sclerotization enclosing Vgl-3. Genital field with four pairs of acetabula, incorporated into a platelet which is 191 long and 106 wide; gonopore relatively long and narrow, 66 long.

Palp as illustrated in Figure 17D: dorsal length/height: P1, 25/25; P2, 81/64; P3, 55/53; P4, 81/31; P5, 41/16; ventral margin of P3 with small rounded projection. Gnathosoma 250 long, much longer than high (Figure 17C), attached to a long tube of soft integument to produce a protrusible integument. Chelicera 317 long, cheliceral claw relatively large.

Dorsal lengths of I-leg: 56, 63, 86, 111, 125, 118; dorsal lengths of IV-leg: 113, 75, 116, 147, 175, 175.

Female: Unknown.

Etymology. Named for its occurrence in the Australian Capital Territory.

Remarks. Due to the lack of a ventral shield and large dorsal plates, and the genital field with four pairs of acetabula the male of the new species resembles R. stylatus Smit, 2001 . The latter species, known only from the female, has the first coxal plates fused and P3 without ventral projection (Smit 2001).

Distribution. Australian Capital Territory, known only from the type locality.