Australian Journal of
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Magnopholcomma adelphus sp. nov.
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urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:29DB39EF-B558-48ED-9953-33BA99A6FC80

Type material. Holotype male, Tasman National Park, Fortescue Bay (43°08'33.9"S 147°57'32.9"E, Tasmania, Australia), 13.I.2023, hand collecting at night, Baptista, R. L. C. & Castanheira, P. S. coll. (QVM:2023:13:0076).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a masculine noun in apposition derived from the Greek ‘adelphos’ for brother, twin, referring to this species being a twin species to M. globulus.

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Figure 1. Magnopholcomma adelphus sp. nov., holotype male (QVM:2023:13:0076). A, dorsal habitus; B, ventral habitus; C, lateral habitus. Scale bars: 2 mm. Arrow in C indicates the clypeal outgrowth.

Figure 2. Magnopholcomma adelphus sp. nov., holotype male (QVM:2023:13:0076), left pedipalp. A, prolateral view, B, ventral view, C, retrolateral view, D, prolateral view detail, E, ventral view detail, F, retrolateral view detail. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: C, conductor; CH, cymbial hook; ETA, extra tegular lobe; MA, median apophysis; Ti, tibia; TTA|v1v|, apical lobe of theridiid tegular apophysis; TTA|v2v|, basal lobe of theridiid tegular apophysis. Arrow points to embolic basis.

Figure 3. Magnopholcomma adelphus sp. nov. map showing its type-locality.

Diagnosis. Magnopholcomma adelphus sp. nov. differs from M. globulus by somatic and genital characters, such as a bulkier and more globose clypeal outgrowth (Figure 1C); fovea (or thoracic groove) represented by a small depression (vs bipartite in M. globulus) (Figure 1A; Wunderlich 2008, figure 213), and pedipalp bearing a much longer tibia (1.5x longer than wide vs. almost as long as wide), median apophysis with elongated horn-like tip not covered by ETA (vs. covered by ETA), and theridiid tegular apophysis (TTA) with apical lobe undivided (vs. bifid) (Figure 2A–F; Wunderlich 2008, figures 219, 220).

Description. Male (holotype QVM:2023:13:0076): Total length 5.2. Carapace 2.4 long, 1.8 wide, oval, reddish-brown and bearing sparse darkened anterior setae (Figure 1A). Fovea reduced to a small depression (Figure 1A). Eye diameter AME 0.16, ALE 0.13, PME 0.16, PLE 0.15; row of eyes: AME 0.49, PME 0.48, PLE 0.9. Clypeus 0.7 high, bearing a globose outgrowth with its diameter almost half the clypeus’ height (Figure 1A–C). Chelicerae paturon and fangs reddish-brown (Figure 1B); with three promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth. Labium 0.21 long, 0.36 wide, subtriangular and reddish-brown, maxillae reddish-brown (Figure 1B). Sternum 1.4 long, 1.0 wide, larger anteriorly, reddish-brown, with sparse dark setae (Figure 1B). Legs reddish-brown and completely covered by dense sets of thick macrosetae (Figure 1A–C); length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I – 2.4 + 0.9 + 2.1 + 2.0 + 0.8 = 8.2, II – 1.8 + 0.8 + 1.3 + 1.5 + 0.9 = 6.3, III – 1.3 + 0.7 +1.0 + 1.2 + 0.7 = 4.9, IV – 2.0 + 0.8 + 1.8 + 0.9 + 0.5 = 6.0. Leg formula I > II > IV > III. Abdomen 2.8 long, 2.2 wide, oval, not elongated beyond spinnerets, dorsum dark-grey, lighter medially at cardiac area and completely covered by dark macrosetae (Figure 1A); laterally pale and covered by slightly sparse dark macrosetae; venter pale with a large dark patch between the epigastric furrow and spinnerets (Figure 1B). Pedipalp (Figure 2A–F): length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + cymbium = total length): 1.2+ 0.4 + 0.5 + 0.7 = 2.8; tibia goblet-shaped, elongated (ca. 1.5x longer than wide) and covered with bristles; CH finger-like, distally curved, very sclerotized, and located apically in the retrolateral ectal position on the edge of the bulb; MA locking on the cymbium concavity and represented by a large rounded basal piece with a deep concavity at the distal region of the tegulum and a large basal projection at the prolateral side ending in a strong sclerotized pointed tip; ETA formed by a wide, short and excavated projection, with rounded and keeled apex placed between MA and apical lobe of TTA; TTA formed by two lobes, the apical lobe entire, elongated, and ending in a twisted and wide lamella; basal lobe very large, with its anterior section rounded with a long and curved furrow bordered by a keel which completely wraps around the filiform embolus, and its terminal section ending in a very sclerotized pointed tip, which folds around the embolus apex; conductor a small membranous digitiform lobe placed near the basis of apical lobe of TTA; embolus with most of its base covered by the ectal margin of cymbium, long, filiform and completely wrapped by the basal lobe of TTA.

Female. unknown.

Figure 1. Magnopholcomma adelphus sp. nov., holotype male (QVM:2023:13:0076). A, dorsal habitus; B, ventral habitus; C, lateral habitus. Scale bars: 2 mm. Arrow in C indicates the clypeal outgrowth.

Figure 2. Magnopholcomma adelphus sp. nov., holotype male (QVM:2023:13:0076), left pedipalp. A, prolateral view, B, ventral view, C, retrolateral view, D, prolateral view detail, E, ventral view detail, F, retrolateral view detail. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: C, conductor; CH, cymbial hook; ETA, extra tegular lobe; MA, median apophysis; Ti, tibia; TTA|v1v|, apical lobe of theridiid tegular apophysis; TTA|v2v|, basal lobe of theridiid tegular apophysis. Arrow points to embolic basis.

Figure 3. Magnopholcomma adelphus sp. nov. map showing its type-locality.

Natural history. The single male was caught in summer, at night, while hanging from a thread in a small bush alongside a forest trail near Fortescue Bay Camping Ground. Despite our collection effort during 15 days in Tasmania, no additional specimens were caught. Moreover, we did not find any similar specimens in the collections we visited: WAM and QVMAG.

Distribution. Only known from its type-locality in Tasmania (Figure 3).