Faulder's Mouse Spider Missulena faulderi Harms & Framenau, 2013

(after Harms & Framenau 2013): Males of M. faulderi differ from all other Missulena from Australia by the very long and slightly curved embolus of the male bulb. They differ from other Missulena, except the most similar species M. rutraspina, by the presence of a pronounced rastellum, which is developed as a distinct process with three to five large conical spines rather than a series of narrow spines on a process or low mound. Missulena faulderi males (carapace length < 3.5) differ from the males of M. rutraspina (carapace length > 3.8) by the smaller size, the presence of an interior row of seven to eight fused teeth in the cheliceral furrow (teeth divided in M. rutraspina), the shape of the male bulb which has no depressions, and a medially curved embolus (bulb with spiral depression and embolus almost straight in M. rutraspina, see Faulder 1995). Missulena faulderi males do not have any red markings on the carapace and chelicerae (as do males of M. occatoria and M. langlandsi), do not have rasps on patellae I, II (similar to M. dipsaca, M. rutraspina & M. tussulina) and IV, and have lateral ridges on the chelicerae. Females of M. faulderi are unknown.

• native

• Western Australia