REVISIONS OF GENERA IN THE ASTEROM-COMPLEX ( ARANEAE ZODARIIDAE). THE NEW GENERA CAVASTERON AND MINASTERON

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 1 decade ago

Abstract - For the Zodariidae of Australia the new genera Cavasteron and Minasteron are erected. Both genera are characterised by the presence of a large terminal palpal claw in both sexes. They differ by the raised cephalic area and the small anterior eyes in Minasteron whereas the profile is low flat and eyes are subequal in Cavasteron. The type species of the latter genus is C. crassicalcar sp. nov. (male, female) and it is further represented by 11 new species: C. agelenoides (male, female), C. atriceps (male), C. exquisitum (male), C. guttulatum (male), C. index (male), C. lacertae (male), C. margaretae (male), C. martini (male), C. mjoebergi (male), C. tenuicalcar (male) and C. triunguis (male, female). The type species of Minasteron is M. minusculum sp. novo The genus is further represented by the new species M. perfoliatus (male, female) and M. tangens (male). Both genera represent a small part of the Asteron-complex as defined by Baehr and Jocque (1996). They form the crassicalcar-clade, named after the type species of Cavasteron in the cladogram presented there.