Aname serpentina Wilson, Harvey, Simmons & Rix, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Wilson, Jeremy D.
name: Harvey, Mark S.
name: Simmons, Leigh W.
name: Rix, Michael G.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Anamidae
Aname
Aname serpentina

description: Aname serpentina sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 3A29CF45-A90F-45E1-99B1-B4EB3A29CF50
Figs 1, 14, 118–119
Diagnosis
Males of A. serpentina sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known by a moderate to large body size (carapace length>4.0 mm), and the presence of a long embolus (embolus length / bulb length>1.5) that is flattened, highly reflexed, and the shape of a broad corkscrew (Fig. 118L–M).
Females of A. serpentina sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which females are known by the presence of spermathecae with two extremely elongate vesicles (lateral vesicle length / width ~ 13.7), with the lateral vesicles projecting laterally before extending towards the anterior, and the medial vesicles extending medially before extending towards the anterior, and the presence of distinctive groups of bristle-like setae around the edges of the sternum, between the sigilla (Fig. 119).
Etymology
The specific epithet ‘ serpentina ’ is a Latin adjective meaning ‘serpent-like’, in reference to the highly elongate, sinuous spermathecae and embolus of this species.
Type material
Holotype
AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; Alpha; 23°39′ S, 146°38′ E; 10 Jan. 2022; S. Thorn leg.; QMB S118221.
Paratypes
AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♂; Jericho; 23°35′ S, 146°05′ E; 5 Feb. 1987; J. McDonald leg.; QMB S96506 • 1 ♀; Alpha, off Star Downs Road, near junction of Tambo Road; 23°39′ S, 146°39′ E; 359 m a.s.l.; 19 Apr. 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118284.
Other material examined
AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 juv.; Capricorn Highway, E of Jericho; 23°36′ S, 146°14′ E; 403 m a.s.l.; 19 Apr. 2023; J.D. Wilson and M.G. Rix leg.; excavated, open burrow on ground; QMB S118288.
Description
Male (holotype, QMB S118221)
GENERAL (Fig. 118A–Q). Body length 18.16, in good condition but with dehydrated tissue.
DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 118A, E–F). Carapace length 7.91, width 6.50, length/width 1.22, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.70, caput width/carapace width 0.71, carapace dark red-brown, reflective setae present, heavy on caput, moderate on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.14 (Fig. 118A, F); chelicerae dark red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.45 (Fig. 118A); eye group rectangular, width/length 2.01, eye tubercle present (Fig. 118E).
ABDOMEN (Fig. 118B, D). Abdomen length 6.69, grey, dorsal pattern absent, with reflective setae on anterior portion.
VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 118C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 118H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 86, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 30% of maxillae length (Fig. 118C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 118C, I); sternum length/width 1.35, central sternum with consistent covering of moderate setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges, distinct bristle-like setae in small groups around anterior edge of sternum (Fig. 118G–H); posterior sigilla semi-elongate, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.20, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.19 (Fig. 118G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 118G–H).
LEG I (Fig. 118N–Q). Leg I very dark red-brown, lighter on distal metatarsus and tarsus, femur length 6.22, patella length 3.80, tibia length 4.56, metatarsus length 4.40, tarsus length 2.93, total length 21.91, leg I length/carapace length 2.77 (Fig. 118N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 118N– O); spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 118N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.14, even width along length, spur present, intermediate triangular/digitiform, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 22 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.54, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.66, megaspine length/tibia length 0.22 (Fig. 118N–P); metatarsus slightly sinuous, proximal excavation present, excavation concave with pronounced heel, heel semi-sharp, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.49, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 3.70 (Fig. 118N–O, Q).
PEDIPALP (Fig. 118J–M). Tibia length 3.39, width 1.65, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.06, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.57, retrolateral face with patch of long setae proximally of asetose depression, ventral face with two elongate bristle-like setae below depression, prolateral face with two disto-ventral spines, disto-medial spine absent (Fig. 118J–K); patella prolateral face with 2 spines (Fig. 118J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 118J– K); copulatory organ total length 1.99, length/palp tibia length 0.59 (Fig. 118L–M); bulb length/width 0.92 (Fig. 118L–M); embolus significantly reflexed, attenuate, flattened, corkscrew-shaped, protruding distally from bulb, slight bend before tip, width at base/bulb width 0.29, embolus length/bulb length 2.19 (Fig. 118L–M).
Female (paratype, QMB S118284)
GENERAL (Fig. 119A–L). Body length 20.91, in good condition.
DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 119A, E–F). Carapace length 8.00, width 6.71, length/width 1.19, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.71, caput width/carapace width 0.79, carapace orange-brown, reflective setae present, moderate on caput, light on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.16 (Fig. 119A, F); chelicerae red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.54 (Fig. 119A); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.79, eye tubercle present (Fig. 119E).
ABDOMEN (Fig. 119B, D). Abdomen length 8.77, brown, darker dorsally and lighter laterally, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.
VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 119C, G–I). Labium cuspules present, count =6 (Fig. 119H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 88, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 40% of maxillae length (Fig. 119C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 119C, I); sternum length/width 1.18, central sternum with consistent covering of moderate setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 119G–H); posterior sigilla elongate, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.19, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.22 (Fig. 119G–H); other sigilla small and lateral, medial sigilla semi-elongate, anterior sigilla round (Fig. 119G–H).
LEG I (Fig. 119J–K). Leg I red-brown, femur length 6.26, patella length 4.02, tibia length 4.31, metatarsus length 3.91, tarsus length 2.35, total length 20.85, leg I length/carapace length 2.61; scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus; spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 2, Ti RL 4, Me PL 2, Me RL 3, Ta 0; tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 2.86.
GENITALIA (Fig. 119D, L). Epigastric furrow extending significantly, posterior edge with squared shape (Fig. 119D); spermathecae with two vesicles each (Fig. 119L); lateral vesicle extremely elongate, angled laterally before right-angled anterior turn, and medial turn before tip, length 2.36, lateral vesicle length/ genitalia width 0.79, length/width at base 13.74, crown un-demarcated (Fig. 119L); medial vesicle projecting from medial part of lateral vesicle, medial vesicle length/genitalia width 0.96, length/width 10.46, medial vesicle length/lateral vesicle length 1.21 (Fig. 119L).
Distribution and natural history
Aname serpentina sp. nov. occurs in central Queensland, in the Desert Uplands bioregion and the edge of the Brigalow Belt North bioregion. It is only known from around the town of Alpha (Fig. 14). It constructs an open, silk-lined burrow without silk outside of the entrance, often on an angle, and with a hidden secondary ‘wishbone’ entrance (Fig. 14).
description: Published as part of Wilson, Jeremy D., Harvey, Mark S., Simmons, Leigh W. & Rix, Michael G., 2025, An integrative systematic revision of the wishbone spiders (Araneae: Anamidae: Aname L. Koch, 1873) of subtropical and tropical eastern Australia, with the description of 55 new species, pp. 1-298 in European Journal of Taxonomy 985 on pages 182-184, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.985.2845, http://zenodo.org/record/15169471