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Australian Journal of
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Taxon name
Austrohorus ineptus sp. nov.
Figure citations
Figures 7, 8
Type statement
Type material
Holotype
AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: ♀, Munja, Yandi, ca. 120 km NW. of Newman, 22°37′41.66″S, 118°51′24.12″E, 7 September 2010, troglofauna net scrape, P. Bell, G. Perina (WAM T138649).
Synonymy
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Austrohorus ineptus can be distinguished from A. exsul by the reduction of both anterior and posterior eyes (Figures 7C, 8B). It differs from the other troglobitic species described here as follows: from A. nativitatis, A. buzzcocksi, and A. ferrugineus by the presence of posterior eyes (Figures 7C, 8B), and from A. valentulus by the relative position of ib to eb and esb (Figure 8B), as well as by the presence of a transverse furrow on the carapace (Figure 8B), which is absent in A. valentulus.
Description
Description
Adults
Colour: body pale yellow brown, carapace darker than abdomen, especially towards chelicerae on dorsal surface, legs pale white, pedipalps dark red brown (Figure 7).
Chelicera: surface smooth; hand with 5 acuminate setae, movable finger with 1 sub-distal seta; galea elongate with forked terminal and 1 sub-distal ramus; serrula exterior with 12 blades; rallum with 4 blades.
Pedipalp (Figure 8D): trochanter elongate and smooth, 1.54 × longer than broad; femur elongate and subtly cylindrical, 2.76 × longer than broad; patella intensely rounded and clumsy, 2.24 × longer than broad; chela: hand clumsy and square rounded, chela (with pedicel) 2.8 × longer than broad, chela (without pedicel) 2.70 × longer than broad, hand (without pedicel) 1.31 × longer than broad, movable finger 1.03 × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed finger with 8 trichobothria; movable finger with 4 trichobothria; eb and esb situated basally, esb situated much closer to eb than to isb, est situated approximately midway between isb and et, ist and ib situated basally, widely spaced, b and sb situated at base of finger, st situated slightly closer to sb than to t, t situated roughly midway between st and tip of finger (Figure 8A). Chelal teeth juxtadentate, fixed finger with 30 teeth, varied in size, especially towards base, all teeth pointed with last 4 teeth awkward square rounded shape, movable finger with 30 teeth, similar in size, teeth start acutely pointed, becoming progressively duller towards base, teeth 25–30 elongate and rounded. Venom apparatus present in both fingers, venom ducts very short, terminating in nodus ramosus just above the top of et areolar.
Cephalothorax: carapace (Figures 7C, 8B) sub-rectangular and elongate; anterior and lateral margins slightly convex; posterior margin straight; 1.43 × longer than broad; with 26 setae arranged 4: 8: 10: 4, 14 lyrifissures present; furrows absent; eyes absent. Chaetotaxy of coxa I–IV: 14: 12: 8: 12.
Legs (Figure 8C): femora I and II about same length as patellae I and II, respectively; femora III and IV much smaller than patellae III and IV; femur + patella of leg IV 1.75 × longer than deep; tarsus with basal tactile seta; arolium much longer than claws, not divided.
Abdomen: tergites straight, not divided; tergal chaetotaxy: 4: 4: 4: 6: 4: 4: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 2; sternal chaetotaxy: 1: (3) 4 (3): (1) 3 (1): 9: 4: 6: 6: 6: 7: 4: 2.
Genitalia: not studied in detail.
Dimensions (mm): Female holotype (WAMT138649). Body length (excluding chelicerae): 2.035. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.215/0.140, femur 0.450/0.145, patella 0.425/0.190, chela (with pedicel) 0.715/0.255, chela (without pedicel) length 0.675, chelal hand (without pedicel) length 0.335, movable finger length 0.345. Carapace 0.545/0.380. Leg IV: femur + patella 0.410/0.080, tibia 0.185/0.050, metatarsus 0.080/0.030, tarsus 0.080/0.020.
Specimens Examined
Material examined
No other material examined.
Notes
{p}
Remarks
Austrohorus ineptus has only been found from one location in a subterranean environment in the central region of the Pilbara bioregion (Figures 1A, B).
Etymology
The specific epithet is an adjective that refers to the clumsy shape of the pedipalp patella and chelal hands (ineptus, Latin, clumsy, awkward).
Figure 7. Austrohorus ineptus sp. nov., holotype female (WAM T138649): A, body, dorsal; B, body, ventral; C, cephalothorax, dorsal.
Figure 8. Austrohorus ineptus sp. nov., holotype female (WAM T138649): A, left chela, lateral; B, carapace; C, left leg IV, retrolateral; D, left pedipalp, dorsal.
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