Review of the Australian and New Zealand orb-weaving spider genus Novakiella (Araneae, Araneidae)

Abba, a new monotypic genus of orb-weaving spiders (Araneae, Araneidae) from Australia

A new monotypic genus in the orb-weaving spider family Araneidae Clerck, 1757 is described from Australia: Abbagen. nov., with Abba transversa (Rainbow, 1912) comb. nov. as the type species. It differs from all other genera in the family by somatic characters, specifically a patch of approximately five long spines on the prolateral surface of the first leg in males and an abdominal colouration with a pair of two central spots dorsally on a creamy-white surface. Specimens of A. transversacomb. nov. have been collected in Queensland and New South Wales, where the species is largely summer-mature. We also provide a genus level summary of all Australian Araneidae, currently consisting of 230 described species and eight subspecies in 46 genera.

The new Australian leaf-curling orb-weaving spider genus Leviana (Araneae, Araneidae)

The new Australian orb-weaving spider genus Levianagen. nov. is described to include five species, all known from both sexes: Leviana dimidiata (L. Koch, 1871) comb. nov. (type species) (= Epeira sylvicola Rainbow, 1897 syn. nov.), L. cincinnatasp. nov., L. foliumsp. nov., L. minimasp. nov. and L. mulieraria (Keyserling, 1887) comb. nov. Male pedipalp morphology, specifically the presence of a single patella spine and the median apophysis forming an arch over the radix, place Levianagen. nov. in the informal Australian ‘backobourkiine’ clade; however, the genus differs from all other genera of this group by the presence of a spine inside the basal median apophysis arch of the male pedipalp, an epigyne that is wider than long with a scape that is approximately as long as the epigyne (but often broken off) and a lack of humeral humps on the elongate ovoid abdomen. In addition, unlike any other backobourkiine, Levianagen. nov. incorporate a rolled leaf as retreat into the periphery of their web. Levianagen. nov. species exhibit only a moderate sexual size dimorphism with female to male ratios between 1.3 and 1.7. Levianagen. nov. occurs in eastern Australia from northern Queensland in the north to Victoria in the south, with a single tropical species, L. mulierariacomb. nov., spreading into northern Western Australia.

Castanheira P. Revision of the new Australasian orb-weaving spider genus Salsa (Araneae, Araneidae)

A new Australasian genus in the orb-weaving spider family Araneidae Clerck, 1757 is described to include seven species: Salsafuliginata (L. Koch, 1871) comb. nov. (type species; = Epeirarubicundula Keyserling, 1887) syn. nov.) (Australia, introduced to New Zealand); S.brisbanae (L. Koch, 1867) comb. nov. (Australia); S.canalae (Berland, 1924) comb. nov. (New Caledonia); S.neneba sp. nov. (Papua New Guinea); S.recherchensis (Main, 1954) comb. nov. (Australia); S.rueda sp. nov. (Australia); and S.tartara sp. nov. (Australia; Lord Howe Island endemic). Salsa gen. nov. belongs to the Australasian informal backobourkiine clade and differs from other genera of this clade by a distinct abdominal shape (single posterior abdominal tubercle) and ventral colouration (pale lateral spindle-shaped bands), male pedipalp morphology (C-shaped median apophysis that has teeth-like tubercles inside the basal arch) and the shape of the female epigyne scape (partially translucent and generally shorter than the epigyne plate). Based mainly on male pedipalp morphology within the backobourkiines, Salsa gen. nov. has closest morphological affinities with Acroaspis Karsch, 1878 and Socca Framenau, Castanheira & Vink, 2022.

A new genus of Australian orb-weaving spider with extreme sexual size dimorphism (Araneae, Araneidae)

The new Australian orb-weaving spider genus Mangrovia in the family Araneidae Clerck, 1757 is described. It is characterised by extreme sexual size-dimorphism (eSSD) with females (total length 8–10 mm) ca. 3 to 5 times larger than males (2.5–3 mm). Whilst Mangrovia shares with the informal Australian ‘backobourkiine’ clade a single seta on the male pedipalp patella, the genus is probably more closely related to the ‘zealaraneines’ or associated genera. In addition to eSSD and the single patellar spine, the genus is characterised by a distinct subterminal embolus branch in males. The new genus includes two species: the type species Mangrovia albida (L. Koch, 1871) comb. nov. (= Epeira fastidiosa Keyserling, 1887, new syn.) from Queensland and Mangrovia occidentalissp. nov. from Western Australia. Both species are apparently coastal and occur in mangroves, but also in riparian woodland. Spiders were found resting in rolled-up leaves adjacent to their orb-web.