A Revision of Storenosoma Hogg and Description of a New Genus, Oztira (Araneae: Amaurobiidae)
Author
Milledge, G. A.
text
Records of the Australian Museum
2011
2011-06-29
63
1
1
32
http://dx.doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.63.2011.1579
journal article
10.3853/j.0067-1975.63.2011.1579
2201-4349
5239311
Genus
Oztira
n.gen.
Type
species
.
Oztira affinis
(
Hickman, 1981
)
.
Diagnosis
.
Oztira
can be distinguished from other amaurobiids except
Otira
,
Pakeha
and
Storenosoma
by the possession of single or paired stridulatory spines on the trochanter of the male palp (
Fig. 3c
) and associated stridulatory field on prolateral face of the coxa of leg 1 (
Fig. 3d
); from
Otira
and
Pakeha
by both eye rows strongly procurved, PLE and to a lesser extent PME enlarged (
Fig. 1a–c
) and tarsal organ peg-like and situated proximal to trichobothria (
Fig. 6
); from
Storenosoma
by metatarsus on leg 1 of male swollen distally and with ventral scopula (
Fig. 4a–b, d
).
Description
. Small (CL
1.3–2.3 mm
), ecribellate, ground dwelling spiders. Cephalothorax, legs and chelicerae golden to orange brown. Cephalothorax often with darker dorsal markings in radial pattern around fovea, region around eyes very dark. Both eye rows strongly procurved, posterior eyes, particularly PLE, enlarged. Chilum absent. Legs with faint to distinct banding and blotches. Chelicera vertical with prominent retrobasal boss, two retromarginal and two promarginal teeth, promargin also with row of minute teeth distal of and slightly posterior to large teeth. Paturon with numerous sensory hairs toward promargin of fang groove and a particularly elongate hair at fang base; single elongate hair at fang base on retromargin. Maxillae slightly longer than wide, lateral margins convex, with strong linear serrula. Labium about as wide as long, with notched apex. Single or paired stridulatory spines on the trochanter of the male palp and associated stridulatory field on prolateral face of coxa of leg 1. Cymbium of male palp (
Fig. 9
) with trichobothria and sometimes with retrolateral bulge and associated basal depression. Complex RTA. Moderately stout embolus, membranous conductor and complex MA, TA well developed. Legs 4123. Trochanters of legs 3–4 shallowly notched. Tibia and metatarsi of legs strongly spinose, tarsal organ rod like and situated proximal to trichobothria, trichobothrial hoods longitudinally striated, metatarsus of leg 1 and sometimes leg 2 of male swollen distally and with ventral scopula, preening combs on metatarsi 2–4. Abdomen pale to grey ventrally, dorsally grey brown with pale blotches forming a rough chevron pattern. Epigynum with or without lateral teeth.
Etymology
. The generic name is a combination of the colloquial Oz meaning
Australia
with a contraction of
Otira
and is feminine in gender.
Remarks
. The species described by
Hickman (1981)
and Davies (1986) were included in
Otira
largely based on the possession of a rod like tarsal organ. However, it appears that this character can be present or absent within members of a single genus e.g.,
Storenosoma
(as described herein),
Amauropelma
Raven & Stumkat, 2001
(
Raven
et al
., 2001
). Also, the tarsal rod in the Australian species included in this group is proximal to the trichobothria rather than distal as in the
New Zealand
species. In addition, the form of the eye pattern in
Oztira
more closely resembles that of
Storenosoma
than
Otira
or
Pakeha
(
Figs 1a–e
). This suggests that
Storenosoma
and
Oztira
are sister groups. The epigyna of many females collected are plugged with a hard, dark resinous substance, making specific identification difficult.
Included species
.
Oztira affinis
(Hickman)
,
Oz. aquilonaria
(Davies)
,
Oz. kroombiti
n.sp.
, and
Oz. summa
(Davies)
.