Evarcha longula Thorell 1881, comb. nov.

Evarcha longula (Thorell, 1881) comb. nov.

Figs 87–100

Marptusa longula Thorell, 1881: 454.

Trite longula — Thorell 1881: 829, footnote 1; Simon 1903: 829.

Type material. Holotype: M, Somerset, Cape York, 144.31°E, 10.73°S, L.M. D’Albertis, 1875 (MSNG BJR 1255).

Other material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: 1M, Motmot Island, Lake Wisdom Long Island, 147.12°E, 5.35°S, 18 Nov. 1985, M. Ball (AMS KS 21344); INDONESIA: 1M, Merauke, Papua, 140.4°E, 8.5°S, 1956, Chrysanthus [not seen, record taken from Chrysanthus (1968)]; AUSTRALIA: QUEENSLAND: 1F, Saibai Island, 142.67°E, 9.38°S, 14 Jul. 1975, H. Heatwole & E. Cameron (QM S 73058 B); 1M, Saibai Island, 142.67°E, 9.38°S, 18 Jul. 1975, H. Heatwole & E. Cameron (QM S 91652); Darnley, 143.77°E, 9.58°S); 1F, Moa Island, Torres Strait, 142.27°E, 10.18°S, 25 Feb. 1975, E. Cameron (QM S 91644); 1M, Hammond Island, Torres Strait, 142.22°E, 10.53°S, H. Heatwole & E. Cameron (QM S 91650); 1M, Horn Island, 142.28°E, 10.62°S, 27 Jul. 1975, H. Heatwole & E. Cameron (QM S 91651); 2F, Cairncross West, 142.92°E, 11.25°S); 2F, Kowanyama, 141.73°E, 15.48°S, 11 Jan. 1977, D.L. Hancock (QM S 91646); Rocky Island, 145.35°E, 15.6°S; 1F, Black Mountain, 145.63°E, 16.68°S, 1971, N. Clyde Coleman (QM S 19645); 3, Ellis Beach, Cairns, 145.62°E, 16.72°S, 1 Jul. 2003, B.J. Richardson (ANIC 42 000486); 4, Ellis Beach, Cairns, 145.62°E, 16.72°S, 1 Jul. 2003, B.J. Richardson (ANIC 42 000485); 2F, Davies Creek, 145.55°E, 16.98°S, N. Clyde Coleman (QM S 91647); 1M, near Atherton, 145.48°E, 17.27°S, 11 Oct. 1987, M. Żabka (AMS KS 44653); 1, Mission Beach, 146.08°E, 17.90°S, 25 Jul. 2004, B.J. Richardson (ANIC 42 000483); Townsville, 146.82°E, 19.27°S, 1 May 1989, B.J. Scott (WAM T 45325); NEW SOUTH WALES: 1M, Brunswick Heads, 153.55°E, 28.53°S, 3 Aug. 1981, M.R. Gray (AMS KS 45397); NORTHERN TERRITORY: 1M, Pungalina Station, Karne Creek Road, 137.45°E, 16.45°S, 28 Jun. 2012, B.J. Richardson, N. Gunter & S. Pinzon-Navarro (ANIC 42 001628); 1 imm., Pungalina Station, Seven Emu Road, 137.42°E, 16.67°S, 30 Jun. 2012, N. Gunter (ANIC 42 001652); 2 imm., Pungalina Station, Homestead, 137.42°E, 16.72°S, 30 Jun. 2012, T. Weir (ANIC 42 001610); 2 imm., Pungalina Station, Safari Camp, 137.43°E, - 16.72°S, B.J. Richardson (ANIC 42 001620); 2 imm., Pungalina Station, Lake Jabiru, 137.53°E, 16.75°S, 29 Jun. 2012, N. Gunter (ANIC 42 001624); WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Drysdale, 126.38°E, 15.7°S, 5 May 1993, A.F. Longbottom (WAM T 45326); 1F, Deception Range, 128.27°E, 16.77°S, 1 Feb. 2008, G. Byrne (WAM T92402); 1 imm., Millstream National Park, Fortesque River, near Ranger Headquarters, 117.05°E, 21.57°S, 1 May 2003, B.J. Richardson (ANIC 42 000484); 2M, Millstream National Park, Ranger Headquarters, 117.07°E, 21.58°S, 29 Apr. 2003, C. Lambkin (ANIC 42 000481); 1F, Millstream National Park, Ranger Headquarters, 117.40°E, 21.60°S, 29 Apr. 2003, B.J. Richardson (ANIC 42 000160); 1 imm., Millstream National Park, Ranger Headquarters, 117.40°E, 21.60°S, 29 Apr. 2003, B.J. Richardson (ANIC 42 000482).

Remarks. Davies & Żabka (1989) pointed out that the type species of Trite, T. pennata Simon, 1885 is a fissident spider allied to Opisthoncus, while ‘ Trite ’ longula is a unident spider with quite distinct genitalia and palp morphology and is misplaced in Trite. Prószyński & Deeleman-Reinhold (2010) conditionally transferred Trite longula to Evarcha Simon, 1902 on the basis of the general similarity of the epigynes. This similarity refers to the heavily sclerotized double curve edges of the atria (Figs 99, 100). Prszyński (2014) then suggested that Gangus longulus Simon, 1902 is a synonym of this species. No reasons for this were given, however, and no illustrations of the type of G. longulus were presented. At present there is no evidence for the synonymy and, to the contrary, Simon (1902) states that G. longulus has a laterally pointed, black, strong and sharp tibial apophysis. Evarcha longula has a short bifurcate tibial apophysis.

The genus Evarcha is in need of revision (Żabka 1993; W. Maddison, pers. com.) and, as presently constituted, includes several morphologically distinct groups. Evarcha longula resembles E. flavocincta (C.L. Koch, 1846) and morphologically similar species, though not the group including the type species, E. falcata (Clerck, 1757). The only other Australian species, E. infrastriata (Keyserling, 1881), is similar to E. falcata, rather than E. longula. For the present E. longula has been placed in this genus until it is is properly revised.

Diagnosis. The male palp (Figs 95–97) in E. longula, as in E. flavocincta, has a short broad embolus placed in a round tegulum with a large proximal lobe and a medium-sized bifurcate tibial apophysis rather than the long thin embolus that wraps in a clockwise direction partially around a round tegulum and long pointed apophysis (Żabka 1993) seen in E. falcata and E. infrastriata (Keyserling, 1881). It can be distinguished from E. flavicincta by the bifurcate rather than multi-pronged shape of the tibial apophysis. In the females, the copulatory opening is placed in a small deep atrium that faces backwards and is to the side and slightly behind the spermatheca, while the insemination duct enters the rear of the spermatheca. In E. infrastriata the copulatory openings is anterior to the spermatheca. The cephalothorax is rounded in E. longula with striae on the pars cephalica and with long lateral setae arising just behind the PME in both sexes. In dorsal view the species resembles female Thyene concinna in body shape and in the presence of striae and setae (compare Fig. 87 with Davies & Żabka 1989, fig. 50). However, the palp morphology and female genitalia are entirely different (compare Figs 95–100 with fig. 50 in Davies & Żabka 1989).

Description. Male: Cephalothorax (Figs 87, 89) mid to dark orange with scattered pennate grey hairs over anterior dorsal surface and sides and with striae consisting of thick black hairs on the pars thoracica. A tuft of long lateral setae arising just behind and below the PME. Surrounds of ALE, PME and PLE, black with scattered grey hairs. Clypeus narrow, without a fringe of hairs. Chelicerae (Fig. 88) straight, tan distally, grading to black proximally. Two promarginal teeth and one medium-sized, unident retromarginal tooth. Endites and labium brown grading to yellow distally. Sternum yellow with randomly placed large black patches. Dorsal abdomen (Fig. 87) yellow with a pair of longitudinal black stripes and a faint midline stripe. Spinnerets yellow with black patches. Ventral abdomen black. Legs brown with black patches and strong spines, L1 more robust and larger than other legs, with black fringe on patella and tibia. Palp (Figs 95–97): light brown, tegulum mid brown, tibia with single short blunt apophysis, bifurcate at the tip. The short broad embolus with a proximal origin is placed in a round tegulum that has a large proximal lobe. Dimensions: CL 2.84+0.13 (5) 2.54–3.16, EFL 1.08+0.05 (5) 0.93–1.18, CW 1.92+0.13 (5) 2.54–2.84, AEW 1.49+0.05 (5) 1.36–1.61, AMEW 1.04+0.04 (5) 0.93–1.11, PEW 1.54+0.05 (5) 1.42–1.67, AL 3.56+0.28 (4) 2.97–3.90, P1+T1 2.58+0 16 (5) 2.11–2.97, L1 7.00 (2.11 + 1.11 + 1.86 + 1.36 + 0.56), L2 5.76 (2.11 + 0.93 + 1.24 + 0.93 + 0.56), L3 5.08 (1.86 + 0.93 + 0.99 + 0.87 + 0.43), L4 5.63 (1.80 + 0.74 + 1.24 + 1.11 + 0.74).

Female: Cephalothorax (Figs 90, 91) yellow, pars thoracica with dark striae highlighted with black hairs. Surrounds of ALE, PME and PLE black. A tuft of long lateral setae arising just behind and below the PME. Clypeus (Fig. 93) yellow, narrow, with white fringe of scattered hairs. Chelicerae rounded, yellow, with two promarginal teeth and a single, medium sized, fissident, retromarginal tooth. Endites and sternum (Fig. 92) yellow. Abdomen long and narrow. Dorsal abdomen yellow with variable V-shaped brown pattern (Fig. 90). Spinnerets dark brown. Ventral abdomen same colour as dorsal surface. Palps yellow. L1, L2, L3 and L4 similar sizes but grading in robustness. Legs yellow with patterns of black hairs. Epigyne (Figs 98–100): consisting of pairs of atria and coupling pockets with heavily sclerotised margins. Copulatory openings indistinct. Insemination ducts pass laterally across the posterior edges of the spermathecae barely reaching the posterior edges of the atria. Spermatheca convoluted and multichambered lying behind and between the atria. Fertilization ducts anterior, indistinguishable externally. Dimensions: CL 2.43+0.06 (5) 2.23–2.60, EFL 0.95+0.03 (5) 0.93–0.99, CW 1.62+0.08 (5) 1.55–1.73, AEW 1.33+0.06 (5) 1.24–1.36, AMEW 0.94+0.01 (5) 0.93–0.99, PEW 1.37+0.01 (5) 1.36–1.42, AL 3.68+0.16 (5) 3.41–4.27, P1+T1 1.75+0.09 (5) 1.55–2.04, L1 3.65 (1.05 + 0.74 + 0.80 + 0.62 + 0.43), L2 3.34 (0.99 + 0.74 + 0.56 + 0.50 + 0.56), L3 3.96 (1.24 + 0.68 + 0.74 + 0.68 + 0.62), L4 3.90 (1.30 + 0.62 + 0.74 + 0.68 + 0.56).

Distribution and biology. Found across northern Australia and in New Guinea in a wide range of habitats (Fig. 94) on grass and other foliage. As a consequence, likely IUCN Red List Category LC.