Venomius

Fauna Portal Genus Number: 2198

(After Rossi et al. 2023): Somatically, specimens of Venomius resemble those of Phonognatha due to the similar abdomen shape and colouration of both genera (elongate cylindrical with dark brown to black markings dorsally on paler area). However, the genital morphology of Venomius  is quite different from Phonognatha. Males do not have the genital synapomorphies of Phonognatha (i.e., the conductor in which the embolus lies or the lack of a median apophysis) nor do females (epigyne without scape and lobed spermathecae). Similarly, the genital morphology is very different to that of Deliochus  and Artiphex, the other representatives of the Phonognathinae/Phonognathidae in Australia.

Within an Australian context, an elongate cylindrical abdomen is also present in Leviana, but genital morphology is also very different in this genus. The male pedipalp in Leviana has a median apophysis with a basal arch over the radix that carries an internal spur, a proposed synapomorphy of Leviana. In contrast, Venomius gen. nov. do not have such an arch or spur. Female epigynes of Leviana have an elongated thin scape (although it is often broken off), but the scape is short and broad in Venomius gen. nov. covering the epigyne atrium.

The following characters diagnose Venomius: the male pedipalp has two strong macrosetae on the tibia, a finger-like, long paracymbium; a stipes carrying two prominent processes, a median keel and a basal round protrusion. The female epigyne is wholly covered by the scape, very broad basally with lateral lobes and a short median process.