Scorpionoides gen. nov.

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Type species: Scorpionoides gloriosa sp. nov.

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Figure 1. Scorpionoides gen. nov. live habitus images (A) Holotype male S. gloriosa sp. nov. (QM S124009) (B) Holotype male S. nugentae sp. nov. (QM S124012) (C) Holotype male S. cooloolabioblitz sp. nov. (QM S124013) (D) Male S. scintillans sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Scorpionoides gen. nov. may be distinguished from other similar dorsoventrally flattened salticids by the following characters. In males, palps are ovoid, bearing a short, uncoiled embolus, RTA is bifurcated, divided into a dRTA and vRTA (Figs. 2C-E); cephalic depressions between PLE as in Holoplatys Simon, 1885 (Fig. 1A; Zabka, 1991) are absent. In females, spermathecae are simple, not highly convoluted like Coporocossa Simon, 1901 (Fig. 12, pg., 205; Davies & Zabka, 1989), divided into primary and secondary receptacles, with anteriorly situated accessory glands (Figs. 4B, C, E & F). Both sexes are unidentate, lacking any consistent abdominal pattern, the first pair of legs are modified, thickened (Fig. 2B), all species possess iridescent setae on cephalothorax and abdomen, though this is inconspicuous in some species (Fig. 2A).

Description. Males: Moderately sized spiders ranging from ca. 2.53 to 3.55mm in length. Cephalothorax and abdomen dorsoventrally flattened (Fig. 2G), often with distinctive iridescent setae (Fig. 3A, 5A, 6A), fovea absent. Leg I strong, spination: tibia rv 3 pv 3; metatarsus rv 2 pv 2. (Fig. 2B). Chelicerae unidentate, retromargin with 1 triangular tooth supported by protuberance, promargin with 2 smaller teeth, sometimes reduced to granules. Palp: Simple, tegulum ovoid, without proximal lobe, short embolus emerges apically from tegulum, RTA bifurcate (Fig. 2C-E).

Females: Moderately sized spiders ranging from ca. 3.30 to 3.40mm in length. Cephalothorax and abdomen dorsoventrally flattened, with distinctive iridescent setae (Fig. 4A, D), fovea absent. Leg I strong, spination: tibia rv 3 pv 3; metatarsus rv 2 pv 2. Chelicerae unidentate, retromargin with 1 triangular tooth supported by protuberance, promargin with 2 smaller teeth. Epigynum (Figs. 4B, C, E & F): spermathecae large, divided into primary and secondary receptacles; copulatory openings medially situated, insemination ducts join to secondary receptacles anteriorly; accessory gland situated on the anterior edge of the secondary receptacle; fertilization ducts moderately sized, emerging from primary receptacle; anterior hood present in some species (Fig. 4B, C).

Distribution. Known from Eastern Australia.

Remarks. After undertaking surveys across Southeast Queensland and examining the collection of R. Whyte, 16 specimens of Scorpionoides gen. nov. were gathered. Of these 16 specimens, only 2 were mature females. These surveys revealed that S. gloriosa, S. nugentae, S. scintillans, and 1 putative undescribed species occur in sympatry.

The generic female diagnosis is derived from the 2 female specimens, one S. scintillans sp. nov. and the other an unallocated species, herein denoted as S. ‘cf. gloriosa’, due to its similarities to S. gloriosa sp. nov. (primarily the absence of any obvious iridescent setae).