Venator immansuetus (Simon, 1909) comb. nov.

(Figs 1B, C, 4A–D, 5A–F, 7)

Lycosa immansueta Simon, 1909: 183, fig. 1.— McKay 1973: 379; McKay 1985: 78; Moritz 1992: 315. Lycosa immanseuta Simon. — Rainbow 1911: 268 (misspelled).

Lycosa (?) immansueta Simon.— Rainbow 1915: 787.

Hogna immansueta (Simon).— Roewer 1955: 253.

Material examined. Syntypes. Male, Wooroloo [31°48’S, 116°18’E, Western Australia], W. Michaelsen, R. Hartmeyer, 'Hamburger südwest-australische Forschungsreise', Station 98, 29 May 1905 (ZMB 11075); female, Cannington [32°01’S, 115°56’E, Western Australia], W. Michaelsen, R. Hartmeyer, 'Hamburger südwestaustralische Forschungsreise', Station 123, 28 June 1905 (MHNP 24362).

Other material examined. 419 records (400 males, 377 females) (Appendix B).

Etymology. The specific epithet, immansuetus, is a Latin adjective in apposition meaning ‘savage, rough’ and therefore is here adjusted to the masculine gender of the genus-group name, Venator.

Diagnosis. Male V. immansuetus comb. nov. lack the retrolateral incision on the tegular apophysis, which is present in V. spenceri. The edge of the epigynal atrium towards the medium septum is irregular in female V. immansuetus comb. nov., whereas it is smooth in V. spenceri.

Description. Male (based on PES 16805 from Hovea, Western Australia). Carapace. Dark brown; faint dark radial pattern; light brown median band widening into whole eye region; irregular light brown marginal bands (Figs 1B, 4A); brown setae, but white setae in median and marginal bands and in eye region. Eyes. Row of anterior eyes slightly procurved and narrower than row of PME. Sternum. Black; black setae, which are denser and longer towards margins (Fig. 4B). Labium. Black; front end truncated and white. Chelicerae. Very dark reddish-brown; covered with white setae and silvery macrosetae basally; three promarginal teeth, the median largest; three retromarginal teeth with the basally smallest. Pedipalp (Figs 5A–D). Cymbium with ca. 3–5 macrosetae; retrolateral tip of tegular apophysis pointing basally (Fig. 5C); embolus and pars pendula slender and sickleshaped, terminal apophysis apically twisted (Fig. 5D). Abdomen. Olive-brown medially lighter and with chevron pattern (Figs 1B, 4A). Venter yellow-brown with large black patch covering ca. three quarters behind epigastric furrow (Fig. 4B). Spinnerets olive-brown. Legs. Leg formula IV> I> II> III; light brown, with irregular darker pigmentation; coxae ventrally partially blackened with intensity decreasing from leg I to IV; dense scopulate setae ventrally on tarsi and metatarsi of leg I and II. Spination of leg I: femur: 3 dorsal, 3 retrolateral, 2 apicoprolateral; patella: 1 prolateral; tibia: 1 dorsal, 3 ventral pairs, 2 prolateral, 2 retrolateral; metatarsus: 3 ventral pairs, 2 prolateral, 2 retrolateral, 1 apicoprolateral, 1 apicoretrolateral, 1 apicoventral.

Female (based on PES 3664 from Bibra Lake, Western Australia): Carapace. As male but overall lighter (Figs 1C, 4C). Labium, sternum, chelicerae. As male (Fig. 4D). Abdomen. As male, heart mark less distinct (Figs 1C, 4C). Venter and spinnerets as male (Fig. 4D). Epigyne. Median septum inverted T-shaped, atrium elevated irregular edge towards median septum (Fig. 4 E); spermathecal heads spherical, much wider than spermathecal stalks, spermathecal stalks straight with posterior kink inwards (Fig. 4 F). Legs. Leg formula IV> I> II> III; colouration as male; dense scopulate setae on tarsi and metatarsi of all legs and apical half of tibiae I. Spination of leg I: Femur: 3 dorsal, 3 retrolateral, 2 apicoprolateral; patella: 1 prolateral; tibia: 3 ventral pairs, 2 prolateral, 1 retrolateral; metatarsus: 2 ventral pairs, 1 prolateral, 1 apicoventral.

Measurements. Male PES 16805 (female PES 3664): TL 10.83 (11.24), CL 6.02 (5.62), CW 4.66 (4.23). Eyes: AME 0.32 (0.29), ALE 0.19 (0.25), PME 0.62 (0.63), PLE 0.49 (0.47). Row of eyes: ALE 1.23 (1.20), PME 1.47 (1.46), PLE 1.82 (1.83). Sternum (length/width) 2.52/2.28 (2.60/2.20). Labium (length/width) 0.78/0.74 (0.85/ 0.78). AL 5.23 (6.03), AW 3.53 (4.54). Legs: Lengths of segments (femur + patella/tibia +metatarsus + tarsus = total length): Pedipalp 1.84 + 1.65 + - + 1.45 = 4.94, I 3.64 + 4.92 +3.28 + 1.72 = 13.56, II 3.44 + 4.41 + 3.30 + 1.71 = 12.86, III 3.17 + 3.67 + 3.17 + 1.66 = 11.67, IV 4.15 + 4.95 + 4.47 + 2.19 = 11.67 (Pedipalp 1.81 + 2.39 + - + 1.78 = 5.98, I 4.27 + 4.91 + 3.17 + 1.83 = 14.18, II 3.94 + 4.55 + 2.95 + 1.78 = 13.22, III 3.54 + 4.10 + 3.21 + 1.84 = 12.69, IV 4.56 + 5.57 + 4.55 + 2.37 = 17.05).

Variation. Males (females) TL 8.55–12.00; n = 8 (TL 11.20–18.65; n = 11).

Remarks. Collection data based on the analysis of 419 records (total of 400 mature males and 377 mature females) shows almost no records of mature males in January and February, but their reproductive activity appears to then increase until it reaches a peak in May. Males are then little active over the coldest months but can then be seen in somewhat median abundance in October and November. Females follow a similar activity pattern. Only a single female with eggsac was found in December and females with juveniles on their back from October to December. This life cycle confirms a population study on V. immansuetus comb. nov. on the Swan Coastal Plain by Lane (1965), who adds that females quickly die after reproduction by end of December. Very small juveniles spend the summer months in lidded burrows and rapidly mature by about April (Lane 1965). In addition to this common phenology of spiders that mature, breed and die within one year, there are cohorts that either take two years to mature or which mature in the first season, but do apparently not breed but mate concurrently with the offspring of their siblings (Lane 1965). The eggsac of females contained between 112 and 238 eggs, with an average of 162.

Habitat data appear to show a comparatively wide tolerance for V. immansuetus comb. nov. Spiders generally appear to prefer native woodland under dense canopy and new leaf litter or dead, flattened annual herbs. No burrows were detected in bare open areas (Lane 1965). Tolerance for a wide range of soil types is evident and the species is now also common on well-watered and drained suburban lawns and parks (Lane 1965; V.W. Framenau, unpublished data). The species can be found in summer-dry swamps or wetlands, and moves to higher grounds when these habitats become inundated (Lane 1965).

Venator immansuetus comb. nov. constructs two types of burrows, one is goblet-shaped with an extended chamber under a narrow shaft and the other is a vertical shaft burrow. Both are generally closed with a flimsy lid with the upper surface decorated with sand and organic matter (Lane 1965).

Home ranges of individuals are between 0.26 and 0.42 square meters. In the field, animals have been active in summer in temperature from 34°C down to 8°C in winter. Feeding activity is mainly nocturnal (Lane 1965).

Distribution. South-western Western Australia (Fig. 7).