Kangaraneus farhani, Castanheira & Framenau, 2023

Castanheira, Pedro de S. & Framenau, Volker W., 2023, Kangaraneus, a new genus of orb-weaving spider from Australia (Araneae, Araneidae), Zoosystematics and Evolution 99 (2), pp. 307-323 : 307

Kangaraneus farhani sp. nov.

Figs 9A-E , 10A-D , 11A-F , 12

Type-material.

Holotype male, Frankston (38°09'S, 145°08'E, Victoria, Australia), 25 September 1947 (MV K-9854).

Other material examined.

AUSTRALIA - Australian Capital Territory • 2 females, Corin Dam , 35 km W Canberra, 35°34'S, 148°50'E (AM KS.33511) . New South Wales • 1 female, Barrington Tops , 32°01'S, 151°29'E (MV K-9814) ; • 2 males, Jamberoo Mountain , 34°40'S, 150°43'E (AM KS.54090, KS.56902) ; • 2 females, same locality (AM KS.54096, KS.56898) ; • 1 female, Jenolan Caves , 33°49'S, 150°01'E (AM KS.32648) ; • 2 females, New England National Park , 30°29'S, 152°30'E (QM) ; • 1 female, Newnes State Forest, Sunnyside Road, 1.6 km from Blackfellows Hand Road , 33°22'S, 150°11'E (AM KS.93211) . South Australia • 1 female, Mylor , 35°03'S, 138°46'E (SAM) ; • 1 female, Ravine des Casoars, Kangaroo Island , 35°48'S, 136°45'E (SAM) . Tasmania • 1 female, King Island , 39°53'S, 143°54'E (MV K-9468) ; • 3 females, Launceston , 41°27'S, 147°10'E (AM KS.28590) ; • 1 female, same locality (AM KS.28697) ; • 1 male, 2 females, same locality (AM KS.28545) ; • 1 female, same locality (AM KS.131278) ; • 1 female, Lees Paddocks , 41°50'S, 146°06'E (QVMAG 13:0529) ; • 2 females, Lilydale , 41°15'S, 147°13'E (AM KS.8524) ; • 1 female, Maggs Mountain , 41°44'S, 146°10'E (QVMAG 13:0634) ; • 1 female, Picton area , 43°09'S, 146°38'E (MV K-10379) ; • 1 male, Ringarooma River, Gladstone , 40°57'S 148°01'E (QM S90595 ) ; • 1 female, Risdon , 42°49'S, 147°19'E (AM KS.28839) ; • 1 female, 2 juveniles, Southport , 43°25'S, 146°58'E (AM KS.28870) ; • 1 female, Stanley, 1 Ford St , 40°46'S, 145°17'E (QVMAG 13:0582) ; • 1 female, same locality (QVMAG 13:0584) ; • 1 female, Strahan , 42°09'S, 145°19'E (AM KS.34086) . Victoria • 1 female, no exact locality (MV K-10377) ; • 1 female, Camberwell , 37°50'S, 145°4'E (MV K-10375) ; • 2 females, Frankston , 38°09'S, 145°08'E (MV K-10378) ; • 1 female, Macclesfield , 37°53'S, 145°29'E (MV K-10376) ; • 3 females, Narracan , 38°15'S, 146°13'E (MV K-10374) .

Etymology.

The specific name is a patronymic in honour of Farhan Bokhari, a colleague at the Harry Butler Institute (Murdoch University).

Diagnosis.

Male K. farhani sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other two species of the genus by the central protrusion of the median apophysis being much longer, somewhat blade-like and heavily sclerotised (Figs 9C, D , 10A, B ). Females can be differentiated from the other two Kangaraneus gen. nov. species by the truncated tip of the epigyne scape (tapering in the other two species) (Fig. 11D-F ). Kangaraneus farhani sp. nov. is the only species in which females were found with a broken off scape exposing a distinct, shallowly V-shaped posterior edge of the atrium (Fig. 10C ).

Description.

Male (based on holotype MV K-9854). Total length 5.8. Carapace 3.6 long, 3.1 wide, light brown, slightly lighter in cephalic area (Fig. 9A ). Eye diameter AME 0.23, ALE 0.18, PME 0.18, PLE 0.16; row of eyes: AME 0.64, PME 0.43, PLE 1.17. Chelicerae light brown, basally mottled dark; with three promarginal teeth (median largest) and two retromarginal teeth of similar size. Legs light brown, patched in beige on the base of femur (Fig. 9A, B ). Leg length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I - 3.9 + 1.3 + 2.6 + 2.9 + 1.2 = 11.9, II - 3.7 + 1.3 + 3.2 + 2.2 + 1.0 = 11.4, III - 2.2 + 0.8 + 1.6 + 1.0 + 0.5 = 6.1, IV - 3.2 + 0.7 + 1.8 + 2.0 + 1.0 = 8.7. Labium 0.39 long, 0.52 wide, light brown; maxillae light brown (Fig. 9B ). Sternum 1.6 long, 1.2 wide, light brown with black contour (Fig. 9B ). Abdomen 3.1 long, 3.1 wide, with conspicuous humeral humps; dorsum olive-grey, with short, pale longitudinal patch anteriorly and a dark, heart-shaped patch posteriorly, demarcated by a pale line (Fig. 9A ); venter olive-brown with irregular light streaks (Fig. 9B ). Pedipalp (Figs 9C-E , 10A-D ) length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + cymbium = total length): 0.7+ 0.4 + 0.6 + 1.3 = 3.0; paracymbium strong and hook-like, curved apically; median apophysis C-shaped, tapering to an acute tip, central protrusion elongate, heavily sclerotised; radix canoe-shaped; terminal apophysis elongate, lanceolate, tapering to an acute tip; basal conductor lobe conspicuous, heavily sclerotised; conductor triangular, bearing a membranous apical protuberance and a short basal protrusion with a bifid tip; embolus heavily sclerotised with its tip curved apically.

Female (based on AM KS.54096): Total length 10.4. Carapace 3.7 long, 3.6 wide; colouration as in male (Fig. 11A ). Eye diameter AME 0.13, ALE 0.11, PME 0.12, PLE 0.10; row of eyes: AME 0.51, PME 0.43, PLE 1.28. Chelicerae brown, four promarginal teeth (apical and third largest) and three retromarginal teeth of similar size. Legs light brown with covered in setae (Fig. 11A, B ). Pedipalp length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + tarsus = total length): 1.3 + 0.5 + 0.8 + 1.7 = 4.3. Leg length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I - 4.4 + 2.0 + 3.8 + 3.0 + 1.7 = 14.9, II - 3.9 + 1.8 + 3.3 + 2.6 + 1.4 = 13.0, III - 2.5 + 1.1 + 1.6 + 1.5 + 1.0 = 7.7, IV - 3.8 + 1.3 + 2.2 + 2.3 + 1.2 = 10.8. Labium 0.56 long, 0.89 wide, light brown; maxillae light brown (Fig. 11B ). Sternum 2.0 long, 1.8 wide, colouration as in male (Fig. 11B ). Abdomen 7.9 long, 6.7 wide; dorsum with two conspicuous humeral humps, golden brown with brown band between humeral humps (Fig. 11A ); venter olive-grey with indistinct pale lateral bands (Fig. 11B ). Epigyne base rounded, wider than long, with large and elevated borders including a V-shaped posterior rim (Fig. 11C, D ); atrium convex (Fig. 11C, E, F ); central division wide (Fig. 11F ); scape slightly longer than wide, longer than the epigyne base, with rounded bulged base, apically truncated (Fig. 11D, E ); spermathecae oval, located basally on the genital plate, copulatory ducts short (Fig. 4E, F ).

Variation.

Males total length 5.6-5.8 (n = 2); females total length 6.3-10.4 (n = 8). Males display similar colour variations to K. arenaceus comb. nov. with one specimen having a large white patch in the cardiac area. Females do not display much colour variation, but half had the epigyne scape broken off.

Life history and habitat preferences.

Mature specimens of K. farhani sp. nov. were collected between July and early December, except for one female collected in February. The species therefore seems to be largely winter- to spring mature.

Kangaraneus farhani sp. nov. generally appears to build its web low in grass, with original labels reading "among grass in garden", “garden”, "orb-web near ground", "in grass at side of creek".

Distribution.

Kangaraneus farhani sp. nov. occurs in south-eastern mainland Australia (Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria) and Tasmania (Fig. 12 ).

Figures

Figure 4. Kangaraneus gen. nov. female epigynes, cleared. A. K. arenaceus (Keyserling, 1886) comb. nov., ventral view (WAM T 77221); B. K. arenaceus (Keyserling, 1886) comb. nov., dorsal view (WAM T 77221); C. K. amblycyphus (Simon, 1908) comb. nov., ventral view (AM KS. 131276); D. K. amblycyphus (Simon, 1908) comb. nov., dorsal view (AM KS. 131276); E. K. farhani sp. nov. ventral view (AM KS. 131278); F. K. farhani sp. nov., dorsal view (AM KS. 131278). Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 9. Kangaraneus farhani sp. nov., male holotype (MV K- 9854). A. Dorsal habitus; B. Ventral habitus; C. Left pedipalp, ventral view; D. Left pedipalp, retrolateral view; E. Left pedipalp, dorsal view. Scale bars: 2 mm (A, B); 0.2 mm (C-E).

Figure 10. Kangaraneus farhani sp. nov., male expanded right pedipalp (AM KS. 56902). A. Ventral view; B. Retrolateral view; C. Dorsal view; D. Apical view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 11. Kangaraneus farhani sp. nov., female. A. Dorsal habitus (AM KS. 54096); B. Ventral habitus (AM KS. 54096); C. Broken epigyne, ventral view (AM KS. 54096); D. Epigyne, with scape, ventral view (AM KS. 131278); E. Epigyne, lateral view (AM KS. 131278); F. Epigyne posterior view (AM KS. 131278). Scale bars: 2 mm (A, B); 0.2 mm (C-F).

Figure 12. Distribution records of Kangaraneus comb. nov. species.