Australian Journal of
Taxonomy
Open-access, online, rapid taxonomy
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Figure 1. Holotype male Trachelas cooloola sp. nov. (A) dorsal abdomen (B) cephalothorax (C) eyes, frontal aspect (D) sternum, labium and maxillae. Scale bar = (A-B, D) 0.5 (C) 0.2.
Figure 2. Holotype male Trachelas cooloola sp. nov. (A-C) palpal bulb (A) prolateral aspect (B) ventral aspect (C) retrolateral aspect (D-F) palpal patella and femur (D) ventral aspect (E) dorsal aspect (F) patella and tibia ventral aspect (G) labium and maxillae. Scale Bar = (B) 0.1 (D-F) 0.15 (G) 0.2.
Figure 3. Holotype male Trachelas cooloola sp. nov. (A, C) dorsal aspect (B) dorsolateral aspect (D) dorsolateral aspect of cephalothorax, showing palps. Images courtesy of Robert Whyte.
Diagnosis. Trachelas cooloola sp. nov. is most similar to T. vulcani Simon, 1896 and T. crewsae Marusik & Fomichev, 2020 in the long embolus coiled around the tegulum (Fig. 2A-C) and patellar apophysis (Fig. 2D-F). T. cooloola sp. nov. can be distinguished from T. vulcani Simon, 1896 by the following characters: tegular apophysis is smaller, restricted to outer edge of tegulum (Fig. 2B); haematodocha comprises ca. half of tegulum in ventral aspect (lesser in T. vulcani) (Fig. 2B; patellar apophysis terminates bluntly, as opposed to a sharp apically oriented point (Fig. 2D-F). Furthermore, T. cooloola can be distinguished from T. crewsae Marusik & Fomichev, 2020 by the dorsal patterning formed by two pale bands running longitudinally (as opposed to grey bands running transversally) (Fig. 1A); further distinguished from T. crewsae by patellar apophysis, reduced in size and without pointed tip (Fig. 2D-F).
Description. Holotype male. Measurements: TL 2.58; CL 1.20, CW 1.02; AL 1.25, AW 1.06; SL 0.63, SW 0.53; LL 0.2, LW 0.22; ML 0.3; MW 0.16. Eye size: AME 0.07, ALE 0.08, PME 0.08, PLE 0.08. Eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.08; AME-ALE 0.02; PME-PME 0.09; PME-PLE 0.06; ALE-PLE 0.04; PERW 0.5; AERW 0.4. Leg measurements (fem + pat + tib + met + tar): Leg I: missing/broken; Leg II: 2.29 (0.68 + 0.3 + 0.55 + 0.43 + 0.33); Leg III: 1.74 (0.53 + 0.26 + 0.38 + 0.35 + 0.22); Leg IV: 2.55 (0.76 + 0.3 + 0.6 + 0.61 + 0.28).
Colour in alcohol (Fig. 1). Carapace orange. Sternum, maxillae, labium, chelicerae concolorous, orange. Abdomen dorsally blackish grey with 2 cream-colored longitudinal bands flanking median dark band, extending from anterior edge, transitions to grey above spinnerets; ventrally pallid, with grey border. Legs yellowish translucent. Carapace (Fig. 1B). With many circular punctations, clothed in thin setae. Eye group (Fig. 1C) occupies anterior 1/4th of carapace, in dorsal aspect posterior eye is straight or slightly recurved, anterior eye row recurved. Abdomen (Fig. 1A). Dorsal scutum absent, with 2 pairs of discrete sigilla. Sternum (Fig. 1D). Shield-like, with circular punctations except for smooth centrally situated longitudinal stripe. Intercoxal sclerites are present between coxae I-II, II-III, and III-IV. Chelicerae. Both margins with 2 teeth. Labium (Fig. 2G). Somewhat triangular, anterior edge straight, supporting brush of long setae. Maxillae (Fig. 2G). Anterior edge rounded, inner proximal corner supporting small serrula. Anterior lip with tight row of denticles giving the impression of serration. Legs. Without cusps. Leg formula: 423.
Palp (Fig. 2A-F). Tegulum spheroid, haematodocha comprises almost half of tegulum in ventral aspect. Embolus very long, sinuous, coiled around tegulum, extends retrodistally from tegulum towards cymbium apex (Fig. 2B). Tegular apophysis small, triangular, confined to retrodistal edge of tegulum (Fig. 2B). Sperm duct loosely S-shaped (Fig. 2A). Retrolateral patella apophysis subrectangular, rounded (Fig. 2D-F). Femoral excavation occupies distal ½ of femur, widest retrolaterally, narrowing prolaterally (Fig. 2D).
Material Examined. Holotype male: Queensland: Carlo Point, Rainbow Beach, 25th of August 2018, R. Whyte, Cooloola BioBlitz.
Figure 1. Holotype male Trachelas cooloola sp. nov. (A) dorsal abdomen (B) cephalothorax (C) eyes, frontal aspect (D) sternum, labium and maxillae. Scale bar = (A-B, D) 0.5 (C) 0.2.
Figure 2. Holotype male Trachelas cooloola sp. nov. (A-C) palpal bulb (A) prolateral aspect (B) ventral aspect (C) retrolateral aspect (D-F) palpal patella and femur (D) ventral aspect (E) dorsal aspect (F) patella and tibia ventral aspect (G) labium and maxillae. Scale Bar = (B) 0.1 (D-F) 0.15 (G) 0.2.
Figure 3. Holotype male Trachelas cooloola sp. nov. (A, C) dorsal aspect (B) dorsolateral aspect (D) dorsolateral aspect of cephalothorax, showing palps. Images courtesy of Robert Whyte.