Review of the wolf spider genus Artoria Thorell (Araneae : Lycosidae)

Abstract

The Australasian wolf spider genus Artoria, with A. parvula Thorell, 1877 as type species, is revised in part. In addition to A. parvula (=A. luwamata Barrion & Litsinger, 1995, new synonymy), recorded from the Philippines and Indonesia, and A. palustris Dahl, 1908 from Papua New Guinea, it includes the Australian A. albopedipalpis, sp. nov., A. avona, sp. nov., A. cingulipes Simon, 1909, A. flavimanus Simon, 1909 (=Lycosa neboissi McKay, 1976, new synonymy), A. howquaensis, sp. nov., A. lineata (L. Koch, 1877), A. mckayi, sp. nov., A. quadrata, sp. nov., A. taeniifera Simon, 1909, A. triangularis, sp. nov., A. ulrichi, sp. nov. and A. versicolor (L. Koch, 1877). Artoriella flavimanus, the type species of Artoriella Roewer, 1960, is returned to Artoria. Of the remaining species of Artoriella, the Western Australian species A. cingulipes and A. taeniifera are transferred to Artoria, the African species Artoriella amoena Roewer, 1960, A. maculatipes Roewer, 1960 and A. lycosimorpha (Strand, 1909) are considered incertae sedis and Artoriella maura (Urquhart, 1891) from New Zealand is considered a nomen dubium. Trabaeola Roewer is a junior synonym of Artoria, as its type species, T. lineata, is transferred to Artoria. Trabea australiensis (L. Koch, 1877) is considered a nomen dubium. The genus Artoria is characterised by a unique apophysis near the base of the embolus of the male pedipalp. It does not fit into the existing lycosid subfamilies, which have been established by investigation of mainly Northern Hemisphere taxa. Artoria is widespread in Australia and species can be found in a range of habitats (swamps and riverbanks, open areas, rain and dry sclerophyll forests).