Aname savannella sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 98C87D92-C503-4E12-9BC2-7814CC508076

Figs 13, 104

Diagnosis

Males of A. savannella sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known except A. cudmore sp. nov. by a small body size (carapace length <4.0 mm), the presence of a short embolus (embolus length/ bulb length <1.5), a relatively thick metatarsus I (metatarsus I length / width <4), and the absence of thorn-like setae on the retrolateral palp tibia (Fig. 104A–Q). Males of A. savannella can be distinguished from those of A. cudmore by the presence of a thinner metatarsus I (metatarsus I length/ width ~3.9; cf. ~ 3.2 in A. cudmore) (Fig. 104Q; cf. Fig. 103).

Females of A. savannella sp. nov. are unknown.

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ savannella ’ is a combination of ‘savanna’, referencing the distribution of this species within the savannah of northern Queensland, and the diminutive suffix ‘- ella ’, referencing the small size of the species.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; Burketown Developmental Road, W of Chillagoe, E of jumpup; 16° 46′ S, 144° 06′ E; 256 m a.s.l.; 12 Jul. 2006 – 26 Sep. 2011; R. Raven, B. Baehr and A. Amey leg.; pitfall trap; QMB S76052.

Description

Male (holotype, QMB S76052)

GENERAL (Fig. 104A–Q). Body length 7.66, in good condition, colour presumably faded due to preservation.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 104A, E–F). Carapace length 2.49, width 2.14, length/width 1.16, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.70, caput width/carapace width 0.73, carapace pallid-orange, caput slightly darker than thorax, reflective setae absent or inconspicuous, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.17 (Fig. 104A, F); chelicerae orange-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.77 (Fig. 104A); eye group rectangular, width/length 2.24, eye tubercle present (Fig. 104E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 104B, D). Abdomen length 2.89, light grey, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 104C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 104H); maxillae heel absent or inconspicuous, cuspules present, count = about 49, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 55% of maxillae length (Fig. 104C, I); coxae cuspules present, around 15 cuspules on inner corner of leg I coxa, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 104C, I); sternum length/width 1.18, central sternum with consistent covering of very short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 104G–H); posterior sigilla circular, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.36, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.08 (Fig. 104G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 104G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 104N–Q). Leg I pallid, darker on metatarsus and tarsus, femur length 2.21, patella length 1.27, tibia length 1.87, metatarsus length 1.44, tarsus length 0.94, total length 7.73, leg I length/carapace length 3.11 (Fig. 104N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 104N–O); spine count Fe D 4, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 1, Ti RL 1, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 104N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/ TID] 3.54, widening from proximal end to spur before narrowing again towards distal end, spur present, obtuse triangular, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 18 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.67, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.24, megaspine length/tibia length 0.27 (Fig. 104N–P); metatarsus relatively straight, proximal excavation present, excavation straight with inconspicuous heel, heel rounded, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.53, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 3.86 (Fig. 104N–O, Q).

PEDIPALP (Fig. 104J–M). Tibia length 1.01, width 0.44, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.31, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.54, retrolateral face with short, thorn-like setae along retrolateral edge of depression, getting denser proximally, ventral face with two elongate bristle-like setae below depression, prolateral face with patch of spines on distal half, disto-medial spine present (Fig. 104J–K); patella prolateral face with 3 spines (Fig. 104J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 104J–K); copulatory organ total length 0.53, length/palp tibia length 0.53 (Fig. 104L– M); bulb length/width 1.00 (Fig. 104L–M); embolus demarcated and roughly perpendicular to bulb, attenuate, tapering and curving relatively evenly to point, width at base/bulb width 0.12, embolus length/ bulb length 0.89 (Fig. 104L–M).

Distribution and natural history

Aname savannella sp. nov. occurs in central Queensland, in the Gulf Plains bioregion. It is only known from the type locality, off Burketown Developmental Road, inland of the town of Chillagoe (Fig. 13). The form of burrows constructed by spiders of this species is unknown.