Tasmanicosa salmo Framenau & Baehr, 2016, sp. nov.

Tasmanicosa salmo sp. nov.

Salmon Gum wolf spider (Figs 3K, 22, 23A–G)

Type data. Holotype. Male, Salmon Gums [32°46'46”S, 121°25'11”E, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA], October– November 2008, pitfall trap, K. George, M. Peterson (Rapallo site 10A) (WAM T95244).

Paratype. Male, [32°46'50”S, 121°25'11”E, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA], October–November 2008, pitfall trap, K. George, M. Peterson (Rapallo site 10B) (WAM T95245).

Other material examined. Only known from type material.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition and refers to the genus-group name Salmo Linnaeus, 1758 for a genus that includes species of salmon and trout. The type locality Salmon Gums is a small town in Western Australia named after a predominant local eucalypt species, Eucalyptus salmonophloia, with pinkish (= salmon-coloured) bark.

Diagnosis. Tasmanicosa salmo differs from all other Tasmanicosa by its very dense pubescence on carapace and opisthosoma (Fig. 23A), which somewhat masks the typical Tasmanicosa colouration. The opisthosoma has distinct white setae spots masking the folium pattern common in other Tasmanicosa. The pedipalp structure is similar to that of T. kochorum, but the terminal apophysis is apically wider and abruptly truncated.

Description. Male (based on holotype, WAM T95244).

Total length 15.6.

Prosoma. Length 8.9, width 6.4; carapace greyish-brown; covered densely with mainly light grey setae and therefore indistinct Union-Jack pattern and indistinct median and marginal light bands (Fig 23A); sternum black with black setae (Fig. 23B).

Eyes. Diameter of AME 0.37, ALE 0.26, PME 0.99, PLE 0.73.

Chelicerae. Dark brown with an elongated patch of silvery-white setae frontally.

Labium. Dark brown, anterior rim yellow-brown (Fig. 23B).

Endites. Dark brown, apically yellow-brown (Fig. 23B).

Legs. Femora greyish-brown, patellae, tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi brown; venter of coxae dark brown, venter of patellae and tibiae apico-ventrally dark brown; legs overall covered with silvery setae.

Opisthosoma. Length 6.3, width 4.9; dorsally greyish-brown with indistinct darker patterning and distinct white setae patches, more in posterior half (Fig. 23A); venter black and covered with black setae (Fig. 23B).

Pedipalps. Cymbium dorsally with dense layer of silvery setae, tip with ca. 10 macrosetae (Fig. 23C–D); ridge of tegular apophysis very slightly curved and about half as long as tegular apophysis width (Fig. 23E–F); embolus sickle-shaped tapering gently towards tip; terminal apophysis broad and flat, abruptly tapered apically (Fig. 23G).

Female unknown.

Life history and habitat preferences. Males appear to be reproductively active at least in October and November, when both males known were caught in pitfall traps.

Distribution. Only known from the Salmon Gums area in Western Australia (Fig. 22).