Barrow Island Grass Orb-weaver Larinia tumulus Framenau & Castanheira, 2022

Fauna Portal species: 313

Order: Araneae (Spiders)

Family: Araneidae

Diagnosis

(after Framenau & Castanheira, 2022) Larinia tumulus is by far the smallest Larinia species in Australia (body length males < 3 mm, females < 4 mm; all other species: males > 4 mm, females > 5 mm (Framenau & Scharff 2008). The median apophysis of the male pedipalp is unique amongst Australian species with two spine-like dorsal prongs; most similar is L. sexta but the prongs in that species are much stronger. Similarly, the large, ovoid, flat epigynum is unique amongst Australian Larinia, that of L. sexta has a much more pronounced median septum.

Linnean Holotype

1 ♀

Western Australian Museum

T153635

26.09.2015

Australia

Western Australia

Barrow Island, HDD (Horizontal Direct Drill) Site, near communications tower

litter sample

Australia

Western Australia

Similar Species

Larinia sexta Framenau & Castanheira, 2022

Publications

Framenau VW & Castanheira PdeS (2022): Two new species in the orb-weaving spider genus Larinia Simon, 1874 (Araneae, Araneidae) from Western Australia. Zootaxa.

Framenau VW & Scharff N (2008): The orb-weaving spider genus Larinia in Australia (Araneae: Araneidae). Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny. 66: 227 - 250

Atlas of Living Australia

Volker Framenau, 04 January 2022