Maratus volpei Schubert 2020, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Schubert, Joseph
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Salticidae
Maratus
Maratus volpei

description: Maratus volpei sp. nov.
(Figs 45 A–F, 46A–C, 47A–C, 48A–D, 49A–D, 50A–C, 51A–F)
Material examined. MALE HOLOTYPE (SAM-NN30454) from Australia, South Australia, Lake Hart, 31°13’54.3” S, 136°24’10.7” E, 6 Nov 2018. PARATYPES: 3 male, 2 female (SAM- NN30455–30459), same collection data as holotype.
Etymology. The specific name (volpei) is a patronym in honour of ecologist Nick Volpe who provided photographs and specimens of this species for this study.
Diagnosis. This species belongs to the Maratus fimbriatus group (Otto & Hill 2019), with respect to the embolic disc of the male palp with a wide front, covered with frontal ridges and a deep lateral groove forming a wheelrim-like shape, and by the courtship display of the male which displays with the first pair of legs raised. The male of this distinctive species can be readily identified from other members of this species group by the unique iridescent golden scales which cover the dorsal opisthosoma (Fig. 45 A–F). The females resemble other females in the Maratus fimbriatus group, and identification may not be possible without association with a male. The structures of the external male and female genitalia are of little use in distinguishing this species from other members of the Maratus fimbriatus group.
Description. Male. Carapace black and thickly covered with white setae on the rear and lateral slopes. Ocular quadrangle region lightly covered in red-orange scales (Fig. 45A, E, F). PME closer to PLE than to ALE. AME ringed with orange-brown scales. Anterior ocular region with dense cover of red-orange scales, lateral margins lighter. Clypeus black with light covering of black setae (Fig. 45D, F). Chelicerae black and glabrous. Coxae, labium, and endites pale and glabrous. Sternum dark brown with light covering of fine, white setae (Fig. 46C).
Dorsal opisthosomal plate densely covered with iridescent gold scales. Subelliptical patch of black scales covers approximately 1/3 of anterodorsal opisthosoma, outer edges fading to red-orange. Lateral margins of dorsal opisthosoma with small opisthosomal flaps fringed with black setae, red-orange toward edges (Fig. 45A, B, E). Anterior margin of dorsal opisthosoma lightly covered with white scales. Stout, white setae project upwards at midline.
Legs I and II subequal in length, legs III and IV longer, legs III longest. Each leg with thick covering of white setae, integument beneath bright yellow. Metatarsal/tibial joints of each leg with light ring of dark grey-black setae. Tarsi of each leg tipped with dark grey-black setae (Fig. 45 A–F).
Pedipalp covered dorsally with long white setae, integument below bright yellow. Relatively large male palpal bulb with retrolateral sperm duct loop, large, angular retrobasal tegular lobe, finger-like RTA. Embolic disc with a wide front, covered with frontal ridges and a deep lateral groove forming a wheel-rim-like shape (Fig. 47 A–C).
Female. Entire carapace with thick covering of white and red-brown setae, lacking any sort of distinctive patterns or markings (Fig. 48 A–D). Integument below black. Stout, black setae project forwards on carapace.
PME closer to PLE than to ALE. Each anterior eye ringed with bright, white scales or setae. Many long white setae project downwards from below AME over clypeus forming triangular shape. Clypeus covered with short, white and red-brown setae (Fig. 48A). Chelicerae dark brown and glabrous. Coxae, endites, and labium dark brown, translucent and mostly glabrous. Sternum dark brown with light covering of fine, white setae (Fig. 49C).
Dorsal and lateral opisthosoma with thick covering of white and red-brown setae. Lateral and ventral opisthosoma light brown. Colular tuft of white setae present anterior to dark grey spinnerets.
Each leg with thick cover of long white setae, integument below light brown to yellow. Pedipalps light brown to yellow with thick cover of long white setae (Fig. 48 A–D). Epigynum with pair of large ovate fossae separated by septum; relatively small, ovate posterior spermatheca behind each fossa. Sclerotized ducts present anterior to each spermatheca (Fig. 49D).
Variation. The size of the subelliptical patch of black scales on the dorsal opisthosoma of the males vary in size between specimens in the type series. The covering of white setae on the carapace of both males and females may be more or less distinct due to scales rubbing off (Fig. 51 A–F).
Courtship display. In some respects, the courtship display resembles that of other members of the Maratus fimbriatus group. The opisthosoma of the male is raised and the small opisthosomal flaps are extended. The male raises legs I and II and jerks from side to side while the opisthosoma remains elevated as the female approaches. Between each jerking motion, the male will lower either one or two of the raised legs I and/or II at seemingly random intervals (Fig. 50 A–C). (Note: only partial courtship display observed, the males may exhibit a more complete courtship display with multiple modes of courtship).
Dimensions. Male. Total length: 5.47–6.14 (5.83±0.07, n=4). Carapace length 3.23– 3.29 (3.27±0.02, n=4). Opisthosoma length 2.20–2.85 (2.57±0.27, n=4). Leg I length: 4.08–4.20 (4.14±0.05, n=4). Leg II length: 4.08–4.16 (4.13±0.04, n=4). Leg III length: 4.76–4.90 (4.85±0.05, n=4). Leg IV length: 4.39–4.51 (4.44±0.05, n=4).
Dimensions. Female. Total length: 6.56–6.57 (6.57±0.01, n=2). Carapace length 3.12–3.72 (3.42 ±0.03, n=2). Opisthosoma length 2.84–3.44 (3.14±0.30, n=2). Leg I length: 4.09–4.12 (4.11±0.02, n=2). Leg II length: 4.11–4.13 (4.12±0.01, n=2). Leg III length: 4.44–4.47 (4.46±0.02, n=2). Leg IV length: 4.19–4.24 (4.22±0.03, n=2).
Distribution. Known only from the type locality at Lake Hart, South Australia (Fig. 1). Curiously, this species was found on the surface of the salt lake shown in Fig. 14.
description: Published as part of Schubert, Joseph, 2020, Seven new species of Australian peacock spiders (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryini: Maratus Karsch, 1878), pp. 1-44 in Zootaxa 4758 (1) on pages 37-41, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4758.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3730652