Revision of the new Australasian orb-weaving spider genus Salsa (Araneae, Araneidae) Author Framenau, Volker W. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7724-3831 Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South St, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia & Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, Western Australia, 6986, Australia & Zoological Museum Hamburg, Leibnitz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Centre for Taxonomy & Morphology, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146 Hamburg, Germany volker.framenau@murdoch.edu.au Author Castanheira, Pedro de S. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0623-1622 Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South St, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia text ZooKeys 2022 2022-05-20 1102 107 148 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1102.82388 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1102.82388 1313-2970-1102-107 BCA0CCE5141D46DA9D650DCA6B74DE69 77978D6128585504B99149B61692999F Salsa recherchensis (Main, 1954) comb. nov. Figs 5D , 11 , 17A-D , 18A-G Aranea recherchensis Main 1954 : 41, pl. 3, figs 5, 8. Type specimen. Holotype female, Figure of Eight Island, Recherche Archipelago, ( 34°01'S , 122°14'E , Western Australia, Australia), 7 November 1950, V. Serventy (WAM 55/4984). Examined. Other material examined. 34 males , 321 females , 175 juveniles (in 74 records) (see Suppl. material 1). Diagnosis. The genital morphology of male S. recherchensis comb. nov. is most similar to that of S. fuliginata comb. nov.; however, S. recherchensis comb. nov. males can be distinguished by the comparatively shorter median apophysis and the distinct basal spine-like prong on the terminal apophysis (Fig. 6C vs. Fig. 17C ). The epigyne of female S. recherchensis comb. nov. is most similar to that of S. fuliginata comb. nov. However, in ventral view, the epigyne plate of S. fuliginata comb. nov. is inconspicuous (Fig. 7F ), whereas it is pronounced in S. recherchensis comb. nov. (Fig. 18C ). Redescription. Male (based on WAM T73696). Total length 5.1. Carapace 2.9 long, 2.4 wide, brown, paler in cephalic area and with yellowish setae throughout (Fig. 17A ). Eye diameter AME 0.18, ALE 0.14, PME 0.09, PLE 0.09; row of eyes: AME 0.50, PME 0.43, PLE 1.39. Chelicerae brown; with four promarginal teeth (second basal and apical largest) and three retromarginal teeth (basal largest). Legs brown, femora basally yellow-brown, except in leg I (Fig. 17A, B ). Leg formula I> II> IV> III; length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I - 4.2 + 1.6 + 3.2 + 3.3 + 1.0 = 13.3, II - 3.4 + 1.3 + 2.2 + 2.8 + 1.0 = 10.7, III - 2.2 + 0.9 + 1.1 + 1.4 + 0.7 = 6.3, IV - 3.2 + 1.1 + 2.2 + 2.5 + 0.9 = 10.0. Labium 0.34 long, 0.56 wide, brown; endites orange-brown (Fig. 17B ). Sternum 1.5 long, 1.0 wide, brown (Fig. 17B ). Abdomen 2.3 long, 2.1 wide, dorsum with dark grey, irregular folium on a beige background, laterally olive-grey (Fig. 17A ); venter olive-grey, laterally with two elongate, curved longitudinal bands (Fig. 17B ). Pedipalp length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + cymbium = total length): 0.6 + 0.2 + 0.15 + 0.8 = 1.75; paracymbium stout and slightly curved apically (Fig. 17D ); median apophysis short with thick rounded tip, numerous small teeth-like tubercles inside basal arch (Fig. 17C ); conductor lobe short (Fig. 17C ); terminal apophysis conspicuous, sub-rectangular and bearing spine-like basal prong (Fig. 17C ); conductor slightly folding over itself, broadly lapped and heavily sclerotised (Fig. 17C, D ); embolus short (Fig. 17C ). Figure 17. Salsa recherchensis (Main, 1954), comb. nov., male (WAM T77696) A dorsal habitus B ventral habitus C left pedipalp, ventral view D left pedipalp, dorsal view. Scale bars: 2 mm ( A, B ); 0.2 mm ( C, D ). Figure 18. Salsa recherchensis (Main, 1954), comb. nov., female (WAM T77362) A dorsal habitus B ventral habitus C epigyne, ventral view D epigyne, lateral view E epigyne, posterior view F variation of epigyne, ventral view (WAM 92/2120) G variation of epigyne, lateral view (WAM 92/2120). Scale bars: 2 mm ( A, B ); 0.2 mm ( C-E ). Female (based on WAM T77362): Total length 8.0. Carapace 3.7 long, 2.7 wide; similar to male but slightly darker and more setae (Fig. 18A ). Eye diameter AME 0.20, ALE 0.18, PME 0.13, PLE 0.11; row of eyes: AME 0.52, PME 0.47, PLE 1.76. Chelicerae pale brown, four promarginal teeth (apical and second basal largest) and three retromarginal teeth (basal largest). Legs pale brown mottled in dark (Fig. 18A, B ). Pedipalp length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + tarsus = total length): 0.9 + 0.5 + 0.7 + 1.1 = 3.2. Leg formula I> II> IV> III; length of segments (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I - 3.4 + 1.5 + 2.7 + 2.9 + 1.1 = 11.6, II - 2.8 + 1.3 + 2.3 + 2.4 + 1.0 = 9.8, III - 2.0 + 1.0 + 1.3 + 1.3 + 0.7 = 6.3, IV - 3.0 + 1.2 + 2.0 + 2.2 + 0.8 = 9.2. Labium 0.34 long, 0.72 wide, dark brown; endites dark brown (Fig. 18B ). Sternum 1.5 long, 1.4 wide, dark brown (Fig. 18B ). Abdomen 5.1 long, 4.7 wide; folium pattern as in male, but more distinct (Fig. 18A, B ). Epigyne base slightly longer than wide; atrium heart-shaped (Fig. 18C ); central division ca. as wide as the epigyne base, slightly narrowing dorsally (Fig. 18E ); spermathecae spherical (Fig. 5D ); scape (Fig. 18F, G .) (WAM 90/2120) broadest at base, tapering, curved in lateral view. Variation. Only a single male was measured for this study; female total length 4.5-8.0 ( n = 6). The colour variation in this species is very similar to that of S. fuliginata comb. nov. and S. brisbanae comb. nov. with abdominal shades of beige to reddish brown and more or less conspicuous folium pattern. Of the six females measured for this study, all but one had their scapes broken off. Life history and habitat preferences. All specimens were collected between October and May, with peak collection numbers in November and January. There is not much information about habitat preferences of Salsa recherchensis comb. nov., but they seem to be more common in lower vegetation layers based on descriptions on specimen labels, which include "web in garden", "understorey Karri forest", "bushes" , "granite" , "between limestone", and "camp" . Distribution. Salsa recherchensis comb. nov. is the only species of the genus found in Western Australia, although its range extends into southern South Australia (Fig. 11 ).