Monograph |
Corresponding author: Sarah C. Crews ( screwsemail@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Ingi Agnarsson
© 2023 Sarah C. Crews.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Crews SC (2023) But wait, there’s more! Descriptions of new species and undescribed sexes of flattie spiders (Araneae, Selenopidae, Karaops) from Australia. ZooKeys 1150: 1-189. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1150.93760
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Nineteen new species of Karaops are described: K. durrantorum sp. nov. (♂), K. morganoconnelli sp. nov. (♀♂), K. joehaeneri sp. nov. (♀), K. dalmanyi sp. nov. (♀♂), K. garyodwyeri sp. nov. (♂), K. dejongi sp. nov. (♀♂), K. malumbu sp. nov. (♀♂), K. conilurus sp. nov. (♂), K. yumbubaarnji sp. nov. (♀♂), K. markharveyi sp. nov. (♀♂), K. nitmiluk sp. nov. (♀), K. kennerleyorum sp. nov. (♂), K. jawayway sp. nov. (♀), K. mparntwe sp. nov. (♀), K. larapinta sp. nov. (♀), K. kwartatuma sp. nov. (♂), K. madhawundu sp. nov. (♀), and K. mareeba sp. nov. (♀). The male of K. umiida Crews, 2013 was found to be misidentified and is now K. conilurus sp. nov. Karaops yindjibarndi syn. nov. is a new synonym of K. nyiyaparli. Selenops australiensis L. Koch, 1875 is considered a nomen dubium because the holotype is an immature male, and the species previously referred to as K. australiensis (L. Koch, 1875) is here described as K. strayamate sp. nov. (♀♂). The males of K. marrayagong Crews & Harvey, 2011 and K. banyjima Crews, 2013 are described for the first time. To manage the growing diversity of the genus, most of the species have been placed in species groups, which are diagnosed. They are the Central Desert group, the strayamate group, the raveni group, the dawara group, the francesae group, the Kimberley group, and the Pilbara-Gascoyne group. New keys are provided to accommodate the new species, and new distribution maps and new records are provided for all species. Diagnoses and descriptions are emended where required. Images of live spiders, many not previously seen alive, and natural history information are also provided.
Kimberley, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Pilbara, Queensland, South Australia, taxonomy, Western Australia
The genus Karaops Crews & Harvey, 2011 was recently described (
Due to this diversity, species groups have been erected into which most species are placed. Diagnoses are provided below for: The Central Desert species group, the strayamate group, the raveni group, the dawara group, the francesae group, the Kimberley group, and the Pilbara-Gascoyne group.
Selenopids are known to have the fastest turning strike of any terrestrial animal (
Because the distributions are poorly known, it is difficult to comment on geographical patterns. However, there appears to be widespread species with pockets of different species that may or may not be closely related to the widespread taxon. Additionally, there are two species groups (raveni and strayamate) in which the sister taxa are found on the east coast and the west coast of the continent (Map
Many previously described Karaops species were collected in pitfall traps left for a month to more than a year, and they are in poor condition. Additionally, dead spiders look nothing like live ones, and live ones in situ do not look the same as they do ex situ. The purpose of the aforementioned fieldtrip was to visit places where the animals had been collected in an attempt to find additional specimens that would be in better condition than those currently available, to try to find missing sexes, to survey areas for new species, and to use the spiders in biomechanical studies. To survey as many areas as possible with limited funds and time, searching in one locality was only possible for a maximum of a few hours. The spiders were fed as the trip proceeded during the course of two months. With the accumulation of nearly 200 specimens, it became somewhat tedious, and many lived for > 1 year after returning with them to the United States. Although not all of the previously collected species were found, two previously undescribed sexes were found, multiple previously described adults in decent to excellent condition representing eight species that were only known from a few adult specimens were collected, an additional 13 new species described here were found (some of the newly described species were not collected on this trip), and of course thousands of places remain unsurveyed.
Rearing the spiders proved to be extremely important for obtaining adults. Of the new species/sexes, nearly all of them were able to be described from maturing in captivity. Ten of them wouldn’t be described at all, four would only be described from a single sex, and rearing increased the number of adult specimens for four described species. Many of the specimens have been photographed alive, and these photos can be compared with the images of the species in situ as well as to dead specimens. The fieldwork and rearing have also provided information on best practices for how and where to find the spiders in a timely manner, how to keep them alive, and a better idea of the ranges of some of the species. This is important for determining whether a species warrants short range endemic (SRE) status (
Suppl. material
In some cases, new illustrations were made of previously described species for convenience or because better-preserved specimens were found. Diagnoses and/or descriptions are emended where required. Not all of the types were able to be reviewed, so it is possible that further emendations will be necessary.
Australia has a long history of bioregionalization studies (discussed in
In previous descriptions of Karaops species, characters were described that are static within the genus and so these are not reported for each species and only will be reported when they are unique or species-specific. Karaops are diagnosed by a combination of characters (
Using the same terminology for the same characters across taxa is a best practice that is only sometimes followed, even by the same author, including the author of this paper. It can be difficult to do this if homology is unclear and the terminology changes as more data are obtained. However, having lots of data and working within a single genus or family can make this easier. In addition to using the same terminology within closely related taxa, it is also more prudent to try to use common terms and not conjure new, unnecessary terms if there are functional ones already in use.
To try to maintain uniformity of genitalia terminology within the family, the terms that are used are primarily from the Spider Anatomy Ontology on BioPortal (
On the epigyne, the following terms are used: copulatory openings, epigynal plate, epigynal pockets, epigynal windows, lateral lobes, median field, posterior excavation. Most are straightforward and used across many spider families. Selenopids typically have two copulatory openings, although in some cases, these can be located in a single atrium, as illustrated in the Kimberley species group of Karaops (i.e., Figs
The terms used for structures of the endogyne are copulatory ducts, accessory bulbs, fertilization ducts, posterodorsal fold, spermathecae, and uterus externus. The copulatory openings lead to the copulatory ducts. Copulatory ducts connect the copulatory openings to the sperm storage sites or accessory bulbs (Figs
For the male palp, the following terminology is used: cymbial chemosensory patch, conductor, conductor sheath, embolus, medial part of the conductor, median apophysis, retrobasal cymbial process, retrolateral tibial apophysis, spermophor, spinules, subtegulum, tegular lobe, tegular sheath, tegulum. The cymbial chemosensory patch in selenopids is straightforward. It is common in Anyphops Benoit, 1968 and is also known in Karaops, where it occurs as small or larger (Figs
Images of dead specimens were taken with a Leica dissecting microscope and stacked using AutoMontage. Images of live specimens were taken with a Nikon D810 or a Canon 7D. Outlines of illustrations were made by putting a piece of paper on a photograph displayed on a tablet and tracing with a pencil to obtain correct proportions. The illustration was then shaded with a pencil. It was then scanned and put in Adobe Photoshop for additional shading and so that details could be added. Maps were made using QGIS v. 3.26.3 (QGIS.org 2021) with additional details added in Adobe Illustrator.
The figures in this work are with resolution suitable for printing, which is reduced in comparison with the originals, but if you want to see them in full-resolution files, you could contact the author.
Because all species mentioned in this work are from Australia, the word “Australia” has been eliminated from the locality data and instead replaced with the state, and the state is not repeated for each entry, e.g.:
Holotype : Queensland • ♀; base of Jim Crow Mountain; 23°13'S, 150°38'E; Jul. 1982; A. Rozefelds leg.; QMS 61054. Paratype: ♂; Johansen’s Cave, 23°09'S, 150°28'E; 100 m; 29 May 2000; G.B. Monteith leg.; fogging trees with pyrethrum; vine scrub; QMS 57515. Other material examined: 4♀; Bowen, Murray’s Bay Road, Rose Bay Walking Trail; -19.9863, 148.2608; ~ 26 m; 3 Jun. 2019; S. Crews, M. Brandley leg.; under rocks; sel_1438–1441; SCC19_012 • 1♂; Brandy Creek; 20°21'S, 148°43'E; 15 May 1975; R. Monroe, J. Covacevich, P. Filewood leg.; (QMS 47115).
Because there are images of what some of the spiders looked like in life, the colors, patterns, and setal coverage of both live and preserved species are indicated if they differ from one another. They are separated by a slash, e.g.: “Color (in life/preserved): Abdomen: dorsally golden brown, darker medially, with a chevron medially, sides of chevron are angled anteriorly, darker posteriorly, laterally spotted/golden parts yellowish, darker parts orange-red, pattern inconspicuous, dark, thick stubby setae, giving the abdomen a spotted appearance from a distance, ventrally yellowish white.” Thus, the description of a character before the slash indicates how the spider appears in life, and the description of a character after the slash refers to the preserved specimen.
If material examined or new records indicate “reared in captivity”, detailed information can be found in the Supplementary files. Juveniles that have been assigned to species have been determined using molecular data (unpubl. data) or were collected at the exact same time and place as adults.
AB accessory bulb
ALE anterior lateral eye
AME anterior median eye
At atrium
C conductor
CD copulatory duct
CO copulatory opening
CS conductor sheath
Cx coxa
Cy cymbium
d dorsal
E embolus
FD fertilization duct
Fm femur
LL lateral lobe
MA median apophysis
MF median field
mpc medial part of the conductor
Mt metatarsus
pdf posterodorsal fold
PLE posterior lateral eye
PME posterior median eye
pr prolateral
Pt patella
rbcp retrobasal cymbial process
rl retrolateral
RTA retrolateral tibial apophysis
S spermatheca
Sp spinules
St subtegulum
Ta tarsus
Ti tibia
TL tegular lobe
Tr trochanter
TS tegular sheath
UE uterus externus
v ventral
ZMT Zoological Museum Turku (Varpu Vahtera)
ZSMH Zoologisches Museum, Hamburg (Danilo Harms, Nadine Dupérré)
Selenops radiatus Latreille, 1819.
Karaops ellenae Crews & Harvey, 2011.
Karaops do not have scopulae or teeth on the tarsal claws. In almost all species (except K. yumbu Crews, 2013), the embolus arises from a tegular lobe.
Selenops australiensis L.
In
Australia excluding Tasmania.
With the new species described here, there are now a total of 54 Karaops species. Several others for which adults have not been collected are known via molecular and locality data.
An attempt has been made to use characters that remain after preservation and that are not variable, but there are so few specimens of some species, the key will likely need to be emended when additional specimens are collected (males of Karaops madhawundu sp. nov. and K. mareeba sp. nov. are unknown, and the female of K. kennerleyorum sp. nov. is unknown).
1 | Females | 2 |
– | Males | 12 |
2(1) | With epigynal windows (Figs |
dawara species group |
– | Without epigynal windows (Figs |
3 |
3(2) | Copulatory openings located within a central atrium, copulatory ducts indistinct from one another at their origins (Figs |
Kimberley species group |
– | Copulatory openings not located within a central atrium, copulatory ducts distinct at their origins (Figs |
4 |
4(3) | Copulatory ducts with several tight coils ( |
strayamate species group |
– | Copulatory ducts otherwise (Figs |
5 |
5(4) | With unsclerotized median lobe, copulatory ducts short, with only one turn or coil (Fig. |
Central Desert species group |
– | Without unsclerotized median lobe, or if one is present, copulatory ducts long with several turns (Figs |
6 |
6(5) | Leg I and II Mt and Ta spination 5, 4 | 7 |
– | Leg I and II Mt and Ta spination otherwise | 8 |
7(6) | Lateral lobes indistinct and copulatory openings difficult to discern (Fig. |
K. madhawundu sp. nov. |
– | Lateral lobes more distinct and copulatory openings easily discernable (Figs |
Pilbara-Gascoyne species group |
8(6) | Copulatory openings located beneath m-shaped hoods (Fig. |
K. yumbubaarnji sp. nov. |
– | Copulatory openings not located beneath m-shaped hoods | 9 |
9(8) | Large, round accessory bulbs with no coiling of copulatory ducts (Figs |
10 |
– | Accessory bulbs and copulatory ducts otherwise ( |
11 |
10(9) | Copulatory openings beneath small, sclerotized lobe that does not reach epigynal plate margin (Fig. |
K. mareeba sp. nov. |
– | Copulatory openings in small depression of median field (Figs |
K. markharveyi sp. nov. |
11(9) | Long, diamond-shaped to triangular median field and no epigynal pockets ( |
raveni species group |
– | Without well-defined median field, with epigynal pockets ( |
francesae species group |
12(1) | With unpaired spines ventrally on Ti, Mt I and II | raveni species group |
– | With paired spines ventrally on Ti, Mt I and II | 13 |
13(12) | Median apophysis with two conspicuous branches or a branch and a lobe (Fig. |
14 |
– | Median apophysis with single branch or second branch very difficult to see (Figs |
15 |
14(13) | Cheliceral promargin with more than 3 teeth, retromargin with more than 2 teeth | francesae species group |
– | Promargin with 3 teeth, retromargin with 2 teeth | Central Desert species group |
15(13) | With prominent cymbial chemosensory patch (Figs |
16 |
– | Without prominent cymbial chemosensory patch | 17 |
16(15) | Median apophysis shaped like a bird’s head distally (Fig. |
K. markharveyi sp. nov. |
– | Median apophysis not shaped like a bird’s head distally (Fig. |
K. yumbubaarnji sp. nov. |
17(15) | Long palpal tibia, ratio of cymbium length to palpal tibia length > 0.60 (Figs |
Kimberley species group |
– | Ratio of cymbium length to palpal tibia length < 0.65 | 18 |
18(17) | Median apophysis not distinctly separate from tegular lobe ( |
strayamate species group |
– | Median apophysis distinctly separate from tegular lobe | 19 |
19(18) | Cymbium round and rather flat dorsoventrally, with median apophysis at tip of large, unsclerotized retromedial extension of tegulum ( |
K. yumbu |
– | Cymbium and median apophysis otherwise | 20 |
20(19) | Conductor sheath curved to a point with terminus directed laterally across middle of bulb (Fig. |
K. kennerleyorum sp. nov. |
– | Conductor large, extended, twisted, curved, or arched, but terminus not directed laterally across middle of bulb (Figs |
Pilbara-Gascoyne species group |
Diagnosis. The epigynes of the Central Desert species group have fleshy median lobes and large, round accessory bulbs that are connected to the spermathecae by a short duct that is coiled once or twice (Fig.
Composition. At least eight species make up the Central Desert species group: Karaops manaayn Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀♂), K. vadlaadambara Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀♂), K. pilkingtoni Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀♂), K. deserticola Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀), K. ngarutjaranya Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀♂), K. larapinta sp. nov. (♀), K. mparntwe sp. nov. (♀), and K. kwartatuma sp. nov. (♂). Other undescribed species are known from this group, and the region is poorly explored regarding these animals.
Distribution. Primarily found in the Central Desert region of the southern Northern Territory and northern South Australia; however, Karaops vadlaadambara is from further east in the Gammon and Flinders Ranges, South Australia, and K. manaayn is known from northern New South Wales, near the Macleay River (Maps
1 | Females | 2 |
– | Males | 8 |
2(1) | Round accessory bulbs connected by a short duct to smaller spermathecae (Fig. |
3 |
– | Accessory bulbs more oval than round, nearly the same size as spermathecae (Fig. |
K. mparntwe sp. nov. |
3(2) | Accessory bulbs separated by less than one accessory bulb diameter (Fig. |
4 |
– | Accessory bulbs separated by at least one accessory bulb diameter ( |
5 |
4(3) | Accessory bulbs much larger than spermathecae, abutting edge of epigynal plate laterally ( |
K. pilkingtoni |
– | Accessory bulbs only slightly larger than spermathecae, not abutting edge of epigynal plate (Fig. |
K. larapinta sp. nov. |
5(3) | Accessory bulbs and spermathecae nearly same distance from midline ( |
6 |
– | Accessory bulbs closer to midline than spermathecae, known from only northern New South Wales ( |
K. manaayn |
6(5) | Median lobe wider anteriorly than posteriorly ( |
7 |
– | Median lobe nearly the same width throughout its length ( |
K. vadlaadambara |
7(6) | Median lobe extremely narrow, median field resembles a keyhole ( |
K. ngarutjaranya |
– | Median lobe gradually narrows anteriorly to posteriorly ( |
K. deserticola |
8(1) | One arm of median apophysis a stubby lobe (Fig. |
9 |
– | Both arms of median apophysis long, well-defined ( |
10 |
9(8) | Conductor narrow, nearly straight retrolaterally, slightly curving to a point apically ( |
K. pilkingtoni |
– | Conductor more pyramid shaped (Fig. |
K. kwartatuma sp. nov. |
10(8) | Conductor sclerotized throughout ( |
11 |
– | Conductor mostly unsclerotized except for a pointed distal process; known from only northern New South Wales ( |
K. manaayn |
11(10) | Conductor with a basal retrolateral lobe nearly covering distal arm of median apophysis ( |
K. vadlaadambara |
– | Conductor and distal arm of median apophysis separated ( |
K. ngarutjaranya |
Diagnosis. Females of the strayamate species group have copulatory ducts coiled multiple times into spirals. Males have small tegular lobes and no clear distinction between the tegular lobe and the lightly sclerotized median apophysis, and the embolus is very long and thin, following the perimeter of the cymbium.
Composition. This group comprises four species: Karaops strayamate sp. nov. (♀♂), K. gangarie Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀♂), K. monteithi Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀), and K. ellenae Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀♂).
Distribution. Northeastern Queensland, except for Karaops ellenae, known from southwestern Western Australia (Map
1 | Females | 2 |
– | Males | 5 |
2(1) | Accessory bulbs do not extend further anteriorly than copulatory ducts ( |
3 |
– | Accessory bulbs extend further anteriorly than copulatory ducts ( |
K. ellenae |
3(2) | Lateral lobes distinct ( |
4 |
– | Lateral lobes indistinct, large posterior excavation to margin of epigynal plate ( |
K. strayamate sp. nov. |
4(3) | Lateral lobes frame a somewhat diamond-shaped median field ( |
K. monteithi |
– | Lateral lobes only conspicuous posteriorly, do not frame the median field ( |
K. gangarie |
5(1) | Embolus terminates at ~ 4 o’clock ( |
6 |
– | Embolus terminates at ~ 1 o’clock ( |
K. ellenae |
6(5) | dRTA longer than vRTA in lateral view ( |
K. strayamate sp. nov. |
– | dRTA shorter or of equal length to vRTA in lateral view ( |
K. gangarie |
Diagnosis. Species of the raveni species group can be separated from other groups by extreme flatness, wide carapace, and the AER are nearly straight with the PER only slightly recurved. Additionally, the males have unpaired spines ventrally on Ta and Mt I and II.
Composition. The raveni species group comprises three species: Karaops raveni Crews & Harvey, 2011(♀♂), K. jarrit Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀♂), and K. marrayagong Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀♂).
Distribution. New South Wales, north to southeastern Queensland. Karaops raveni is one of the most widespread and well-collected Karaops species, occurring across the entire range of the species group (Map
1 | Females | 2 |
– | Males | 4 |
2(1) | Accessory bulbs separated by more than one accessory bulb diameter ( |
K. raveni |
– | Accessory bulbs separated by less than one accessory bulb diameter ( |
3 |
3(2) | Four promarginal teeth, known from only the Sydney Basin, New South Wales | K. marrayagong |
– | Three |
K. jarrit |
4(1) | The dRTA is at least two times longer than the vRTA ( |
K. raveni |
– | The dRTA is not two times longer than vRTA (Figs |
5 |
5(4) | The dRTA reaches branch of median apophysis in ventral and lateral views, known only from southwest Western Australia ( |
K. jarrit |
– | The dRTA does not reach branch of median apophysis in ventral or lateral views, known from only the Sydney Basin, New South Wales (Figs |
K. marrayagong |
Diagnosis. Females of the dawara species group have epigynal windows, and the copulatory ducts are unsclerotized at their origin and extend laterally from the windows. They are nearly invisible without staining. After coiling once, they narrow, are sclerotized, and tortuous. Karaops yumbu is unique in having the median apophysis arise distally on an unsclerotized, retromedially-oriented extension of the tegulum (
Composition. Four species are known from the dawara species group: Karaops dawara Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀), K. nitmiluk sp. nov. (♀), K. jawayway sp. nov. (♀), and K. yumbu Crews, 2013 (♂). Karaops yumbu is the only known male of this group and is therefore not included in the key. Results of a molecular analysis indicate its placement in this group (Suppl. material
Distribution. The northern part of the Northern Territory, east to the Gulf of Carpentaria (Maps
Discussion. The females have somewhat odd genitalia in that the copulatory openings have not been located. The copulatory ducts connect directly to the windows (Figs
1 | Copulatory ducts wide, medial area where lateral lobes and windows abut diamond shaped (Figs |
2 |
– | Copulatory ducts narrow, anterior margin of medial area where lateral lobes and windows abut shaped like an inverted triangle ( |
K. dawara |
2(1) | Posteriorly, sclerotized part of copulatory ducts is closer to the lateral edges of epigynal plate than anteriorly (Fig. |
K. jawayway sp. nov. |
– | Posteriorly, sclerotized part of copulatory ducts is the same distance from or further from lateral edges of epigynal plate than anteriorly (Figs |
K. nitmiluk sp. nov. |
Diagnosis. Species of the francesae group have more than three promarginal teeth and six pairs of ventral spines on Ti I and II and four pairs of ventral spines on Mt I and II. Females have epigynal pockets. Males have a two-armed median apophysis: the dorsal arm is sclerotized, the ventral arm is unsclerotized, and the dRTA is longer than the vRTA.
Composition. Karaops francesae Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀♂) and K. toolbrunup Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀♂).
Distribution. Southwestern Western Australia. Karaops toolbrunup occurs within the range of K. francesae, and molecular data indicate that there may be introgression; however, the two species can be reliably separated morphologically (Suppl. material
1 | Females | 2 |
– | Males | 3 |
2(1) | Copulatory ducts long and accessory bulbs clearly distinct, internal structures generally occupy more than 1/2 of epigynal plate length ( |
K. francesae |
– | Copulatory ducts very short, internal structures occupy less than 1/2 of epigynal plate length ( |
K. toolbrunup |
3(2) | Embolus follows perimeter of bulb ( |
K. francesae |
– | Embolus does not reach the edge of bulb ( |
K. toolbrunup |
Diagnosis. Females of the Kimberley species group all have an atrium in the median field where the copulatory openings are located (Fig.
Composition. Ten species: Karaops jenniferae Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀), K. alanlongbottomi Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♂), K. conilurus sp. nov. (♂), K. larryoo Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♂), K. dalmanyi sp. nov. (♀♂), K. keithlongbottomi Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♂), K. garyodwyeri sp. nov. (♂), K. dejongi sp. nov. (♀♂), K. malumbu sp. nov. (♀♂), K. umiida Crews, 2013 (♀).
Distribution. Throughout the Kimberley region, Western Australia, including the islands (Maps
1 | Females | 2 |
– | Males | 6 |
2(1) | Accessory bulbs posterior to or almost even with anterior part of atrium (Figs |
3 |
– | Accessory bulbs conspicuously anterior to anterior part of atrium (Fig. |
K. jenniferae |
3(2) | Sclerotized part of lateral lobes around atrium not u-shaped (Figs |
4 |
– | Sclerotized part of lateral lobes around atrium u-shaped ( |
K. umiida |
4(3) | Sclerotized part of lateral lobes around atrium not forming a shape like a pendant droplet (Figs |
5 |
– | Sclerotized part of lateral lobes around atrium shaped like a pendant droplet (Fig. |
K. malumbu sp. nov. |
5(4) | Atrium leading to copulatory ducts more or less parallel sided (Fig. |
K. dejongi sp. nov. |
– | Atrium leading to copulatory ducts narrowed then widened toward the posterior (Fig. |
K. dalmanyi sp. nov. |
6(1) | Apical portion of conductor retrolaterally extends beyond medial part of the conductor (Figs |
7 |
– | Apical portion of conductor does not retrolaterally extend beyond medial part of the conductor (Figs |
9 |
7(6) | Apical portion of conductor retrolaterally extends to edge of bulb or beyond (Figs |
8 |
– | Apical portion of conductor retrolaterally does not extend to edge of bulb, large Karaops (Figs |
K. keithlongbottomi |
8(7) | Tegular lobe tiny, narrowed to embolus at ~ 5 o’clock, embolus follows cymbium perimeter ( |
K. alanlongbottomi |
– | Tegular lobe not tiny, narrowed to embolus at ~ 6 o’clock, embolus closer to center of bulb, palpal tibia exceptionally long (Fig. |
K. dalmanyi sp. nov. |
9(6) | C-shaped indentation between apical and medial part of conductor (Figs |
10 |
– | No indentation between apical and medial part of conductor ( |
K. larryoo |
10) | Medial part of conductor curved on retrolateral side (Figs |
11 |
– | Medial part of conductor straight on retrolateral side, squarish (Figs |
K. dejongi sp. nov. |
11(10) | Conductor curved along top (Fig. |
12 |
– | Conductor flat along the top, spinules on base of median apophysis, small Karaops (Fig. |
K. malumbu sp. nov. |
12(11) | Medial part of conductor sinuous on retrolateral side, indentation between apical and middle portion small, spermophor curves do not touch (Fig. |
K. garyodwyeri sp. nov. |
– | Medial part of conductor curved on retrolateral side, indentation between apical and middle portion larger, spermophor curves abut one another ( |
K. conilurus sp. nov. |
Diagnosis. Several species have small accessory bulbs located on the copulatory ducts, and the spermathecae are allantoid and much larger than the accessory bulbs (figs 6, 8, 10, 26, 32 in
The males have large, elaborate conductors that are often coiled or twisted and extend ventrally beyond the cymbium (Figs
The Pilbara, especially the Chichester subregion, is very diverse and has many endemic species of several taxa (e.g., schizomids [
Composition. Eighteen species: Karaops martamarta Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀♂), K. nyangumarta Crews, 2013 (♀♂), K. nyamal Crews, 2013 (♀), K. joehaeneri sp. nov. (♀♂), K. morganoconnelli sp. nov. (♀♂), K. burbidgei Crews & Harvey, 2011(♀♂), K. karrawarla Crews & Harvey, 2011(♀♂), K. badgeradda Crews & Harvey, 2011(♀), K. julianneae Crews & Harvey, 2011 (♀), K. durrantorum sp. nov. (♂), K. banyjima Crews, 2013 (♀♂), K. kariyarra Crews, 2013 (♀), K. nyiyaparli Crews, 2013(♀), K. yurlburr Crews, 2013 (♀♂), K. feedtime Crews, 2013(♀), K. forteyi Crews, 2013 (♀♂), K. jaburrara Crews, 2013 (♂), K. ngarluma Crews, 2013(♂).
Distribution. Throughout the Gascoyne and Pilbara of Western Australia (Maps
1 | Females | 2 |
– | Males | 16 |
2(1) | Copulatory ducts less sclerotized at origin than rest of duct (Figs |
3 |
– | Copulatory ducts otherwise ( |
10 |
3(2) | Copulatory openings beneath m-shaped hoods or margins (Figs |
4 |
– | Copulatory openings beneath rounded margin (Fig. |
K. julianneae |
4(3) | Accessory bulbs anterior to copulatory openings (Figs |
5 |
– | Accessory bulbs not anterior to copulatory openings (Fig. |
K. joehaeneri sp. nov. |
5(4) | Copulatory openings posterior to anteriormost part of spermathecae (Fig. |
6 |
– | Copulatory openings anterior to or even with anteriormost part of spermathecae (Figs |
7 |
6(5) | Copulatory ducts extend well beyond spermathecae (Fig. |
K. badgeradda |
– | Copulatory ducts do not extend beyond spermathecae ( |
K. nyangumarta |
7(5) | Accessory bulbs located on copulatory ducts after first curve (Figs |
8 |
– | Accessory bulbs located at top of first curve of copulatory ducts (Fig. |
K. nyamal |
8(7) | At closest, copulatory ducts separated no more than 1 diameter of anteriormost part of spermathecae (Figs |
9 |
– | At closest, copulatory ducts clearly separated by more than 1 diameter of anteriormost part of spermathecae (Fig. |
K. karrawarla |
9(8) | Copulatory openings located in depression with an arch-shaped anterior margin; first curve of copulatory ducts with space between curve (Fig. |
K. morganoconnelli sp. nov. |
– | No arch-shaped anterior margin; first curve of copulatory ducts tight with very little space between curve (Fig. |
K. martamarta |
10(2) | Copulatory openings beneath m-shaped hood or margin ( |
11 |
– | Copulatory openings not located beneath m-shaped hood or margin ( |
13 |
11(10) | Copulatory openings in depression with m-shaped anterior margin ( |
12 |
– | Copulatory openings beneath m-shaped hoods ( |
K. burbidgei |
12(11) | Copulatory openings in center of median field in heart-shaped depression ( |
K. kariyarra |
– | Copulatory openings in somewhat lemniscate depression in posterior of median field | K. banyjima |
13(10) | Median field with depression ( |
14 |
– | Median field with large lobe ( |
K. feedtime |
14(13) | Lateral lobes distinct ( |
15 |
– | Lateral lobes indistinct, median field depression oval ( |
K. forteyi |
15(13) | Copulatory openings close together in center of median field ( |
K. nyiyaparli |
– | Copulatory openings distant from one another at lateral edges of median field ( |
K. yurlburr |
16(1) | dRTA much longer than vRTA ( |
17 |
– | dRTA shorter than or not much longer than vRTA (Figs |
20 |
17(16) | With keel between vRTA and dRTA ( |
18 |
– | Without keel between vRTA and dRTA ( |
19 |
18(17) | In retrolateral view dRTA bent ventrally nearly 90° ( |
K. yurlburr |
– | In retrolateral view dRTA directed apically ( |
K. ngarluma |
19(17) | dRTA toothed along apical margin ( |
K. jaburrara |
– | dRTA not toothed along apical margin, ( |
K. forteyi |
20(16) | Embolus close to bulb perimeter, broadly curved (Figs |
21 |
– | Embolus short, closer to center of bulb, directed apically, small hook ( |
K. nyiyaparli |
21(20) | Tegular lobe large, covering most of the cymbium basally, lobe narrowed to embolus from 7–9 o’clock (Figs |
22 |
– | Tegular lobe mostly on retrolateral side of palp, narrowed to embolus at ~ 6 o’clock (Figs |
26 |
22(21) | Median apophysis broad, tongue-like (Figs |
23 |
– | Median apophysis narrowed abruptly (Figs |
24 |
23(22) | dRTA longer than palpal tibia, widened distally, truncate, longer than vRTA (Fig. |
K. martamarta |
– | dRTA shorter than or of equal length to palpal tibia, uniform width throughout length, pointed distally, not longer than vRTA (Fig. |
K. banyjima |
24(22) | Spermophor abuts bottom of tegular lobe (Figs |
25 |
– | Spermophor does not abut bottom of tegular lobe ( |
K. burbidgei |
25(24) | Spermophor very wide in tegular lobe, part of conductor unpigmented, large retrobasal cymbial process (Fig. |
K. nyangumarta |
– | Spermophor narrow in tegular lobe, conductor of uniform pigmentation, retrobasal cymbial process present, but not exceptionally large (Fig. |
K. durrantorum sp. nov. |
26(21) | Embolus comes to a point at tip (Figs |
27 |
– | Embolus slightly broadened into a diamond shape at tip (Fig. |
K. karrawarla |
27 | When palp is expanded, median apophysis directed basally, conductor not hammer shaped (Fig. |
K. morganoconnelli sp. nov. |
– | When palp is expanded, median apophysis directed retrolaterally, conductor hammer shaped (Fig. |
K. joehaeneri sp. nov. |
Karaops ngarutjaranya Crews & Harvey, 2011: 68, figs 61–64 (♂, ♀, examined).
The female of Karaops ngarutjaranya (Fig.
Species of the Central Desert species group A Karaops ngarutjaranya, female paratype, southeast of Womikata Bore Homeland, South Australia (
The description of the male and female can be found in
Known only from two nearby localities, Mount Woodroffe and Womikata Bore Homeland, South Australia (Map
Karaops ngarutjaranya occurs in the Mann-Musgrave Block subregion of the Central Ranges in northern South Australia (Maps
Karaops ngarutjaranya is only known from one male (Fig.
Karaops pilkingtoni Crews & Harvey, 2011: 64, figs 55–58 (♂, ♀, examined).
Karaops pilkingtoni (Fig.
The description of the male and female can be found in
The male and female are known only from the vicinity of Alice Springs, Northern Territory (Map
The female (Fig.
The holotype male of Karaops pilkingtoni (Fig.
Karaops vadlaadambara Crews & Harvey, 2011: 59, figs 51–54 (♂, ♀, examined).
The male of Karaops vadlaadambara (Fig.
The description of the male and female can be found in
This species is known only from the Gammon and Flinders Ranges, South Australia (Map
The climate of the collection localities is semiarid to arid with erratic rainfall. Females and males have been collected in cooler, slightly wetter times of the year, with one male collected at a warmer, wetter time of year (Suppl. material
Karaops vadlaadambara (Fig.
Karaops manaayn Crews & Harvey, 2011: 57, figs 47–50, 96 (♂, ♀, examined).
New South Wales • 1♀; Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, Yarrowitch River; -31.0759, 152.0563; 12 Nov. 2015; H.M. Smith leg.; (
The spermathecae of Karaops manaayn are further from the midline than are the accessory bulbs (
The description of the male and female can be found in
Karaops manaayn (Fig.
This species has been collected in two adjacent subregions: the Macleay Hastings and Coffs Coast and Escarpment subregions of the New South Wales North Coast bioregion. While climate within the entire region ranges from subtropical to subhumid, the climate in the immediate area around Armidale is somewhat temperate (
Karaops manaayn (Fig.
Karaops deserticola Crews & Harvey, 2011: 66, figs 59, 60 (♀, examined).
The median lobe of the epigyne gradually narrows distally unlike other species of the group (
The description of the female can be found in
Male. Unknown.
Karaops deserticola is only known from Mount Lindsay, South Australia (Map
Karaops deserticola (Fig.
Species and habitats of the Central Desert species group A Karaops kwartatuma sp. nov., holotype male, Ormiston Gorge, West MacDonnell Range National Park, Northern Territory (sel_1093,
Species of the Central Desert species group; orange = juvenile from Morgan Range, light purple = Karaops deserticola, teal = Karaops ngarutjaranya, red = juveniles from Watarrka, blue = Karaops larapinta sp. nov., pink = Karaops kwartatuma sp. nov., yellow = Karaops pilkingtoni, x = Karaops mparntwe sp. nov., purple = Karaops vadlaadambara, green = Karaops manaayn. Juveniles are treated as distinct species based on molecular data.
This species is known from a single female specimen collected in 1980 (Fig.
Holotype
: Northern Territory • ♂ (reared in captivity); West MacDonnell Range National Park, Ormiston Gorge; 23°37.718'S, 132°43.662'E; ~ 674 m; 19 Apr. 2016; S. Crews leg.; in rock cracks on cliff face above waterhole; sel_1093; SCC16_012; (
Karaops kwartatuma sp. nov. (Fig.
Male (holotype). Total length 3.34. Carapace: length 1.47, width 1.87. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth, robust. Eyes: AER slightly recurved, PER recurved; diameters AME 0.10, ALE 0.06, PME 0.11, PLE 0.19; interdistances AME–PME 0.02, PME–ALE 0.09, ALE–PLE 0.11, PME–PME 0.60, ALE–ALE 0.83, AME–AME 0.38, PLE–PLE 1.09. Sternum: length 0.95, width 0.99. Abdomen: length 1.87, width 1.64. Color (in life Fig.
Female. Unknown.
The species name is the indigenous word for the type locality in the Western Aranda language. Noun in apposition.
Known from only the type locality, Kwartatuma (Ormiston Gorge), Northern Territory (Map
This spider was collected by coaxing from cracks with a piece of grass in rocks on a cliff face during the day (Fig.
This species is part of a group of primarily Central Australian species comprising Karaops pilkingtoni, K. deserticola, K. mparntwe sp. nov., K. larapinta sp. nov., K. ngarutjaranya, K. manaayn, and K. vadlaadambara. It is one of the smallest selenopids. Data indicate that there are several species found in a rather small geographic area (Map
Holotype : Northern Territory • ♀; Finke River; Oct. 1993; R. Raven leg.; No. 501; (QMS 110852). Paratype: ♀; same data as holotype (QMS 12909).
Karaops larapinta sp. nov. (Fig.
Epigynes and endogynes of members of the Central Desert species group A Karaops larapinta sp. nov., holotype female, epigyne, Finke River, Northern Territory (QMS 110852) B same, endogyne C Karaops mparntwe sp. nov., holotype female, epigyne, Alice Springs, Northern Territory (AMT AA 10.852), pink = copulatory openings, blue = median field, yellow = lateral lobes/epigynal plate D same, endogyne, yellow = accessory bulbs, blue = spermathecae, red = fertilization ducts, green = posterodorsal fold E same, epigyne F same, endogyne. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.
Female (holotype). Total length 7.49. Carapace: length 2.45, width 3.69. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth. Eyes: AER slightly recurved, PER recurved; diameters AME 0.18, ALE 0.18, PME 0.29, PLE 0.36; interdistances AME–PME 0.04, PME–ALE 0.10, ALE–PLE 0.20, PME–PME 1.20, ALE–ALE 1.62, AME–AME 0.59, PLE–PLE 1.85. Sternum: length 1.67, width 1.89. Abdomen length 5.04, width 4.03. Color: Carapace: orange-yellow, with two dark markings lateroposterior to eye region, three marks each on lateral margins, faded, most setae worn off. Chelicerae: yellowish, paturon with a longitudinal curved mark frontally, setae white, long anteriorly. Maxillae: yellowish white. Labium: gray, pale distally. Sternum: yellowish. Abdomen: dorsally reddish orange, two dark spots at anterior margin, two laterally just posterior to these, two lateromedially posterior to these, two small ones just posterior to previous, two dark marks extend to lateral edges, connect to jagged markings lateromedially, two dark, wavy lines posterolaterally; ventrally grayish. Legs: pale yellow-orange, Cx with dusky mark prolaterally, Fm with dusky mark prolaterally, another medially, forming annulation, Pt with dark mark ventrally, Ti with dark mark ventrally at Pt-Ti joint, with annulation closer to Mt, dark annulation on Ti at Ti-Mt joint and halfway between that and Mt joint, dark annulation on Mt at Ti joint and at Mt-Ta joint, Ta tip not dark (may be faded); spines dark basally, pale distally; spination leg I Fm d 1-1-1, pr 1-1-0, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2-2; leg II Fm d 1-1-1, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2-2; leg III Fm d 1-1-1; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1, pr 0-0-1, rl 0-0-1; leg formula 4321; measurements leg I 13.86 (3.85, 1.65, 3.83, 3.24, 1.3); leg II 15.73 (4.95, 1.65, 4.13, 3.60, 1.40); leg III 16.13 (5.23, 1.40, 4.28, 3.70, 1.53); leg IV 16.36 (5.50, 1.48, 4.26, 3.71, 1.40). Palp: spination Fm d 0-1-3; 3.30 (1.05, 0.60, 0.75, 0.90); basally dusky, Ta dusky basodorsally; claw with eight teeth. Epigyne: EP triangular; MF with long, triangular depression, lobe posteriorly unsclerotized (Figs
Karaops kwartatuma sp. nov., holotype male, (Kwartatuma) Ormiston Gorge, West MacDonnell Range National Park, Northern Territory (sel_1093,
Species from the Central Desert species group A Karaops kwartatuma sp. nov., holotype male, Ormiston Gorge, West MacDonnell Range National Park, Northern Territory (
Male. Unknown.
The size of the paratype is 7.86.
The specific name is the indigenous word for the type locality, thought to be the world’s oldest river, in the Arrente language. Noun in apposition.
Known from only the type locality, Larapinta (Finke River), Northern Territory (Map
Karaops larapinta sp. nov. (Fig.
The region suffers from introduced species and grazing (
Holotype : Northern Territory • ♀; Alice Springs; Aug.; (ZMT AA 10.852).
The female of Karaops mparntwe sp. nov. (Fig.
Female (holotype). Total length 6.97. Carapace: length 2.46, width 3.26. Chelicerae: promargin with five teeth, fourth tooth toward base of fang larger than others, retromargin with three teeth. Eyes: AER slightly recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters, AME 0.17, ALE 0.14, PME 0.22, PLE 0.32; interdistances AME–PME 0.09, PME–ALE 0.14, ALE–PLE 0.34, PME–PME 0.84, ALE–ALE 1.23, AME–AME 0.51, PLE–PLE 1.59. Sternum: length 1.46, width 1.77. Abdomen: length 4.51, width 3.66. Color: Carapace: orangish yellow, dark patches behind eyes contiguous with darker area in median furrow, setose, with short, stiff setae, although several missing in this specimen. Chelicerae: orange-brown with dusky markings proximally and distally, nearly forming an unfilled oval on the paturon anteriorly (Fig.
Male. Unknown.
The species name is the indigenous word for the type locality in the Western Arranda language. Noun in apposition.
Known from only the type locality, Northern Territory (see Discussion) (Map
Nothing is known of this specimen other than it was collected in August; thus, adult females can be found in August, one of the cool, dry months in Alice Springs (Suppl. material
The label appears to say “Alice Springs, Ctrl. Sta?. VIII”. There is no collector given, and searching the database at ZMT did not uncover any additional information. It was thought that Pekka Lehtinen may have been the collector, but he has never been to Alice Springs (pers. comm.). Presumably, “Ctrl. Stn.?” refers to the Old Telegraph Station. The holotype male of Karaops pilkingtoni is known from Alice Springs, Old Telegraph Station, base of Trig Hill. The female of K. pilkingtoni is from more than 60 km ENE of Alice Springs. The species were paired based on their general similarity and geographic proximity; however, it is now known that multiple species can occur in sympatry and/or syntopically, and similar species do occur nearby (K. larapinta sp. nov.). Based on morphology, no changes are made to the status of the female of K. pilkingtoni, and K. mparntwe sp. nov. and K. pilkingtoni are considered separate species. The region is poorly collected yet peppered with several species in somewhat close proximity (Map
Karaops australiensis
non L.
Holotype : Queensland • ♀; base of Jim Crow Mountain; 23°13'S, 150°38'E; Jul. 1982; A. Rozefelds leg.; (QMS 61054). Paratype: ♂; Johansen’s Cave, 23°09'S, 150°28'E; 100 m; 29 May 2000; G.B. Monteith leg.; vine scrub; fogging trees with pyrethrum; (QMS 57515). Other material examined: 4♀, 7♂, 3 imm.; NNW of Rockhampton, just outside of Mt. Etna National Park; -23.167, 150.47; ~ 109 m; 1 Jun. 2019; S. Crews, M. Brandley leg.; under rocks, raining, 16 °C; sel_1424–1437; SCC19_011; (QMS 116840–116853) • 4♀; Bowen, Murray’s Bay Road, Rose Bay Walking Trail; -19.9863, 148.2608; ~ 26 m; 3 Jun. 2019; S. Crews, M. Brandley leg.; under rocks; sel_1438–1441; SCC19_012; (QMS 116854–116857) • 1♂; Brandy Creek; 20°21'S, 148°43'E; 15 May 1975; R. Monroe, J. Covacevich, P. Filewood leg.; (QMS 47115).
The female of Karaops strayamate sp. nov. can be separated from K. monteithi and K. gangarie by having fused lateral lobes and a large excavation of the posterior margin of the epigynal plate (
The description of the male and female can be found in
The name is a combination of two words: “Straya”, a term used by many Australians when referring to the country, and “mate”, meaning friend. The two terms together are quintessential Australian, which is appropriate since the name australiensis can no longer be used. Noun in apposition.
Known from coastal Queensland (Map
Four of the five localities where Karaops strayamate has been collected are in the Brigalow Belt North bioregion, with the Bowen specimens (Fig.
Species and habitats of the strayamate species group A Karaops strayamate sp. nov., adult male, vic. Mt. Etna Caves National Park, Queensland B Karaops australiensis nom. dub., holotype, penultimate male, Bowen, Queensland (see text – this is likely a member of the raveni species group) (ZSMH A0000791) C Karaops strayamate sp. nov., adult female, vic. Mt. Etna Caves National Park, Queensland D Karaops australiensis nom. dub., female, dorsal, Sydney, New South Wales (see text) (ZSMH A0000792) E Karaops strayamate sp. nov., adult female, vic. Mt. Etna Caves National Park, Queensland F Karaops australiensis nom. dub., female, ventral, Sydney, New South Wales (see text) (ZSMH A0000792) G Karaops strayamate sp. nov. habitat of rocks along roadside, Bowen, Queensland H Karaops strayamate sp. nov., egg sac beneath rock, Bowen, Queensland. Scale bars: 1 mm.
Fig.
Karaops gangarie
The lateral lobes of the epigyne of Karaops gangarie are conspicuous posteriorly, and there is no excavation along the posterior margin as in K. strayamate sp. nov. (
The description of the male and female can be found in
This species is only known from Amos Bay and in the vicinity of Cooktown, on the Cape York Peninsula, northeastern Queensland.
The type locality of Amos Bay occurs in the Daintree-Bloomfield subregion of the Wet Tropics Bioregion. The second locality where the species has been collected is Cooktown in the Starke Coastal Lowlands of the Cape York Peninsula bioregion. Both immediate areas are considered tropical lowland rainforest. Rainfall throughout the year is 1300–3500 mm. The area is threatened by habitat loss, invasive species, and phenomena associated with climate change, like more frequent and larger tropical cyclones and fluctuations in precipitation. The Cape York Peninsula bioregion consists of eucalypt and melaleuca woodlands. Approximately half of the Starke Coastal lowlands are pastoral and other parts of the subregion are used for mining. The hottest months of the year in both Cooktown and Amos Bay occur from November–February, with the coolest months being June–August. The wettest months are from December–April, with the driest May–November. The holotype and paratype male and female were collected in May, a cooler, drier part of the year. The female from Cooktown was collected in January, a time of transition from drier to wetter in the hottest part of the year (Suppl. material
Karaops gangarie has been collected once in 1973 and once in 2009. Molecular data were able to be obtained from a specimen and indicate that it is the sister taxon to Karaops strayamate in a clade with K. ellenae (no DNA was available for K. monteithi) which is corroborated by morphological data as being closely related (Suppl. material
Members from the strayamate species group A Karaops gangarie, holotype female, rainforest near Amos Bay, Queensland (
Karaops ellenae Crews & Harvey, 2011: 76, figs 73–76 (♂, ♀, examined).
Western Australia • 1♂; Mount Cooke; 32°25'S, 116°18'E; 7 Aug. 1990; M.S. Harvey, J.M. Waldock, M. Peterson leg.; by hand; (
Like other members of the strayamate species group, the male has a small tegular lobe and a long, thin embolus that follows the perimeter of the bulb. The median apophysis is larger and irregularly shaped rather than hooked like those of Karaops gangarie and K. strayamate sp. nov., and the conductor of K. ellenae has a pointed projection terminally that extends beyond the cymbium (
The female has highly coiled ducts connecting the spermathecae and the accessory bulbs as in the other members of this species group; however, the epigyne is not indented along the bottom edge, there is no clear separation of the lateral lobes, and the accessory bulbs extend anteriorly beyond the coiled ducts, which they do not in the other species (
The description of the male and female can be found in
This species is found near the west coast of southwestern Western Australia, primarily west of the Darlington Escarpment (Map
Karaops ellenae (Fig.
The other three species known to belong to this species group occur on the Queensland coast, north to at least Coen. This distribution pattern also shows up in a species with which it overlaps, Karaops jarrit (Map
Karaops monteithi Crews & Harvey, 2011: 30, figs 15, 16 (♀, examined).
Queensland • 1♀ (matured in captivity 22 May 2019), 5 imm.; 30 km S of Coen on PDR, left side of road heading south; -14.2931, 143.3269; 14 May 2019; S. Crews leg.; under rocks at top of hill in woodland with Cycas; sel_1389–1394; SCC19_005; (QMS).
Karaops monteithi (Fig.
The description of the female can be found in
Male. Unknown.
This species is known only from the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland.
Karaops monteithi has been collected beneath rocks in a forest with Cycas (Fig.
The type specimen was collected in the hottest, drier part of the year, while the other female and immatures were collected in the drier part of the year, but during a transition month from hot to cooler (Suppl. material
Karaops raveni Crews & Harvey, 2011: 42, figs 29–32, 91, 111 (♂, ♀, examined).
New South Wales • 1♂; Oxley Wild Rivers NP, East Kunderang Track “Raspberry Rd” Dam; -30.813417, 152.084026; ~ 800 m; 5 Nov. 2015; H.M. Smith leg.; night collecting, on tree trunk; (
The female of Karaops raveni can be distinguished from K. marrayagong by the lateral lobes of the epigyne almost touching or touching posteriorly, and the accessory bulbs are separated by more than one accessory bulb in the latter (
The male of Karaops raveni (Fig.
Members from the raveni species group A Karaops jarrit, paratype female, conveyor #2, Worsley Alumina Overland Conveyor Belt, SW of Boddington, Western Australia (
Karaops marrayagong, Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden, New South Wales A adult female (sel_1089,
Karaops marrayagong and Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. A Karaops marrayagong on tree, Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden, New South Wales (Photo: Wendy Grimm) B Karaops marrayagong, male palp, retrolateral, same data as previous (sel_1091,
The description of the male and female can be found in
Karaops raveni occurs in eastern Australia, in Queensland and New South Wales. It has primarily been collected to the east of the Great Dividing Range with some collections within the boundaries of the Great Dividing Range (Map
This species occurs across many different subregions. The southernmost locality is in the Tinderry Range near the ACT, in the Kybeyan-Gourock subregion of the South Eastern Highlands bioregion, and the northernmost is the Burnett-Curtis Coastal Lowlands subregion of the South Eastern Queensland bioregion. The former has a temperate climate, and it does snow at the higher elevations; the northern bioregion is considered humid subtropical. The furthest inland that the species is known from is Warrumbungles National Park, of the Castlereach-Barwon subregion in the Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion. In Queensland, this species has been collected inside a house, by fogging trees with pyrethrum, and from under bark of Ficus and Eucalyptus. In New South Wales, Karaops raveni has been collected from under bark, on a water tank, on trees at sunset and at night, and in the Tinderry Range it has been collected under rocks of scree slope.
Karaops raveni (Fig.
Karaops jarrit Crews & Harvey, 2011: 36, figs 23–26 (♂, ♀, examined).
Western Australia • 1♂; Rivervale, 177 Knutsford Avenue; 31°57'50"S, 115°55'43"E; 10 Nov. 2010; V.W. Framenau leg.; sifted litter; in house; (
The female of Karaops jarrit can be distinguished from K. raveni by the lateral lobes of the epigyne almost touching or touching posteriorly, and the accessory bulbs are separated by more than one accessory bulb width in the latter species (
The male of Karaops jarrit (Fig.
The description of the male and female can be found in
This species is found in southwestern Western Australia (Map
The greatest number of specimens is known from the Northern Jarrah Forest subregion of the Jarrah Forest bioregion, with two localities near Perth, from the Perth subregion of the Swan Coastal Plain bioregion, a single locality in the Fitzgerald subregion of the Esperance Plains bioregion, and most recently from the Southern Cross subregion of the Coolgardie bioregion. The first three subregions have a warm to hot Mediterranean climate. Data indicate that adults are primarily found in the warmer to hotter times of the year with little rainfall. This species has been collected in a pitfall trap, in leaf litter, and on an overland conveyer at night.
Karaops jarrit (Fig.
Karaops marrayagong Crews & Harvey, 2011: 40, figs 27–28 (♀, examined).
New South Wales • 1 imm.; near Sydney, Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden; 33°42.383'S, 151°10.480'E; ~ 178 m; 9 Apr. 2016; S. Crews, P. Harlow leg.; under bark of tree; missing two legs when collected; sel_1088; SCC16_008; (
The female of Karaops marrayagong can be distinguished from K. raveni by the lateral lobes of the epigyne almost touching or touching posteriorly, and the accessory bulbs are separated by more than one accessory bulb width (
The male of Karaops marrayagong (Fig.
Male (sel_1091,
Female (sel_1089, KS.126520). Habitus, live (Figs
Known only from the type locality and locality provided above, vicinity of Sydney, New South Wales, see Discussion (Map
Karaops marrayagong is found in Sydney coastal dry sclerophyll forest, under bark of large and small eucalypts. An adult female, a subadult male, and two immatures of different instars were encountered in April. Simultaneously collecting adults and immatures of multiple instars is common in the family. The male (sel_1091) and an immature (sel_1090) died soon after collection (April). The female (sel_1089) and the other immature (sel_1088) died in November 2016. This species is found in a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest ecoregion. The IBRA bioregion is the Sydney Basin, subregion Pittwater. Adults and penultimate females were collected in one of the hottest months, with rainfall transitioning from heavy to light. The Sydney Basin has a temperate climate with no dry season. K. marrayagong has been collected beneath bark.
There is ambiguity regarding the type locality of this species (
Karaops dawara Crews & Harvey, 2011: 81, figs 79, 80 (♀, examined).
Northern Territory • 1 imm.; Kakadu National Park, Kapalga, north side of site E; 12°38.038'S, 132°23.122"E; 18 Jan. 2009; S. Crews, G. Brown leg.; (
Karaops dawara (Fig.
Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. and Karaops dawara from the dawara species group A Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., holotype, Baruwei Walk, Nitmiluk National Park, Northern Territory (sel_1333,
The description of the female can be found in
Male. Unknown.
This species has been found at the northern part of the Top End, Northern Territory.
Females have been collected in November and January. In both months temperatures are at their highest, though they do not differ much throughout the year. The former is going into the wet season, and the latter is one of the wettest months of the year. Karaops dawara occurs in the Darwin Coastal region and subregion. The generally low area is drained by many large rivers and comprises forests of eucalypts with grasses (
No collections of Karaops dawara (Fig.
Holotype
: Northern Territory • ♀ (reared in captivity); Nitmiluk National Park, Baruwei Walk; vic. 14°18'50.36"S, 132°25'23.16"E; 1 Jun. 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; on rocks at night; sel_1333; SCC16_071; (
Females of Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. (Figs
Species of the Karaops dawara species group; green = Karaops yumbu, pink = Karaops dawara, blue = Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., purple = juvenile from Cutta Cutta Cave, orange = juvenile from Wongalara Wildlife Sanctuary, red = Karaops jawayway sp. nov. Juveniles are treated as distinct species based on molecular data.
Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. and Karaops jawayway sp. nov. from the dawara species group A Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., Leliyn, Nitmiluk National Park, Northern Territory (sel_1342,
Karaops jawayway sp. nov., holotype, Savannah Way, Northern Territory (sel_1349,
Female (holotype). Total length 4.55. Carapace: length 2.18, width 2.42. Chelicerae: promargin with five teeth, the fourth one, closest to base of fang, larger than others, retromargin with three teeth. Eyes: AER recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.13, ALE 0.10, PME 0.20, PLE 0.26; interdistances AME–PME 0.06, PME–ALE 0.11, ALE–PLE 0.27, PME–PME 0.77, ALE–ALE 1.05, AME–AME 0.37, PLE–PLE 1.34. Sternum: length 1.08, width 1.05. Abdomen: length 2.37, width 2.01. Color (in life/preserved): Carapace: pale brownish yellow with two pairs of dark spots behind ocular area laterally, dark near furrow, dark patch posteriorly, setose with white setae behind eyes, three pairs of dark spots laterally, some whitish patches/more orangish tan with markings less conspicuous. Chelicerae: tan, paturon with a longitudinal curved mark frontally, setae sparse, pale, darkened anteromedially. Maxillae: yellowish brown. Labium: tan, pale distally. Sternum: yellowish. Abdomen: dorsally with anterior reddish brown medial anchor-shaped marking extended about halfway posteriorly, dark markings laterally, two dark chevrons ~ 1/3 from posterior, anteriormost extended to lateral edges, posterior are not/same markings but colors more orangey than yellowish; ventrally yellowish brown. Spinnerets: orangey/yellowish. Legs: grayish in situ (Fig.
Male. Unknown.
(n = 4) The epigyne and endogyne of each individual differ in EW size and shape, MF shape, overall shape of the EP, anterior sclerotized portion of the CDs, the direction of ducts, the number of coils, where and how the unsclerotized portion connects to the sclerotized portion, size and shape of pdf, and size and shape of FDs (Figs
The species name is derived from the name of the type locality. Nitmiluk is the Jawoyn name for Katherine Gorge and means “Cicada Place”. Noun in apposition.
Known from only Nitmuluk National Park, Northern Territory.
Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. occurs in the Pine Creek subregion of the Pine Creek bioregion. It contains eucalypt woodland and monsoon forest patches. The climate is tropical monsoonal, with most rainfall between November and March. Surveys have been conducted for birds, mammals, reptiles and plants, but there is no information on the bioregion’s invertebrate fauna. For information related to rearing, see Suppl. material
The internal ducts and other features of the endogyne are transparent and thus very difficult to see. They were temporarily stained with chlorazol black. Despite the very small sample size, it is notable that the two adult females from Leliyn were penultimate and matured at nearly the exact same time, but there were more months in between the penultimate and adult stages in the specimens from Baruwei. The latter during hot, transitioning to wet, the others, cool, dry and hot, dry to penultimate, and hot and wet to adulthood. Most lived several months after reaching adulthood. The two populations are genetically distinct (Suppl. material
Holotype
: Northern Territory • ♀ (reared in captivity); Savannah Way, on road to Roper Bar, out of Limmen NP; vic. 14°45'50.44"S, 134°29'50.47"E; 11 Jun. 2016; S. Crews leg.; at dusk, under rocks on steep, shaley hillside with many, many shed snakeskins; sel_1349; SCC16_075; (
Females of Karaops jawayway sp. nov. are similar to those of K. nitmiluk sp. nov. and K. dawara but can be distinguished by the copulatory ducts. In K. jawayway sp. nov., they are wide from their origin at the epigynal windows, narrowed posteriorly, and curved outward within the first third of their length (Fig.
Female (holotype). Total length 4.69. Carapace: length 2.07, width 2.56. Chelicerae: promargin with five teeth, two near base of fang smaller than others, retromargin with three teeth. Eyes: AER slightly recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.13, ALE 0.10, PME 0.19, PLE 0.24; interdistances AME–PME 0.04, PME–ALE 0.09, ALE–PLE 0.26, PME–PME 0.78, ALE–ALE 1.12, AME–AME 0.39, PLE–PLE 1.31. Sternum: length 1.23, width 1.30. Abdomen: length 2.62, width 2.38. Color (in life Figs
Male. Unknown.
Jawayway is the name of a spring near the type locality in the Ngalakgan language of the Ngalakgan people that are the traditional owners of the area. Noun in apposition.
Known from only the type locality (Fig.
Karaops jawayway sp. nov. and Karaops yumbu of the dawara species group A Karaops jawayway sp. nov., Savannah Way, Northern Territory B Karaops yumbu, Browns Range, Western Australia, night C Karaops yumbu habitat, Wolverine pre-pit, Browns Range, Western Australia D Karaops yumbu, Browns Range, Western Australia, night E habitat of Karaops jawayway sp. nov., Savannah Way, Northern Territory F Karaops yumbu, Browns Range, Western Australia (sel_1293,
Karaops jawayway sp. nov. occurs in the McArthur subregion of the Gulf Fall and Uplands bioregion. This region comprises spinifex grasslands with eucalypt woodlands. The climate is monsoonal, with more rainfall in the north than the south. There appears to be little known about the arthropods of the subregion (
The internal ducts and other features of the endogyne are very difficult to see and were temporarily stained with chlorazol black. This species did extremely well in captivity, with sel_1350 molting 11 times and still not reaching adulthood or even penultimate stage (given the size, this was probably the antepenultimate molt). Other research indicates that Selenops spp. go through numerous instars before reaching adulthood (18) (unpubl. data). Specimen sel_1350 molted quite often, sometimes slightly more than two weeks apart. For additional information, see the Suppl. material
Karaops yumbu Crews, 2013: 467, figs 35–37 (♂, examined).
Western Australia • 2 imm.; vic. Hall’s Creek on Tanami Track; 18°25'53.97"S, 127°32'56.81"E; ~ 471 m; 27 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; under shale; sel_1283–1284; SCC16_060; (
Karaops yumbu is the only male known from the dawara species group; however, it can be differentiated from all other species by having the median apophysis arise from an unsclerotized retromedially oriented extension of the tegulum (
The description of the male can be found in
Female. Unknown.
Known from Sawpit Gorge (Fig.
Karaops yumbu and members of the francesae species group A Karaops yumbu, habitat, Sawpit Gorge, Western Australia B habitat of Karaops francesae, Mt. Lindesay, Western Australia C Karaops francesae, female paratype, east Mount Barren, Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia (
Two males of Karaops yumbu were collected previously in wet pitfalls on a sand plain and a stony rise between January and March. More recently, this species was collected by hand on rocks at night, and under rocks on a steep hill during the day, in May (Fig.
All specimens were collected as immatures and reared in captivity. They were collected in two different subregions of two different bioregions. Specimens from Browns Range and vicinity are from the Tanami Desert subregion of the Tanami bioregion. This area is characterized by sandplains, hills, and ranges with shrub steppe over soft spinifex and wattle scrub and hummock grass over soft spinifex on ranges (
In general, this species did well in captivity, only dying after adulthood or in the care of someone else, occasionally while molting. Two lived more than a year in captivity, 16 and 18 months, respectively, molting 6 and 7 times, respectively. January–March, when the holotype and paratypes were collected, is the wettest and hottest part of the year in the Tanami bioregion. In captivity, one reached adulthood in December, the wettest, hottest part of the year, and the other just prior, when it was beginning to get warm and rain more. This is the least known bioregion of the Kimberley (
Despite the search efforts and rearing, there are no female specimens of this species. The palp of this species is unique amongst all the Karaops (
Karaops francesae Crews & Harvey, 2011: 70, figs 65–68 (♂, ♀, examined).
Western Australia • 1 imm; Cape Le Grand National Park, Lucky Bay camping area, site 4; 33°59'37"S, 122°13'06.9"E; 18 Jun. 2014; 33 m; J.M. Waldock, C.A. Car leg.; hand search; base of granite outcrop; (
Males of Karaops francesae (Fig.
The description of the male and female can be found in
This species is found along the southern coast of Western Australia, including offshore islands (Maps
Karaops francesae (Fig.
This species overlaps with two species, Karaops toolbrunup, its sister taxon, and there has been a single collection of K. jarrit from within the range. Karaops toolbrunup has thus far only been collected from the Stirling Ranges National Park. It is closely related to K. francesae and looks similar, but all specimens collected can be distinguished (i.e., they are not variants). Molecular data show some clades of K. francesae that are as different from one another as they are from as K. toolbrunup; however, no morphological differences have been found in these groups, and it is possibly due to introgression, intermixing, or the genes used are not good for determining these relationships (Suppl. material
Karaops toolbrunup Crews & Harvey, 2011: 74, figs 69–72, 95 (♂, ♀, examined).
Western Australia • 1 imm.; Stirling Range National Park, Bluff Knoll, track to summit; -34.37583, 118.2544; 15 Apr. 2015; M.S. Harvey, M.G. Rix, N.J. Tatarnik, A. Coles leg.; under rock montane heathland; (
See diagnosis for Karaops francesae above.
The description of the male and female can be found in
This species is known only from the Stirling Ranges National Park (Maps
The Stirling Ranges are within the Fitzgerald subregion of the Esperance bioregion. There is more relief in this part of the subregion, with Bluff Knoll the highest peak in the south of Western Australia. It also has a slightly wetter and cooler climate, with rare ecosystems, like the Stirling Range Montane Thicket and Heath of the SW Botanical Province. This species has been collected under rocks.
Karaops toolbrunup (Fig.
Karaops keithlongbottomi Crews & Harvey, 2011: 34, figs 19–20 (♂, examined).
Western Australia • ♂ (reared in captivity), 6 imm.; Mitchell River National Park, Bujani (Little Merten’s Falls); -14.82218, 125.7131; 21 May 2016; J. DeJong leg.; on rocks at night; sel_1244–1245; SCC16_047; (
Given the number of the new, morphologically similar species described here, the diagnosis is updated, and new illustrations are provided for ease of identification. The male is similar to other members of the group but is most easily differentiated by the RTA (Figs
Species of the Kimberley species group. Diamonds (juveniles): light purple = Mimbi Caves; blue = Geike Gorge, green = Adcock Gorge, teal = Augustus Island, pink = Little Mertens Falls, yellow = Emma Gorge, orange = Kelly’s Knob, red = Keep River National Park; Circles: green = Karaops dejongi sp. nov., blue = Karaops jenniferae, red = Karaops dalmanyi sp. nov., purple = Karaops sp. adult male (will be described in subsequent publication), white = Karaops conilurus sp. nov., pink = Karaops umiida, yellow = Karaops alanlongbottomi, teal = Karaops keithlongbottomi, mauve = Karaops larryoo, orange = Karaops garyodwyeri sp. nov., black = Karaops malumbu sp. nov. Juveniles are treated as distinct species based on molecular data.
The description is updated here based on the recently collected additional male. The full description of the male can be found in
Male (sel_1244,
Members of the Kimberley species group A Karaops sp., Kelly’s Knob, Western Australia B Karaops sp., Kelly’s Knob, Western Australia C Karaops sp., Keep River National Park, Northern Territory (sel_1320,
Members of the Kimberley species group A Karaops sp., Keep River National Park, Northern Territory (sel_1315,
Members of the Kimberley species group A Karaops keithlongbottomi, palp, ventral, Bujani (Little Merten’s Falls), Mitchell River National Park, Western Australia (sel_1244,
Female. Unknown.
Known from Ngauwudu (Mitchell Plateau), Northern Kimberley, Western Australia (Map
Very little is known about the type other than it was collected from Drysdale River Station, late 1995. The precise locality, time of year, and microhabitat are unknown. The abdomen of the type is damaged (Fig.
This specimen and the penultimate female are quite large – the largest Karaops species known. The length of the holotype is unknown due to abdominal damage, but the carapace is 3.3. The length of the newly collected specimen is 8.41, with a carapace length of 4.64. The female remains undescribed. Although we only know of two areas where it is found, the new data do help to provide a bit more knowledge of its range, highlighting the importance targeted collecting and rearing to adulthood (Suppl. material
Holotype
: Western Australia • ♀ (reared in captivity); RAAF Boab Quarry camping area; 17°54.56.60"S, 125°18'5.94"E; 24 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; on limestone rocks at night; sel_1273; SCC16_055; (
The female of Karaops dejongi sp. nov. is most similar to K. dalmanyi sp. nov. in that there is a slit-like opening medially between the lateral lobes (Figs
The male can be distinguished from the other members of the group by the RTA (Figs
Members of the Kimberley species group A Karaops dejongi sp. nov., eating a hymenopteran, RAAF Boab Quarry, Western Australia (photo: J. DeJong) B Karaops sp., Geike Gorge, Western Australia C Karaops dejongi sp. nov., paratype male, palp, dorsal, RAAF Boab Quarry, Western Australia (sel_1272,
Karaops dejongi sp. nov., RAAF Boab Quarry, Western Australia A holotype female, epigyne, (sel_1273,
Karaops dejongi sp. nov. and Karaops dalmanyi sp. nov. of the Kimberley species group A Karaops dejongi sp. nov., paratype male, palp, ventral, RAAF Boab Quarry, Western Australia (sel_1272,
Female (holotype). Total length 5.28. Carapace: length 2.71, width 3.04. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth. Eyes: AER slightly recurved, PER recurved; diameters AME 0.16, ALE 0.14, PME 0.25, PLE 0.33; interdistances AME–PME 0.07, PME-PLE 0.16, ALE–PLE 0.31, PME–PME 0.99, ALE–ALE 1.43, AME–AME 0.48, PLE–PLE 1.79. Sternum: length 1.43, width 1.52. Abdomen: length 2.57, width 2.17. Color: Carapace: yellowish white with dark patches extending posteriorly from PLEs, two dark patches medially on either side of fovea, three pairs of lateral dark spots and single medial dark spot posteriorly, white, flattened setae around eyes and anterolateral margin, some short, thick, sparse setae and long, thick, sparse setae, the latter mostly toward the posterior and anterior, darker, thin setae distributed evenly, not dense. Chelicerae: whitish yellow, paturon with longitudinal curved mark frontally, dark setae more prominent anteriorly. Maxillae: whitish yellow. Labium: tan, pale distally. Sternum: whitish yellow. Abdomen: dorsally orangish brown with dark spots around margin, two dark patches anteriorly, several dark chevrons extending to posterior; ventrally yellow-gray. Legs: whitish yellow, Cx and Tr with dusky areas proximally; Fm with annulations at Fm-Tr joint and medially, Pt with annulations at Fm-Pt joint, Ti with annulations basally and distally, Mt with annulations basally and distally; Ta dusky; spination leg I Fm d 1-1-1, pr 1-1, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2; leg II F d 1-1-1; Ti v 2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2; leg III Fm d 1-1-1, pr 2-0-0; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1, Ti v 2-2; leg formula 3421; measurements leg I 12.09 (3.07, 1.34, 3.50, 2.75, 1.43); leg II 12.70 (3.54, 1.46, 3.57, 2.86, 1.25); leg III 14.59 (4.63, 1.27, 3.76, 3.41, 1.51); leg IV 13.17 (4.39, 1.12, 3.17, 3.12, 1.37). Palp: spination Fm 0-1-2; 2.46 (0.70, 0.54, 0.61, Ta 0.63); claw with ~ 7 teeth. Epigyne: EP arched; MF with At; LLs separated by a narrow, longitudinal slit, widens anteriorly; COs in At (Fig.
Male (paratype) (Figs
This species is named after Jordan DeJong, world’s best selenopid finder/collector (and a darn good gecko spotter). Noun in the genitive case.
Known from only the type locality, RAAF Boab Quarry, Kimberley region, Western Australia (Map
Karaops dejongi sp. nov. is found in the Fitzroy Trough subregion of the Dampierland bioregion. The climate is semi-arid with summer rainfall. Vegetation includes woodlands of pindan, boab, and eucalypts, with some rainforest patches and hummock grassland (
According to IBRA, the area is experiencing a loss of species and turnover due to changes in vegetation structure (
Karaops umiida Crews, 2013: 447, figs 1, 2. (♀, examined; males mismatched, see below).
In light of the new species described here, a new diagnosis is provided. This species can be distinguished from all other members of the group by the genitalia. On the epigyne, the atrium where the copulatory openings are located is u-shaped. The copulatory ducts are directed posterolaterally and there is no larger receptacle between them. The accessory bulbs do not extend anteriorly past the small atrium leading to the ducts. In
The description of the female can be found in
Male. Unknown.
Known from only the type locality, Irvine Island, in the Buccaneer Archipelago, Western Australia (Map
The specimen was collected in the cooler, drier time of the year, under rocks on boulder scree during the day. Irvine Island is located in the Mitchell subregion of the Northern Kimberley bioregion. It is savannah woodland with small patches of monsoonal rainforest in the region, and the climate is hot tropical with lots of rain in the wet season (Suppl. material
The holotype (Fig.
Holotype
: Western Australia • ♀; Dalmanyi (Bell Gorge), vic. Dulundi (Silent Grove) Campground, 8 km from Imintji Roadhouse; 16°59'58.28"S, 125°12'25.33"E; ~ 319 m; 20 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; on rocks and a tree at night in gorge; sel_1236; (
The female of Karaops dalmanyi sp. nov. (Figs
The male can be distinguished from the other members of the group except for Karaops alanlongbottomi by the conductor (Fig.
Female (holotype). Total length 7.01. Carapace: length 3.90, width 4.39. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth. Eyes: AER slightly recurved, PER recurved; diameters AME 0.15, ALE 0.11, PME 0.21, PLE 0.32; interdistances AME–PME 0.05, PME-PLE 0.16, ALE–PLE 0.29, PME–PME 0.88, ALE–ALE 1.37, AME–AME 0.43, PLE–PLE 1.70. Sternum: length 2.20, width 2.10. Abdomen: length 3.11, width 3.36. Color (in life Figs
Male (paratype) (Fig.
Males of Karaops dalmanyi sp. nov., Dalmanyi (Bell Gorge), Western Australia A adult male (sel_1234,
Members of the Kimberley species group A Karaops dalmanyi sp. nov., penultimate male on rock at night (photo: J. DeJong) B Karaops dalmanyi sp. nov., palp, ventral (sel_1237,
Members of the Kimberley species group A Karaops dalmanyi sp. nov., Dalmanyi (Bell Gorge), Western Australia B Karaops dalmanyi sp. nov., paratype male, palp, dorsal (sel_1237,
(n = 3) Rearing produced three adult males. The abdomen of sel_1234 is similar to the paratype, but the cardiac area is dark (Figs
Members of the Kimberley species group A Karaops alanlongbottomi, holotype male, Degerando Island, Champagny Islands, Western Australia (
The species name is the Ungarinyin word for the type locality. Noun in apposition.
Known from only the type locality, Dalmanyi (Bell Gorge), in the Kimberley region, Western Australia (Fig.
Dalmanyi is located in the Pentecost subregion of the Central Kimberley bioregion. It is a mountainous area with a dry, hot tropical and sub-humid to semi-arid climate with summer rainfall and a total of 750–1000 mm/year. This subregion is largely sandstone. The vegetation is Triodia Brown spp. hummock grasses and savannah woodlands of eucalypts (
Juveniles and four penultimate males and penultimate females were collected in May, a month when it is becoming drier and cooler. All adults matured in captivity from June–Sep., in the dry cool part of the year, the dry-getting warmer part of the year, and the dry, hot part of the year. None during what would be the wettest time of year. The female and a male lived for three months after maturity, whereas the other males died within a month of reaching maturity. Most specimens of this species were found on rock walls at night. This is one of the few localities where a spider (a single spider) from the Kimberley group was found on a tree rather than rocks (Suppl. material
In the bioregion and subregion, rainforest patches are areas of endemism for some invertebrate taxa, with dry ones acting as refugia during the dry season. Sandstone can also act as refugia to protect organisms from fire. There have been no systematic faunal surveys in the region.
Karaops jenniferae Crews & Harvey, 2011: 80, figs 77, 78 (♀, examined).
Western Australia • 2 imm.; Devonian Reef Conservation Park, Oscar Range; 17°38.15.73"S, 125°10'3.31"E; 25 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; under large limestone rocks; sel_1274–1275; SCC16_056; (
This species can be differentiated from other members of the group by the genitalia. The accessory bulbs are conspicuously anterior to the atrium in this species than they are in any of the others in the Kimberley group (Fig.
The description of the female can be found in
Male. Unknown.
Known from only the type locality, Oscar Range, Western Australia (Map
The Oscar Range (Fig.
Karaops jenniferae (Fig.
Karaops alanlongbottomi Crews & Harvey, 2011: 32, figs 17, 18 (♂, examined).
Karaops alanlongbottomi can be differentiated from other species of the Kimberley group by the conductor and the median apophysis. Distally, the conductor is very narrow and extends retrolaterally beyond the edge of the cymbium (
The description of the male can be found in
Female. Unknown.
Known from only the type locality, Degerando Island, Champagny Islands, Western Australia (Map
Nimemba (Degerando Island) is a small island (1337 ha) of the Champagny Islands in the Bonaparte Archipelago. It is in the Mitchell subregion of the Northern Kimberley bioregion. The climate is tropical monsoonal. While there are plants and animals of special interest in the subregion, very little is known of the terrestrial arthropod fauna, and there have been no systematic surveys of flora or fauna in the area. Some of the islands are even free of invasive animal species and uninhabited by humans. Thus, they are likely to harbor unique species. The single adult male was collected in July, in the dry season (Suppl. material
The holotype (Fig.
Karaops umiida Crews, 2013: 447, figs 3–4 (♂ only, mismatched).
Holotype
: Western Australia • ♂, Buccaneer Archipelago, Conilurus Island, 127 km north of Derby; 16°9'12"S, 123°34'42"E; 18 Jul. 2010; R. Teale, M. Greenham leg.; opportunistic collecting; (
In light of the new species described here, a new diagnosis is provided. This species can be distinguished from all other members of the group by the genitalia. Karaops conilurus sp. nov. (Fig.
Members of the Kimberley species group A Karaops conilurus sp. nov., paratype male, palp, dorsal, Conilurus Island, Buccaneer Archipelago, Western Australia (
The description of the male can be found in
The name is taken from the type locality, Conilurus Island. Noun in apposition.
Known from only the type locality, Conilurus Island, Buccaneer Archipelago, Western Australia (Map
The species was collected in the cooler, drier time of the year, under rocks on boulder scree during the day. It is found in the Mitchell subregion of the Northern Kimberley bioregion (Suppl. material
Karaops conilurus sp. nov. was originally described as the male of K. umiida. At the time, the rich diversity of the Kimberley species group was unknown, and the general similarity and proximity of the specimens made the decision reasonable. Based on molecular data (Suppl. material
Holotype
: Western Australia • ♀ (reared in captivity); El Questro Wilderness Area, El Questro Gorge 16°1'16.32"S, 128°1'23.47"E; 30 May 2016; col. S. Crews, J. De Jong leg.; at night on rock walls near overhangs; sel_1305; SCC16_066; (
The female of Karaops malumbu sp. nov. (Fig.
A Karaops malumbu sp. nov., El Questro Gorge, Western Australia (sel_1306,
The male of Karaops malumbu sp. nov. (Figs
Female (holotype) (Fig.
Male (paratype). Total length 3.79. Carapace: length 2.20, width 2.55. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth. Eyes: AER slightly recurved, PER recurved; diameters AME 0.20, ALE 0.08, PME 0.21, PLE 0.27; interdistances AME–PME 0.03, PME–ALE 0.15, ALE–PLE 0.22, PME–PME 0.72, ALE–ALE 1.02, AME–AME 0.36, PLE–PLE 1.39. Sternum: length 1.42, width 1.61. Abdomen: length 1.59, width 1.58. Color (in life Figs
The species name comes from the indigenous name for the area, Malumbu, in the Ngarinyin language. The Ngarinyin are one of three nations of the Wanjina Cultural Group whose Country is in the North West of the Kimberley Region of Western Australia.
Known from only the type locality, El Questro Gorge, Western Australia.
The type locality is in the Victoria Bonaparte I subregion of the Victoria Bonaparte bioregion. The dominant plant community is eucalypt woodlands (
According to IBRA, centers of endemism include rainforest patches, and “dry” rainforest patches may act as refugia. There has been specific survey work in the region but no systematic review of biodiversity.
Karaops larryoo Crews & Harvey, 2011: 35, figs 21, 22 (♂, examined).
In light of the new species described here, a new diagnosis is provided for Karaops larryoo (Fig.
The description of the male can be found in
Female. Unknown.
Known only from the type locality, Larryoo, Drysdale River National Park, Western Australia (Map
The specimen was collected in the cooler, drier time of the year, under rocks. Larryoo is located in the Northern Kimberley bioregion in the Berkeley subregion; however, it is very close to the Mitchell subregion. The subregion is classified by medium summer rainfall with savannah woodland and high sorghum grasses and is less rugged than the Mitchell subregion (Suppl. material
This area is difficult to reach, which is both good and bad. It’s inaccessibility to humans has left it relatively free of grazing and introduced, invasive species, but very little is known about the subregion’s flora and fauna. The female remains unknown.
Holotype
: Western Australia • ♂ (reared in captivity); Gibb River Road, ~ 167 km west of Wyndham, on north side of road; 15°49'27.64"S, 127°31'34.03"E; ~ 269 m; 22 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; on boulders at night; sel_1256; (
This species is most similar to Karaops conilurus sp. nov., K. dejongi sp. nov., and K. malumbu sp. nov. but differs by the conductor, median apophysis, and RTA. In K. conilurus sp. nov., the anterior part of the conductor extends beyond the medial part, and the dRTA is a very long and slender single branch. In K. garyodwyeri sp. nov. (Fig.
Male (holotype). Total length 5.75. Carapace: length 2.80, width 3.33. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth (1-0-1). Eyes: AER recurved, PER recurved; diameters AME 0.13, ALE 0.08, PME 0.15, PLE 0.30; interdistances AME–PME 0.12, PME-PLE 0.16, ALE–PLE 0.32, PME–PME 0.94, ALE–ALE 1.42, AME–AME 0.48, PLE–PLE 1.73. Sternum: length 1.78, width 1.82. Abdomen: length 2.95, width 2.97. Color: Carapace: yellowish brown with two large dark patches medially on either side of fovea, three pairs of dark spots on lateral margins, one small dark patch medioposteriorly at margin, short, thick, sparse but evenly distributed setae, pale, long, slender setae, denser than short setae, fairly sparse. Chelicerae: yellowish brown, paturon with a longitudinal curved mark frontally, pale setae laterally, darker toward anterior. Maxillae: whitish. Labium: yellowish tan, pale distally. Sternum: whitish yellow. Abdomen: dorsally reddish brown with dark spots around anterior margin, two darker patches anteromedially, dark chevrons from middle to posterior; ventrally grayish tan. Spinnerets: yellowish tan without dusky marks. Legs: yellowish, Cx with dark mark prolaterally, Tr with dark spots prolaterally at Tr-Fm joint, Fm with dark, rectangular markings with dusky centers basally and medially, annulation at Fm-Pt joint, Pt with annulation basally, Ti with annulation at Pt-Ti joint, another distally, Mt with annulations basally, distally, Ta dusky; spination leg I Fm d 1-1-1, pr 1-1-0, Ti v unpaired pl 1-1-1-1, rl 1-1-1-1-1, Mt v 2-2-2; leg II missing; leg III Fm d 1-1-1, Ti 1-1; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1, pl 0-0-1; measurements leg I 13.23 (4.10, 1.52, 3.46, 2.93, 1.22); leg II missing; leg III 15.78 (5.07, 1.20, 4.15, 3.76, 1.61); leg IV 16.24 (5.21, 1.07, 4.39, 3.90, 1.66). Palp: spination Fm 0-1-2; 2.07 (0.63, 0.34, 0.42, 0.68); dark marks dorsally on Ti at Pt-Ti joint, dusky mark basally on Cy (Fig.
Female. Unknown.
This species is named in memory of Gary O’Dwyer. It is a noun in the genitive case.
Known from only the type locality, Gibb River Road west of Wyndham, Central Kimberley, Western Australia (Map
This species is found in the Pentecost subregion of the Central Kimberley bioregion. The area is mostly savannah woodland of eucalypts over hummock grasses. The climate is sub-humid to semi-arid tropical with lots of rainfall in the summer (
The palps were not completely sclerotized after molting. It is unclear if the spine on the dRTA is anomalous because there is only a single adult male sample, and the dRTA on the right palp is deformed. There have been no systematic fauna or flora surveys in the subregion.
Holotype
: Western Australia • ♀ (reared in captivity); Purnululu National Park, Bungle Bungles, Cathedral Gorge, Picaninny Lookout; vic. 17°29'20.67"S, 128°22'29.27"E; 29 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; at night on rock walls near overhangs; sel_1302, SCC16_065; (
Females of Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov. (Figs
Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov. and Karaops sp. A Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov., holotype female, Cathedral Gorge Lookout, Purnululu National Park, Western Australia (sel_1302,
The males of Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov. (Figs
Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov., holotype male, Cathedral Gorge Lookout, Purnululu National Park, Western Australia (sel_1300,
Species that are not currently placed in a species group. Diamonds (juveniles): blue = Little Mertens, red = Ruby Plains, pink = Nackeroo Lookout; Circles: yellow = Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov., green = Karaops markharveyi sp. nov., purple = Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov., blue = Karaops madhawundu sp. nov., red = Karaops mareeba sp. nov. Juveniles are treated as distinct species based on molecular data.
Female (holotype). Total length 5.22. Carapace: length 2.55, width 3.37. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth. Eyes: AER recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.14, ALE 0.08, PME 0.23, PLE 0.29; interdistances AME–PME 0.04, PME–ALE 0.10, ALE–PLE 0.28, PME–PME 0.80, ALE–ALE 1.11, AME–AME 0.39, PLE–PLE 1.38. Sternum: length 1.43, width 1.70. Abdomen: length 2.67, width 2.04. Color (in life Figs
Male (paratype). Total length 3.77. Carapace: length 2.12, width 2.64. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth. Eyes: AER recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.10, ALE 0.08, PME 0.14, PLE 0.22; interdistances AME–PME 0.04, PME–ALE 0.10, ALE–PLE 0.21, PME–PME 0.57, ALE–ALE 0.80, AME–AME 0.28, PLE–PLE 0.97. Sternum: length 1.16, width 1.48. Abdomen: length 1.65, width 1.19. Color (in life Fig.
Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov. and Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov. A Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov., with hymenopteran prey, Cathedral Gorge Lookout, Purnululu National Park, Western Australia B Karaops yumbubaarnji, paratype male (sel_1300,
The species name is a combination of the Kija/Gija word for spider and the Jaru word for spider, baarnji (Gija) (
Known only from the type locality Purnululu National Park, northeastern Western Australia (Fig.
This species occurs in the Purnululu subregion of the Ord Victoria Plains bioregion. A major river system, that of the Ord River, is found in the subregion, draining plains and hillier areas. Rainfall is 500–800 mm/year. Vegetation includes Eucalyptus spp. and several grasses (Mitchell grass, curly bluegrass, golden beard grass, spinifex). There are many localized and rare species in the area associated with the Bungle Bungle Ranges, such as the skink Lerista bunglebungle Storrand, and many plants, and the Bungle massif is an important refuge (
All specimens were collected as immatures and reared in captivity. They were all collected at night on sandstone walls beneath overhangs (Fig.
Karaops yumbubaarnji sp. nov. can be added to the list of endemics for Purnululu National Park. Despite the area being surveyed for plants and animals previously, this spider went undetected, indicating that there are probably other species, including endemics, that were missed during previous surveys. This is one of the smallest selenopid species, only surpassed by K. kwartatuma sp. nov. and K. markharveyi sp. nov. Karaops yumbu also occurs in this subregion, but it has not been found in the park.
Holotype
: Northern Territory • ♂ (reared in captivity); Limmen National Park, Southern Lost City loop trail; vic. 15°48'22.28"S, 135°27'25.19"E; 11 Jun. 2016; S. Crews leg.; under sandstone rocks during the day; sel_1343; SCC16_074; (
Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov. (Fig.
Male (holotype). Total length 4.57. Carapace: length 2.34, width 2.79. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, the one closest to base of fang smaller than others, retromargin with two teeth (1-0-1). Eyes: AER slightly recurved, PER recurved; diameters AME 0.17, ALE 0.12, PME 0.22, PLE 0.33; interdistances AME–PME 0.03, PME–ALE 0.17, ALE–PLE 0.27, PME–PME 0.86, ALE–ALE 1.24, AME–AME 0.44, PLE–PLE 1.45. Sternum: length 1.25, width 1.34. Abdomen: length 2.23, width 2.06. Color (in life Figs
Female. Unknown.
This species is named for the Kennerley family who helped me out greatly toward the end of my fieldwork. Name in genitive case.
Known from only the type locality, Limmen National Park, Northern Territory (Fig.
Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov. and Karaops madhawundu sp. nov. A Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov. habitat, Southern Lost City, Limmen National Park, Northern Territory B Karaops madhawundu sp. nov., holotype female, spinnerets, Gilberton Station, Forsayth, Queensland (QMS 5430) C habitat of Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov., Southern Lost City, Limmen National Park, Northern Territory D Karaops madhawundu sp. nov., holotype female, eyes, Gilberton Station, Forsayth, Queensland (QMS 5430) E same, femur showing claviform white setae F Karaops madhawundu sp. nov., paratype female, face, Cobbold Gorge, Queensland (QMS 5413) G Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov., camouflaged against sandstone, Southern Lost City, Limmen National Park, Northern Territory H Karaops madhawundu sp. nov., paratype female, Cobbold Gorge, Queensland (QMS 5413). Scale bar: 5 mm.
Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov. occurs in the McArthur subregion of the Gulf Fall and Uplands bioregion. It comprises spinifex grasslands with eucalypt woodlands (Bastin et al. 2008). The climate is monsoonal, with more rainfall in the north than the south. There appears to be little known about the arthropods of the subregion (Suppl. material
This species is not closely related to any nearby species, but more closely related to species found at Ruby Plains (Fig.
Holotype : Queensland • ♀; Forsayth, Gilberton Station; -19.225431, 143.644531; 19 Sep. 2017; S. Zozaya leg.; SMZ0955; (QMS 5430). Paratypes: 3♀; Cobbold Gorge, west of Forsayth; -18.816908, 143.406830; 20 Sep. 2017; S. Zozaya leg.; SMZ0956; (QMS 5413). Other material examined: 4 imm.; same data as holotype; (QMS 5425) • 1 imm.; same data as paratype; (QMS 5423).
Females of Karaops madhawundu sp. nov. (Figs
Karaops madhawundu sp. nov., Cobbold Gorge and Gilberton, Queensland A Karaops madhawundu sp. nov., holotype female, Cobbold Gorge (QMS 5430) B Karaops madhawundu sp. nov., paratype female, Gilberton Station (QMS 5413) C Karaops madhawundu sp. nov., holotype female, Cobbold Gorge (QMS 5430) D same, endogyne E Cobbold Gorge, Queensland, habitat of Karaops madhawundu sp. nov. (Photo: J. DeJong). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (C, D); 2 mm (A, B).
Karaops mareeba sp. nov. and Karaops markharveyi sp. nov. A Karaops mareeba sp. nov., paratype female, Desailly Range, Queensland (QMS 120908) B Karaops mareeba sp. nov., holotype female, Desailly Range, Queensland (QMS 110872) C same, epigyne D Karaops markharveyi sp. nov., 4.6 km from Drysdale River Road, Gibb River Road, Western Australia, holotype female (sel_1249,
Female (holotype) (Figs
Male. Unknown.
(n = 5) Length ranges from 7.00–7.86. The leg spination of one of the paratypes differs from the type as follows: leg I Fm pr 1-1-1 on L and R; leg II Fm pr 0-0-1; Mt v 2-2-2-2-2-2.
The name is from two words used to describe the Cobbold Gorge area in Wamin, Madha (mountain) and Wúndu (forest), spoken by the Ewamian people, the traditional owners of the Cobbold Gorge area (Fig.
Known from Northeast Queensland (Map
Karaops madhawundu sp. nov. is found in the Kidston subregion of the Einasleigh Uplands bioregion. This bioregion consists of savanna and woodland on a plateau (
The Einasleigh Uplands are home to many unique habitats, including gorges and caves, that are home to many endemic species of plants and animals (
Holotype : Queensland • ♀; Desailly Range, base on south side, 16°28'56.8"S, 144°53'03.2"E; 6 Sep.–18 Oct. 2008; R. Raven, G.B. Monteith leg.; (QMS 110872). Paratype: ♀; same data as holotype (QMS 120908).
The endogyne of Karaops mareeba sp. nov. (Fig.
Female (holotype). Total length 7.06. Carapace: length 2.96, width 3.40. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with one tooth on left side, two teeth on right. Eyes: AER slightly recurved, PER recurved; diameters AME 0.13, ALE 0.08, PME 0.19, PLE 0.27; interdistances AME–PME 0.04, PME–ALE 0.23, ALE–PLE 0.18, PME–PME 0.84, ALE–ALE 1.43, AME–AME 0.45, PLE–PLE 1.50. Sternum: length 1.50, width 1.46. Abdomen: length 4.10, width 3.15. Color: Carapace: brownish orange, three marks each on lateral margins, somewhat faded, flat, white setae around eyes, patches elsewhere interspersed with slender, dark setae. Chelicerae: brownish orange, paturon with longitudinal curved mark frontally, setae white, long. Maxillae: yellowish white. Labium: gray, pale distally. Sternum: tan. Abdomen: dorsally grayish, yellow around perimeter, faded, markings indistinguishable; ventrally grayish yellow. Spinnerets: black dorsally. Legs: orangish brown, Cx with jagged, dusky mark prolaterally, Tr with pr dark spot, Fm with two jagged lines basally and two apically, forming annulations, orange on both Fm and Pt at joint, Pt with dark mark ventrally, Ti orange basally and apically, dark mark on Ti at Pt-Ti joint, dark annulation apically, Mt orange with dark annulations at Ti-Mt joint and Mt-Ti joint, Ta orange and dusky at tip; spination leg I missing; leg II Fm d 1-1-1, pr 0-0-1, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2-2; leg III Fm d 1-1-1, pr 0-0-1; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1, pr 0-0-1, rl 0-0-1; measurements leg I missing; leg II 11.44 (3.94, 1.30, 2.96, 2.16, 1.08); leg III 12.01 (3.85, 1.15, 3.15, 2.66, 1.02); leg IV 11.21 (3.82, 0.90, 2.78, 2.50, 1.22). Palp Fm spination d 0-1-3; 2.66 (0.82, 0.48, 0.54, 0.83); claw with five teeth. Epigyne: EP triangular; MF with truncate lobe extending slightly posteriorly over LLs; LLs separated posteriorly; COs at lateral edges of lobe (Fig.
Male. Unknown.
(n = 2) Paratype with two very small teeth on left promargin and two regular size teeth on right; retromargin with two teeth on left, three on right.
This species is named after the Shire of Mareeba, where the type locality is located. Noun in apposition.
Known only from the type locality, Desailly Range, Queensland (Map
Karaops mareeba sp. nov. is found in the Hodgkinson Basin subregion of the Einasleigh Uplands bioregion (
The Einasleigh Uplands are home to many unique habitats, including gorges and caves, that are home to many endemic species of plants and animals (
Holotype
: Western Australia • ♀ (reared in captivity); Gibb River Road, ~ 4.6 km from Drysdale River Road, heading east; 16°6'12.69"S, 126°34'44.60"E; ~ 491 m; 22 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; sandstone outcrop on south side of road; sel_1249; SCC16_050; (
Females of Karaops markharveyi sp. nov. are most similar to K. madhawundu sp. nov. and K. mareeba sp. nov. by the large, round accessory bulbs (Figs
The male palps do not resemble any other known Australian selenopid (Fig.
Female (holotype). Total length 4.09. Carapace length 1.99, width 2.39. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth (1-0-1). Eyes: AER recurved; PER strongly recurved; diameters, AME 0.12, ALE 0.08, PME 0.16, PLE 0.26; interdistances AME–PME 0.04, PME–ALE 0.11, ALE–PLE 0.17, PME–PME 0.72, ALE–ALE 1.01, AME–AME 0.38, PLE–PLE 1.22. Sternum length 0.88, width 1.18. Abdomen length 2.10, width 1.52. Color (in life Figs
Karaops markharveyi sp. nov. A paratype male, 4.6 km from Drysdale River Road, Gibb River Road, Western Australia (sel_1250,
Karaops markharveyi sp. nov. and Karaops sp. A paratype male, palp, ventral, Gibb River Road, ~ 4.6 km from Drysdale River Road, Western Australia (sel_1250,
Karaops markharveyi sp. nov. A holotype female, Gibb River Road, ~ 4.6 km from Drysdale River Road, Western Australia (sel_1249,
Male (paratype). Total length 3.10. Carapace length 1.71, width 2.07. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth (1-0-1). Eyes: AER recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters, AME 0.12, ALE 0.06, PME 0.16, PLE 0.22; interdistances AME–PME 0.02, PME–ALE 0.11, ALE–PLE 0.15, PME–PME 0.63, ALE–ALE 0.88, AME–AME 0.33, PLE–PLE 1.09. Sternum: length 0.89, width 1.16. Abdomen length 1.39, width 1.29. Color (in life Figs
Karaops markharveyi sp. nov. and members of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group A Karaops markharveyi sp. nov., adult male, Judbarra National Park, Northern Territory (sel_1329,
Females (n = 3): In sel_1253, the AME and PME are equal in size, but in sel_1249 and sel_1332, the PME are larger than the AME. Leg III is longest in sel_1253, leg II is longest in sel_1249; however, leg II and leg III are very similar in length. Body length 3.07–4.09. Colors slightly vary, sel_1253 is paler than sel_1249. There is a lot of variability in genitalia – in fact, of the three, none are identical (Figs
Males (n = 4): In sel_1329, the AME=PME, whereas in sel_1250 and sel_1330, the PME are larger than the AME, and there is some variation in leg spination. Body length is 3.10–3.36. sel_1250 is a little paler, more orangey pink, but the pattern the same.
This species is named after Mark S. Harvey, friend, mentor, and person responsible for getting me into the mess of Strayan selenopids. Name in genitive case.
Known from along the Gibb River Road, northeastern Western Australia (Fig.
The collecting localities for this species occur in the Pentecost subregion of the Central Kimberley, the Mitchell subregion of the Northern Kimberley (but very close to a junction with subregion Pentecost from the Central Kimberley region and the Berkeley subregion of the North Kimberley), and the Victoria Bonaparte bioregion and the Keep subregion. The Pentecost subregion has a dry, hot tropical and sub-humid to semi-arid climate with summer rainfall of 750–1000 mm. The area is a savannah woodland of eucalypts and hummock grasses. These spiders were found under sandstone, and it is suggested that these sandstone communities may be areas of high diversity. There have been no systematic faunal surveys of the area, and ecological and life history data of organisms are missing.
The climate of the Mitchell subregion of the Northern Kimberley bioregion is dry, hot tropical to sub-humid with 1100–1500 mm of mostly summer rain. The area is home to many endemic vertebrates and plants, though little is known about the terrestrial arthropods. Like the Pentecost subregion of the Central Kimberley, it is thought that the sandstone communities may be highly diverse. The Berkeley subregion of the North Kimberley bioregion has a dry, hot tropical sub-humid climate with high summer rainfall (
The third locality is the Keep subregion of the Victoria Bonaparte bioregion. The part of this bioregion in Western Australia is not divided into subregions. In the Northern Territory, this is considered the Keep subregion. Judbarra National Park is in the Victoria Basin and has many sandstone ranges. It has a tropical semi-arid climate with summer monsoons.
All specimens were collected as immatures beneath sandstone rocks during the day or on/under the rocks at dusk in the drier, cooler time of the year. The were reared in captivity, with most maturing in the wetter, hotter time of the year. Although this is a small sampling, the females matured after almost all of the adult males were dead. This could be indicative of many things – in captivity, the molting/feeding/growing does not reflect what happens in nature, there are other males that were not collected that would overlap with the females, in nature the females would live until the following season when males matured, etc. Given what we know from other studies, it is likely that there are adults all year round, and overlaps do occur at different times which is not reflected in the small sample (Suppl. material
Given the dissimilarity of the female genitalia of specimens from the three different localities, it was assumed that they were three different species. Therefore, finding corresponding differences in the males was expected. However, there are no differences in the males, including the palps, which have been thoroughly examined and expanded. DNA data indicate that there is no mixing between the three populations, and that they may be related to a species from Timber Creek collected at Nackeroo Lookout (Figs
Karaops burbidgei Crews & Harvey, 2011: 48, figs 35–28 (♂♀, examined).
The males can be differentiated from other members of the group by the large tegular lobe that covers nearly all of the basal part of the cymbium and the spermophor does not come into contact with the lower margin of the lobe (
The description of the male and female can be found in
This species is known only from Barrow and Varanus Islands, Western Australia.
Karaops burbidgei (Fig.
Species of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group A diamonds (juveniles): blue = Erawandoo Hill, orange = Mt. Augustus, red = Nammuldi, yellow = Hillside-Corunna-Glenn Herring, black = Marble Bar-Glacier Valley, pink = Orebody 19, 31, teal = Wheelara North, orange with thick outline = Harding Dam (maybe ngarluma, see text); Circles: dark blue = Karaops julianneae, dark green = Karaops badgeradda, red = Karaops joehaeneri sp. nov., teal = Karaops karrawarla, blue = Karaops durrantorum sp. nov., brown = Karaops burbidgei, green = Karaops martamarta, purple = Karaops nyangumarta, black = Karaops banyjima, yellow = Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov., gray = Karaops nyiyaparli, red-brown = Karaops feedtime, bright pink = Karaops nyamal (probably, see text), white = Karaops kariyarra, bright green = Karaops yurlburr, orange = Karaops ngarluma, tan = Karaops jaburrara, peach = Karaops forteyi, teal = new species yet undescribed; small white diamonds are unidentifiable immatures for which no molecular data are available B boxed area expanded for clarity.
This species is morphologically similar and genetically closely related to Karaops durrantorum sp. nov. (Suppl. material
Karaops martamarta
Crews & Harvey, 2011: 56, figs 45–46, 93 (♀, examined);
Western Australia • 1 imm.; 42 km SSE of Pannawonica, site 1004-BUN01; 21°59'16.03"S, 119°07'39.52"E; 10 May 2012; col. staff from Phoenix Environmental leg.; foraging; (
The female (Fig.
Karaops martamarta of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group, Western Australia A female holotype, Trinity Bore South, vic. Cardo Camp, Red Hill (
Members of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group, Western Australia A Karaops martamarta, adult male, 8 km NW of Mt. Berry (
The description of the female can be found in
This species is found in the Pilbara, Western Australia.
The Hamersley subregion is located in the Pilbara bioregion. It is mountainous with many gorges and with low mulga woodland, bunch grasses, hummock-forming grasses, and snappy gum (
No collections of any life stage of Karaops martamarta have been made during the wet, hot season of December to March; however, this likely reflects collecting efforts as summer rainfall can make travel difficult, and the heat can be oppressive, although many other species of Karaops in the Chichester subregion have been collected during this time (see Suppl. material). All life stages have been collected April to June, no adults in July, a dry cooler time, and no adults in November. This could also represent collecting efforts as the immatures represent different instars. It appears that K. martamarta is one of the most commonly collected Karaops; however, again, this likely reflects collecting efforts, as surveys in the Pilbara occur before the onset of major mining operations, and the collection localities of this species reflect that (Suppl. material
The Hamersley subregion (Fig.
The genitalia of the holotype female (
Molecular data show that the Pilbara/Gascoyne clade is separated into two clades that do not completely reflect geography, e.g., there is no Gascoyne clade or a Pilbara clade (Suppl. material
Karaops julianneae Crews & Harvey, 2011: 53, figs 43, 44 (♀, examined).
This species can be differentiated from the other members of the Pilbara/Gascoyne species group by the genitalia. There is one copulatory opening, and the copulatory ducts aren’t fully separated at the opening, then are split into two separate ducts. The ducts that connect the accessory bulb and the spermathecae are much longer than in any of the other species (Fig.
Karaops julianneae and Karaops badgeradda of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group, Western Australia A Karaops julianneae, holotype female, Lorna Glen Station (
The description of the female can be found in
Male. Unknown.
This species is known only from the type locality, Lorna Glen Station in the Gascoyne Region, Western Australia (Map
This species remains only known from a few specimens from the type locality, located in the Gascoyne bioregion, Carnegie subregion. This area has a desert climate, hummock grassland and shrub steppe, and succulent steppe/low woodland with mulga (
The epigyne and endogyne of the holotype (
Karaops badgeradda Crews & Harvey, 2011: 46, figs 33, 34 (♀, examined).
Western Australia • 3♀, 9 imm; Badgeradda Range, Muggon Station Road off Butcher’s Track; 26°46.220'S, 115°32.927'E; ~ 260 m; 8 May 2016; col. S. Crews, J. De Jong leg.; under rocks along range; sel_1118–1129; SCC16_017; (
Karaops badgeradda is similar to other members of the species group but can easily be distinguished by the genitalia. The copulatory openings are closer to the posterior margin of the epigyne, and the lateral lobes cannot be distinguished on the epigyne (Fig.
The description of the female can be found in
Male. Unknown.
This species is known only from the type locality in the Gascoyne Region, Badgeradda Range, Western Australia (Map
Karaops badgeradda (Figs
Members and habitats of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group, Western Australia A Badgeradda Range, habitat of Karaops badgeradda B Karaops badgeradda egg sac, under rock, Badgeradda Range C Karaops joehaeneri sp. nov., holotype female, Escarpment Trail, Kennedy Range National Park (sel_1130,
The genitalia of a newly collected specimen (sel_1118,
Holotype
: Western Australia • ♀; Kennedy Range National Park, along Escarpment Trail; 24°39.909'S, 115°10.178'E; ~ 322 m; 9 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; under rocks; sel_1130; SCC16_018; (
The female of Karaops joehaeneri sp. nov. is similar to other members of the group (K. julianneae, K. karrawarla, K. martamarta, K. nyamal, K. badgeradda, K. morganoconnelli sp. nov.) in that there are two copulatory openings, close together, in the middle of the epigynal plate, connected to separate copulatory ducts (Fig.
Members of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group, Western Australia A Karaops joehaeneri sp. nov., paratype male, Escarpment Trail, Kennedy Range National Park (sel_1131,
The male is similar to several species found in the species group (K. karrawarla, K. martamarta, K. morganoconnelli sp. nov.) by the large conductor that extends dorsally and ventrally (Fig.
Karaops joehaeneri sp. nov., Escarpment Trail, Kennedy Range National Park, Western Australia A paratype male, palp, ventral (sel_1131,
Female (holotype). Total length 4.72. Carapace: length 2.33, width 2.73. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth (1-0-1). Eyes: AER recurved; PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.13, ALE 0.10, PME 0.18, PLE 0.24; interdistances AME–PME 0.04, PME-PLE 0.15, ALE–PLE 0.19, PME–PME 0.77, ALE–ALE 1.16, AME–AME 0.38, PLE–PLE 1.47. Sternum: length 1.27, width 1.50. Abdomen: length 2.39, width 2.32. Color (in life/preserved Fig.
Male (paratype, sel_1131). Total length 4.18. Carapace: length 2.42, width 2.69. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth. Eyes: AER recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.16, ALE 0.06, PME 0.22, PLE 0.27; interdistances AME–PME 0.02, PME–ALE 0.12, ALE–PLE 0.16, PME–PME 0.78, ALE–ALE 1.12, AME–AME 0.43, PLE–PLE 1.39. Sternum: length 1.26, width 1.52. Abdomen: length 1.76, width 1.64. Color (in life Figs
Male (paratype, sel_1134,
The species is named in memory of Joe Haener. Name in genitive case.
Known from only the type locality, Kennedy Range National Park, in the Gascoyne Region, Western Australia (Figs
The Gascoyne has an arid tropical climate, warm throughout the year, with mean maximum daily temperatures ranging from 22° in July to 35 °C in January. The region receives ~ 320 days of sunshine per year. The Kennedy Range is located in the Carnarvon xeric shrublands bioregion, with spinifex and mulga, and little tree cover. The region receives < 250 mm of rain a year that occurs bimodally, a large portion from cyclonic activity. The IBRA bioregion is the Carnarvon, and the subregion is Wooramel, a shrubby steppe with red sand dunes that even occur on top of the Kennedy Range (
Multiple instars were collected simultaneously and egg sacs with spiderlings present in May (Fig.
This ecoregion is on the onshore part of the Carnarvon Basin, part of the West Australian Shield. The terrain is low, and sediments are recent alluvial, aeolian, and marine sediments over Cretaceous strata (
Karaops karrawarla Crews & Harvey, 2011: 51, figs 39–42 (♂♀, examined).
This species can be differentiated from other similar species by the genitalia. The copulatory openings are located in the middle of the epigynal plate beneath an m-shaped margin. The lateral lobes can be easily discerned (Fig.
Karaops karrawarla, Bush Bay, Western Australia A male holotype, palp, ventral (
The description of the male and female can be found in
This species is only known from the type locality, Bush Bay in the Gascoyne Region, Western Australia (Map
This species is known from the Carnarvon bioregion, Wooramel subregion of the Gascoyne, as is Karaops joehaeneri sp. nov. For additional information about the bioregion and subregion, see discussion for K. joehaeneri sp. nov. above.
The genitalia of both the male and the female of Karaops karrawarla (Figs
Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov. and Karaops nyamal from the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group A Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov., paratype male, Cathedral Gorge, ~ 40 km from Newman (sel_1207,
Upon visiting the type locality, it does not appear to be good habitat for selenopid species, as there are no rocks and no trees at the locality or in the vicinity. The collection data have been confirmed to be correct. It has been suggested (J. Waldock, pers. comm.) that the specimens could have washed down to the area from further inland.
Holotype
: Western Australia • ♀; Orebody 24, ~ 7 km N of Newman; 23°17'27.66"S, 119°47'38.76"E (WGS84); 29 Apr. 2013–7 May 2013; S. Callan: Biologic Env. leg.; foraging, rock cracks and crevices, gorge, 55-OB24-T1-R; BES:0389; (
The female of Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov. is similar to other members of the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group but differs by the conformation of the genitalia (Fig.
The male is similar to all the known males of the group by the large conductor that extends dorsally and ventrally (Fig.
Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov. and Karaops nyamal from the Pilbara-Gascoyne species group A Karaops morganoconnelli sp. nov., paratype male, palp, ventral, Cathedral Gorge, ~ 40 km from Newman (sel_1207,
Female (holotype). Total length 5.89. Carapace: length 2.49, width 3.24. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth (1-0-1). Eyes: AER recurved, PER strongly recurved; diameters AME 0.15, ALE 0.11, PME 0.21, PLE 0.32; interdistances AME–PME 0.05, PME-PLE 0.16, ALE–PLE 0.29, PME–PME 0.88, ALE–ALE 1.37, AME–AME 0.43, PLE–PLE 1.70. Sternum: length 1.34, width 1.71. Abdomen: length 3.40, width 2.77. Color: Carapace: orangish with dark marks laterally and in between these and fovea, with dark, slender setae. Chelicerae: orange-brown, paturon with a longitudinal curved mark frontally, mostly dark setae, darkened anteromedially. Maxillae: orange-brown, pale distally. Labium: dark orange-brown. Sternum: orange-brown. Abdomen: dorsally reddish brown with four dar