Figs 17, 21
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 25BA6E87-6C9A-417E-BFF5-B8C604F634E9
Type material. Holotype male, Kulunilup Nature Reserve, West, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA, 34º20’56’’S, 116º46’21’’E, 15 October 1999 – 1 November 2000, P. van Heurck et al., wet pitfall trap, CALM Salinity Action Plan, site UN7 (WAM T68394).
Other material examined. Only known from holotype.
Etymology. The specific epithet “ lamellata ” is a Latin adjective meaning ‘like a small plate or blade’ and refers to the prolateral and distal expansions of the tegular apophysis of the male pedipalp, which are thin, curved, and translucent, resembling a thin curved plate or lamella.
Diagnosis. Males of A. lamellata sp. nov. are distinguishable amongst those of currently known Artoria by their pedipalp bearing a tegular apophysis with an expanded, broad, and rounded prolateral margin and a slightly expanded distal margin tapering to a rounded apex, both expansions translucent and folded over the stalk of the tegular apophysis (Fig. 21C, D).
Description. Male (holotype).
Total length, 3.77. Carapace, length 2.14, width 1.46, reddish-brown, with paler broad median longitudinal band and narrow marginal bands, and darker broad lateral bands (Fig. 21A). Sternum, reddish-brown (Fig. 21B). Eyes, diameter of AME: 0.08; ALE: 0.08; PME: 0.25; PLE: 0.20, anterior eye row slightly procurved, distance between AME–AME almost twice AME–ALE. Chelicerae, evenly reddish-brown, three retromarginal and three promarginal teeth, median largest. Labium, dark-brown, with pale anterior rim (Fig. 21B). Legs, background colour yellowish-brown, with ringed dark grey stains throughout (Fig. 21A, B). Opisthosoma, length 1.46, width 1.16, poorly preserved, dorsum mostly dark grey, with a pale-brown cardiac mark and longitudinal area (Fig. 21C). Venter mostly pale brown, with irregular and scarce dark grey spots (Fig. 21D).
Pedipalp (Fig. 21C–E), Tibia rectangular in ventral view, cymbium free tip almost as long as half of the cymbium in ventral view; subtegulum heavily sclerotized, small, and conspicuous in ventral view. Tegular apophysis conspicuous, a subrectangular stalk that broadens distally, with its distal ⅔ of its prolateral margin having a broad, rounded, and translucent expansion folded retrolaterally, and its distal margin bearing a translucent expansion slightly tapering to a rounded apex and folded ventrally. Basoembolic apophysis as wide as long, large, and sclerotized. Embolus flat, slightly curved, broad, slightly broadening to its rounded lamellar apex. Terminal apophysis heavily sclerotized, slightly wider than the embolus, and with a conspicuous hook-like retrolateral apex.
Life history and habitat preferences. The single specimen does not allow interpreting phenology or habitat preferences.
Remarks. Artoria lamellata sp. nov. is only known from its type locality, Kulunilup Nature Reserve, and only from the holotype. Due to this poorly known distribution status, we propose this species to be listed as Priority 2 (“Poorly-known species—known from few locations, some on conservation lands”) according to the Western Australian Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
Distribution. Known only from type locality, Kulunilup Nature Reserve, Western Australia (Fig. 17).