Corresponding author: Laura Tavares Miglio (
Academic editor: Cor Vink
Four new species of the Mouse Spider genus
Miglio LT, Harms D, Framenau VW, Harvey MS (2014) Four new Mouse Spider species (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Actinopodidae,
The mygalomorph spider family
Species belonging to
Several species, namely the type species
The first attempt towards a more integrated taxonomy (
In addition to taxonomic advances, the major phylogenetic treatises of
Distribution of
Species | Distribution | Remarks/selected source |
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Qld, NSW, Vic | ||
NSW, Vic, SA, WA, Qld |
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WA |
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WA |
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WA |
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WA |
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WA |
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WA | This study | |
WA | This study | |
WA | This study | |
NSW, Qld, Vic, ACT, SA, NT, WA | Type locality unknown; |
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WA | This study | |
Qld, WA, NT | ||
SA |
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WA, SA, Vic |
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WA |
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1 published literature and university theses only
The aim of this paper is twofold. Firstly, we add four new species of
A comprehensive revision of
Specimens used for morphological examination were preserved in 75% ethanol. Material was examined using a Leica MZ16A stereomicroscope. Digital images were taken using a Leica DFC 500 digital camera attached to a Leica MZ16A stereomicroscope controlled by the Leica Application Suite Version 3.7. This program allows the alignment of images taken at different focal planes (here ca. 20–40 images) and combines them into a single image. The images were edited and formatted in Adobe Photoshop, version CS5.
The specimens examined for this study are lodged in the Western Australian Museum, Perth, Australia (WAM). We also examined type material of all Australian
Type material of Australian
Species | Type | Location and repository |
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holotype male allotype female | North Sydney (NSW) (AM KS6402), Willoughby (NSW) (AM KS6401) | |
holotype male | Junee (NSW) (AM KS9308) | |
holotype male |
Jinayri (WA) (WAM T97017), |
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holotype male |
Newman (WA) (WAM T115948), |
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holotype male | Groote Eylandt Island (NT) (AM KS6403) | |
holotype male | Keith (SA) (AM KS6404) | |
holotype male | Torbay (WA) (WAM 95/2) |
The distribution data for species is described within the context of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) (
All measurements are expressed in millimetres. The format of the descriptions and measurements follows
The following abbreviations were used:
embolar lamella distal embolar tooth basal embolar intumescence dorsal ventral prolateral retrolateral posterior median eyes posterior lateral eyes anterior lateral eyes anterior median eyes median ocular quadrangle ocular area length ocular area width height from the fovea
New South Wales Queensland Victoria South Australia Western Australia Australian Capital Territory Northern Territory
Western Australian Museum Australian Museum
The taxonomic key is based on a complete inventory of the available literature and examination of type material of many species. We have restricted this key to males because nine of the now 16 Australian described species are known from the male gender only; females remain unknown and are morphologically less distinct. We note that this key is preliminary because many additional unnamed species are present in collections, at least from Western Australia.
The specific epithet is a patronym in honour of Melissa Thomas, the third author’s partner, for her continuing support of late-night arachnological endeavours.
Males of
Adult male, based on holotype (WAM T97323). Medium-sized mygalomorph spider (total length 8.00).
Dorsal habitus of species described in this paper:
Distribution records of
This species is known from the type locality Millstream-Chichester National Park and Corunna Downs in the Pilbara biogeographic region of Western Australia (
All specimens were collected in pitfall traps. The collecting sites were dominated by
The specific epithet is a Latin adjective referring to the swollen metatarsi IV of males (
Males of
Adult male, based on holotype (WAM T92331). Medium-sized mygalomorph spider (total length 5.00).
This species is known only from the Mallee biogeographic region of southern Western Australia (
The specimens were collected in pitfall traps in woodland habitats in either April or November.
The specific epithet is a patronym in honour of the second author’s daughter, Leni Elise Harms.
Males of
Adult male, based on holotype (WAM T96784). Medium-sized mygalomorph spider (total length 6.81).
This species is currently known from two sites located in the Carnarvon and Yalgoo biogeographic regions of Western Australia (
The two specimens were collected in pitfall traps between May and August. They were listed as
This species is named in honour of Barbara York Main in recognition of her substantial contributions to arachnology. She also was the first to recognize this taxon as a distinctive new species (
Males of
Adult male, based on holotype (WAM T96782). Medium-sized mygalomorph spider (total length 7.90).
This species is known only from Quobba Station in the Carnarvon biogeographic region of Western Australia (
All specimens were collected in pitfall traps in a period between May and October. They were listed as
(Distribution indicative as in
1 | Chelicerae, and sometimes parts of the carapace with red markings | 2 |
− | Chelicerae and carapace brown or black | 6 |
2 | Pars cephalica |
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− | Pars cephalica red but pars thoracica black or brown | 3 |
3 | Pars cephalica uniformly red | 4 |
− | Pars cephalica almost black but with traces of dark-red [WA: Southwest] |
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4 | Small species (carapace length < 3.0 mm); rastellum with fewer than 6 spines [WA: Pilbara] |
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− | Large species (carapace length > 4.0 cm); rastellum with more than 6 spines | 5 |
5 | Abdomen dark yellow but with a lighter patch anteriorly [SA] |
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− | Abdomen dark brown and without yellow patch | |
6 | Abdomen dorsally with pale colouration | 7 |
– | Abdomen dorsally lacks pale colouration, mainly brownish-grey or metallic blue | 8 |
7 | Abdomen dorsally greyish-white; rastellum with 10 spines [WA: Kimberleys; NT; Qld] |
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− | Abdomen dorsally with a bluish-grey patch in anterior position but otherwise dark brown; rastellum with 5–6 spines [Qld, NSW, Vic] |
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8 | Outer surface of chelicerae with longitudinal ridges | 9 |
– | Outer surface of chelicerae smooth | 11 |
9 | Patella II prolaterally with rasps; tip of embolus with process [WA: Pilbara] | |
− | Patella II without rasps; tip of embolus without processes | 10 |
10 | Proventral teeth of cheliceral furrow fused; embolus significantly longer than bulb and medially curved; patella III with fewer than 40 rasps [WA: Pilbara] |
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− | Proventral teeth of cheliceral furrow not fused; embolus not significantly longer than bulb and straight; patella III with greater than 50 rasps [WA, SA, Vic] |
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11 | Length of carapace > 3.0 mm | 12 |
− | Length of carapace < 3.0 mm | 14 |
12 | Rasps present on patella I | 13 |
− | Rasps absent on patella I; tarsus I ascopulate; thin scopula on tarsus III; sternum without pair of sigilla in labial groove [NSW, Vic, SA, WA, Qld] |
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13 | Length of carapace < 4.0 mm, rasps on all patellae [WA: Southwest] |
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− | Length of carapace > 5.0 mm, rasps on patellae I and III only [WA: Southwest] |
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14 | Abdomen entirely metallic blue, patella III with more than 25 rasps [WA: Mallee] | |
− | Abdomen with some metallic blue markings but otherwise reddish brown; patella III with fewer than 25 rasps [WA: Carnarvon and Yalgoo] |
1
2 There is confusion about the identity of
This research was made possible through scholarships awarded to the senior author: CNPq grant Doc# 143220/2009−8, and the CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasília – DF 70040−020, Brazil. Danilo Harms received an Endeavour International Postgraduate Research Scholarship from the Australian Government, a UPAIS Scholarship and a PhD completion scholarship from the University of Western Australia. Laura Miglio is grateful to the Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Pará/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi. We also thank Graham Milledge (AM) for the loan of type material of