Harlanethis lipscombae Álvarez-Padilla & Kallal & Hormiga 2020, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando
name: Kallal, Robert J.
name: Hormiga, Gustavo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Tetragnathidae
Harlanethis
Harlanethis lipscombae

description: Harlanethis lipscombae, sp. nov.
Figures 39–42, 44, 60
TYPE MATERIAL: Female holotype from Queensland, Mt. Halifax, SE Ridge, 19° 7′ S, 146° 23′ E. 950 m. 19–21 March 1991, G.B. Monteith & D. Cook, Male allotype from NE Queensland, Millaa Millaa Falls, 17° 7″ S, 145° 36′ E. 834 m. 23–24 November 1994, G.B. Monteith. Both deposited at QM.
DIAGNOSIS: Harlanethis lipscombae is very similar to H. weintrauborum, but both sexes can be consistently distinguished from the latter species by details of the genitalia. In lateral view, the anterior margin of the triangular epigynal protrusion of H. lipscombae extends beyond the longitudinal grooves (figs. 39A, 44E), while in H. weintrauborum this anterior protrusion ends contiguous with the grooves’ edges (figs. 39B, 44G). In lateral view, the dorsal cymbial ridge of H. lipscombae is more pronounced (figs. 40E, 42D) than that of H. weintrauborum, the basal conductor sclerite ectal margin is projected ventrally in H. lipscombae (figs. 40E, 42B), in contrast with the flat basal conductor sclerite present in H. weintrauborum, and basal cymbial apophysis tip more acute (fig. 42C, F) than its homolog in H. weintrauborum (fig. 43C, E), although in some specimens this last difference is very subtle.
DESCRIPTION: Female (TEAU019, TEAU037, TEAU038, TEAU048) total length 5.13. Cephalothorax length 1.67, width 1.38. Clypeus height 0.78 AME diameter. Ultrastructure of abdomen and spinnerets observed with SEM. Abdomen cuticle flat reticulated; all tracheae tubular, median tracheae restricted to abdomen, tracheal atrium glands absent. ALS with one major ampullate, one nubbin, ca. 60 piriform, tartipores numerous. PMS with one minor ampullate, one nubbin, and one cylindrical and three central aciniform spigots. PLS araneoid tripled clustered together at the base, aggregate and flagelliform tips separated, ca. 14 aciniform spigots distributed in two parallel rows, with two cylindrical gland spigots at the periphery. Femur I length 2.96. Femora III and IV with ca. six prolateral trichobothria, distributed at the base, flagellum smooth. Spermathecae membranous (figs. 39E, 44C), internal surfaces covered with accessory gland ducts, duct bases acorn shaped (fig. 41E).
Male same as female except as noted. Total length 3.86. Cephalothorax length 1.71, width 1.35. Carapace dorsal coloration white to pale yellow. Clypeus 0.83 AME diameter, pale yellow. Sternum pale yellow. Femur I length 3.65. Right pedipalp expanded. Basal hematodocha highly expanded, bulb sclerites connected by membranous attachments that moved only slightly. Conductor attachment to the tegulum membranous. Conductor divided in three sclerites united by membranous joints (fig. 42E, G). The most basal conductor sclerite is roughly rectangular, with the other conductor sclerites originating at its apical surface. Apical conductor sclerites are lamelliform and longer than wide (figs. 39G, H, 42A, B). These two sclerites flank the embolus in unexpanded palps (figs. 41B, C, 43F), but this configuration changes after expansion freeing the embolus from this grove (fig. 42G). Description based on specimen (TEAU038).
VARIATION: Females (N = 2) total length 4.77– 5.13, cephalothorax length 1.67–1.78, width 1.31–1.38. The size of the triangular protrusion and the separation between the longitudinal grooves vary as observed in ventral view. The shape of the dorsal basal process tip varies from sharper to more blunt.
ETYMOLOGY: This species is named by the third author (G.H.) to honor protist systematist Diana Lipscomb, colleague and friend of the authors.
DISTRIBUTION: This species can be found in northeast Queensland, south of Cairns (fig. 60A).
A
C
MATERIAL EXAMINED: N = 17. AUSTRALIA: Queensland; Atherton Tablelands, Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat, waterfall trail, 17° 18′ 51.1″ S, 145° 42′ 8.6″ E, 770 m, G. Hormiga, L. Lopardo, 15–17 March 2006, rainforest around waterfall, 1 female (measurement voucher FAPM003) GWU; Crater Lakes National Park, Lake Barrine, 17° 14′ 41.5″ S, 145° 38′ 31″ E, 808 m, G. Hormiga, N. Scharff, J. Pedersen, 9–10 February 2012, Rainforest Walk Trail, night collection, 1 female, GWU GH1144; Bellenden Ker Range, 1/ 2 km S Cable Tower No 7, 17° 14′ 38.23″ S, 145° 53′ 31.69″ E, 500 m, 1–7 November 1981, 1 female 2 immatures, QM S27772; Danbulla State Forest, Robson Creek Rd., 2 km N by road from Danbulla Forest Drive, 17° 7′ S, 145° 37′ E 836 m. G. Milledge, 25 April 1998, rainforest, 2 males, 1 female (1 male image and SEM voucher TEAU038, right palp expanded left used for SEM) AM KS52425; Millaa Millaa Falls, 17° 30′ S, 145° 36′ E, 834 m. G.B. Monteith, 23-24 November 1994, 1 male Allotype, 3 females (2 used for SEM voucher TEAU037) QM S32487; Millaa Millaa Falls, 17° 30′ S, 145° 36′ E, 834 m. G.B. Monteith, 16 May 1995 1 female QM S38095; Mt Fisher Kjellberg Rd., 17° 32″ S, 145° 33″ E, 1100 m. G.B. Monteith, 17–18 May 1995, 2 females (1 used for cleared epigynum voucher TEAU019) QM S43944. Mt. Halifax SE Ridge, 19° 7′ 12″ S, 146° 13′ 48″ E, 950 m. G. Monteith & D. Cook, 19–21 March 1991 1 female Holotype QM S17955. Mt. Williams Summit, 16° 55′ S, 145° 40′ E, 1000 m, G. Monteith & D. Cook, 27–28 November 1997, 1 female (image and description voucher TEAU048) QM S41804.
description: Published as part of Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando, Kallal, Robert J. & Hormiga, Gustavo, 2020, Taxonomy And Phylogenetics Of Nanometinae And Other Australasian Orb-Weaving Spiders (Araneae: Tetragnathidae), pp. 1-107 in Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2020 (438) on pages 1-107, DOI: 10.1206/0003-0090.438.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4613901