Mountain Huntress Venatrix funesta (C.L. Koch, 1847)
Fauna Portal species: 7774
Venatrix funesta male, dorsal (SAM NN9976; Picanninnie Blue Lake, South Australia)
Image: Framenau & Vink (2001; fig. 1A)
Fauna Portal Image No. 3451Diagnosis
(after Framenau & Vink 2001): Venatrix funesta is closely related to V. penola, V. australiensis, V. roo, V. mckayi and V. archookoora. Males are separated from these species by the distinct shape of the tegular apophysis of the male pedipalp, which does not carry a ventral process. The median transverse part of the female epigyne has a serrated posterior edge in females of V. australiensis (smooth in V. funesta) and is much narrower and diamond-shaped in V. penola. Females do not have the bulging lateral corners of the posterior transverse part of the epigyne as does V. roo and are separated from V. mckayi by the greater relative length of the median septume between the median and posterior transverse parts.
Status
- native
Linnean Holotype
Australia
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- 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
(2001): Revision of the wolf spider genus Venatrix Roewer (Araneae:Lycosidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy. 15: 927 - 970