The scorpion-tailed orb-weaving spiders (Araneae, Araneidae, Arachnura) in Australia and New Zealand
Author
Castanheira, Pedro De S.
Author
Didham, Raphael K.
Author
Vink, Cor J.
Author
Framenau, Volker W.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-12-06
4706
1
147
170
journal article
24702
10.11646/zootaxa.4706.1.6
05505758-61b6-4935-8864-c80c214788a1
1175-5326
3565171
55B57A7B-BD32-4F2B-8318-99CAE2C1411F
Arachnura
sp. indet. (adult female)
(
Figs. 10
;
12
)
Material examined.
Westport (
41°45’09”S
,
171°36’44”E
, Buller,
NEW ZEALAND
), T. Peet,
iii.2014
(
1 ♀
,
NZAC
0301839).
FIGURE 10
.
Arachnura
sp. indet. (adult), female (NZAC0301839): A, dorsal habitus. B, ventral habitus; C, epignyne, ventral view. Scale bars, 2 mm.
Remarks
.
Arachnura
sp. indet. (adult female) differs distinctly from the otherwise only known
Arachnura
from
New Zealand
,
A. feredayi
, in particular by somatic characters. The carapace is dark brown with conspicuous and unique central light markings that diverge posteriorly (
Fig. 10A
). The abdominal tail appears compressed with numerous transverse ridges basally, not present in
A. feredayi
. The epigynum is similar to that of
A. feredayi
, but appears comparatively wider (
Fig. 10C
). We could also not find a match of this species to any other
Arachnura
described from the region, including
A. simoni
Berland, 1924
, currently known from
New Caledonia
, of which representative specimens that matched the original description (
Berland, 1924
) were examined (
1 female
, Mt Aoupinie,
New Caledonia
, AM KS54212;
1 female
, Mt Tinchialit,
New Caledonia
, BMNH 1952.9.2.1).
Despite its recent collection date (2014), the female from Westport is not in a good condition. Its deflated legs suggest it has dried up since its collection and subsequent storage in ethanol. Therefore we refrain from formally describing this female as new species, particularly because the genus as a whole has been poorly revised and there remains uncertainty in whether it might represent an already named species from another region of the world.