Aname fuscochelicera 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 fuscochelicera

description: Aname fuscochelicera sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: CAFD1275-4A9D-4EBE-AEAF-9D327B0E8A82
Figs 1, 12, 84–85
Diagnosis
Males of A. fuscochelicera sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known except A. inglewood sp. nov., A. nigrochelicera sp. nov., and A. rubrochelicera sp. nov. by a moderate to large body size (carapace length>4.0 mm), the presence of a short embolus (embolus length/ bulb length <1.5) that is short, thick, and relatively straight, and a small, triangular tibial spur (Fig. 84L–Q). Males of A. fuscochelicera can be distinguished from those of A. nigrochelicera and A. rubrochelicera by the presence of a longer embolus (embolus length /bulb length>0.9) (Fig. 84L–M; cf. Figs 87, 90). Males of A. fuscochelicera can be distinguished from those of A. inglewood by the presence of a shorter, less curved embolus (embolus length / bulb length <1) (Fig. 84L–M; cf. Fig. 86).
Females of A. fuscochelicera sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which females are known except A. fossoria sp. nov., A. nigrochelicera sp. nov., A. nigrotarsa sp. nov., A. rubrochelicera sp. nov., and A. savannensis sp. nov. by the presence of spermathecae with two vesicles, with very short, wide lateral vesicles (lateral vesicle length/ genitalia width <0.25) and thinner medial vesicles projecting from the ventral face of the lateral vesicles (Fig. 85A–L). Females of A. fuscochelicera can be distinguished from those of A. nigrochelicera, A. rubrochelicera, and A. savannensis by the presence of spermathecae with tightly undulating medial vesicles (Fig. 85L; cf. Figs 88, 91, 93). Females of A. fuscochelicera can be distinguished from those of A. fossoria and A. nigrotarsa by the presence of dark red-brown chelicerae (Fig. 85A, C; cf. Figs 83, 89).
Etymology
The specific epithet ‘ fuscochelicera ’ is an adjective formed from the Latin ‘ fuscus ’, meaning ‘dark’ or ‘dusky’, and ‘ chelicera ’, referring to the mouthparts of arachnids. Combined, the epithet references the dark chelicerae of this species.
Type material
Holotype
AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; Dooloogarah Station, via Mitchell; 24°53′ S, 147°47′ E; Mr Rhodes leg.; QMB S9752.
Paratypes
AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♀; Mount Tabor Station, ca 153.6 km NNE of Morven; 25°08′ S, 147°41′ E; 14 Dec. 2020; E. Amsters leg.; excavated, brown silty loam with surface rocks, sclerophyll forest; QMB S118237 • 1 ♀; Mount Tabor Station, ca 149.7 km NNE of Morven; 25°09′ S, 147°37′ E; 8 Dec. 2020; C. Eddie and E. Amsters leg.; excavated, sandy soil bank at base of large sandstone boulder, sclerophyll forest amongst sandstone ridges; QMB S118234 • 1 ♀; Mount Tabor Station, ca 149.7 km NNE of Morven; 25°09′ S, 147°37′ E; 15 Dec. 2020; E. Amsters and A. Hoffmann leg.; excavated, sandy soil bank at base of large sandstone boulder, sclerophyll forest; QMB S118235.
Other material examined
AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 1 ♂; Mitchell; 26°28′ S, 147°54′ E; 26 Feb. 2017; C. Silvester leg.; QMB S107402. – New South Wales • 1 ♂; Lightning Ridge; 29°20′ S, 147°43′ E; 6 Feb. 1991; L. Abra leg.; QMB S34606 • 1 ♂; Lightning Ridge; 29°26′ S, 147°59′ E; 6 Feb. 1997; L. Abra leg.; AMS KS50814.
Description
Male (holotype, QMB S9752)
GENERAL (Fig. 84A–Q). Body length 17.64, in good condition, colour presumably faded due to preservation.
DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 84A, E–F). Carapace length 7.06, width 5.96, length/width 1.18, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.67, caput width/carapace width 0.73, carapace red-brown, reflective setae present, light on caput, light on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.11 (Fig. 84A, F); chelicerae dark red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.50 (Fig. 84A); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.84, eye tubercle present (Fig. 84E).
ABDOMEN (Fig. 84B, D). Abdomen length 7.15, grey-brown, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.
VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 84C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 84H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 77, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 35% of maxillae length (Fig. 84C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 84C, I); sternum length/width 1.13, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges, setae at higher density around anterior edges (Fig. 84G–H); posterior sigilla semi-elongate, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.25, posterior sigilla length/ sternum length 0.17 (Fig. 84G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 84G–H).
LEG I (Fig. 84N–Q). Leg I orange-brown, reflective setae on dorsal femur, femur length 6.30, patella length 3.55, tibia length 4.57, metatarsus length 4.88, tarsus length 3.15, total length 22.46, leg I length/ carapace length 3.18 (Fig. 84N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 84N–O); spine count Fe D 3, Fe PL 2, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 84N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.70, even width along length, spur present, triangular, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 30 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.52, spur height/tibia width [TISH/ TID] 0.67, megaspine length/tibia length 0.26 (Fig. 84N–P); metatarsus relatively straight, proximal excavation present, excavation concave with slight heel, heel semi-sharp, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.42, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 5.42 (Fig. 84N–O, Q).
PEDIPALP (Fig. 84J–M). Tibia length 2.69, width 1.17, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.31, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.61, retrolateral face with consistent covering of light setae, ventral face with two elongate bristle-like setae below depression, prolateral face with patch of spines on distal half, disto-medial spine present (Fig. 84J–K); patella prolateral face with 2 spines (Fig. 84J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 84J–K); copulatory organ total length 1.52, length/palp tibia length 0.56 (Fig. 84L–M); bulb length/width 1.06 (Fig. 84L–M); embolus tapering from bulb, short and thick, flanged with hooked tip, angled, pointed tip, width at base/bulb width 0.29, embolus length/bulb length 0.94 (Fig. 84L–M).
Female (paratype, QMB S118235)
GENERAL (Fig. 85A–L). Body length 22.26, in good condition.
DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 85A, E–F). Carapace length 7.56, width 6.34, length/width 1.19, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.68, caput width/carapace width 0.75, carapace pallid-orange, reflective setae absent or inconspicuous, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.15 (Fig. 85A, F); chelicerae dark red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.54 (Fig. 85A); eye group rectangular, width/length 2.1, eye tubercle present (Fig. 85E).
ABDOMEN (Fig. 85B, D). Abdomen length 10.71, tan-brown, darker dorsally and lighter laterally, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.
VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 85C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 85H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count =about 65, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 30% of maxillae length (Fig. 85C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 85C, I); sternum length/width 1.17, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges, symmetrical pattern of distinct elongate setae on central sternum (Fig. 85G–H); posterior sigilla semi-elongate, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.24, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.16 (Fig. 85G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 85G–H).
LEG I (Fig. 85J–K). Leg I pallid-orange, darker on metatarsus and tarsus, femur length 6.05, patella length 3.89, tibia length 4.42, metatarsus length 3.77, tarsus length 2.60, total length 20.74, leg I length/ carapace length 2.74; scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus; spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 4, Ti RL 4, Me PL 2, Me RL 3, Ta 0; tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.20.
GENITALIA (Fig. 85D, L). Epigastric furrow unmodified (Fig. 85D); spermathecae with two vesicles each (Fig. 85L); lateral vesicle very wide, short and roughly triangular, length 0.19, lateral vesicle length/ genitalia width 0.14, length/width at base 0.35, crown distinct and narrow (Fig. 85L); medial vesicle short, undulating, and projecting postero-ventrally, medial vesicle length/genitalia width 0.19, length/ width 2.62, medial vesicle length/lateral vesicle length 1.39 (Fig. 85L).
Distribution and natural history
Aname fuscochelicera sp. nov. occurs in northern New South Wales and central/southern Queensland, in the Brigalow Belt South and Darling Riverine Plains bioregions. Its distribution extends from Lightning Ridge north to Carnarvon National Park (Fig. 12). The form of burrows constructed by spiders of this species is unknown, but is likely to be similar to that of other rubrochelicera -complex species (Fig. 12).
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 133-135, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.985.2845, http://zenodo.org/record/15169471