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Type material
Holotype ♂. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Charles Gardner Reserve, North, site Qu 93, 01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 31.77916°S, 117.47277°E, 27 May–5 October 1998, Paul Van Heurck, Wheatbelt Survey, wet pitfall trap (WAM T148354).
Diagnosis
The combination of a red chelicerae and brown carapace of males of M. gelasinos sp. nov. are not shared by other described species of Missulena. Males can be further differentiated from other species of Missulena that have a brown carapace by the presence of an indentation on the retrolateral surface of the chelicerae (Fig. 6a), and by a lack of transverse striations on the dorsal and retrolateral surface of the chelicerae (except M. harewoodi, which also lacks striations), striations weak in M. leniae and M. pinguipes (Fig. 6a, i vs Fig. 3a; Fig. 12a; fig. 6 Faulder 1995; fig. 5b, e Harms & Framenau 2013; figs 2c, 6i, 8i Miglio et al. 2014). They further differ from M. durokoppin sp. nov., M. faulderi, M. harewoodi, M. melissae, and M. terra sp. nov. by having coarse granulations on the carapace, which is smooth in these other species (Fig. 6a vs Fig. 3a; Fig. 13a; fig. 4b, c Harms & Framenau 2013; fig. 2a, c Miglio et al. 2014; fig. 1a, d Framenau & Harms 2017). Of the species in which males have red chelicerae and a brown or black pars thoracica males of M. gelasinos sp. nov. differ by having 12 spines in the rastellum, in which there are less than nine in M. insignis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877), M. manningensis Greenberg, Huey, Framenau & Harms, 2021, M. iugum Greenberg, Huey, Framenau & Harms, 2021, and M. langlandsi Harms & Framenau, 2013, and 16–20 in M. reflexa Rainbow & Pulleine, 1918 (Fig. 6f, g vs fig. 10c Harms & Framenau 2013; fig. 8f, h, 11i Greenberget al. 2021; Womersley 1943). They differ from M. occatoria Walckenaer, 1805 and M. reflexa by the lack of transverse striations on the chelicerae and from M. iugum by the lack of a ridge on the cheliceral groove (Fig. 6a, f, h vs fig. 9g Greenberg et al. 2021; Womersley 1943); from M. occatoria and M. insignis by the lack of spines or a rasp on patella II and from M. davidi Greenberg, Huey, Framenau & Harms, 2021 by the shorter and broader pedipalp tibia (Fig. 6l, 7a–c vs fig. 4g–i Greenberg et al. 2021; Womersley 1943).
Descriptions
Male (based on holotype; WAM T148354). Total length 8.87.
Colour in ethanol: Pars cephalica, pars thoracica brown, chelicerae red (Fig. 6a). Sternum dull orange-brown, with eight sigilla, dark orange-brown in colour (Fig. 6b); maxillae and labium orange-brown (Fig. b, f). Abdomen dorsally cream-brown; ventrally mid-brown, with lighter yellow-brown over the book lungs; spinnerets mid-brown (Fig. 6c, d). Legs olive-brown with a faint blue metallic sheen.
Carapace: 4.75 long and 5.56 wide; pars cephalica height 1.93; pars cephalica covers 0.63 of carapace length. Pars cephalica strongly granulated. Pars thoracica moderately granulated; posterior and lateral edges recurved, lateral edges undulating; two depressions posteriorly either side of mid-point; posterior edge with a shallow medial notch (Fig. 6a). Pars cephalica strongly elevated (Fig. 6i). Chelicerae: 2.50 long; inflated and broadly cylindrical; coarsely granulated dorsally with two dorso-retrolateral indentations at around three quarters the length of the chelicerae, measured base to apex (Fig. 6a). Sternum: ovoid with sparse, scattered setae; four pairs of sigilla, all strongly depressed and distinct; anterior pair elongate oval; second pair small, around half the size of the first, rounded oval; third pair rounded oval, around twice the size of the first pair; fourth pair largest, rounded oval, ca. three times the size of the third pair (Fig. 6b). Labiosternal junction indistinct (Fig. 6b). Eyes: OQ 3.88 times wider than long; anterior eyes slightly procurved; posterior eyes strongly recurved (Fig. 6e). Around 20 setae forming a fringe over the base the fang of each chelicera. Cheliceral furrow with row of nine teeth prolaterally, five small and widely separated teeth retrolaterally; around 14 small teeth in the mid-furrow region (Fig. 6h). Maxillae: with covering of setae, anteriorly with ca. 74 small and very weakly developed cuspules (Fig. 6f). Labium: squat pyramidal, with covering of setae; anteriorly with ca. 19 small and very weakly developed cuspules (Fig. 6f). Rastellum moderately pronounced, with 12 (10 right) strong, conical spines (Fig. 6f, g).
Abdomen: 4.79 long and 4.58 wide; rounded trapezoid; four spinnerets (Fig. 6c, d).
Legs: sparse, scattered brown-black setae on all surfaces. Leg spination: leg I: tibia rv2, v11, pl2, d0; metatarsus rv2, v15, pl2, d0; tarsus rv2, v9, pl1 d2; leg II: tibia rv2, v7, p3, d0; metatarsus rv5, v7, pl3, d0; tarsus rv2, v14, pl3, d2; leg III: tibia rv3, v6, pl5, d11; metatarsus rv6, v2, pl9, d10; tarsus rv6, v4, pl5, d5; leg IV: tibia rv1, v7, pl5, d0; metatarsus rv3, v0, pl9, d1; tarsus rv4, v0, pl4, d3. Patella I ca. 20 well developed, stout spines clustered prolaterally (Fig. 6k), nine ventrally; patella II with five spines ventrally; patella III with dense covering of ca. 50 well developed, stout spines on the dorsal and retrolateral surfaces (Fig. 6m); patella IV with cluster of ca. 15 spinules on prolateral sand retrolateral surfaces (Fig. 6n). Tarsus I with sparse scopulae apically; metatarsus and tarsus III, IV with scopulae along ventral surface (Fig. 6j, leg IV imaged). Leg measurements: Leg I: femur 4.76, patella 1.89, tibia 2.83, metatarsus 2.47, tarsus 1.78, total 13.73. Leg II: femur 4.07, patella 2.21, tibia 2.40, metatarsus 2.14, tarsus 1.81, total 12.60. Leg III: femur 3.76, patella 2.37, tibia 2.30, metatarsus 2.30, tarsus 1.54, total 12.8. Leg IV: femur 3.67, patella 2.38, tibia 2.21, metatarsus 3.02, tarsus 1.88, total 12.16. Formula: 1>2>3>4.
Pedipalp: femur 4.37, patella 2.23, tibia 3.40, tarsus 1.25; all segments with scattered setae, sparse dorsally and those of the tibia thickest and longest ventrally (Fig. 7a–c). Tibia slender, mildly inflated ventrally, 1.19 wide on the widest point from dorsal and prolateral view, 2.9 longer than wide (Fig. 7a–c). Bulb roughly pyriform (Fig. 7a, b). Embolus moderately short, thin, curved, embolar tip with a lamella (Fig. 7d).
Variation (n = 10). Most material examined had red chelicerae, with brown pars cephalica and brown pars thoracica, however the pars cephalica of one specimen was a more red-brown. The colour of the abdomen dorsally varied from slate-grey to cream-grey. Total length: 8.34–12.51, mean 9.84. Number of maxillary cuspules: 70–108, mean 76.7; number of labial cuspules: 17–26, mean 19.5; number of spines on the rastellum: left 7–10, mean 8.5, right 7–11, mean 8.12. All specimens examined had lateral indentations retrolaterally on the chelicerae. Number of spinules on the left patella (n = 8): Leg I 32–43, mean 35.38; Leg II 6–16, mean 11.29; Leg III 48–59, mean 53.38; Leg IV 20–36, mean 30.71.
Other material examined
AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: ♂ Howatharra Nature Reserve, South West, No. 02, 01-05x2, 28.5475°S, 114.6613°E, 15 September–30 March 1999–18 October 1999, Paul Van Heurck, Wheatbelt survey, wet pitfall trap (WAM T148351); ♂ Kulunilup Nature Reserve, West, site UN07, 34.34888°S, 116.7725°E, closed 1 November 2000, N. Guthrie, CALM Wheatbelt Survey, wet pitfall trap (WAM T148359); ♂ N of Edwards Rd, SE of Lake King, site GP2, 33.36694°S, 120.99527°E, 15 October 1999-1 November 2000, Paul Van Heurck et al., CALM Survey, wet pitfall trap (WAM T148348); ♂ Koorda Road, 22363 Nature Reserve, Site WH 06, 33.36694°S, 120.99527°E, 15 September 1998–29 April 1999–25 October 1999, B. Durrant, CALM-WAM Survey, wet pitfall trap (WAM T148356); ♂ Tutanning Nature Reserve, site 8–2, ca. 32.53°S, 117.3°E, 16 June 1987, G.R. Friend, pitfall trap (WAM T59382); ♂ Tutanning Nature Reserve, WW End, Site WK07, 01, 04, 05, 06, 32.545°S, 117.275°E, closed 16 September 1998, L. King, CALM Wheatbelt Survey, wet pitfall trap (WAM T148357); ♂ Durokoppin Nature Reserve, central sites, KL 11, 01, 02, 05, 07, 08, 31.4044444°S, 117.75888°E, closed 22 September 1998, N. Guthrie, CALM Wheatbelt Survey, wet pitfall trap (WAM T148349); ♂ West Perenjori Nature Reserve, North, MO01, 01-05x2, 29.46444°S, 116.21000°E, 15 September 1998–2 April 1999–18 October 1999, Paul Van Heurck, CALM-WAM Wheatbelt, wet pitfall trap (WAM T148350); ♂ Perengillup Nature Reserve, site ST 12, 33.94361°S, 117.64472°E, 15 October 1999–1 November 2000, Paul Van Heurck et al., CALM Survey, wet pitfall trap (WAM T148355).
Etymology
The specific epithet is a Greek noun meaning ‘dimple’ and refers to the lateral indentations on the chelicerae of this species.
Distribution
Known from south-western to mid-western WA (Fig. 5).