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. Koch 1875: 615, pl. 48, fig. 6; L. Koch 1876: 832, pl. 71, fig. 3.

In Crews and Harvey (2011) it was reported that the holotype of Karaops australiensis was a juvenile. The types in ZSMH were not examined at that time. A re-examination of L. Koch (1875) lists the figure from page 615, pl. 48, fig. 6 as “Femina”, although the illustration appears to be an immature male. The material at the ZSMH was photographed, and ZSMH-A0000791 is the holotype juvenile male from Bowen. The other specimen, ZSMH-A0000792, is the female, presumably, from L. Koch (1876), denoted as the syntype. The locality data for the female denoted as the syntype says Sydney. After closer examination of the holotype male, it is believed that this is actually an immature of K. raveni Crews & Harvey, 2011 or a member of the raveni species group based on the leg spination and the curvature of the eye rows; thus, it could also have been found in Sydney as K. raveni and K. marrayagong Crews & Harvey, 2011 of the raveni group both occur there. Adult specimens previously determined as Selenops australiensis, and that are here described as members of the new species Karaops strayamate sp. nov., occur far from New South Wales. Because of the uncertainty and inability to determine to which specimen Koch was referring to, K. australiensis is considered a nomen dubium.

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.

The female of Karaops ngarutjaranya (Fig. 1A, B) can be separated from other members of the Central Desert group by the lateral lobes nearly touching toward the posterior of the epigynal plate, and the median field is shaped like a keyhole (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 59). The conductor of the male has a sinuous margin, and the median apophysis does not cover part of the conductor (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 61, 63).

Figure 1. 

Species of the Central Desert species group A Karaops ngarutjaranya, female paratype, southeast of Womikata Bore Homeland, South Australia (SAM NN10915) B Karaops ngarutjaranya, male holotype, northeast of Mount Woodroffe, South Australia (SAM NN10914) C Karaops pilkingtoni, male holotype, Trig Hill (but see text), Old Telegraph Station, Alice Springs, Northern Territory (WAM T76590) D Karaops pilkingtoni, female paratype, Alice Springs, Northern Territory (SAM N199359) E Karaops vadlaadambara, female paratype, Arcoona Creek, near Sambot Waterhole, Gammon Ranges National Park, South Australia (SAM N199354) F Karaops vadlaadambara, male holotype, Arcoona Creek, near Sambot Waterhole, Gammon Ranges National Park, South Australia (SAM N199353) G Karaops manaayn, female holotype, Kempsey Road, West Armidale, above Macleay River, New South Wales (AM KS043756) H Karaops manaayn, male paratype, Kempsey Road, West Armidale, above Macleay River, New South Wales (AM KS113351) I Karaops mparntwe sp. nov., holotype female, Alice Springs, Northern Territory (AMT AA 10.852). Scale bars: 1 mm.

The description of the male and female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

Known only from two nearby localities, Mount Woodroffe and Womikata Bore Homeland, South Australia (Map 2).

Karaops ngarutjaranya occurs in the Mann-Musgrave Block subregion of the Central Ranges in northern South Australia (Maps 1, 2; Suppl. material 2: table S1). The ranges have wattle scrub or Callitris glaucophylla F. Muell woodlands over grasslands, and low, open woodlands of ironwood and corkwood over grasses on the edges of the ranges (Graham and Cowan 2001). The male was collected in a gorge.

Karaops ngarutjaranya is only known from one male (Fig. 1B) and one female (Fig. 1A) collected from different but nearby localities a few days apart. It is mentioned that the Mann-Musgrave block subregion is rich and diverse but that many species have broad ranges and occur in several adjoining subregions (Graham and Cowan 2001). There have been no collections made in the immediate subregions, but the ones nearby harbor different, though closely related, species. The spiders were collected in October, a hot, wetter part of the year.

Karaops pilkingtoni (Fig. 1C, D) can be differentiated from almost all other members of the Central Desert species group by the embolus which is very short and in the middle of the bulb, rather than hooked and closer to the perimeter (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 55). The differences between this species and K. kwartatuma sp. nov. are given below in the diagnosis of the new species. The female has very large, round accessory bulbs that nearly come into contact at the midline and are much bigger than the spermathecae, not found in other group members (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 8).

The description of the male and female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

The male and female are known only from the vicinity of Alice Springs, Northern Territory (Map 2).

The female (Fig. 1D) and the coordinates of the male (Fig. 1C) occur in the Hartz Range subregion of the MacDonnell Ranges. Trig Hill occurs in the MacDonnell subregion of the MacDonnell Ranges, though on the border of the Hartz Range subregion. The collections were made in May and June, a cooler, drier time of the year, transitioning from hotter and wetter (Suppl. material 2: table S1). The female was collected beneath rocks.

The holotype male of Karaops pilkingtoni (Fig. 1C) is from the Telegraph Station at Alice Springs. Despite looking around Trig Hill in Alice Springs, no selenopids were found. There is some confusion, though, because the latitude and longitude given on the label do not correspond to the locality given on the label, Trig Hill. The female (Fig. 1D) was matched with the male (Fig. 1C) based on the locality of the collections. With new data regarding the number of species that can occur in an area, it may be that this female is another species. For example, K. mparntwe sp. nov. is known from “Alice Springs”, and that is all of the information provided for this specimen. Only additional collecting and molecular data will help determine species boundaries, and no taxonomic changes are made at this time.

The male of Karaops vadlaadambara (Fig. 1F) has a darkened tip of the conductor and a basal extension of the conductor that nearly covers the distal branch of the median apophysis (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 51). The median lobe of the female is nearly uniform in width throughout its length and the spermathecae and accessory bulbs form a straight vertical line (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 53). In K. manaayn, they are angled outward (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 47, 48).

The description of the male and female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

This species is known only from the Gammon and Flinders Ranges, South Australia (Map 2).

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 2: table S1). At least one specimen was collected at night and another in a pitfall trap.

Karaops vadlaadambara (Fig. 1E, F) is the only species of the Central Desert species group known from more than one or two specimens (three males and six females). It also does not technically occur in the Central Desert, but it is part of the Eyrean or Eastern Desert region of Ebach et al. (2013), or the Northern and Central Flinders subregions of the Flinders Lofty Block in the IBRA (Maps 1, 2).

New South Wales • 1♀; Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, Yarrowitch River; -31.0759, 152.0563; 12 Nov. 2015; H.M. Smith leg.; (AM KS.124572).

The spermathecae of Karaops manaayn are further from the midline than are the accessory bulbs (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 48). The male has a sclerotized, quadrangular process on the conductor (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 49).

The description of the male and female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

Karaops manaayn (Fig. 1G, H) is found only in a small area near the Macleay and Yarrowitch Rivers, New South Wales (Map 2).

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 (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2003)) (Suppl. material 2: table S1). This species has been collected on a rock wall above a river and beneath bark.

Karaops manaayn (Fig. 1G, H) is known only from a small area in northeastern New South Wales, within the range of K. raveni, with which it has been collected (Maps 1, 2, 4). Another species, K. marrayagong, also occurs within the range of K. raveni, but it is in the raveni group. Molecular data has placed this species with members of the Central Desert Species group (Suppl. material 1). Although its placement with the group is stable, depending on the analysis, it is unstable within the group (unpubl. data). Morphologically, it also shares similarities with members of this group, such as the large median lobe of the epigyne, and the accessory bulb and spermathecae are connected by a duct with a loop (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 47, 48), and the male has a two-branched median apophysis (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 49).

The median lobe of the epigyne gradually narrows distally unlike other species of the group (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 59).

The description of the female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

Male. Unknown.

Karaops deserticola is only known from Mount Lindsay, South Australia (Map 2).

Karaops deserticola (Fig. 2B) has been collected in the Watarru subregion, a relatively small subregion, surrounded by the Kintore subregion of the Great Victoria Desert bioregion. The lone collection was made in August, a cooler, drier month of the year. The area is a relatively undisturbed wilderness of arid and semi-arid shrubland and grassland (Suppl. material 2: table S1). This species was collected under a rock slab on a bare granite slope.

Figure 2. 

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, MAGNT A004858) B Karaops deserticola, female holotype, Mount Lindsay, South Australia (SAM N199350) C Karaops larapinta sp. nov., holotype female, Finke River, Northern Territory (QMS 110852) D Karaops larapinta sp. nov., paratype female, Finke River, Northern Territory (QMS 110852) E Habitat of Karaops sp. from Watarrka National Park, Northern Territory F Karaops sp., King’s Canyon Rim Walk, Watarrka National Park, Northern Territory G habitat of Karaops kwartatuma sp. nov., Ormiston Gorge, Northern Territory, Australia. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Map 1. 

Map of Australia showing areas that are expanded in subsequent figures. CD = Central Desert group, D = dawara group, F = francesae group, K = Kimberley group, UA = species that are not assigned to a group, PG = Pilbara-Gascoyne group.

Map 2. 

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. 2B). The locality is found in the Watarru subregion of the Central Ranges bioregion. This subregion is the home of the Watarru Indigenous Protected Area (Taylor Burrell Barnett Town Planning and Design 2007).

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; (MAGNT A004858).

Karaops kwartatuma sp. nov. (Fig. 2A) is similar to the other members of the Central Desert species group, K. vadlaadambara, K. ngarutjaranya, and K. pilkingtoni, by having a short embolus that is nearer to the middle of the bulb rather than the cymbial margin and by having spinules on the median apophysis (although this was not noted for the other species in Crews and Harvey 2011) (Fig. 4A, C). The new species can be distinguished from K. vadlaadambara and K. ngarutjaranya by the RTA and median apophysis. The dRTA of the latter two species is directed away from the palpal tibia at a nearly 90° angle in ventral view, and both branches of the median apophysis are long. In the new species, the dRTA is not directed away from the palpal tibia at a nearly 90° angle in ventral view, and the two-branched median apophysis has a long branch and a smaller, broad, unsclerotized, inconspicuous lobe (Fig. 4A, C; Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 51, 52, 61, 62). Karaops kwartatuma sp. nov. can be differentiated from K. pilkingtoni by the RTA, the median apophysis, the conductor, and the embolus. In lateral view, the dRTA of the new species is narrow, very slightly curved ventrally, and pointed distally (Fig. 4D). In K. pilkingtoni, the dRTA is squared off distally (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 56). The conductor of K. pilkingtoni is somewhat narrow and longitudinal, arising medially and extended to the anterior edge of the bulb (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 55) ending in a point. In the new species, the conductor is broader, with the point directed ventrally and is somewhat pyramidal (Fig. 4A, C). Finally, the embolus remains broad throughout its length in K. pilkingtoni (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 55), but it narrows slightly in K. kwartatuma sp. nov. (Fig. 4A, C).

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. 5A/preserved Fig. 2A): Carapace: yellowish brown with darker marks extended toward but not reaching margin, three dark marks at lateral edges, setose with slender setae and sparse, thick, stubby setae/pale yellowish to brown, dark marks visible, less distinct than in life. Chelicerae: pale yellowish with conspicuous, black, crescent-shaped marks, sort of like a little mustache (Fig. 5B), setae uniform. Maxillae: pale yellowish brown. Labium: brown, paler distally. Sternum: yellowish. Abdomen: dorsally golden brown, darker medially, chevron medially, sides of chevron angled anteriorly, darker posteriorly, laterally spotted/golden parts yellowish, darker parts orange-red, pattern inconspicuous, dark, thick, stubby setae giving abdomen spotted appearance from a distance; ventrally yellowish white. Legs: golden brown, Cx and Tr with dark prolateral lines, dot at Tr-Fm joint, Fm basally with two dark lines that do not completely encircle legs, not pigmented centrally, another ring medially, another distally, Pt with dark annulation basally, Ti with dark annulation at Pt-Ti joint, paler annulation medially, Mt with two dusky annulations, one basal, one proximal, Ta tip dusky; spination leg I Fm d 1-1-1, pr 1-1-0, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2; leg II Fm d 1-1-1, Ti v 2-2-2-1-2, Mt v 2-2-2; leg III Fm d 1-1-1; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1; leg formula 3421; measurements leg I 6.60 (2.07, 0.64, 1.74, 1.40, 0.76); leg II 7.07 (2.58, 0.68, 1.68, 1.30, 0.83); leg III 8.54 (2.53, 0.76, 2.42, 1.85, 1.00); leg IV 8.30 (2.59, 0.70, 2.18, 1.91, 0.89). Palp: spination Fm d 0-1-1; 1.73 (0.52, 0.37, 0.32, 0.58); Ti with dark mark dorsally and retrolaterally, Cy with dark mark basodorsally (Fig. 4B, D); dRTA rectangular in ventral view, slightly curved ventrally, pointed apically in lateral view, conspicuously darker than vRTA, vRTA rounded distally in ventral view, wider, rounder, shorter (Fig. 4A–D); rbcp small; Cy oval-triangular, extended further retrobasally in ventral or dorsal views (Fig. 4A–C); C located anteromedially, pointed ventrally, pyramidal, sclerotized more at tip, margins raised around E, apicalmost part of C with lip (Fig. 4A, C); E short, arising from large TL, straight, near middle of bulb, beginning at 6:30 o’clock; MA with sclerotized, hooked branch, inconspicuous unsclerotized lobe, sparse Sp at basal and lateral margins (Fig. 4A, C).

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 2).

This spider was collected by coaxing from cracks with a piece of grass in rocks on a cliff face during the day (Fig. 2G). It was collected as a penultimate ♂ on 19 April 2016 and matured to an adult male on 19 June 2016, and it no longer ate after this time. The climate at the collecting locality becomes drier and cooler with increased humidity from April to June (Suppl. material 2: table S1). The species is from the xeric and desert scrubland ecoregion. The IBRA region and subregion are the MacDonnell Range, characterized by high-relief ranges and foothills, spinifex, and acacias, especially mulga (Acacia aneura Mueller ex. Bentham) (Bastin 2008).

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 2). The group is poorly collected (except K. vadlaadambara, relatively), likely due to crypsis and living in remote locations. Targeted collecting will produce additional species and specimens in better condition and provide important distribution data to uncover the true diversity of Central Australian selenopids.

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. 2C) is similar to other species of the Central Desert group by the median lobe that is unsclerotized posteriorly, the small copulatory ducts, and the large accessory bulbs (Fig. 3A, B). It can be differentiated from all of these except K. pilkingtoni by the accessory bulbs which in the other species are separated by at least half to more than one accessory bulb diameter (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 58). It can be separated from K. pilkingtoni by the accessory bulbs being nearly the same size as the spermathecae, whereas the accessory bulbs are much larger than the spermathecae in K. pilkingtoni (Fig. 2A, B; Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 58). In the new species, there is a long, triangular depression in the median field that is lacking in the other species (Fig. 3A, B).

Figure 3. 

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 3A, B, 5C); LLs separated at posterior 1/3 of EP; COs at anterolateral edges of lobe (Figs 3A, 5C). Endogyne: CDs very short; ABs larger than S, round; S oval; duct between S and ABs coiled once, FDs directed anteriorly (Fig. 3B).

Figure 4. 

Karaops kwartatuma sp. nov., holotype male, (Kwartatuma) Ormiston Gorge, West MacDonnell Range National Park, Northern Territory (sel_1093, MAGNT A004858) A palp, ventral; green = vRTA, orange = dRTA, light gray-blue = tegulum, blue-violet = tegular lobe, turquoise = spermophor, blue = embolus, pink = conductor, yellow = MA, dark green = subtegulum, Sp = spinules B same, palp, dorsal C same, ventral D same, retrolateral. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 5. 

Species from the Central Desert species group A Karaops kwartatuma sp. nov., holotype male, Ormiston Gorge, West MacDonnell Range National Park, Northern Territory (MAGNT A004858) B same, holotype male, face showing black marks near eyes and “mustache” C Karaops larapinta sp. nov., holotype, epigyne, caudal, Finke River, Northern Territory (QMS 110852) D Karaops sp. from Watarrka National Park, Northern Territory. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

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 2).

Karaops larapinta sp. nov. (Fig. 2C, D) is found in either the Finke or Henbury subregion of the Finke Bioregion (exact coordinates unavailable). This bioregion comprises arid sandplains, major rivers, valleys, mulga (Acacia aneura) and other acacia, Senna Miller, Eremophila Brown, short grass, and forbs (Bastin 2008). These females were collected during the hottest part of the year, going from the dry into the wet (Suppl. material 2: table S1).

The region suffers from introduced species and grazing (Bastin 2008). It is biodiverse but has only been surveyed for birds and plants.

Holotype : Northern Territory • ♀; Alice Springs; Aug.; (ZMT AA 10.852).

The female of Karaops mparntwe sp. nov. (Fig. 1I) is similar to other members of the Central Desert species group, K. pilkingtoni, K. ngarutjaranya, K. deserticola, K. vadlaadambara, K. larapinta sp. nov., and K. manaayn in that the median field of the epigyne is a rectangular lobe with copulatory openings located anteriorly at either side of the lobe, the accessory bulbs are large, and the body lengths are 5.5–7 mm (Figs 1A–H, 2A–D). However, it can be differentiated by the raised medial portion of the lobe (Fig. 3E). The accessory bulbs are more oval than round as they are in the other species, with the spermathecae ventral and posterior to them, and the spermathecae and accessory bulbs are nearly the same size and connected by a short, thick duct (Fig. 2F). In the other species, the accessory bulbs are round, larger than the spermathecae, and the spermathecae are located posterior to the accessory bulbs, connected by a thin, coiled duct.

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. 1I), setae dark, more prominent anteriorly. Maxillae: orange-brown, pale distally. Labium: brownish, pale distally. Sternum: orangish. Abdomen: dorsally whitish orange, faded, with short, stiff setae, some dark spots laterally, dark chevrons medially, dark at posterior; ventrally, grayish brown. Legs: orangish, Cx II and III with black stripe prolaterally, Tr with dark mark prolaterally, dark dot on Fm at Tr-Fm joint, Fm with dark line proximally, prolaterally with horizontal extensions, nearly forming annulation, medially with dark line and two areas of horizontal extensions forming annulations, Pt with dusky area proximally, Ti with dark annulation at Pt-Ti joint and distally, Mt same, Ta tip dusky; 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; leg II Fm d 1-1-1, Ti v 2-2-2-2-2, Mt v 2-2-2; leg III Fm d 1-1-1; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1; leg formula 4321; measurements leg I 11.45 (3.27, 1.48, 3.19, 2.23, 1.28); leg II 12.97 (3.94, 1.55, 3.33, 3.01, 1.14); leg III 13.74 (4.78, 1.09, 3.56, 2.97, 1.34); leg IV 14.64 (4.88, 1.25, 3.66, 3.42, 1.43). Palp: spination Fm d 0-1-2; 2.99 (0.86, 0.70, 0.54, 0.89); dusky marking on Fm and Ti; claw with five teeth. Epigyne: EP triangular; MF with rectangular lobe, somewhat raised medially; COs located anteriorly on sides of lobe (Fig. 3C, E). Endogyne: CDs short, wide; ABs oval, large, anterior and dorsal to S; S large, oval; FDs directed anterolaterally; small pdf (Fig. 3D, F).

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 2).

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 2: table S1).

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 2). Thorough collecting in the Northern Territory and South Australia as well as molecular data will help support or refute current species hypotheses and undoubtedly uncover new species. Nearby in Watarrka (Figs 2E, F, 5D) no adults of an undescribed species were found in April. Molecular data indicate that this is yet a different species from K. kwartatuma sp. nov. (Suppl. material 1).

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 (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 9). The new species can be separated from K. ellenae by the accessory bulbs not extending beyond the copulatory ducts, whereas in K. ellenae they do (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 76). Karaops strayamate sp. nov. is also known only from the east coast and surrounds in Queensland, whereas K. ellenae is found in southwestern Western Australia (Map 3). The male can be separated from other species of the group by the dRTA longer than the vRTA in lateral view (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 7, 8).

The description of the male and female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011: sub Karaops australiensis).

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 3).

Four of the five localities where Karaops strayamate has been collected are in the Brigalow Belt North bioregion, with the Bowen specimens (Fig. 6A, G, H) in the Bogie River Hills subregion, and the specimens from Johansen’s Cave, vic. Mt. Etna National Park (Fig. 6C, E), and Jim Crow Mountain from the Marlborough Plains subregion. The bioregion has tropical summer rain and is warm all year round. The Bogie River Hills comprises some lowlands, but it is mostly mountainous. The subregion has a mean rainfall of 700 mm/year. The Marlborough Hills consists of evergreen to semi-evergreen vine thicket in rare serpentinite ecosystems. The climate of these two subregions is very similar. The Brandy Creek locality occurs in the Whitsunday subregion of the Central Mackay Coast bioregion. The Central Mackay Coast bioregion has higher rainfall than some surrounding areas, and there are many endemic plants. The region is an overlap area of the wet tropics and rainforests (Reef Catchments 2014). Adult females and immatures have been collected in the cooler, drier months. Males have been collected in the drier months but during the coolest and warmest time of year as well as during the transition (Suppl. material 2: table S1). This species has been collected beneath rocks and from fogging trees with pyrethrum in vine scrub.

Figure 6. 

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.

Map 3. 

Species of the Karaops strayamate species group; red = Karaops ellenae, green = Karaops monteithi, light blue = Karaops gangarie, yellow = Karaops strayamate.

Crews and Harvey (2011: 24) identified several specimens from Queensland, i.e., QMS 57515, QMS 61054 and QMS 47115, as Selenops australiensis. The types in ZSMH were not examined at the time. A re-examination of L. Koch (1875) lists the figure from page 615, pl. 48, fig. 6 as “Femina”, although the illustration appears to be of an immature male. The material at ZSMH was examined via photographs (Fig. 6B, D, F). ZSMH-A0000791, denoted as the holotype, is a juvenile male from Bowen, Queensland (Fig. 6B). The other specimen, ZSMH-A0000792, denoted as the syntype, is an adult female (Fig. 6D, F). The locality data indicate that the female specimen is from Sydney; however, this location is probably erroneous because it is unlikely that this species is found as far south as Sydney or indeed in New South Wales. Based on the curvature of the eye rows and leg spination of the holotype juvenile male, it is clear that it is a member of the raveni species group; thus, it may have been found in Sydney and the labels were mixed up. Because of the confusion and inability to determine the species of the juvenile male, Karaops australiensis is considered a nomen dubium.

Fig. 10 of Crews and Harvey 2011 is labeled incorrectly: the SD and FD in fig. 10 are the copulatory ducts, SP in fig. 10 is the accessory bulb, the posteriormost part of the illustration in fig. 10 show the spermathecae which are connected to the fertilization ducts which are not illustrated in fig. 10.

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. (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 9, 11). The lateral lobes do not frame the median field as they do in K. monteithi (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 15). In the males, the dRTA is not longer than the vRTA in lateral view as it is in K. strayamate sp. nov. (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 13, 14).

The description of the male and female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

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 2: table S1). This species has been collected beneath bark in the rainforest.

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 1). The two localities where K. gangarie (Fig. 7A–C) has been collected are only ~ 25 km apart; however, they are in two separate bioregions. The Wet Tropics is a biodiversity hotspot, with many endemic taxa, threatened, and relictual species. The Daintree-Bloomfield subregion is considered an area of special concern because of its high density of threatened species (Pert et al. 2010).

Figure 7. 

Members from the strayamate species group A Karaops gangarie, holotype female, rainforest near Amos Bay, Queensland (QM S52315) B Karaops gangarie, paratype female from Cooktown, Queensland (QM S88003) C Karaops gangarie, paratype male, same data as holotype (QM S88644) D Karaops ellenae, paratype female, Mount Cooke, Western Australia (WAM T28043 ex. 93/1359) E Karaops ellenae, holotype male, same data as paratype (WAM T28050 ex. T93/1366) F Karaops monteithi, holotype female, Upper Lankelly Creek, Coen District, Queensland (QM S61052). Scale bars: 1 mm.

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; (WAM T28044) • 1♂; Wungong Dam; 32°11'42"S, 116°03'33"E; 14 Aug. 2010; F. Stahlavsky leg.; under stone; (WAM T104353) • same as previous; (WAM T104354) • same as previous; (WAM T104355) • 3♂; Jarrahdale area, ALCOA mine lease; 32°16'S, 116°06'E; 1997–1998; K.E.C. Brennan leg.; (WAM T113262) • 1 imm.; Serpentine; 32°22'S, 115°59'E; 1 Jun. 1927; L. Glauert leg.; by hand; under stone; (WAM T1586) • same as previous; (WAM T1587) • same as previous; (WAM T1588) • same as previous; (WAM T1589) • 1 imm.; Canning Dam; 32°09'S, 116°08'E; 20 Jul. 1985; D. Mead-Hunter leg.; (WAM T28032) • 1 imm.; Mount Cooke; 32°25'S, 116°18'E; 19 Sep. 1991; M.S. Harvey, J.M. Waldock leg.; by hand; under rock; (WAM T28041) • same as previous; 7 Aug. 1990; M.S. Harvey, J.M. Waldock, M. Peterson leg.; by hand; (WAM T28046) • same as previous; (WAM T28047) • same as previous; (WAM T28049) • 1 imm.; Mt. Dale; 32°08'S, 116°18'E; 27 Oct. 1998; J.M. Waldock et al. leg.; by hand; under rocks; (WAM T54981) • 1 imm.; ~ 15 km NW of Boddington Town; 32°39'45.3"S, 116°23'31.7"E; 23 Aug. 2011; A. Rakimov leg.; hand collection; granite outcrop; (WAM T117038) • 1 imm.; ~ 15 km NW of Boddington Town; 32°41'09.9"S, 116°27'10.6"E; 23 Aug. 2011; A. Rakimov leg.; hand collection; granite outcrop; (WAM T117039) • 3 imm.; same as previous; (WAM T119537) • 4 imm.; ~ 15 km NW of Boddington Town; 32°37'28.4"S, 116°20'54.4"E; 23 Aug. 2011; A. Rakimov leg.; hand collection; granite outcrop; (WAM T119538) • 1♀, 1 imm.; Toodyay; 31°33'S, 116°30'E; 25 Oct. 2009; J. Hynes leg.; on stones; (WAM T142633) • 1♀, 1 imm; ~ 15 km NW of Boddington Town; 32°41'09.9"S, 116°27'10.6"E; 23 Aug. 2011; A. Rakimov leg.; hand collection; granite outcrop; (WAM T119536).

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 (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 73).

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 (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 9–12, 15, 16).

The description of the male and female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

This species is found near the west coast of southwestern Western Australia, primarily west of the Darlington Escarpment (Map 3).

Karaops ellenae (Fig. 7B, D) occurs in the Northern Jarrah subregion of the Jarrah bioregion, with a few collections from the Perth subregion of the Swan Coastal Plain, one record further south from the Warren subregion and bioregion, and one from the Avon Wheatbelt bioregion, subregion Katanning. As the name of the subregion suggests, the Jarrah Forest region and subregion are characterized by Jarrah-Marri forests and woodlands, and it is located primarily to the east of the Darling Escarpment. The area has a Mediterranean climate. One of the landscape features considered to be a special habitat are granite outcrops on which this species is most common (Williams and Mitchell 2001). It is warmest October through April, and also drier during this time, with the largest amount of rainfall from May through September. Males, females, and immatures have all been collected in hot, dry months and colder, wetter months with overlap of males and females during the transition from cold and wet to hot and dry. No spiders have been collected in April or May, which may be due to when collections were made rather than presence of spiders (Suppl. material 2: table S1).

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 4) from the raveni species group, whose other members occur in New South Wales and Queensland. Although there are immatures in collections that could belong to either species based on locality, the raveni species group members are flatter than a typical Karaops and have a sort of squat appearance (Figs 8A–F, 9A, D, 10A). Members of the strayamate group are more often found under rocks, and raveni group members are more often found under bark.

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. 7F) can be distinguished from other members of the strayamate species group by the lateral lobes forming a diamond-shaped median field, which they do not in the other species of the group (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 15).

The description of the female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

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. 8H). Both localities of Karaops monteithi (Fig. 8G, H) occur in the Coen-Yambo Inlier subregion of the Cape York Peninsula bioregion (Addicott et al. 2018). This subregion has a complex geology in the east with volcanics and metamorphic rocks. Primary vegetation is eucalypt woodland (Fig. 8H).

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 2: table S1).

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; (AM KS.124443) • 1♀; same data as previous, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, East Kunderang, Smail’s Creek, Upper Kunderang Brook; -31.0439, 152.2215; ~ 333 m; 14 Nov. 2015; H.M. Smith leg.; (AM KS.124613) • 1♂ (collected as juvenile, matured Spring 2016); same data as previous, ‘Mudaridge’, Gloucester River Rd.; -32.0547, 151.745; 3 Mar. 2016; G.M. Milledge, H.M. Smith leg.; under bark; (AM KS.126578).

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 (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 27, 28, 31, 32).

The male of Karaops raveni (Fig. 8B) is similar to the males of K. marrayagong and K. jarrit by the body shape (flatter and wider than species in other Karaops species groups; Fig. 9B, D), the horizontally oval sternum, and the long dRTA, curved ventrally and tapered to a point (Figs 8D, E, 9A, D, 10B). Karaops raveni can be differentiated from K. marrayagong by lacking spinules on the median apophysis. It can also be differentiated from both K. jarrit and K. marrayagong by the dRTA, which is at least two times as long as the vRTA of K. raveni (Fig. 10B; Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 30).

Figure 8. 

Members from the raveni species group A Karaops jarrit, paratype female, conveyor #2, Worsley Alumina Overland Conveyor Belt, SW of Boddington, Western Australia (WAM T87168) B Karaops raveni, holotype male, Brooyar State Forest, Queensland (QM S50593) C Karaops raveni, female paratype, Boat Mountain, Queensland (QM S47057) D Karaops marrayagong, holotype female, Kitty’s Creek near Sydney, New South Wales (AM KS19743) E Karaops marrayagong, female, Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden, New South Wales (AM KS. 126520) F Karaops jarrit, holotype male, 11 km NW of Roe’s Rock, Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia (WAM T55003) G Karaops monteithi, adult female, under rock, outside of Coen, Queensland; arrows indicate tufts of white setae H Karaops monteithi, habitat of outside of Coen, Queensland. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 9. 

Karaops marrayagong, Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden, New South Wales A adult female (sel_1089, AM KS. 126520) B male, face (sel_1091, AM KS. 126522) C epigyne, caudal (sel_1089 AM KS. 126520) D male (sel_1091, AM KS. 126522) E same, palp, ventral; green = vRTA, orange = dRTA, light gray-blue = tegulum, blue-violet = tegular lobe, blue = embolus, turquoise = spermophor, pink = conductor/conductor sheath, yellow = median apophysis, dark green = subtegulum, Sp = spinules F same. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (C); 1 mm (B, D–F).

Map 4. 

Species of the Karaops raveni species group; green = Karaops jarrit, red = Karaops raveni, pale blue = Karaops marrayagong.

Figure 10. 

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, AM KS. 126522) C Karaops marrayagong, epigyne, caudal same data as previous (sel_1089, AM KS. 126520) D Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., holotype, epigyne, Baruwei Walk, Nitmiluk National Park, Northern Territory (sel_1333, MAGNT A004906); pink = median field, blue-violet = epigynal windows, yellow = lateral lobes/epigynal plate E same, endogyne, yellow = accessory bulbs, blue = spermathecae, red = fertilization ducts, green = posterodorsal fold F same, epigyne G same, endogyne. Scale bars: 1 mm (B); 0.2 mm (D–G).

The description of the male and female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

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 4).

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. 8B, C) appears to be the most widespread species of Karaops (Map 4). There is some variation in the species as discussed in Crews and Harvey (2011), which may be more noticeable in this species because significantly more individuals over a broader range have been collected than in any of the other species. The sister taxon of K. raveni, K. marrayagong, is known only from a very small area within the Sydney Basin, inside the range of K. raveni (Map 4). They have been collected at the same time at the same place. The sister taxon to these two species, K. jarrit, occurs in the southwest of the continent, a pattern that shows up in other taxa, including other species of Karaops. Another species that occurs within the range of K. raveni is K. manaayn, a member of the Central Desert species group. Penultimate males have been taken at the beginning of the year in Queensland and New South Wales, including the Tinderry Range. In Queensland, no adults have been collected from February to May, generally, a transition time from hot and wet to cool and dry; and in New South Wales, no adults have been collected from August to October, a transition time from cool to warm, with not much change in rainfall (Suppl. material 2: table S1).

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; (WAM T108825) • 1♀; ~ 48 km NNE Koolyanobbing; 30°21'51.48"S, 119°37'59.36"E; 9–17 Oct. 2013; C. Knuckey leg.; dry pitfall trap; minor creekline; (WAM T128844) • 1♂; same as previous; (WAM T128845) • 1 imm.; Bungalbin Hill, 48.2 km NNE of Koolyanobbing; 30°21'38.10"S, 119°41'53.67"E; 3 Apr. 2013; S. White, A. Heidrich, A. Nowicki, J. Vos, F. Bokhari leg.; hand; leaf litter; (WAM T130654) • 1♂; ~ 38 km WSW of Quindanning, Worsley Alumina conveyor #2, night shift; 33°05'10"S, 116°08'56"E; 22 Dec. 2007; J. Hynes leg.; (WAM T111761) • 1 imm.; ~ 26 km NE of Harvey, N of Worsley Alumina Overland Conveyor #1; 33°00'24"S, 116°10'17"E; 25 Oct. 2009; J. Hynes leg.; night shift; (WAM T143564).

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 (Crews and Harvey 2011; figs 27, 28, 31, 32). The epigynes of K. jarrit and K. marrayagong are very similar (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 25–28), and with only a few specimens of each, it is difficult to determine if differences between the two will remain useful for their separation. The median field is wider and shorter in K. marrayagong than in K. jarrit, and the accessory bulbs of the former are closer together. Additionally, K. marrayagong has 4 promarginal teeth and K. jarrit has 3. Although many people find the idea of using geography to separate species problematic, currently the easiest way to distinguish these two species is that K. jarrit is found in the southwest of Western Australia, and K. marrayagong is known from a single locality near Sydney, close to the east coast of the continent in New South Wales (Map 4).

The male of Karaops jarrit (Fig. 8F) is similar to the males of K. raveni and K. marrayagong by the body shape (flatter and wider than species in other Karaops species groups (Fig. 9B, D)), the horizontally oval sternum, and the long dRTA, curved ventrally and tapered to a point (Figs 8D, E, 9A, D, 10B). It can be differentiated from K. marrayagong by lacking spinules on the median apophysis and from K. raveni by the tegular lobe which is located more toward the center of the bulb, whereas it is located more retrolaterally in this species. Additionally, it can be geographically differentiated from K. jarrit because they are located on opposite sides of the continent (Map 4).

The description of the male and female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

This species is found in southwestern Western Australia (Map 4).

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. 8A, F) is known from four disjunct localities in southwestern Australia, likely reflecting collecting efforts rather than actual distribution. Karaops jarrit overlaps in distribution with K. ellenae and K. francesae, none of which are in the same species group. The sister taxa of K. jarrit are K. raveni and K. marrayagong on the east coast from New South Wales to Queensland (Suppl. material 2: table S1).

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; (AM KS.126519) • 1♀, 1 imm., 1♂ (reared in captivity); same data as previous, except 33°42.353'S, 151°10.402'E; ~ 125 m; 10 Apr. 2016; S. Crews, P. Harlow, H. Smith leg.; under bark of small eucalypts in gully area on Management Trail; sel_1089–1091; SCC16_009; (AM KS.126520–126522).

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 (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 27, 28, 31, 32). The epigynes of K. jarrit and K. marrayagong are very similar (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 25–28), and with only a few specimens of each, it is difficult to determine if differences between the two will remain useful for their separation. The median field is wider and shorter in K. marrayagong than in K. jarrit, and the accessory bulbs of the former are closer together. Although many people find the idea of using geography to separate species problematic, currently the easiest way to distinguish these two species is that K. jarrit is found in the southwest of Western Australia and K. marrayagong is known from a single locality near Sydney near the east coast of the continent in New South Wales (Map 4).

The male of Karaops marrayagong (Fig. 8E) is similar to the males of K. raveni and K. jarrit by the body shape (flatter and wider than species in other Karaops species groups (Fig. 9B, D)), the horizontally oval sternum, and the long dRTA, curved ventrally and tapered to a point (Figs 8D, E, 9A, D, 10B). It can be differentiated from K. raveni and K. jarrit by the median apophysis, which has spinules along the anterior margin and two distinct branches. It can also be differentiated by the dRTA, which is at least two times as long as the vRTA in K. raveni (Fig. 10B; Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 30). In both K. raveni and K. jarrit, the vRTA is distally more knob-like due to an abrupt widening, and it is more uniform throughout its length in K. marrayagong (Fig. 9E, F; Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 23, 29). The tegular lobe of K. jarrit is located medially and extends basally to cover part of the cymbium (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 23), whereas in K. marrayagong, it is located more retrolaterally, and it is vertically narrow, not covering much of the cymbium basally (Fig. 9E, F). Additionally, it can be geographically differentiated from K. jarrit because they are located on opposite sides of the continent (Map 4).

Male (sel_1091, AM KS.126522). Total length 4.23. Carapace: length 2.41, width 3.50. Chelicerae: promargin with three teeth, retromargin with two teeth. Eyes: AER nearly straight, PER slightly recurved; diameters AME 0.14, ALE 0.08, PME 0.14, PLE 0.21; interdistances AME–PME 0.10, PME–ALE 0.28, ALE–PLE 0.22, ALE–ALE 1.26, AME–AME 0.51, PLE–PLE 1.60. Sternum: length 1.17, width 1.81. Abdomen: length 1.82, width 1.70. Color: Carapace: pale yellowish brown, with sparse, thin setae and longer, thick setae laterally, posteriorly. Chelicerae: brown laterally, lightened to yellowish brown medially, dusky marks, more setae anteriorly than laterally. Maxillae: pale yellowish brown. Labium dusky, pale distally. Sternum: pale yellowish brown, darker at margin. Abdomen: dorsally tan, dark laterally and around posterior, including spinnerets, with two large black marks on anterior half, some paler chevrons posteriorly, with several dark flecks; ventrally tan. Legs: pale yellowish brown, dusky, some paler spots on Fm; spination leg I missing; leg II Fm d 1-1-0, pr 1-1-0, Ti v Ti 1-1-1-1-1, weak, unpaired; leg III Fm d 1-1-0, pr 1-1-0; leg IV Fm d 1-1-1; measurements leg I missing; leg II 19.19 (6.14, 1.43, 5.43, 4.43, 1.76); leg III 14.9 (4.21, 1.43, 4.36, 3.43, 1.47); leg IV 11.86 (4.07, 0.71, 3.36, 2.5, 1.22). Palp: spination Fm d 0-1-3; 2.67 (0.83, 0.49, 0.53, 0.82); Pt dusky retrolaterally, Ti dusky basodorsally (Fig. 5D); dRTA longer than vRTA, curved ventrally, pointed at end, vRTA of uniform width, hollowed out dorsally; rbcp absent; Cy round, setae gradually denser apically, without conspicuous brush or chemosensory area; C large, CS around E, horizontally and vertically broad, top half of bulb, with sclerotized apophysis directed retrolaterally, rounded at tip, with medial groove; E long, arising from vertically narrow TL at 6 o’clock, along prolateral margin of cymbium, ending ~ 1 o’clock; MA wide, with striae, Sp along anterior margin, with two branches, anterior small, broad, sclerotized, posterior longer, narrower, less sclerotized (Fig. 9E, F).

Female (sel_1089, KS.126520). Habitus, live (Figs 9A, 10A), preserved (Fig. 8D, E); epigyne, caudal view (Fig. 9C). For a detailed description of the holotype, see Crews and Harvey (2011).

Known only from the type locality and locality provided above, vicinity of Sydney, New South Wales, see Discussion (Map 4).

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 (Crews and Harvey 2011). The holotype is quite old, with little information other than “Kitty’s Creek”, an area that has been drastically developed in the last 100 years since the collection was made. The spider was encountered in a less-developed area thought to be near the type locality. It is difficult to determine if they are rare because they can be difficult to find, and typically no one is looking for them. Karaops marrayagong is morphologically similar to K. raveni and is found within the range of this species. Karaops raveni and K. marrayagong are sister taxa (Suppl. material 1).

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.; (WAM T97230).

Karaops dawara (Fig. 11C) can be differentiated from other members of the dawara species group by the endogyne. The distance between turns of the copulatory ducts is longer, the ducts in general are more horizontal and thinner, and the turns are much tighter. The accessory bulbs are also more easily seen in this species as they occur at the end of the ducts (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 80).

Figure 11. 

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, MAGNT A004906) B Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. C Karaops dawara, female holotype, Kakadu National Park, Kapalga, Northern Territory (WAM T54998) D Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., holotype, (sel_1333, MAGNT A004906) E Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov., arrows indicate orange and black spines (sel_1334, MAGNT A004890). Scale bars: 1 mm.

The description of the female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

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 (Crews and Harvey 2011: fig. 102) (Suppl. material 2: table S1). This species has been collected beneath wood/logs on the ground and beneath rocks.

No collections of Karaops dawara (Fig. 11C) have been made since 2009, thus the male remains unknown. In K. nitmiluk sp. nov., there is a lot of genitalic variation (see below). There are only two female specimens of K. dawara. When more specimens are found, there may be a lot of variation in this species, and diagnoses will need to be emended.

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; (MAGNT A004906). Paratype: ♀ (reared in captivity); Nitmiluk National Park, Leliyn; vic. 14°10'45.40"S, 132°11'19.58"E; 2 Jun. 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; under rocks along trail during the day; sel_1339; SCC16_072; (MAGNT A004895). Other material examined: 1♀ (reared in captivity), 3 imm., same data as holotype; sel_1334–1337; (MAGNT A004890–A004893) • 1♀ (reared in captivity), 3 imm.; same data as paratype; sel_1338, 1340–1342; (MAGNT A004894, A004896–A004898).

Females of Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. (Figs 11B, D, E, 12E, 13B) are most similar to K. jawayway sp. nov. (Figs 13E, 14B) and K. dawara by the tortuous copulatory ducts (Figs 10F, 13C, D, 14C–F; Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 79, 80) and the unsclerotized part of the copulatory ducts. In K. nitmiluk sp. nov., the copulatory ducts are of mostly uniform diameter throughout their length and are straight or slightly curved anterior to posterior (Figs 10C, 11E, 12D, 13D), but in K. jawayway sp. nov., they are wide from the copulatory openings, narrowing posteriorly and curving outward within the first third of their length (Fig. 14D, F). In K. nitmiluk sp. nov., the sclerotized portion of the copulatory ducts nearly reaches the epigynal windows where the copulatory openings are located. Additionally, the sclerotized portion of the ducts has coils that largely run anterior to posterior, whereas in K. jawayway sp. nov., they are more than one diameter of the sclerotized ducts away from the epigynal windows, and the ducts are mostly horizontal. In K. dawara, the ducts are horizontal and thin, with longer lengths between turns, and the accessory bulbs are easily visible at the anterior part of the copulatory duct. In K. nitmiluk sp. nov., the accessory bulbs are very difficult to discern (Fig. 10E).

Map 5. 

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.

Figure 12. 

Karaops nitmiluk sp. nov. from Nitmiluk National Park, Northern Territory A epigyne, Baruwei Walk (sel_1334, MAGNT A004890) B same, endogyne C paratype, epigyne, Leliyn (sel_1339, MAGNT A004895) D same, endogyne E same F same. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A–D); 1 mm (F).

Figure 13. 

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, MAGNT A004898) B same C same, epigyne D same, endogyne E Karaops jawayway sp. nov., holotype, Savannah Way, Northern Territory (sel_1349, MAGNT A004905). Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Figure 14. 

Karaops jawayway sp. nov., holotype, Savannah Way, Northern Territory (sel_1349, MAGNT A004905) A preserved B alive C epigyne, pink = median field, blue-violet = epigynal windows, yellow = lateral lobes D endogyne, yellow = accessory bulbs, blue = spermathecae, red = fertilization ducts, green = posterodorsal fold, AB = accessory bulb E epigyne F endogyne. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

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. 11B), yellowish ex situ (Figs 11D, 13B)/yellowish tan (Figs 11A, 12F, 13A), Cx anteriorly with dark mark, Tr with dark dot, Fm I basally with dark markings anteriorly, proximally with annulation with slightly dusky area, dusky area at Fm-Pt joint, Pt with dark annulation at Pt-Ti joint, Ti with dusky annulation with darker edges, dark annulation at Ti-Mt joint, Mt with dark annulation at Mt-Ta joint, Ta tip dusky; Fm ventrally with flat, white setae enlarged distally, spines dark at base, lightened to orange distally, sometimes darkened at tip (Fig. 11E); 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; leg formula 3241; measurements leg I 9.36 (2.77, 1.07, 2.42, 1.97, 1.13); leg II 10.81 (3.40, 1.01, 2.93, 2.26, 1.21); leg III 11.14 (3.54, 1.09, 2.82, 2.35, 1.34); leg IV 10.38 (3.26, 1.02, 2.55, 2.30, 1.25). Palp: spination Fm d 0-1-3; 2.39 (0.77, 0.38, 0.54, 0.70); claw with five teeth. Epigyne: EP squarish, rounded or truncate anteriorly; MF unsclerotized, diamond to oval shaped, with EWs; LLs distinct, abutting one another posteriorly, COs located at EWs; Endogyne: CDs asymmetrical, unsclerotized at origin, forming one large coil dorsally, sclerotized at point where they coil ventrally, tortuous; ABs are difficult to see; S located posteriorly, FDs long, extended anterolaterally, small pdf (Figs 10C, 12B–D, 10G, 13D).

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 12A–D, 10F, G, 13C, D). They are different enough that one might consider them separate species had they not been collected from the same place at the same time and did not have independent molecular data supporting the hypothesis that they are the same species. The sample sel_1342 is more reddish brown dorsally/brown. Body length range: 4.40–4.71.

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 2: tables S1, S2). This species has been collected under rocks and on rock walls at night.

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 1), but the sample size is small and no consistent morphological differences have been found, so they are described as the same species. Further collecting and rearing of males will help to arrive at conclusions regarding temporal overlap and species boundaries.

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; (MAGNT A004905). Other material examined: 1 imm., same data as holotype; sel_1350; (MAGNT A004906).

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. 14D, F), whereas in the other two species, the copulatory ducts are of mostly uniform diameter throughout their length, and are straight or only slightly curved anterior to posterior. In K. jawayway sp. nov. the sclerotized parts of the copulatory ducts are more than one diameter of the sclerotized ducts away from the epigynal windows, and the ducts are mostly horizontal. In K. nitmiluk sp. nov., the sclerotized portion of the copulatory ducts nearly reaches the epigynal windows, and the sclerotized portion of the ducts have coils that generally run anterior to posterior. In K. dawara, the ducts are horizontal and quite thin, with longer lengths between turns, and the accessory bulbs are easy to discern, found at the anterior end of the copulatory ducts.

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 13E, 14B, 15A/preserved Fig. 14A): Carapace: brown with two pairs of darker marks behind eye area, three pairs of dark marks laterally/orange-yellow, more contrast between dark and pale parts, setose with patches of white setae behind and lateral to eyes. Chelicerae: yellow-brown, paturon with a longitudinal curved mark frontally, setae sparse. Maxillae: whitish orange. Labium: brown, pale distally. Sternum: yellowish brown. Abdomen: dorsally mostly different shades of brown, from dark to pale, white setal patches across anterior, dark brown spots laterally, brown medial line extended laterally ~ 1/3 way from anterior to posterior, then narrowed, then extended outward again posteriorly, white setal tufts at edges of dark brown areas, dark brown at posterior/mostly dark with a few orangish spots; ventrally yellowish. Legs: brownish yellow, Cx II and III with black stripe prolaterally, Tr with dark mark prolaterally, Fm with dark mark/dusky area at Tr-Fm joint, Fm I with pair of dark lines centrally on prolateral side, dusky annulation near Pt, Fm II–IV with jagged pairs of lines basally and medially, with dusky annulation near Pt, Pt dusky at Fm-Pt joint, Ti with dark annulations, one at Pt-Ti joint, other between that and Ti-Mt joint, Mt with dark annulation at either end, Ta tip dark; 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; leg formula 3241; measurements leg I 7.37 (2.27, 0.95, 1.87, 1.32, 0.96); leg II 8.92 (2.76, 0.99, 2.44, 1.59, 1.14); leg III 10.44 (3.27, 1.03, 2.68, 2.26, 1.2); leg IV 9.68 (3.18, 0.82, 2.32, 2.29, 1.07). Palp: spination Fm d 0-1-2 (left), 0-1-3 (right); 1.87 (0.55, 0.36, 0.44, 0.52; both claws missing,). Epigyne: EP somewhat rectangular, rounded anteriorly, wider posteriorly than anteriorly; MF with large unsclerotized area and EWs; LLs close but not in contact medially Fig. 14C, E). Endogyne: CDs unsclerotized from EWs, then connected to sclerotized portion anterolaterally; ABs small, difficult to discern; S located posteriorly; FDs directed posterolaterally (Fig. 14D, F).

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. 15E), Savannah Way near Roper Bar, Northern Territory.

Figure 15. 

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, WAM T155669) G same H same. Scale bar: 1 mm.

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 (Bastin 2008). The female matured in the rainiest, hottest part of the year. This species was found under smaller rocks on top of larger rocks on a shaley, steep hillside with an inordinate amount of shed snake skins (Fig. 15A, E, Suppl. material 2: tables S1, S3).

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 2. The collection site was quite close to that of Karaops kennerleyorum sp. nov.; however molecular data indicate that these two species are not closely related (Suppl. material 1).

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; (WAM T155659–T155660) • 4 imm.; Browns Range, Northern Minerals Camp; 18°52'56.80"S, 128°56'47.34"E; ~ 466 m; 27 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; on rocks on hillsides above camp at night; sel_1285–1288, 1290; SCC16_061; (WAM T155661–T155664, T155666) • 1 imm.; Wolverine pre-pit; 18°51'37.47"S, 128°56'37.63"E; 28 May 2016; S. Crews, D. Brinsden leg.; under rocks during the day; sel_1289; SCC16_062; (WAM T155665) • 2♂ (reared in captivity), 2 imm.; range west of Browns Range on Duncan Road, mesa south of Kundat Djaru; 18°51'8.35"S, 128°38'33.11"E; 29 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; at top of hill (but not in scree leading up to top); 29 May 2016; sel_1291–1293; SCC16_063; (WAM T155667–T155669) • 1♂ (reared in captivity), 1 imm.; Sawpit Gorge, south of Hall’s Creek, 18°25'30.44"S, 127°49'13.87"E; 347 m; 29 May 2016; S. Crews, J. DeJong leg.; under rocks up hill near cliff; sel_1294–1295; SCC16_064; (WAM T155670–T155671).

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 (Crews 2013: fig. 35).

The description of the male can be found in Crews (2013).

Female. Unknown.

Known from Sawpit Gorge (Fig. 16A) in the vicinity of Hall’s Creek and Browns Range (Fig. 15C) in northeastern Western Australia.

Figure 16. 

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 (WAM T54994) D Karaops francesae, male holotype, northeast of slope of West Mount Barren, Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia (WAM T54996) E Karaops toolbrunup, female holotype, Toolbrunup, Stirling Ranges National Park, Western Australia (WAM T76592) F Karaops toolbrunup, male paratype, Toolbrunup, Stirling Ranges National Park, Western Australia (WAM T62231). Scale bars: 1 mm.

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. 15D, E).

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 (Graham 2001a). The climate is arid and tropical with summer rain. The specimens collected closer to Halls Creek are in the Purnululu subregion of the Ord Victoria Plain bioregion. This region is characterized by plains and hills, with grassland, bloodwoods, and snappy gum. The climate is dry hot tropical, semi-arid, with summer rain.

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 (Graham 2001a). There has been some survey work in this area, but no systematic review. It would appear that changes to plant and mammal communities are occurring, probably due to feral cats, stock, fire regimes, and weeds. Although the climate in the Ord Victoria Plain bioregion is slightly different than that of the Tanami, the penultimate male was on track to become an adult in the hottest, wettest time of the year (Suppl. material 2: tables S1, S4, S5).

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 (Crews 2013: figs 35, 36; Figs 15G, 15F, H), but molecular data indicate that it is a member of the dawara species group (Suppl. material 1). This is the only male known from this species group; however, molecular data do not indicate this species matches with any females of other species (Suppl. material 1). The females have tortuous copulatory ducts to reach the spermathecae, and this male has an extremely long embolus that corresponds with the long ducts.

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; (WAM T134604) • 1♀, 1♂; Fitzgerald River National Park, Mt. Drummond; 33°54'37"S, 119°36'42"E; 7 Oct. 2007; 297 m; M.L. Moir, J. Newell, S. Brett leg.; (WAM T136891) • 1♀; Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Upper Firebreak Gully, Firebreak Track near Little Beach; 34°58'36"S, 118°11'41"E; 27 Nov. 2014; M.S. Harvey, M.G. Rix, M.A. Castalanelli leg.; by hand; under eucalypt bark; (WAM T134761) • 1♀; Fitzgerald River National Park, gully E of Two Bump Hill; 34°00'07.3"S, 119°46'06.3"E; 06 Oct. 2007; J. Newell, S. Comer leg.; under rocks; (WAM T119331) • 1♀; Cape Le Grand National Park, Lucky Bay, granite outcrop, site 7; 33°59'45.1"S, 122°13'11.7"E; 19 Jun. 2014; 29 m; J.M. Waldock, C.A. Car leg.; by hand; under rock on granite; (WAM T133030) • 1♀; same as previous; 44 m; WAM T133031.

Males of Karaops francesae (Fig. 16D) can be distinguished from K. toolbrunup by the smaller tegular lobe and the embolus that is at the perimeter of the cymbium (Crews and Harvey 2011: figs 65, 66, 71, 72). Females of K. francesae (Fig. 15C) have the ducts between the spermathecae and accessory bulbs coiled and the accessory bulbs extend anteriorly beyond the middle of the genitalia.

The description of the male and female can be found in Crews and Harvey (2011).

This species is found along the southern coast of Western Australia, including offshore islands (Maps 1, 6).

Karaops francesae (Fig. 16C, D) is known from the southwest of Western Australia and has primarily been collected along the coast (Fig. 16B). It is thus far known from three subregions: Southern Jarrah Forest of the Jarrah Forest bioregion and the Fitzgerald and Recherche subregions of the Esperance Plains bioregion. The Southern Jarrah Forest climate is warm Mediterranean, with Jarrah-Marri woodlands interspersed with shrublands. The Esperance bioregion is characterized by scrub and mallee heaths. The vegetation of the Fitzgerald subregion is diverse, with many localized endemics. The Fitzgerald and Recherche subregions both have a temperate Mediterranean climate. The Recherche subregion vegetation is primarily heath, and it gets slightly more rainfall than the Fitzgerald subregion. The subregions are warmest and driest November to March, and coolest and wettest May to August. Adults seem to occur during the transitional times between hot and dry and cool and wet; however, this may reflect when collections are made as it is not optimal to collect during the hottest or wettest times of the year (Suppl. material 2: table S1). This species is often collected beneath granite slabs (Fig. 16B).

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 1). These two species comprise the francesae species group.