Confusing Pilbara Open-holed Trapdoor Spider Aname taracta Wilson, Rix & Harvey,2025

(after Wilson et al. 2025): Males of A. taracta can be distinguished from all mellosa-complex species for which males are known except A. arenicosta, A. auromellosa, A. charlesdarwini, A. cowani, A. dimissa, A. geminata, A. mellosa and A. tacenda by the presence of a slightly reflexed embolus (projection angle 60–80°). Males of A. taracta can further be distinguished from A. charlesdarwini by the presence of an embolus with a thinner basal half, and from A. cowani by the presence of a longer distal pad on metatarsus I (excavation length <0.60 × metatarsus I length; cf. ~0.63×). Males of A. taracta are very difficult to distinguish from A. arenicosta, A. auromellosa, A. dimissa, A. geminata, A. mellosa and A. tacenda (other members of the mellosa species-group). They occur parapatrically with A. dimissa, from which they cannot be confidently distinguished based on current data. Females of A. taracta can be distinguished from A. isabelae, A. jillae, A. nacta, A. prospecta and A. sangeri by the absence of very short, thorn-like setae covering the entire sternum. Females of A. taracta cannot be confidently distinguished from the remaining species of the mellosa-complex from the Pilbara bioregion due to overlap in intra- and interspecific variation in the spermathecae.

• native

• Western Australia