Wolf spiders of the Pacific region: the genus \u3ci\u3eZoica\u3c/i\u3e (Araneae, Lycosidae)

The wolf spider genus Zoica Simon 1898 is currently known only from the Indo-Australasian region, including India in the west to northern Western Australia and Papua New Guinea in the east. Here we extend the known distribution of the genus into the Pacific region by describing two new species, Z. carolinensis new species from the Caroline Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Z. pacifica new species from the Republic of the Marshall Islands

A Review of Leg Ornamentation in Male Wolf Spiders, with the Description of a New Species from Australia, \u3ci\u3eArtoria schizocoides \u3c/i\u3e (Araneae, Lycosidae)

Morphological modifications of the first pair of legs in addition to widespread color variations of these legs among males of closely related species have been reported in a variety of spiders. Here, the evidence for sexual dimorphism in male foreleg morphology within wolf spiders (family Lycosidae) is reviewed and shown to occur in a number of species belonging to at least seven genera in five subfamilies: Alopecosa, Hogna, Schizocosa (all Lycosinae) Pirata (Piratinae), Evippa, (Evippinae), Pardosa (Pardosinae) and Artoria (Artoriinae). These modifications, often in combination with distinct dark pigmentation, can be divided into three major groups: leg elongation, segment swelling and exaggerated setation (“brushes”). The latter two occur mainly on the tibial segment of the first leg. The function of these foreleg modifications has been studied most extensively in the genus Schizocosa. Since the courtship displays of all male Schizocosa incorporate a seismic component, foreleg ornamentation (namely pigmentation and associated “brushes”) composes only one part of a multimodal courtship display. The function of this foreleg ornamentation appears to vary across closely related Schizocosa species and in some instances involves an interaction with the seismic signaling component. In most instances it appears to play a role in female mate choice and/or mate choice learning. In addition to reviewing lycosid foreleg modifications, we describe a new species of wolf spider, Artoria schizocoides from southwestern Western Australia that possesses sexually dimorphic modifications of the tibia of the first leg. Unique within the Artoriinae, males of this species carry spatulate setae on the ventral side of the tibia of the first leg that differ morphologically from other leg modifications in wolf spiders

Epigaeic spiders (Araneae) of small, man-made habitats on the Lahnberge Campus of the Philipps-University Marburg (Hesse, Germany)

During May and June 1994, 45 pitfall traps were exposed in three types of small, urban habitats: traffic islands, flat gravel roofs and courtyards ranging from 65 to 1.800m2 . The three habitat types differ in their exposure to sun and wind creating microclimatic conditions similar to a variety of natural habitats, i.e. grassland, rocky outcrops and forests. In total, 2.163 spiders (147 juveniles) were caught, belonging to 61 species in 16 families. A cluster analysis showed distinctively different spider assemblages for the three habitat types. Traffic islands are inhabited by a typical open land community. Dominating species are Alopecosa pulverulenta, Pardosa pullata and Pachygnatha degeeri. Gravel roofs show high numbers of salticids, in particular Euophrys lanigera. Courtyards lack dominant species and show a high number of species naturally occurring in forest habitats. The activity density on the gravel roofs and in the courtyards does not appear to be high enough to support stable populations.Im Mai und Juni 1994 wurden im Universitätsgelände der Philipps Universität auf den Lahnbergen bei Marburg/Hessen drei unterschiedliche anthropogene Stadthabitate mit der Hilfe von Bodenfallen untersucht: Verkehrsinseln, Kiesdächer und Innenhöfe (Flächengröße 65-1.8OOm2). Die drei Habitattypen unterschieden sich in ihrer Sonnen- und Windexposition und zeigen Ähnlichkeit mit verschiedensten natürlichen Lebensraumen: Offenland, Felsbereiche, fließgewässerbegleitende Kiesinseln und Wald. Insgesamt wurden 2.163 Spinnen (davon 147 Jungtiere) gefangen. Sie gehörten zu 61 Arten in 16 Familien. Eine Clusteranalyse ergab klar unterschiedliche Spinnengemeinschaften für die drei Habitattypen. Verkehrsinseln werden van einer typischen Offenlandgesellschaft besiedelt. Es dominieren Alopecosa pulverulenta, Pardosa pullata und Pachygnatha degeeri. Kiesdächerzeigen vergleichsweise hohe Aktivitätsdichten von Springspinnen (insbesondere Euophrys lanigera ).lnnenhöfe besitzen keine Charakterarten. Sie werden vor allem von Waldarten besiedelt. Die Aktivitätsdichten auf den Kiesdächern und in den Innenhöfen scheinen nicht hoch genug zu sein, um stabile Populationen zu belegen

Four new Mouse Spider species (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Actinopodidae, Missulena) from Western Australia

Four new species of the Mouse Spider genus Missulena Walckenaer, 1805 (family Actinopodidae) are described from Western Australia based on morphological features of adult males. Missulena leniae sp. n. (from the Carnarvon and Yalgoo biogeographic regions), Missulena mainae sp. n. (Carnarvon), Missulena melissae sp. n. (Pilbara) and Missulena pinguipes sp. n. (Mallee) represent a broad spectrum of morphological diversity found in this genus and differ from other congeners by details of the male copulatory bulb, colour patterns, eye sizes, leg morphology and leg spination. Two of the species, M. pinguipes sp. n. and M. mainae sp. n., are characterised by swollen metatarsi of the fourth legs in males, a feature not previously recorded in the family. A key to males of all named Missulena species from Australia is presented and allows their identification based on external morphology

Abba, a new monotypic genus of orb-weaving spiders (Araneae, Araneidae) from Australia

A new monotypic genus in the orb-weaving spider family Araneidae Clerck, 1757 is described from Australia: Abba gen. nov., with Abba transversa (Rainbow, 1912) comb. nov. as the type species. It differs from all other genera in the family by somatic characters, specifically a patch of approximately five long spines on the prolateral surface of the first leg in males and an abdominal colouration with a pair of two central spots dorsally on a creamy-white surface. Specimens of A. transversa comb. nov. have been collected in Queensland and New South Wales, where the species is largely summer-mature. We also provide a genus level summary of all Australian Araneidae, currently consisting of 230 described species and eight subspecies in 46 genera

Novaranea courti Framenau, 2011, new species

<i>Novaranea courti</i> new species <p>(Figs 1 A–E, 2A–E, 3–D, 4)</p> <p> <b>Types.</b> <i>Holotype</i>: 1 male, Lake St Clair, Fergies Paddock (42º08'S, 146º10'E, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA), 25–31 January 1987, R. J. Raven, J. Gallon, heath and forest, general collection (QM S83467). <i>Paratypes</i>: 2 females, Phillips Track, Youngs Creek crossing, 0.5km N of Triplet Falls, Otway Ranges (38º40’42’’S, 143º29’E, Victoria, AUS- TRALIA), 17 March 1992, G. Milledge, <i>Nothofagus cunninghamii</i>, direct search (NMV K-9859);</p> <p> <b>Other material examined. AUSTRALIA</b>: <b>New South Wales</b>: 1 female, 1 juvenile, Minnamurra Falls Reserve, 34º38’S, 150º44’E (AM KS9025). <b>Tasmania:</b> 1 female, Cradle Mountain, <i>Nothofagus</i> forest (ZMUC); 1 female, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Claire National Park, near Waldheim cabins, 22.6km at 202°SWS from Moina, 41º38’29’’S, 145º56’27’’E (ZMUC 12389); 1 female, same locality (ZMUC 12388); 1 female, same locality (ZMUC 12382); 1 female, same locality (ZMUC 12392); 1 female, same locality (ZMUC 12391); 1 female, Derwent Bridge, near Lake St Clair National Park, 42º09’58’’S, 146º11’56’’E (ZMUC 12386); 3 females, Franklin area near Kutikina Cave F 34, Western Heritage area, island in Franklin River, 42º30’S, 145º45’E (AM KS21096); 1 female, 1 juvenile, Lake St Clair, 42º08’S, 146º10’E (QM S5586); same locality (QM S5556); 1 female, Little Donaldson River, 41º23’01’’S, 145º13’13’’E (QM S50786); 1 female, Nelson Falls, Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, 15km at 89°E from Queenstown, 42º06’14’’S, 145º44’10’’E (ZMUC); 1 female, St Columba Falls, 27.1km at 256°W from St Helens, 41º19’17’’S, 147º55’34’’E (ZMUC 12390); 1 female, same locality (ZMUC 12383); 3 females, same locality (ZMUC 12385); 2 females, same locality (ZMUC 12393); 2 females, Weldborough Pass Scenic Reserve, at 28.6km 280°WNW from St Helens, 41º13’00’’S, 147º56’18’’E (ZMUC 12387); 1 female, same locality (ZMUC 12384). <b>Victoria</b>: 2 females, Acheron Gap, 6km NE Mt Donna Buang, 37º40’43’’S, 145º44’20’’E (NMV K- 6767); 1 female, Aire Crossing Track, 0.5km N Aire River, Otway Ranges, 38º42’S, 143º29’E (NMV K- 6766); 1 female, Beech Forest, Otway Ranges, 38º27’S, 143º58’E (AM KS49505); 1 female, Erskine Falls, Lorne, 38º32’S, 143º58’E (QM S13158); 2 females, Phillips Track, 0.5km N Triplet Falls, Otway Ranges, 38º40’S, 143º29’E (NMV K- 6764); 1 female, Tarra Bulga National Park, 0.5km NNE of Tarra Valley Picnic area, 38º26’40’’S, 146º32’30’’E (NMV K6769); 3 females, The Big Culvert, 2.5km ENE Mt Observation, 37º33’36’’S, 145º52’15’’E (NMV K6768); 2 females, Young Creek Road, 0.4Km NW of Triplet Falls, Otway Ranges, 38º40’S, 143º29’E (NMV K- 6765).</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> <i>Novaranea courti</i> <b>n. sp.</b> differs from its only known congener, <i>N. queribunda</i> (Keyserling, 1887) (and also from all <i>Cryptaranea species</i>), by the presence of distinct humeral humps (e.g., Figs 1 A, 2A, C, E). In addition, males differ in the shapes of most major pedipalp sclerites (see Court & Forster, 1988 and Framenau <i>et al.</i> 2009 for illustrations of <i>N. queribunda</i>). For example, the embolus is much stouter in <i>N. queribunda</i>, the median apophysis is less elongate, the base of the terminal apophysis is much more bent and the conductor lacks a patch of small tubercles (present in <i>N. courti</i> <b>n. sp.</b>). Females of <i>N. courti</i> <b>n. sp.</b> differ from those of <i>N. queribunda</i> by the shape of the scape which is narrower at its base than at the cup in <i>N. queribunda</i> but of equal width along all its length in <i>N. courti</i> <b>n. sp.</b></p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Male (based on holotype):</p> <p> <i>Carapace (</i> Fig. 1 A): glabrous, fovea longitudinal; light brown with dark pigmentation mainly marginally and posterior of cephalic region; white Y-shaped pattern in posterior part of cephalic region; single long light brown bristle and dense row of white macrosetae behind posterior lateral eyes.</p> <p> <i>Chelicerae</i>: orange-brown with dark-gray pigmentation anteriorly; three promarginal teeth with the median largest, two retromarginal teeth of equal length.</p> <p> <i>Sternum</i> (Fig. 1 B): light brown with dense dark gray pigmentation; few brown macrosetae.</p> <p> <i>Abdomen</i> (Fig. 1 A): widest anteriorly with distinct humeral humps; mottled dark gray with indistinct white triangular pattern centrally in anterior half and dark folium pattern in posterior half. Venter dark grey with a pair of distinct white spots in posterior half (Fig. 1 B). Spinnerets light brown with dense dark pigmentation.</p> <p> <i>Pedipalps</i> (Figs 1 C–E): femur with basal tubercle opposing lateral endite tubercle; patella with two macrosetae; cymbium with elongated tip; median apophysis ca. three times as long as wide, basally with a pointy, sclerotised tip and apically with a row of small denticles (Fig. 1 E); embolus long and curved anti-clockwise; conductor a complex structure with broad lobe accompanying the embolus/terminal apophysis and a field of small denticles; terminal apophysis with broad base and long basal arm accompanying embolus/conductor.</p> <p> <i>Legs</i>: tibiae of leg I and leg II of equal width and similar spination; coxae I with tubercle (Fig. 1 B); leg formula I>II>IV>III; coxae yellow-brown, femora brown with yellow-brown bases; patellae, tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi brown with yellow-brown annulations; uniformly light brown.</p> <p> <i>Dimensions</i>: total length (excluding chelicerae) 5.13. Carapace length 2.63, width 2.13. Eyes: AME 0.12, ALE 0.12, PME 0.17, PLE 0.09, AME–AME 0.18, PME–PME 0.12, MOQ width front 0.44, MOQ width back 0.38. Sternum length 1.25, width 0.88. Abdomen length 2.50, width 2.63. Pedipalp: femur 0.54, patella+tibia 0.38, tarsus 1.15, total 2.08. Leg I: femur 3.46, patella+tibia 4.69, metatarsus 3.00, tarsus 1.15, total 12.30. Leg II: femur 2.92, patella+tibia 3.77, metatarsus 2.38, tarsus 0.92, total 10.00. Leg III: femur 2.15, patella+tibia 1.92, metatarsus 1.15, tarsus 0.62, total 5.84. Leg IV: femur 2.92, patella+tibia 2.77, metatarsus 2.15, tarsus 0.69, total 8.54.</p> <p> <i>Variation</i>: unknown (only known from male holotype).</p> <p> <i>Female (based on paratype NMV K-9859)</i>:</p> <p> <i>Carapace</i> (Fig. 2 A): light brown with dark brown fovea and two dark brown triangular patches postero-laterally in cephalic area; white triangular patch in posterior part of cephalic area; covered with white setae; long white setae behind posterior lateral eyes.</p> <p> <i>Chelicerae</i>: yellow-brown; dark pigmentation basally and apico-medially; three promarginal teeth with the median largest; three retromarginal teeth of equal size.</p> <p> <i>Sternum</i> (Fig. 2 B): as male, but with some white, central pigmentation.</p> <p> <i>Abdomen</i> Fig. 2 B): widest anteriorly with distinct humeral humps; marmorated white with similar general pattern to male, i.e. white anterior triangle and margins of posterior folium; Venter light olive-gray with a pair of white spots in posterior half (Fig. 2 B). Spinnerets as in male.</p> <p> <i>Epigynum</i> (Figs 3 A–D): ventral view: wider than long, scape wrinkled and with triangular terminal pocket. Dorsal view: spermathecae kidney-shaped (Fig. 3 D), spermduct strong, attaching antero-medially, leading anteriorly and looping back to copulatory openings (Fig. 3 B–D)</p> <p> <i>Legs</i>: leg formula I>II>IV>III; overall colour pattern as male, but darker areas not as distinct.</p> <p> <i>Dimensions</i>: total length (excluding chelicerae) 8.50. Carapace length 4.00, width 3.13. Eyes: AME 0.18, ALE 0.15, PME 0.36, PLE 0.33, AME–AME 0.24, PME–PME 0.18, MOQ width front 0.56, MOQ width back 0.50. Sternum length 1.38, width 1.63. Abdomen length 4.88, width 6.13. Pedipalp: femur 1.54, patella+tibia 1.38, tarsus 1.54, total 4.46. Leg I: femur 4.23, patella+tibia 5.54, metatarsus 4.00, tarsus 1.61, total 15.38. Leg II: femur 3.85, patella+tibia 4.69, metatarsus 3.23, tarsus 1.31, total 13.07. Leg III: femur 2.46, patella+tibia 2.69, metatarsus 1.61, tarsus 1.31, total 8.07. Leg IV: femur 3.92, patella+tibia 4.08, metatarsus 2.54, tarsus 1.31, total 11.84.</p> <p> <i>Variation</i> (range, mean ± SD): TL 7.88–9.38; CL 3.13–3.75; CW 2.63–3.13; n=5. Within its general colour pattern females of this species are extremely variable from very dark specimens to almost white spiders. Live specimens or those preserved in high grades of EtOH often have distinct green tinge in parts of their bodies such as carapace and legs (Figs 2 C, E).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> Court and Forster (1988) mainly differentiated their new genera <i>Cryptaranea</i> and <i>Novaranea</i> by the shape of the internal genitalia in females; <i>Novaranea</i> have an additional pair of membranous receptacula in addition to the single pair of thick-walled receptacula in <i>Cryptaranea</i>. I here place the new species in <i>Novaranea</i> despite the apparent lack of a second pair of receptacula but based on striking similarities within the male pedipalp to the type species of <i>Novaranea</i>, <i>N. queribunda</i>. The distinct shapes of median (transverse with denticles) and terminal (asymmetrically U-shaped) apophyses of the new species much better agree with that of the type species of <i>Novaranea</i> than those of the type species of <i>Cryptaranea</i>, C. <i>invisibilis</i> (Urquhart, 1892). The shape of male pedipalp sclerites appears to be more informative and is used more often than internal female genitalia in araneid systematics and taxonomy (e.g., Scharff & Coddington 1997; Levi 2002, 2005).</p> <p> Males and females have not been found together but the detailed agreement of somatic characters in combination with the lack of any evidence of a further southeastern Australian araneid with affinities to true <i>Araneus</i> or the endemic New Zealand clade leave no doubt that the two sexes described here belong to the same species.</p> <p> To my knowledge, there are only a few species within the Australian Araneidae in which the epigynum has a terminal pocket. These include the araneine <i>Larinia phthisica</i> (L. Koch, 1871) (but no other known Australian <i>Larinia</i>) (Framenau & Scharff 2008) and the cyrtophorine <i>Cyrtobill darwini</i> Framenau & Scharff, 2009 representing a monotypic Australian genus (Framenau & Scharff 2009).</p> <p> <b>Life history and habitat preferences.</b> Mature females of <i>N. courti</i> <b>n. sp.</b> were mainly found between January and March, although sporadically also in April, June and November. The only mature male was collected in January.</p> <p> A number of habitats are recorded on the locality labels with specimens of <i>N. courti</i> <b>n. sp.</b>, including in particular Southern Beech (<i>Nothofagus cunninghamii</i>) forests, <i>Eucalyptus</i> / <i>Casuarina</i> woodlands, rainforest and “heath and forest”. This suggests that this species is predominantly a forest dweller, but may venture into neighbouring heath and shrubland.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> <i>Novaranea courti</i> <b>n. sp.</b> is found in southeastern Australia, in the mainland states of New South Wales and Victoria, and in Tasmania (Fig. 4)</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> The specific epithet is a patronym in honour of David Court (Singapore), for his contribution to the taxonomy of the New Zealand Araneidae fauna.</p>Published as part of <i>Framenau, Volker W., 2011, Description of a new orb-weaving spider species representing the first record of Novaranea in Australia (Araneae: Araneidae: Araneinae), pp. 47-55 in Zootaxa 2793</i> on pages 49-53, DOI: <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/206649">10.5281/zenodo.206649</a&gt

GENDER SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES IN ACTIVITY AND HOME RANGE REFLECT MORPHOLOGICAL DIMORPHISM IN WOLF SPIDERS (ARANEAE, LYCOSIDAE)

Volume: 33Start Page: 334End Page: 34

Knoelle Framenau, 2006, gen. nov.

Knoelle gen. nov. Type species: Lycosa clara L. Koch, 1877. Here designated. Etymology. The generic name honours my mother, the late Hildegard Framenau. ‘Knölle’ was a nickname she used frequently, and may refer to the German word Knolle (= spud). The gender is feminine. Diagnosis. Knoelle gen. nov. is similar to representatives of the genus Ve na t or Hogg, 1900 in respect to somatic characters, in particular its body colouration with a ventral black patch on the opisthosoma. However, it differs considerably by the presence of a large patch of macrosetae at the tip of the cymbium in males which is absent in Venator. Males in the genus Hoggicosa also have a patch of macrosetae at the tip of the cymbium, however it is much smaller. In addition, the tegular apophysis is very different in Hoggicosa as it is of a simple, triangular type lacking the two hooks and the lamellar structure characteristic for Knoelle gen. nov. Hoggicosa also have a very different body colouration with a distinct sexual dimorphism that is absent in Knoelle gen. nov. (McKay 1973, 1975). Description. Medium sized Lycosidae (TL ca. 10.0 – 25.0 mm). Males smaller than females. Prosoma longer than wide (Fig. 1), dorsal profile straight in lateral view (Fig. 4). Head flanks comparatively steep in males (Fig. 5). Dorsal shield of prosoma brown to dark brown, with distinct light brown median and submarginal bands; submarginal and brown marginal bands irregular; white setae in median and submarginal bands. Anterior median eyes ca. twice as large as anterior lateral eyes, row of anterior eyes narrower than row of posterior median eyes; row of anterior eyes slightly procurved (Fig. 5). Chelicerae with three promarginal and three retromarginal teeth. Labium shorter than or as long as wide. Opisthosoma mottled olive­grey, centrally lighter and with dark, irregular heart mark (Fig. 1). Venter with a large black patch covering about three quarters of venter from epigastric furrow. Leg formula VI>I>II>III. Spination of legs: Femur: 3 dorsal, 2 apicoprolateral, 2 retrolateral; patella: 1 prolateral (male only), 1 retrolateral; tibia: 2 dorsal (male only), 3 ventral pairs, 2 prolateral (male only), 2 retrolateral; metatarsus: 3 ventral pairs, 2 prolateral (male only), 2 retrolateral (male only), 1 apicoprolateral (male only), 1 apicoretrolateral (male only), 1 apicoventral. Cymbium tip with large patch of macrosetae (Figs 2, 6– 7). Tegulum undivided, large retrolateral tegular lobe; tegular apophysis with two distinct, basally directed hooks. Embolus originating prolaterally on palea and curving ventrally around it, long and slender. Terminal apophysis and pars pendula sickle­shaped (Fig. 8). Epigyne with inverted T­shaped median septum, that widens anteriorly (Figs 3, 9). Distribution. As for species (Fig. 11). Remarks. Knoelle clara comb. nov. is a typical representative of the subfamily Lycosinae as the tegular apophysis is ‘transverse, with a ventrally directed spur’ and it has a ‘sinuous channel on the dorsal surface’ (Dondale 1986). A recent molecular phylogeny inferred from 12 S rRNA and NADH 1 that included seventy world­wide Lycosidae species placed K. clara comb. nov. as sister taxon to Allocosa hasseltii (parsimony analysis) or in a polytomy with most other Australian Lycosinae (Bayesian analysis) (Murphy et al. 2006). Morphological evidence places Knoelle gen. nov. close to Ve n at o r or Hoggicosa (see generic diagnosis), but a detailed phylogenetic analysis of the Australian Lycosinae is required to ascertain the systematic position of the new genus.Published as part of Framenau, Volker W., 2006, Knoelle, a new monotypic wolf spider genus from Australia (Araneae: Lycosidae), pp. 55-67 in Zootaxa 1281 on pages 57-58, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17340