Lamponova wau Platnick

Type: Female holotype taken under bark of Araucaria cunninghami (upper stem, tree #6) at Beenleigh Lake, Wau, Morobe District, Papua New Guinea, 7°20'S, 146°40'E (Sept. 22, 1970; B. Gray), deposited in AMS (KS13251).

Etymology: The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

Diagnosis: Females of this small species can easily be distinguished from all other lamponines by the tiny median depression on the epigynum, which is apparent both dorsally and ventrally (figs. 323, 324).

Male: Unknown.

Female: Total length 3.9. Abdominal dorsum mostly light anteriorly, darkened in front of posterior white spot; legs unmarked. Epigynum with small, semicircular depression situated between spermathecae (fig. 323); spermathecae with twisted anterior portion, on long stalked ducts (fig. 324).

Other Material Examined: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Corunna Lake, 36°17'S, 150°07'E, June 2, 1989, pitfall, dry sclerophyll forest (G. Cassis, AMS KS21697), 1F_F. Victoria: Cobon South Coupe, 37°25'S, 148°58'E, Mar. 5--12, 1992, upslope pitfall (R. Coy, NMV K3609), 1F_F. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Morobe District: Beenleigh Lake, Wau, 7°20'S, 146°40'E, Sept. 22, 1970, under bark of Araucaria cunninghami, upper stem, tree #7 (B. Gray, AMS KS13260), 1F_F; Stony Lake, Bulolo, 6°45'S, 146°30'E, Aug. 18, 1970, under bark of Araucaria cunninghami, upper stem, tree #1 (B. Gray, AMS KS13211), 1F_F (penultimate but with full epigynum).

Distribution: Known only from southeastern Australia (map 38), and from New Guinea. It is possible that the species actually occurs from New Guinea to Victoria but has not yet been collected in Queensland; alternatively, the northern or southern records could represent introductions.

Figs. 323--325. 323, 324. Lamponova wau Platnick. 323. Epigynum, ventral view. 324. Same, dorsal view. 325. Lamponella ainslie Platnick, female cephalothorax, ventral view.

Map 38. Records of Lamponata daviesae Platnick (circles) and Lamponova wau Platnick (squares, Australian records only).