Mound Spring Huntress Venatrix fontis Framenau & Vink, 2001
Fauna Portal species: 7773
Venatrix fontis male, dorsal (SAM NN9908; Freelings Springs, South Australia)
Image: Framenau & Vink (2001; fig. 38A)
Fauna Portal Image No. 3553Diagnosis
(after Framenau & Vink 2001): The leg formula of Venatrix fontis is IV > I > III > II (all other Venatrix, IV > I > II > III). Venatrix fontis is closest to V. lapidosa, but the tegular apophysis of the male pedipalp has a lobe-like ventral process and the retrolateral process has a broad, proximally directed hook. The female epigyne is an inverted T-shape and is without an median transverse part (as opposed to V. lapidosa).
(after Framenau 2006): Venatrix tinfos from Western Australia is very similar to V. fontis from eastern Australia with a similar unusual leg formula ofIV>I>III>II, i.e. the third leg is longer than the second leg (all other Venatrix have IV>I>II>III). The male pedipalps of both species are extremely similar. However, the inner edge of the ventral process of the tegular apophysis forms a right angle with the tegular apophysis in V. tinfos when viewed from the tip of the cymbium. This angle is distinctly smaller than 90 degrees in V. fontis, i.e. the ventral process appears much more acute. Females can be distinguished by the anchor-shape of the median septum in comparison to the inverted T-shaped median septum of V. fontis.
Status
- native
Linnean Holotype
Australia
- New South Wales
- South Australia
- Victoria
Fauna Portal Records
The map shows all records that have been verified as part of the Fauna Portal project and may not represent the true distribution of a species. Specifically, for described species, check the link to the Atlas of Living Australia on this page for potential wider distributions. Fauna Portal Reference specimens and Linnean types are shown in red. If you identified a specimen that exceeds the distribution of an undescribed species as illustrated here, please contact the Fauna Portal team who can assist with the lodgement of the specimen in a public institution and display on the map.
Publications
(2006): The wolf spider genus Venatrix Roewer: new species, synonymies and generic transfers (Araneae, Lycosidae). Records of the Western Australian Museum. 23: 145 - 166WEB
(2001): Revision of the wolf spider genus Venatrix Roewer (Araneae:Lycosidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy. 15: 927 - 970