Special Huntress Venatrix speciosa (L. Koch, 1877)

(after Framenau & Vink 2001): Venatrix speciosa is very similar to V. esposica. Males can be distinguished by the lateral process of the tegular apophysis of the pedipalp, which forms a proximally orientated hook in V. speciosa, but is broad and rather spoon like in V. esposica. Females are more difficult to differentiate. The lateral ends of the posterior transverse part of the epigyne in females of V. esposica appear to reach further anteriorly whereas they form only a slight bulge, cut off diagonally, in V. speciosa. The epigyne is significantly longer in V. esposica (mean ± s.e.m. 0.74 ± 0.051, n = 5) than in V. speciosa (mean ± s.e.m. 0.63 ± 0.072, n = 41; pooled t = 4.486, d.f. = 2, p = 0.004). However, this measurement overlaps in a small number of cases. Venatrix esposica does not show a ventral pattern of two white lateral bands on the abdomen. This character is variable in V. speciosa. Most specimens have very distinct bands, but some do not have bands at all. Whereas V. esposica appears to be restricted to lower, coastal regions of western Victoria and South Australia, V. speciosa can be found along the Great Dividing Range from southern Queensland to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia.

• native

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Victoria