Ticopa, Raven, 2015
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3958.1.1 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A722F37A-A630-4284-B00B-D684C90298E2 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/EE1B87BD-F4D9-FF07-6BFA-F92583DEB6DB |
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treatment provided by |
Plazi |
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scientific name |
Ticopa |
| status |
gen. nov. |
Ticopa View in CoL gen. nov.
Diagnosis. Males differ from those of other Australian Castianeirinae in the combination of the palpal cymbium with a paracymbial spine and bulb with lobular scaly embolic base. Females are distinguished from those of other genera by the wide, black, distinctly enlarged fang setae in combination with the simple bilobed spermathecae, and from Battalus , which also may have much stronger fang setae, in the simpler less folded form of the spermathecae.
Description. Both males and females have boldly marked carapace and legs ( Figs 2f View FIGURE 2 , 129a, b View FIGURE 129 ). Spines prolaterally on tibiae and metatarsi I and II. Labium wider than long ( Fig. 129d View FIGURE 129 ). Carapace boldly marked ( Fig. 129a, b View FIGURE 129 ). Lateral profile of carapace ( Fig. 2f View FIGURE 2 ): caput arched anteriorly, sloping through slight arch in shallow slope from fovea along posterior declivity; highest point just behind eye group; eyes set behind clypeus edge. Retrolateral face of large chelicerae smooth; females with wide black distinctly enlarged fang setae ( Fig. 131b, c View FIGURE 131 ). Legs boldly marked ( Figs 2f View FIGURE 2 , 129a, b View FIGURE 129 ), strongly spinose; feathery hairs and scales absent; femora III and IV lack predistal constricton ( Fig. 2f View FIGURE 2 ); scopula present on pedal tarsi. Abdominal scutes reduced or absent: in males and some females, small triangular dorsal scute, ventral scute entirely absent in males and females; post-epigastric sclerites absent; tracheal scute a small ridge or cone. Male palpal cymbium with paracymbial spine ( Fig. 126a View FIGURE 126 ); bulb with lobular scaly embolic base ( Fig. 126h View FIGURE 126 ). Females with two crescentic (biconcave) fossae externally ( Fig. 126c View FIGURE 126 ), almost complete circular ridges, leading to large anterior spermathecae connected shortly and simply to smaller basal lobe; paragenital brackets present ( Fig. 131e View FIGURE 131 , 132a View FIGURE 132 ).
Etymology. The genus name is formed from tiger, alluding to the leg markings ( Fig. 2f View FIGURE 2 ) and Copa ; the gender is feminine.
Type species: Ticopa australis View in CoL sp. nov.
Species included. Ticopa australis View in CoL sp. nov., T. carnarvon View in CoL sp. nov., T. chinchilla View in CoL sp. nov., T. dingo View in CoL sp. nov., T. hudsoni View in CoL sp. nov., and T. longbottomi View in CoL sp. nov.
Distribution and Habitat. Known from arid regions throughout Australia, excluding Tasmania.
Remarks. Ticopa shows the least apparent modifications to ant-mimicry; in similar species of Battalus , regionalisation of dark colour on the head ( Fig. 25a–c View FIGURE 25 ), e.g., as in B. diadens , confers a limited form of mimicry.
Key to species of Ticopa View in CoL
Males (unknown for T. hudsoni View in CoL sp. nov. and T. dingo View in CoL sp. nov.) 1. Mottling ventrally on femora I and II subtle or absent................................................ T. carnarvon View in CoL
Mottling ventrally on femora I and II strong ( Figs 2f View FIGURE 2 , 129a, b View FIGURE 129 ).................................................. 2 2(1). Mottling ventrally on tibiae I and II strong......................................................... T. chinchilla View in CoL
Mottling ventrally on tibiae I and II weak or subtle ( Fig. 2f View FIGURE 2 ).................................................... 3 3(2). Median cephalic band wide for its length ( Fig. 126f View FIGURE 126 ).................................................. T. australis View in CoL
Median cephalic band broken at least at fovea ( Fig. 129f View FIGURE 129 )........................................... T. longbottomi View in CoL Females (unknown for T. chinchilla View in CoL sp. nov.) 1. No enlarged setae on front lobe of chelicerae........................................................ T. australis View in CoL
Setae enlarged to varying extents on cheliceral lobe ( Figs 128 e, f View FIGURE 128 , 129c View FIGURE 129 , 131b, c View FIGURE 131 )................................... 2 2(1). Setae on chelicerae lobe short, strong, spine-like............................................................. 3
Setae on chelicerae lobe elongate ( Fig. 134e View FIGURE 134 )..................................................... T. longbottomi View in CoL 3. 6–8 very large thick serrate setae ( Fig. 131b, c View FIGURE 131 ) on cheliceral lobe in two lines............................... T. dingo View in CoL
3–4 thick and serrate setae on cheliceral lobe (as in T. dingo View in CoL , Fig. 131b View FIGURE 131 )........................................... 4 4(3). Spermathecae viewed externally clearly strongly folded posteriorly ( Fig. 133c View FIGURE 133 ).............................. T. hudsoni View in CoL
Spermathecae viewed externally hardlyfolded posteriorly ( Fig. 127e View FIGURE 127 )................................... T. carnarvon View in CoL
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.