Abstract
The new genus Hortophora in the orb-weaving spider family Araneidae Clerck, 1757 is established to include 13 species from the Australasian-Pacific region, with ten species known from Australia (five of which new to science): Hortophora biapicata (L. Koch, 1871), comb. nov. (type species) (= Araneus biapicatifera Strand, 1907, syn. nov.; = Epeira frosti Hogg, 1896, syn. nov.); H. cucullussp. nov.; H. lodicula (Keyserling, 1887), comb. nov. (= Epeira scutigerens Hogg, 1900, syn. nov.); H. megacanthasp. nov.; H. porongurupsp. nov.; H. tatianeaesp. nov.; H. transmarina (Keyserling, 1865), comb. nov.) (also known from Papua New Guinea); H. urbana (Keyserling, 1887), comb. nov.; H. walesiana (Karsch, 1878), comb. nov. (= Epeira rhombocephalaThorell 1881, syn. nov.; = Epeira lutulenta Keyserling, 1886, syn. nov.); and H. yesabahsp. nov. The following species of Hortophoragen. nov. are recognised from the Pacific region but not revised in detail due to a lack of material, specifically mature males: Hortophora capitalis (L. Koch, 1871), comb. nov. (removed from synonymy with H. transmarinacomb. nov.) from Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu; H. flavicoma (Simon, 1880), comb. nov. from New Caledonia (incl. Loyalty Islands) and H. viridis (Keyserling, 1865), comb. nov. (removed from synonymy with H. transmarinacomb. nov.) from Samoa. Epeira thyridota Thorell, 1870 is here removed from synonymy with H. transmarinacomb. nov. and transferred to Backobourkia Framenau, Dupérré, Blackledge & Vink, 2010, B. thyridota (Thorell, 1870), comb. nov.Hortophoragen. nov. includes medium-sized to large, nocturnal orb-weaving spiders typically with subtriangular to ovoid abdomen bearing humeral humps. The tibiae of the second leg in males is usually enlarged with numerous strong spines and an apico-ventral megaspur carrying a large spine in some species. Male pedipalps generally have an elongated, transverse median apophysis ending in a bifid tip in most species, a sinuous to straight embolus and a bubble-shaped terminal apophysis. The female epigyne scape is highly elongated and does not have a terminal pocket. Genital mutilation, i.e. breaking off the epigyne scape during copulation, is common in some species. Hortophoragen. nov. include the most frequently collected nocturnal orb-weaving spiders in Australia.
Highlights
Following their original descriptions in the mid- to late 1800s, few species of Australian orb-weaving spiders in the family Araneidae Clerck, 1757 have attracted detailed taxonomic attention (e.g., Davies 1980; Levi 1983; Framenau et al 2010; Framenau 2011; Joseph and Framenau 2012; Kallal and Hormiga 2018; Castanheira et al 2019)
There are some notable differences in the main male pedipalp sclerites of the Nearctic species, two macrosetae on the patella (only one in species from Australia and New Zealand; see Davies (1980)), the much more elongate radix and stipes, and the median apophysis of the male pedipalp not forming an arch over the radix as in the Australian species
This study is a substantial contribution to resolving the taxonomy of the Australian Araneidae
Summary
Following their original descriptions in the mid- to late 1800s, few species of Australian orb-weaving spiders in the family Araneidae Clerck, 1757 have attracted detailed taxonomic attention (e.g., Davies 1980; Levi 1983; Framenau et al 2010; Framenau 2011; Joseph and Framenau 2012; Kallal and Hormiga 2018; Castanheira et al 2019). The genital morphology of Nearctic Eriophora, including the type species E. ravilla (C.L. Koch, 1845), is similar to Australasian species currently placed in that genus, the overall structure of male pedipalp sclerites, the generally enlarged tibia of the second leg in males and the very long epigyne scape of females. Nearctic Eriophora males have macrosetae on the trochanter of the fourth leg (see Levi 1971, figs 7, 48), which are absent in Australian species
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