Miturgopelma ferruginea (L. Koch, 1873 ) Raven & Hebron & Williams, 2023

Raven, Robert J., Hebron, Wendy & Williams, Kylie, 2023, Revisions of Australian ground-hunting spiders VI: five new stripe-less miturgid genera and 48 new species (Miturgidae: Miturginae), Zootaxa 5358 (1), pp. 1-117 : 46-48

Miturgopelma ferruginea (L. Koch, 1873) comb. nov.

Fig. 33

Zora ferruginea L. Koch, 1873: 443 , plate 34, fig. 8.

Uliodon ferruginea : Simon 1897: 111.

Diagnosis. Males differ from those of Miturgopelma watarrka sp. nov. in the slenderer median apophysis; pallid body colouration with faint darker marks diffuse or showing little pattern. Size can vary by a factor of two. Differs from Miturgopelma woz sp. nov. in that the sclerotised dorsal point of the RTA bifid (see below) when viewed retroventrally ( Fig. 33f ). Males differ from those of Miturgopelma echidna sp. nov. in the bifid (rather than single) point on the dorsal lobe of the RTA. The embolus arises from base of MA which is a simple curving hook ( Fig. 33b ). Female unknown.

Type material. Queensland: male holotype ( Zora ferruginea L. Koch, 1873 ), “ New Holland ”, Thorell collection no. 1310, RMS (examined) .

Other material examined. 1 ma., Girraween area , 26 Dec 1974, R . Raven , QM S54303 ; 1 ma., Girraween area , 28°50’S, 151°55’E, 20 Aug 1973, G.J. Ingram, QM S32721 ; 1 ma., Carnarvon Stn , 24°50’17”S, 147°46’52”E, 806 m, 7–12 Oct 2014, B. Baehr, QM S98250 . New South Wales: 2 ma., Junction of Wooloolni Wooloolni and Basket Swamp Rd , 28°55’S 152°08’E, Boonoo SF, 1070 m, NPWS survey, M. Gray, G. Cassis , 4 Feb–9 Apr 1993, AM KS38381 .

Description. Male QM S54303

Carapace 3.43 long, 2.81 wide. Opisthosoma 3.56 long, 1.75 wide. Total length, 7.0.

I: 3.75; 1.56; 3.25; 3.13; 1.81; 13.50. II: 3.31; 1.44; 2.94; 3.19; 2.13; 13.00. III: 3.44; 1.50; 4.50; 3.38; 2.06; 14.88. IV: 4.63; 2.00; 3.75; 4.38; 2.50; 17.25. Palp: 1.50; 0.81; 0.56; -; 3.95; 5.14.

Colour: Carapace pattern of dark shell-like areas reduced to 3 paired dark areas, caput laterally defined by dark lines; opisthosoma dorsally pallid with weak mottling forming fine transverse lines; ventrally none, pallid; legs fawn without mottling. Eyes: All similar, small; ALE clearly smallest. Posterior row eyes more or less overlapping; PME and PLE inner edges well separated. Legs moderately long. Spines: Femora pv1 only on I, II; tibia I, II p2d3–4r2 on I, II; palp fe with p1; ti with d1–2; cymbium 0.

Palp: cymbial hairs all similar; retrobasally with normal, narrow edge; apex of ventral lobe short, rounded; ventral lobe short, apically plate-like; ventral plate a short lobe, apically plate-like; dorsal plate with deeply bifid tip; RTA distal; short, directed laterally; two plates sandwiching unsclerotised zone; ventral plate a short lobe, apically plate-like; dorsal plate with deeply bifid tip; embolus central, directed transversely prolateral.

Distribution. Known from Carnarvon Range, in northeastern Queensland to northern New South Wales.

Figures

FIGURE 33. Miturgopelma ferruginea (L. Koch, 1873), comb. nov., male: a–e, QM S98250. a, e, palpal tibia, cymbium and bulb, ventral (a) and retrolateral (e) views; b, median apophysis, ventral view; c, d, habitus, dorsal (c) and ventral (d) views; e, retrolateral view; f, male holotype, RMS, RTA, retrolateral view showing bifurcate tip. Images of palp by B. Baehr.