PROBLEM SOLVING IN THE SPIDER FAMILIES MITURGIDAE, CTENIDAE AND PSECHRIDAE (ARANEAE) IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

17 Pages·2003·18.5 MB·English

by  Robert J Raven

2003. The Journal of Arachnology 31:105-121
PROBLEM SOLVING IN THE SPIDER FAMILIES
MITURGIDAE, CTENIDAE AND PSECHRIDAE
(ARANEAE) IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
Robert J. Raven and Kylie Stumkat: Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South
Brisbane, Queensland 4101 Australia
ABSTRACT. The genus Uliodon L. Koch is reviewed. It now includes only the type species, Uliodon
albopunctatus L. Koch 1873, Uliodon cervinus L. Koch 1873, and Zora frenatiis Koch 1873, and the
genus is transferred to the Zoropsidae. Uliodon is known only from New Zealand. Through an original
misreading of the type specimen locality data, both species were erroneously reported from Australia.
Forster and Homann previously referred to Uliodon species as Miturga, which is endemic to Australia.
The subfamily Uliodoninae Lehtinen 1967 was founded on the characters of Zora tarantulina L. Koch
1873, latertransferred to Uliodon by Simon. The diagnostic character ofthe subfamily, the very long path
of the embolus, is not found in Uliodon. The subfamily is here diagnosed from the genus; its validity is
unclear. In any case, both Uliodon and Uliodoninae are transferred to the Zoropsidae along with the
Australian Huntia Gray & Thompson 2001. Zora tarantulina is made the type species ofanew monotypic
genus, Mituliodon, included in the Miturgidae; the genus is known only from Australia and Timor. Mi-
tuliodon tarantulinus (L. Koch 1873) now newly includes in its synonymy, Uliodon australiensis (L. Koch
1873), Uliodon torvus (L. Koch 1873), Miturga maciilata Hogg 1900, Syspira rubicunda Hogg 1900 and
Miturga velox Hickman 1930. The New Zealand genus Zealoctenus is transferred from the Ctenidae to
the Miturgidae because it is very similar to the Australian genus Diaprograpta Simon 1909; the other
New Zealand “ctenid” genus, Nemoctenus Forster & Wilton 1973, along with the Australian zorid Hor-
ioctenoides Main 1954 are synonymized with the zorid genus Argocteniis L. Koch 1878, found in Aus-
tralia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The New Zealand “psechrids” Poaka Forster & Wilton 1973
and Haurokoa Forster & Wilton 1973 are transferred to the Amaurobiidae and Tengellidae, respectively.
Keywords: Australasia, Lycosoidea, Miturgidae, Psechridae
In our studies on the Australian Miturgidae, Holland”. Later in that monograph, Koch de-
a problem was encountered with New Zealand scribed four new species (including one based
taxa which Forster (e.g. Forster 1967; Forster on a male, Zora tarantulina L. Koch 1873)
& Forster 1973) had considered Miturga Tho= from Australia and placed them in the Pa-
rell 1870. When that New Zealand material laearctic (zorid) genus Zora. Simon (1897)
was examined and relationships sought, the transferred the subsequent four species of
late Ray Forster (pers. comm.) agreed that al- Zora C.L. Koch 1847 into Uliodon (Z. tar-
though it resembled Miturga it was not con- antulina, Z. australiensis, Z. torva and Z. fer-
generic. Discerning what exactly constitutes a ruginea), a transfer that has not since been
miturgid has been like the process of peeling contested. Lehtinen (1967) transferred Ulio-
a banana. Only by removing the monophyletic don into the Miturgidae and raised a new sub-
outer layers can the integrity and monophyly family based on the “exceptional course of
of the inner fruit (Miturgidae) be established. the embolus” ofthe male palp of Uliodon tar-
Raven et al. (2001) began this process with antuUnus. Recently, Griswold (1993) formed
the description of a new ctenid genus, Amau- a cladogram using Uliodon tarantulinus as the
ropelma Raven et al. 2001, which under ex- exemplar for the Miturgidae.
isting diagnoses was a miturgid. Hence, although unrevised, the genus Ulio-
The genus Uliodon L. Koch 1873 was de- don has been used in two major phylogenetic
scribed for females of two new species, U. studies (Lehtinen 1967; Griswold 1993). In
albopunctatus L. Koch 1873 and U. cervinus the latter, it was the sole representative of the
L. Koch 1873, both reportedly from “New Miturgidae. Spiders heretofore assigned to
105
106 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
Uliodon in Australia are widespread and ac- ther extend the concept of the family. Under
tive hunters in leaf litter through coastal Aus- that revised diagnosis, the New Zealand Ulio-
tralia. In our present studies on the Australian don fit well into the Zoropsidae.
Miturgidae, we could find only one species of Having removed Uliodon from the Mitur-
Uliodon, that figured by Griswold (1993) as gidae, a new genus is needed for Zora tar-
U. tarantnlinus (L. Koch). At the conclusion antulina. The begged question is then: What
of the study, we examined the types of Ulio- is a miturgid and are there any in New Zea-
don, U. albopunctatus (the type species), and land? Davies (1986: 35) keyed the Miturgidae
U. cervinus, in what we thought would be a by posterior eyes straight or slightly curved,
confirmatory check. The types of both U. aU long and conical apical segment of PLS,
bopunctatus and U. cervinus are females and striped carapace, sheet web, two claws and
could not be matched morphologically with claw tufts. That character combination does
any Australian spider genus in the Miturgidae not apply to any known miturgid. Diapro-
or other families. They lack both true claw grapta, Mituliodon, new genera, and most mi-
tufts and a third claw but have a good scopula turgid genera lack the elongate PLS; Miturga
as in Miturga. Females differ from those of lacks claw tufts and alone builds a sheet web
Miturga in the epigyne and the spigots on the as a retreat. Raven et al. (2001) showed that
PMS. We did, however, find material match- those characters were insufficient to correctly
ing the type material of both species only in place the ctenid genusAmauropelma Raven &
New Zealand. When males matching the fe- Stumkat 2001.
males of U. albopunctatus and U. cervinus Miturgidae are presently best defined by the
were recognized from New Zealand, even character combination given below (also see
more differences between Uliodon s. strict, Table 1). The boundary with the Ctenidae has
and Miturga were noted. Neither species orig- been diffuse (see Raven et al. 2001) and hence
inally placed in Uliodon by Koch is con-fa- it was to the New Zealand ctenids and pse-
milial with Uliodon tarantulinus, Griswold chrids (Zealoctenus Forster & Wilton 1973,
(1993) was, nevertheless, correct in consider- Nemoctenus Forster & Wilton 1973, Poaka
ing Uliodon tarantnlinus as a miturgid and al- Forster & Wilton 1973) that our attention was
though the genus name is incoiTect, his cla- drawn. Forster & Wilton (1973) had noted dif-
distic analysis is unaffected by this realization. ficulty in applying the concepts of the Cteni-
The Uliodon problem clearly began with dae and Zoridae given by Lehtinen (1967).
conflicts in locality data with the types of U. The diagnosis of the Miturgidae given here
albopunctatus (type species) and U. cervinus. fits that of Zealoctenus, a monotypic genus
Koch (1873; 433) listed them both as “Neu founded on a single female. Nemoctenus is
NHMW)
Holland”. However, the types (from clearly a zorid.
are labelled ‘Neuseeland; “NOVARA”-Reise; Poaka has similar eyes, carapace shape and
Hochstetter don.’, and ‘Neu-Holland (Austral- pattern and abdominal stripes to the miturgid
ien): “NOVARA”-Reise; Hochstetter don.’, Diaprograpta and hence was examined. For-
respectively. That is, they were collected on ster & Wilton (1973) found difficulty in plac-
the voyage of the vessel Novara and donated ing both Poaka and Haurokoa but “dumped”
by Hochstetter. Hochstetter collected exclu- them uneasily into the Psechridae. On exam-
sively in New Zealand. The apparently con- ination of fresh material in Lincoln Universi-
flicting labels may have lead Koch to assume ty, New Zealand, it is clear that Poaka is an
the material was from Australia. Certainly, the amaurobiid resembling the Australian Man-
Novara did visit both New Zealand and Aus- jala Davies 1990 with which it shares the cri-
tralia (Fletcher 1985). However, the material bellum, the numerous strong paired spines on
has the same collection data as the types of tibiae and metatarsi I, II, retrocoxal hymen
the New Zealand hexathelid, Hexathele and carapace shape and pattern and the ab-
hochstetteri Ausserer 1871, also deposited in dominal pattern. Hence, Poaka is transfeiTed
NHMW. In any case, the morphological data to the Amaurobiidae. Equally, unlike the large
are compelling: Uliodon albopunctatus and tropical psechrids, Haurokoa lacks claw tufts
Uliodon cervinus are New Zealand species. and does not build a sheet web but hunts on
Our current studies also indicated the pres- low vegetation (Forster & Wilton 1973). The
ence ofthe Zoropsidae in Australia which fur- simple form of the palpal bulb and strongly
—— — —
RAVEN & STUMKAT—AUSTRALASIAN MITURGIDAE AND CTENIDAE 107
recurved eye group suggest either Ctenidae with basal fracture; tibial apophysis more dor-
(cf. Amauropelma Raven & Stumkat 2001) or sal than retrolateral; eyes in two recurved
Tengellidae. In having only a weakly curved rows; 2 or 3 claws; claw tufts present or ab-
front row of eyes and three claws without sent. Cribellum present or absent. Retrocoxal
tufts, the Tengellidae seems the most likely hymen distinct on retrolateral coxae 1. Spigots
placement. Hence, it is to the Tengellidae that present dorsally on PMS offemales (Zoropsis,
Haurokoa is tentatively transferred. This pa- UUodon, Huntia); apical PLS short, domed.
per then clarifies the relationships ofwhat was Femur I, especially of females, with enlarged
placed in the Miturgidae, Ctenidae and Pse- spine proventrally; at least 5 pairs of strong
chridae in New Zealand and the resulting spines on tibia and 3 pairs on metatarsi I, II
problems generated in Australia. ventrally. Trochanters weakly but distinctly
METHODS notched. Labium wide—r than long.
Included Genera Zoropsis Simon 1878
,
Localities. Cons. Pk. = Conservation from southeast Asia and Europe; Takeoa Leh-
Park; ME.Q = mid-eastern Queensland; NE.Q tinen 1967 from China and Japan; UUodon L.
= northeast Queensland; NP = National Park; Koch 1873 from New Zealand; and Huntia
SE.Q = south-east Queensland; SF = State Gray & Thompson 2001 from Victoria and
Forest. Western Australia; based upon Platnick 1998
Abbreviations. ALS == anterior lateral with addition of new genera.
spinnerets; AME = anterior median spinner- Remarks. Uliodoninae were “character-
ets; AME = anterior median eyes; ALE = ized by the exceptional course ofthe embolus
anterior lateral eyes; PLS = posterior lateral in males” (Lehtinen 1967: 317) but that was
spinnerets; PMS = posterior median spinner- based on a male that is not confamilial with
ets; PLE ~ posterior lateral eyes; RTA = re- UUodon. The subfamily diagnosis is hence in-
trolateral tibial apophysis; RCH — retrocoxal correct. At present, the subfamily includes
hymen. only UUodon and serves no grouping function
Museums. NHMW = Naturhistorisches and in the absence of a cladogram reflects no
QM
Museum, Wein, Austria; Queensland indication of higher relationships. Other sub-
Museum, Brisbane; WAM = Western Austra- families listed by Lehtinen (1967) in the Mi-
lian Museum, Perth; SAM = South Australian turgidae have been re-elevated to families, i.e.
Museum, Adelaide; AMS == Australian Mu- Tengellidae, Zoropsidae, or moved to other
seum, Sydney; CAS = California Academy of families Amaurobioidinae (Anyphaenidae).
Science (CAS), San Francisco; BMNH = Nat- Eutichurinae have been moved to the Clu-
ural History Museum (London); QVM = bionidae, back to the Miturgidae and most re-
Queen Victoria Museum, Launceston, Tas- cently back to the Clubionidae (Deeleman-
mania. Reinhold 2001; not accepted by Platnick
SYSTEMATICS 2001). Griswold (1991) left the Griswoldiinae
(as Machadoninae) unplaced in the Lycoso-
Family Zoropsidae Bertkau 1882
idea. Lehtinen (1967) included UUodon, the
UZolrioopdsoindiindaaeeL[eshict.i]nBeenrt1k9a6u7:1838126:.3N37E.W SYNON- madagascan genera Uduba Simon 1880, Zo-
rodictyna Strand 1907, Calamistrula Dahl
YMY.
— 1908, the African genus Raecius Simon 1892,
Diagnosis. Male Zoropsidae differ from and from Baltic Amber, Adamator Petrunk-
those ofMiturgidae in the presence ofa dense evitch 1942 in the Uliodoninae. Griswold
scopula dorsally on the palpal cymbium, pedal (1993) included UUodon in a cladogram ofly-
tibiae with basal fracture and the presence of cosoids but did not formalize any nomencla-
a sclerotized shield on the anterior face ofthe tural conclusions. Relationships are not here
abdomen. Many female zoropsids have spig- extensively explored. However, character dis-
ots evident dorsally on the posterior median tributions are given (Table 1).
spinnerets but all have strong paired spines on Homann (1971) reported that Miturga has
raised bases on tibiae (5-7 pairs) and at least a grate-shaped tapetum; in fact, that is true for
3 pairs on metat—arsi I, IT Miturga but Homann’s material was not Mi-
Description. Males with dense scopula turga. In the Forster laboratory, I found a let-
dorsally on male palpal cymbium, pedal tibia ter and photographs by R.R. Forster in which
.
108 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
G
— O £
PTF uO(MUh G(oG/jJ XGwCc)/3 ^CaG«> ^GC(C/U5 ^a^S a2 T(G3dU hooCG3G ? £’B .GOOG3hX^^(G)Z)
spinnerets;
median
posterior XHc<UG-u3H ^GOtuOuhX-c(^GGU XG0cG/)3 XHOGG-H X*C0CG-/)<) xMGO0*0 C8^^M B8E opc m XG(U TXOO£3! '.OGE2hX^EG
=
PMS 0GC2OZ)hXCGGOZ XC<CGUZ XC<CGuZ XGOzG Gz2OCZhX’V62Z3J0 3WU<tcGnu)TXoooGd r(No1 XG(U ""0EoOO) "3ooGOh z<GOOUh XGCEoo
spinnerets;
region
’B
ploastteerrailor XGGOC/J] XGG<c/U3 XcGC</u3 o2 X^cP/3 sio x2Gc ChEo-h _.oDG3-X^StGz otized
=
PLS crack
apophysis.
Abbreviations: GOc2a/3 XcoCGZ) c2OCO/3- (2ocoZ. o X'—2cGcO//33h_'XTbcg/X3) 3(CuOu3J>JQ•X(uoGxU m(N1 'CcoSJO TXoEod "GcUo3/h3 tG(c(a/nUU3 basal
retrotibial
=
families. RTA G G C C >CJ>) ^ &CiDX G s
hymen; XoGc/3 XCOGZ) XOtGz XC(GZU 2COOh ’0uS CM o oCcJ •O^OGhXiGz
miturgoid
of retrocoxal
characters = UfoOl)hXcOGSz XcGc0/)3 0^cO3zh t,nPCM!Zl 0^oO)h S^ 2o .OaG3 X!GZ) PME
RCH
&c
Diagnosticfracture; 2 O c
h"g (3 .a2?XS
E "S 0a) CZ Q
— H O- G X
1. tarsal OG O E G WG)
U XG OOOhC++3-h" <o>u3 ^E S8
Table predistal PLh -E £ oG "Xg mS
u u S H U H 5I
Oh hJ Oh
RAVEN & STUMKAT—AUSTRALASIAN MITURGIDAE AND CTENIDAE 109
it was clear that the material sent to Homann and males have a much smaller tegulum and
labelled Miturga was the New Zealand Ulio- a small unsclerotized median apophysis. The
don. Grate-shaped tapeta are also found in the epigyne figured by Koch’s artist faithfully
Zoropsidae (Griswold 1993). rended the epigynal plug and hence partially
Gray & Thompson (2001) described two obscured the detail of the epigyne.
new lycosoid genera, Bengalla Gray & Forster had consistently considered species
Thompson 2001 and Huntia Gray & Thomp- here placed in Uliodon as Miturga (e.g. For-
&
son 2001. Bengalla will be dealt with else- ster Forster 1999). However, he had begun
where but is here considered to fit Griswold’s a revision of that group in New Zealand with
(1991) concept of the Tengellidae. We have RJR. As with many spider taxa in New Zea-
examined material of Huntia. Males have the land, the Zoropsidae are very diverse and may
tibial crack, the cymbial scopula, and a scler- constitute several genera. Hence, the above di-
otized shield on the anterior face of the ab- agnosis is based upon males and females from
domen and both males and females have the the Auckland region and presently considered
strong paired spines on tibiae I and IE Fe- conspecific with U. albopunctatus.
males ofHuntia deepensis Gray & Thompson
Family Miturgidae Simon 1885
2001 have spigots dorsally on the PMS. Also, —
like other undescribed Australian zoropsids, Diagnosis. Differs from Zoridae in males
Huntia has a tarsal rod and tegular-subtegular having tibial apophysis with an unsclerotized
interlocking lobes. Gray & Thompson (2001) zone and from the Ctenidae and Zoropsidae
considered the longer labium and absence of in lacking strong paired spines on tibiae and
claw tufts reason to exclude the genus from metatarsi I, IF
the Zoropsidae. The labium of Zoropsis spi- Two claws, true claw tufts present or scop-
nimana (female, BCB colln. examined) is ula extending around claws; weak paired
&
about as long as wide and the character is not spines ventrally on tibiae and metatarsi I II,
considered sufficient to exclude a genus from basally divided median apophysis, RTA with
the family. The absence of claw tufts in Hun- unsclerotized zone and maxillae rounded rec-
tia simply places it lower on the cladogram tanguloid with short diagonal groove. Retro-
than Zoropsis. coxal hymen distinct on 1. Eight similarly-
A more complete examination of the rela- sized eyes in two rows; from above, front row
tionships of zoropsids will be presented with straight to slightly recurved, back row slightly
our pending revision ofthe group in Australia. procurved, straight to clearly recurved; tape-
turn grate-shaped. Females with spigots only
Uliodon L. Koch 1873
apical on PMS. —
Uliodon L. Koch 1873: 431, type species Uliodon Included genera. Australian region; Mi-
albopunctatus L. Koeh 1873 by subsequent des- turga, Diaprograpta Simon 1909, Zealoctenus
ignation of S—imon 1892: 113. Forster & Wilton 1973. Middle East; Procho-
Diagnosis. Two claws but no true tufts. ra Simon 1885. North & South America;
Leg scopula dense on tarsi of males and fe- Teminius Keys—erling 1887.
males. Males: cymbium with dorsal scopula; Remarks. Australian species currently
tibial apophysis in dorsal region of tibia; te- placed in the otherwise Neotropical genus
gulum massive and extending overbase oftib- Odo Keyserling 1887 are all clearly consid-
ia; interlocking lobes with subtegulum subtle, ered miturgids but are not correctly placed in
if present; median apophysis an unsclerotized Odo.
vane. Females: epigynal plugs present; PMS The Eutichurinae lack the grate-shaped ta-
with line of spigots o—n dorsal surface. petum, critical for their inclusion in the Ly-
Species Included. Uliodon albopunctatus cosoidea (Griswold 1993) and, unlike the ly-
L. Koch 1873, Uliodon cervinus L. Koch, cosoids, have maxillae modified with an ectal
1873, Zorafrenat—us L. Koch 1873. constriction as in Clubionidae. The character
Distribution. Known only from New used to align the Eutichurinae and Miturgidae
Zealand. — was the elongate apical article ofthe PLS (Ra-
Remarks. Uliodon differs from the Aus- mirez, Bonaldo, & Brescovit 1997) which is
tralian Huntia in the complete absence of a simply a synapomorphy ofthe genus Miturga.
third claw, the presence of dense leg scopula Hence, Deeleman-Reinhold’s (2001) restora-
10 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
1
with small distinct anterior process; large, dis-
tinct retrocoxal hymen on coxae I; trochanter-
al notches ca. 1.5 x wider than deep on IV,
shallower on I; no feathery hairs. Spines: tib-
&
iae I II v2.2.2 not strong or overlapping;
metatarsi I, II v2 long basal; prolateral spines
on tibia I, II; proventral spine on femora.
Scopula: dense on tarsi I-IV and metatarsi I-
III, weak on IV, also present as two lateral
fringes in distal half of tibiae I, II. Tricho-
bothrial base laminate, collariform; cuticle
—
Figure 1. Mitidiodou tarantulimis (L. Koch), finely grooved. Claws: 4-5 teeth on long, sim-
habitus. ilar, paired claws; unpaired claw absent.
Dense, wide tufts distally fused and reach to
lower edge of claws. Spinnerets: colulus, an
tion of the Eutichurinae to the Clubionidae is hirsute triangle; AES conical; PLS basal seg-
upheld (contra Platnick 2001). ment as long as AES but more slender with
triangular coniform apical segment; PMS
Subfamily Miturginae Simon 1885
much smaller than PLS; AES with 2 major
Mituliodon new genus
— ampullate spigots; 8-10 pyriforms. Male palp:
Type species. Zora tarantulina L. Koch tibia with flange-like distal retrolateral tibial
1873. — apophysis with diagonal ridge and soft tissue
Diagnosis. Differs from Diaprograptci beside that and distal triangular flat process
and Zealoctenus in the extensive conductor in beyond; cymbium wide, flattened, basal and
males and the form of the epigyne in females basolateral margins wide, apical cone short
and from all other described Australian mi- without ventral groove; long wide shallow
turgid genera in the presence of true claw groove from base almost to tip of cymbium
tufts. As more miturgids are described, the along retrolateral edge; embolus small, gourd-
flattened form of the cymbium with retrola- shaped, retrobasally reflexing back basally to
teral flare and the very extensive conductor be long and filiform around back of tegulum
will provide furt—her distinguishing characters. along long conductor; median apophysis has
Description. Color: Carapace yellow slender soft junction with embolus and with
brown with darker banding medially, around small, apical, retrolateral hook; tegulum n-
edges and along striae. Legs yellow brown shaped, distal, flat with large grooved conduc-
without pattern; abdomen fawn brown with tor sweeping up from near embolus base to
paired central dark spots; ventrally black field near tip of median apophysis; subtegulum
with line of white dots breaking into two big- wide, transverse, basal; slight scopula and
ger dots posteriorly; 2 large spots anteriorly thick setae beh—ind cymbial tip.
and 2 in front of spinnerets. Etymology. An arbitary combination of
Carapace low, with low broad caput; fovea letters formed from Miturga and Uliodon; the
long, straight; silver and brown hairs enhance gender is masculine. —
pattern; 3 bands of silver hair between eyes Included species. Mituliodon tarantuli-
of back row. Eyes: 8 in 2 rows, both rows nus (L. Koch 18—73).
gently recurved; front row eyes smaller than Distribution. —As for species.
those of back row; ALE each just past inside Relationships. Among the known Mitur-
edge ofPEE; front row eyes set close, ca. 0.7- gidae (excluding the Eutichurinae), Mitidio-
1.0 diameter apart; back row eyes ca. 1 di- don, Diaprograpta and Zealoctenus are un-
ameter apart. ALE look to side. Tapetum usual in possessing true movable claw tufts
grate-shaped. Chelicerae small; teeth formula: which are on separate pads beside the claws.
2r, 3p. Sternum scalloped shield; setation: uni- In Miturga, claw tufts are absent; the scopula
form cover of bristles and hair. Labium short. simply extends beyond the tarsal tip. No other
Maxillae with deeply narrowed base, almost miturgids, however, have the very extensive
diamond-shaped, converging to base and apex conductor. Mituliodon shares with other mi-
from midpoint; apex rounded. Legs: coxae turgids the basally divided median apophysis
— —
RAVEN & STUMKAT—AUSTRALASIAN MITURGIDAE AND CTENIDAE
111
and an unsclerotized zone on the tibial apoph- in posterior half paired small dark flecking;
ysis, A revision of the Australian Miturgidae ventrally with a black field; behind epigastric
will deal more fully with the relationships. furrow two large white spots, lateral of those
From fresh material of Zora marmorea 4 in a diamond-pattern posterior of that a tri-
Hogg 1896 and comparison with the types (in angle of 3 white spots pointed centrally; legs
AMS and the Museum of Victoria), we have orange brown without annulations, scopula
established that the species is a miturgid but makes distal halfofmetatarsi I and II and tarsi
does not belong in Mituiiodon or any de- I, II darker; sternum and coxae orange brown;
scribed genera. It will be placed elsewhere in maxillae, labium and chelicerae dark red
a pending revision, brown.
Mituiiodon tarantuUnus (L. Koch 1873) Carapace pear-shaped, rounded laterally
new combination with distinct but rounded cephalic portion; ca-
put arched but gradually defined; fovea begins
(Figs, 1-^11)
at end of caput and extends for last portion of
Zora tarantuUna L. Koch 1873: 445; Simon 1897: thorax and slightly down posterior slope; light
106.
Zora austraiiensis L. Koch 1873; 44L NEW SYN- pilosity with cuticle evident in all parts; clyp-
ONYMY. eus steep but short; chilum of 2 distinct tri-
Zora torva L. Koch 1873: 444. NEW SYNONY- angles.
MY Eyes occupy 0,75 of head-width; front row
Miturga maculata Hogg 1900: 109. NEW SYN- recurved; from above AME set just out from
ONYMY cephalothorax margin; AME on mound look
Syspira rubicunda Hogg 1900: 108. NEW SYN- forward and to side; ALE on mound highest
ONYMY in front look to front and side; PME not on
MiOtuNrgYaMvYelox Hickman 1930: 114. NEW SYN- mound look up and to front; PLE on low
mound look to side and up; all eyes of similar
Types.-^Zora tarantuUna: ZMH: Museum size, AME further from ALE than AME; like-
Godeffroy no, 8190: holotype male, Port wise PME and PLE. Back eye row recurved
Mackay, Queensland, Australia. and almost an eye diameter wide from front
Zora austraiiensis: ZMH: holotype, sub- row. From in front, front row centers
adult female, Wollongong, New South Wales, straight with ALE (slightly larger) margins
Australia. above and end below those of AME,
Zora torva: holotype, male premolt, “Aus- Chelicerae with low but distinct boss; fangs
tralia”, Thorell collection, in RMS, examined, moderately long. Serrula a distinct curved
BMNH
Miturga maculata: 1907.2.24.1-5 line. Maxillae almost tear-shaped with 2 gla-
(including 1 juvenile of Miturga gilva L. brous regions ventrally and proventrally near
Koch): 2juvenile females, 3 females, 2 males, posterior apex; cylindrical in cross-section.
Mt Macedon, Victoria, Australia: intact male Labium extends barely to half length of max-
here designated as lectotype, remainder as illae, broad. Sternum roundly cordate with el-
paralectotypes. evated ridges opposite intercoxal spaces; no
BMNH
Syspira rubicunda: 1907,2,24.11- extension between any coxae.
12: holotype female, paratype male, “Chen- Legs: coxae rounded, all of similar size
iston”, Mt Macedon, Victoria, Australia. with similar flange to Miturga. Trochanters all
Miturga velox: holotype male, paratype fe- short, similarly (I-IV) and deeply notched.
QVM
male, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, Relative lengths of leg segments: femur about
13: 7325 and 7324, examined. equal to tibia longer than metatarsus much
Description, Female: (QM S36672) Col- longer than tarsus — patella except IV, meta-
or and Pattern: Union Jack pattern on yellow tarsus longer than all. Pilosity: moderately
brown carapace: U-shaped darker areas (of long black bristles and fine hair not obscuring
hair) radiating from fovea along each inter- cuticle on legs; no evident clustering.
strial ridge; longitudinal bands of darker hairs Scopula: dense, obscuring cuticle on meta-
on caput broken by sinuous streaks arising be- tarsi and tarsi I, II; laterally with scoop-like
tween each pair of PME-PLE and PME- ridges ofhair on tibiae I, II; thinner but entire
PME; curved area of silver hairs from be- and full tarsi and metatarsi III divided medi-
tween lateral eyes around PLE, Abdomen ally by setae on tarsi IV; 3 bands for 0.75 of
fawn brown with black flecking laterally and metatarsi IV.
112 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
—
Figures 2-4. MitiiUodcm tarantulimis (L. Koch). 2, female. 3, 4, male. 2, 3, cephalothorax and ab-
domen, dorsal view, 4, abdomen, ventral view.
Spines. I: fe p2d2r2w, pa 0, ti v2.2.2, me Claws: palpal, long curved with 4-5 long
v2 long, basal. II: fe p4d2r2w, pa 0, ti v2.2.2, teeth. Long paired claws with 3-5 teeth; tufts
me v2 long, basal. Ill: fe p4d3r4, pa 0, ti absent on female palp, small elsewhere, not as
p2d2r2v2.2.2, me p3rlv2 long, basal + 1 mid- high as scopula and just covering teeth on
distal. Palp: fe pld4, pa pi, ti p3r2, ta p3r2. claws; claws set well above tufts.
RAVEN & STUMKAT—AUSTRALASIAN MITURGIDAE AND CTENIDAE
13
—
Eigures 5-8. Mituliodon tarantulinus (L. Koch). 5, male, tibia, cymbium & bulb, ventral left. 6, 7,
epigyne. 8, vulva.
Trichobothria: 2 bands on each side dorsal- terior lobes plus medial ridge. Copulatory fos-
ly of tibiae; trichobothria as long basally on sae lie behind anterior lobes; a large ductfolds
tibia as distally; single line dorsally on tarsi slowly and then reduces in diameterand forms
with distal trichobothria longer. complexly folded basal portion; fertilization
Spinnerets: all of similar length but PLS ducts basal.
smaller in diameter; PMS cylindrical; colulus Male (QM S36201) (like female except as
a small setose area. follows): Spines. I: fe p3d3r4, pa 0, ti
Epigyne: Two lateral lobes with inner an- p3dlr2v6, me v2 basal. II: fe p4d3r4, pa 0, ti
14 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
1
—
Figures 9, 10. Mitiiliodon tarcmtuUinis (L. Koch), male. 9, cymbium & bulb, ventral left, scanning
electron micrograph with tibial apophysis (inset). 10, tarsus, lateral view showing different orientation of
hairs in claw tufts and scopula.
p2r2v6, me v2 basal. Ill; fe p5d3r4, pa 0, ti (Fig. 11). It is known from the Wet Tropics
p2d2r2v6, me p4r3v2 basal+ 1 distal. IV: fe (Thornton Peak) in north Queensland, west to
p4d3r3, pa 0, ti p2d3r2v6, me p5r5v2.2.1. south central Queensland, and south along
Palp: As f—or genus. coastal and near coastal areas through New
Remarks. As first revisers, the senior of South Wales, Victoria, eastern Tasmania,
the synonymous species in L. Koch (1873) is southern South Australia and in the south-
taken because the holotype is a male, the most western corner ofWestern Australia. It has not
distinctive of—the sexes. been recorded from the Northern Territory. It
Variation. Throughout its range Mitulio- is also known from Timor. The only common
don tarantulinus is very consistent in sexual factor that may explain its distribution is the
moiphology with the biggest variation occur- presence of a litter layer of some depth. Hab-
ring in Western Australia where a subtle dif- itats with such a layer occur in rainforest,
ference in the shape of the apical portion of semi-evergreen vine thicket and eucalypt for-
the tibial apophysis is sometimes discernible. ests but not desert or grassland. The hypoth-
The pattern on the dorsal carapace is effec- esis needs —further testing, however.
tively a black Union Jack on a mottled brown Biology. Mituliodon is litter dwelling and
background. The darkness of the background nocturnally active. However, when a forest is
varies making the radiating lines less distinct subjected to vibration (at any time but diur-
in some specimens. The white pattern on the nally most easily seen) from a slowly idling
black held on the ventral abdomen varies from big engine (e.g. tractor or diesel 4x4) a num-
two convergent white lines to a series ofdots. ber of spiders become very active (first re-
Neither of these variations shows any clear ported by D. Hirst, XII International Congress
correlation with habitat, distribution or other of Arachnology, Brisbane 1992, Special
morphology. However, around Adelaide, Methods meeting). On a number ofoccasions,
South Australia, the sternum of Mituliodon RJR has noted that larger Mituliodon can be
m
tarantulinus (where the two color forms are seen running across the litter from over 20
sympatric) is a deep burgundy red whereas directly towards the vibration source.
elsewhere it is light to dark bro—wn. Neitherjuveniles nor adults are taken com-
Distribution and Habitat. Mituliodon monly in vegetation sweeps nor are they often
tarantulinus is the most widely distributed seen off the ground at night. Hence, any sig-
species of the known Australian miturgids nificance attributed to the presence of claw