Tasmanicosa kochorum Framenau & Baehr, 2016, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Framenau, Volker W.
name: Baehr, Barbara C.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Lycosidae
Tasmanicosa
Tasmanicosa kochorum

description: Tasmanicosa kochorum sp. nov.
Koch’s wolf spider
(Figs 3Q, 4F, 6B, 7B, 15A–K, 16)
Type data. Holotype. Male, Ransome Reserve [27°29'S, 153°11'E, Queensland, AUSTRALIA], 30 October–1 December 2003, QM Museum party, Casuarina woodland (QM S68828).
Paratype. Female, Illaweena St, Drewvale [27°38'S, 153°03'E, Queensland, AUSTRALIA], 31 October–1 December 2003, QM party, scribbly gum, heath, pitfall trap (QM S68829).
Other material examined. 103 males, 125 females (6 with eggsac, 7 with spiderlings) and 25 juveniles in 157 records (Appendix B).
Etymology. The specific epithet honours Carl Ludwig Koch (1778–1857) and his son Ludwig Carl Christian Koch (1825–1908), both eminent German arachnologists and contributors to the taxonomy of the Australian arachnofauna.
Diagnosis. Males of T. kochorum (Fig. 3Q) most resemble T. godeffroyi (Fig. 3M) but the tegular apophysis ridge is much longer. Females of T. kochorum (Fig. 4F), T. stella (Fig. 26G) and T. subrufa (Fig. 4K) are the only species with a medially bulging median septum; they differ from T. stella in the lack of a distinct light median pattern on the carapace and from T. subrufa in the much shorter median septum.
Description. Male (based on holotype, QM S68828).
Total length 14.8.
Prosoma. Length 8.5, width 6.5; reddish-brown with genus-specific Union-Jack pattern and distinct median and irregular marginal light bands (Fig. 15A); sternum black (Fig. 15C).
Eyes. Diameter of AME 0.28, ALE 0.27, PME 0.64, PLE 0.58.
Chelicerae. Black, with an elongated patch of golden setae frontally.
Labium. Black with lighter anterior rim (Fig. 15C).
Endites. Brown, somewhat darker antero-laterally (Fig. 15C).
Legs. Greyish-brown and covered with silvery setae; venter of coxae dark brown (Fig. 15C).
Opisthosoma. Length 6.8, width 4.6; dorsally with dark folium pattern that is bordered by light setae (Fig. 15A); venter black (Fig. 15C).
Pedipalps. Cymbium dorsally with dense layer of silvery setae; tip with 5–7 macrosetae (Figs 15E–F); tegular apophysis ridge about three quarters of tegular apophysis width, almost straight (Figs 6B, 15J–K); embolus very thin along its length and slightly curved apically; terminal apophysis broad, sickle-shaped (Figs 7B, 15I).
Female (based on paratype, QM S68829).
Total length 15.2.
Prosoma. Length 9.3, width 6.6; carapace and sternum colouration as male (Fig. 15B, D).
Eyes. Diameter of AME 0.17; ALE 0.24; PME 0.65; PLE 0.71.
Chelicerae, labium, endites, legs and opisthosoma. Opisthosoma length 5.7, width 4.3; otherwise as male, but dorsal pattern of opisthosoma more demarcated with folium pattern of sharper angles (Fig. 15B, D).
Epigyne. About as long as wide, median septum inverted T-shaped and medially bulging (Fig. 15G); spermathecal heads almost globular, spermathecal stalks twisted (Fig. 15H).
Life history and habitat preferences. Habitat descriptions with records of T. kochorum are very variable and include a number of open woodlands and forests, i.e. blackbutt and ironbark, rainforest, vine thickets, creek bed and banks and mudflats near ocean, grasslands and heathlands, but also areas near human habitation (gardens, paddocks). A number of specimens have also been found wandering into houses. Males have been found throughout the year with largest numbers between September and February, with similar activity extending into March. Females with eggsacs were recorded in September and October and then again in March, females carrying spiderlings from November to March.
Distribution. Tasmanicosa kochorum is largely a south-eastern Queensland species, but has been found into northern New South Wales (Fig. 16).
description: Published as part of Framenau, Volker W. & Baehr, Barbara C., 2016, Revision of the Australian Union-Jack wolf spiders, genus Tasmanicosa (Araneae, Lycosidae, Lycosinae), pp. 1-82 in Zootaxa 4213 (1) on pages 29-31, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4213.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/253033