Portacosa, a new genus for the south-east Australian Grey Wolf Spider (Araneae, Lycosidae, Lycosinae)

A new monotypic genus of Australian wolf spiders is proposed to accommodate the common south-east Australian Grey Wolf Spider, Portacosa cinerea gen. n. and sp. n. The genus includes large (total length 9.5–25.0 mm), uniformly grey-coloured wolf spiders with unique genital morphology, i.e. the ventral ridge of the tegular apophysis in the male pedipalp is comparatively sharp and situated towards its retrolateral edge, and the distinct anterior hood of the female epigyne is continuous with the inverted T-shaped median septum. Unlike most other members of the Lycosinae in Australia, the Grey Wolf Spider closes its burrow with a plug-like trapdoor. The species can be found in south-eastern mainland Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia) and Tasmania. It prefers compacted, open and often sun-exposed habitats such as road verges and river banks, but can also be found in open woodlands and grasslands. Key Words


Introduction
When Hickman (1967) compiled his treatise on some common spiders of Tasmania, he associated Lycosa simsoni Simon, 1898 with what has since become known as the 'Grey Wolf Spider' (family Lycosidae Sundevall, 1833) (Fig. 1A-H).This is a common species in south-eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania that closes its burrow with a bath-plug like trapdoor (Fig. 1G-H).Following Hickman's publication the species was frequently referred to as Dingosa simsoni (Simon, 1898), as Roewer (1955a, b) had earlier based the genus Dingosa Roewer, 1955 on this species as type.Hickman (1967) apparently did not examine the type material of L. simsoni, a female from Launceston and lodged in the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris (MNHP4640; examined) (see Framenau and Baehr 2007).He probably relied on the superficial similarity of the epigyne of the Grey Wolf Spider with the illustration of D. simsoni by Roewer (1959;fig. 199).A recent revision of the genus Dingosa revealed, that D. simsoni is in fact not the Grey Wolf Spider, but a species of much different appearance and behaviour that builds a turret around the burrow entrance (Framenau and Baehr 2007).The misidentification by Hickman (1967) was facilitated by the abundance of the Grey Wolf Spider in suburban parks and gardens in Tasmania (see Other Material Examined below), whereas the true D. simsoni is uncommon in that state and only found around Launceston (Framenau and Baehr 2007).
The aim of this study is to establish a scientific name for the enigmatic and common Grey Wolf Spider and provide an up-to-date diagnosis and description to facilitate its identification.As the Grey Wolf Spider cannot be placed in any currently known wolf spider genus in Australia, a new genus is proposed to accommodate the species.

Material and methods
This study is based on the examination of all major Australian museum and some overseas collections that resulted in a database of more than 20,000 records of Australian wolf spiders (more than 40,000 specimens examined).Descriptions are based on specimens preserved in 70% EtOH.A female epigyne was prepared for examination by submersion in 10% lactic acid for about one hour.Digital images were taken using a Leica DFC 295 digital camera attached to a Leica M205C stereo microscope.To increase depth of field, up to 20 images were merged using the software package Leica Application Suite 3.7.0.All measurements are in millimeters (mm).Morphological nomenclature follows Framenau and Baehr (2007) and Langlands and Framenau (2010).
Diagnosis.Somatic morphology, in particular the lack of a distinct colour pattern on carapace and abdomen (in particular in live spiders, Fig. 1A-D), places Portacosa gen.n. in close affinity with Hoggicosa Roewer; however, males of Portacosa gen.n. lack the apical, dorsally bent setae on the cymbium tip and the median septum of the female epigyne is narrower anteriorly than the with of the posterior transverse part (see Langlands and Framenau 2010).
A putative apomorphy of the genus is the shape of the tegular apophysis.Unlike any other member of the family Lycosinae in Australia, the ridge of the tegular apophysis (connecting its apical point and ventral process; see Fig. 3C, D) is very sharp and situated more towards the retrolateral edge of the tegular apophysis, whereas it reaches from the apical point to a more central ventral process in other Lycosinae in Australia.This corresponds to a continuous edge of the anterior hood of the epigyne with the median septum (Fig. 4A, C), whilst this edge is often interrupted in other Lycosinae in Australia.
Etymology.The genus-group name is a composite noun derived from the Latin word portus -door, referring to the trapdoor-building behaviour of the type species and -cosa, a generic ending used for genera in the family Lycosidae.The gender is feminine.
Description.Large wolf spiders (TL 10.5-25.0mm).Males slightly smaller than females.Carapace longer than wide, dorsal profile straight in lateral view.Carapace colouration brown with indistinct darker radial pattern, covered by grey pubescence that is denser between eyes, in particular in males.Abdomen dorsally with indistinct median chevron-pattern, which is less distinct in females and covered with dense grey pubescence, ventrally uniformly yellow-brown.AME larger than ALE, row of AE slightly procurved and narrower than row of PME.Chelicerae with three promarginal teeth with the median largest and three large, equally-sized retromarginal teeth.Leg formula IV > I > II > III.Cymbium tip with approximately 20 straight spines (Fig. 3A, B).Tegulum of male pedipalp undivided (Fig, 3F); tegular apophysis with distinct ventral spur situated towards the retrolateral edge of the tegular apophysis, connected to apical point of tegular apophysis by sharp ridge (Fig. 3C, D).Embolus originating prolaterally on palea and curving ventrally around it, long and slender.Terminal apophysis broad and apically straight, pars pendula sickle-shaped (Figs 3E).Female epigyne with inverted T-shaped median septum, slightly longer than wide, anterior hoods distinct, connected continuously to medium septum ( Figs 4A, C); spermathecal heads oval; spermathecal stalks S-shaped (Fig. 4B).
Composition.Portacosa gen.n. currently includes only a single species, P. cinerea gen.n. and sp.n.
Variation.Males (females) TL 9.5-14.5 (TL 15.0-25.0).Live specimens are generally uniformly grey in colour based on their dense pubescence, in particular if freshly moulted.Females have two small dark spots on the anterior half of their abdomen (Fig. 1C, D).Older specimens, in particular males, may have some discernible patterning due to the loss of setae over time (Fig. 1A, B).
Etymology.The specific epithet is a Latin adjective (cinereus -grey), referring to the colour and common name of the species, Grey Wolf Spider.
Distribution.South-eastern mainland Australia from south-east Queensland into South Australia, and Tasmania (Fig. 5) Life history and habitat preferences.Mature females have been found throughout the year with the exception of August.Numbers gradually increase peaking in January, to decrease gradually to July.Females with eggsac or spiderlings have generally been found from November to February, with a single female with eggsac in collections recorded in April.Mature males have been found from October to May, with two distinct peaks of activity in November/December and March.These more extensive phenology data based on specimens examined for this study extend the seasonal activity for the species as previously reported for Tasmania, where females con-  struct an eggsac in early summer and adults are found from January to April (Hickman 1967).
The Grey Wolf Spider has been reported from a number of generally open habitats, including (based on label data found with specimens): spinifex grassland, semi-arid grassland, River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) woodlands (including river banks), mallee (Acacia) woodlands, and Box-Ironbark (or Black Box) wood-lands.The species also occurs in cultural landscapes where it was found on road verges and in gardens or backyards, with males sometimes straying into houses.Immature and mature female spiders live in a straight burrow of approximately 20 cm depth, often constructed in heavily compacted soils, which they close with a plug-like trapdoor (Hickman 1967; VWF, personal observation) (Fig. 1G, H).

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Live images and habitat of Portacosa cinerea gen.n. and sp.n.A, male holotype (WAM T68032) from near Apex Park, Mildura, Victoria.B, male, same locality.C, female (WAM T56062) from Specimen Hill Bushland Reserve, Bendigo, Victoria, D, female from Red Hill, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (WAM T67906); E, open Eucalyptus camaldulensis riparian woodland, near Apex Park, Mildura, Victoria, where the holotype male (WAM T68032) was found.F, road embankment in Red Hill, Canberra, habitat of female WAM T67906.G, closed burrow of holotype male (WAM T68032).H, open burrow of female WAM T67906 from Red Hill, Canberra.

Figure 5 .
Figure 5. Distribution records of Portacosa cinerea gen.n. and sp.n. in Australia.