A new species of pelican spider (Araneae: Archaeidae) from the Whitsunday hinterland of central-eastern Queensland

Abstract

Pelican spiders of the genus Austrarchaea Forster & Platnick, 1984 (family Archaeidae) are well represented in the tropical rainforests of central-eastern and north-eastern Queensland, with nine species currently described. However, this monophyleytic tropical fauna remains poorly documented relative to other lineages of Archaeidae from subtropical and temperate regions south of the St Lawrence Gap, with numerous additional species likely still unnamed. Here, we describe a new species from the Central Mackay Coast bioregion of central-eastern Queensland. Like other Australian Archaeidae, it is a short-range endemic taxon, known only from upland rainforest habitats in the Whitsunday hinterland near Airlie Beach. We show its clear morphological affinities to a closely related species from Eungella National Park, and further provide live habitus images and habitat information.