Aname ellenae

Dataset
Molecular and morphological characterisation of new species in the trapdoor spider genus Aname (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Nemesiidae) from the Pilbara bioregion of Western Australia: Rank
SPECIES: Published in
Harvey, Frances S. B., Framenau, Volker W., Wojcieszek, Janine M., Rix, Michael G., Harvey, Mark S. (2012): Molecular and morphological characterisation of new species in the trapdoor spider genus Aname (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Nemesiidae) from the Pilbara bioregion of Western Australia. Zootaxa 3383: 15-38, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.215484

Classification

kingdom
Animalia: phylum
Arthropoda: class
Arachnida: order
Araneae: family
Nemesiidae: genus
Aname: species
Aname ellenae

description

Description. Adult male (based on holotype WAM T 98890): medium-sized nemesiid spider (total length 17.0). Colour: carapace brown with somewhat darker cephalic region (Fig. 34), eye region dark brown (Fig. 37); sternum light brown, darker towards margins, sigilla light brown and labium brown (Fig. 36); abdomen dorsally dark greyish brown, centrally somewhat darker, ventrally very light brown (Fig. 35); chelicerae dark brown; pedipalp segments uniformly brown; leg I brown with metatarsi and tarsi light brown (Fig. 39), legs II – IV light brown. Carapace: 6.8 long, 5.5 wide; eye group (Fig. 37) 1.2 wide, 0.7 long; fovea slightly procurved (Fig. 34). Sternum and labium: 3.7 long, 2.5 wide; 2 pairs of very indistinct elongated sigilla in posterior half (Fig. 36); labium wider than long, slightly indented anteriorly (Fig. 38). Maxillae: with> 100 pin-like cuspules, extending to heel and almost to the centre of maxillae (Fig. 38). Chelicerae: without rastellum (Fig. 36), promargin with 8 large teeth, retromargin with 5 smaller teeth proximally. Abdomen: 7.0 long, 4.2 wide (Fig. 35). Four spinnerets, terminal segment of posterior lateral spinnerets digitiform. Pedipalp: length of femur 3.4, patella 1.8, tibia 1.9, tarsus 1.4. Femur and patella without spines; tibia with 2 long ventral spines, and 3 disto-prolateral spines and patch of 9 shorter spines retrolaterally, tibia with distinct disto-ventral depression without setae (accommodates bulb and embolus) (Figs 41, 42); tarsus terminally blunt (Fig. 41); bulb elongated, globular, tapering into short embolus, embolus ca. 0.5 long, slightly S-curved (Figs 41, 42). Legs: femur I with 1 dorsal spine in basal half and 2 disto-prolateral spines, patella with 2 prolateral spines, metatarsi and tarsi without spines. Tibia I with large spur and megaspine, metatarsi incrassate (Figs 39, 40). Tarsi and apical half of metatarsi of leg I and II ventrally with entire dense scopulae, tarsi of legs III and IV with divided very weak scopulae. Tarsi, metatarsi and tibiae with numerous dorsal trichobothria of variable length. Paired tarsal claws of legs with two rows of 10 – 14 teeth each; third tarsal claw reduced and very small. Leg measurements: length of legs IV> I> II> III. leg I: femur 5.4, patella 3.3, tibia 3.7, metatarsus 3.8, tarsus 2.4, total = 18.6. Dorsal proximal width of patella I = 1.2, tibial index = 0.17, leg I formula = 2.74. Leg II: femur 4.8, patella 2.6, tibia 2.7, metatarsus 3.4, tarsus 2.2, total = 15.7. Dorsal proximal width of patella II = 1.1, tibial index = 0.21; leg II formula = 2.31. Leg III: femur 4.2, patella 2.5, tibia 2.6, metatarsus 3.4, tarsus 2.2, total = 14.9. Dorsal proximal width of patella III = 1.3, tibial index = 0.26; leg III formula = 2.19. Leg IV: femur 5.3, patella 2.9, tibia 4.2, metatarsus 4.7, tarsus 2.7, total = 19.8. Dorsal proximal width of patella IV = 1.4, tibial index = 0.20; leg III formula = 2.91. Variation: total length 16.2 – 19.7, carapace length 6.5 – 8.0, carapace width 5.2 – 6.5 (n = 6). Adult female: unknown.

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Males of A. ellenae resemble A. barrema Raven, 1985, A. distincta Raven, 1985, A. inimica Raven, 1985 and A. marae in the shape of the bulb which gradually tapers to the embolus (Figs 41, 42). The shape and proportions of metatarsus I and tibia I of A. ellenae differ from these species: metatarsus I is much stouter in A. barrema (3.8 x longer than deep), A. distincta (ca. 3.2 x) and A. inimica (ca. 3.0 x) than in A. ellenae (ca. 4.2 x) (Fig. 40) and the base of the tibial spur arises abruptly in A. barrema, A. distincta and A. inimica but arises gently in A. ellenae (Fig. 40) and A. marae (Fig. 49). Aname ellenae differs from A. marae in details of the pedipalp: the embolus of A. ellenae is much less curved and almost circular in cross-section (Fig. 41); in contrast, the embolus base of A. marae is broadly flattened (Fig. 50). In addition, the pedipalpal tibia has a patch of short strong setae retrolaterally in A. ellenae (Figs 41, 42), which is absent in A. marae (Figs 50, 51). Females of A. ellenae are unknown.

discussion

Remarks. At the population around Onslow, most male specimens were dug from burrows in October, but were apparently not yet reproductively active. They were possibly waiting for the first seasonal rainfalls to leave their burrows in search of females and therefore appear to be reproductively active early in the wet season.

distribution

Distribution. Aname ellenae has been found along the northern coast of the Pilbara, but also along the Fortescue Marsh in the Central Pilbara (Fig. 7); spiders of these apparently separated populations are morphologically indistinguishable; future molecular analyses may shed light on their population genetics and if these populations are reproductively isolated.

etymology

Etymology. This species is named for Ellen Harvey, the senior author’s sister.

materials_examined

Type material. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: holotype male, Aquila Onslow, 24.9 km SE. of Onslow, 21 ° 46 ’ 56 ” S, 115 ° 17 ’ 40 ” E, 28 October 2008, dug from burrow, M. Menz (WAM T 98890 DNA). Paratypes: 2 males, same data as holotype except 29 October 2008 (WAM T 98773 DNA, T 98893 DNA). Other material examined. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 17 males, Aquila Onslow, 14.7 km S. of Onslow, 21 ° 46 ’ 01 S, 115 ° 05 ’ 26 E, 25 October 2008, dug from burrows, M. Menz (WAM T 98876, T 98877, T 98878, T 98879, T 98880, T 98882, T 98885, T 98888, T 98889, T 98891, T 98892 DNA, T 98894, T 98895, T 98896, T 98897 DNA, T 98899 DNA, T 98901); 5 males, Aquila Onslow, 17.9 km SW. of Onslow, 21 ° 44 ’ 34 S, 114 ° 58 ’ 45 E, 29 October 2008, dug from burrow, M. Menz (WAM T 98881, T 98883, T 98884, T 98887, T 98898); 1 male, 27 km NE. of Warrawagine Homestead, site PHYE 02, 20 ° 42 ’ 17 S, 120 ° 54 ’ 04 E, 1 July 2005 – 21 August 2006, ethylene glycol pits, DEC staff (WAM T 97306); 1 male, 12.5 km S. of Whim Creek Hotel, Pilbara Biological Survey site DRE 11 B, 20 ° 56 ’ 59.6 ” S, 117 ° 50 ’ 59.6 ” E, 13 May 2004 – 2 May 2005, wet pitfall trap, CALM Pilbara Survey (WAM T 97312).

Name

Homonyms: Aname ellenae