Araneus fictus (Rainbow, 1896)

W. Framenau, Volker, 2019, Generic and family transfers, and numina dubia for orb-weaving spiders (Araneae, Araneidae) in the Australasian, Oriental and Pacific regions, Evolutionary Systematics 3 (1), pp. 1-27 : 16

Araneus fictus (Rainbow, 1896)

Epeira ficta Rainbow, 1896a: 323-324, pl. 18, figs 2, 2a.

Araneus fictus (Rainbow). Rainbow 1911: 186; Bonnet 1955: 502.

Aranea ficta (Rainbow). Roewer 1942: 827.

Type material.

Holotype of Epeira ficta Rainbow, 1896: female, New England district [no exact locality, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA] (whereabouts unknown).

Remarks.

The holotype female of Epeira ficta is not present in the AM and must be considered lost. The original description suggests close affinities with Araneus psittacinus (Keyserling, 1887) and Araneus ginninderranus Dondale, 1966, both of which can only be separated by detailed examination of the genitalia. As this is not possible due to the lost type, I consider Epeira ficta a nomen dubium.