Genus Asteron Jocqué, 1991
Distribution
States
New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria
IBRA
NSW: New England Tablelands (NET), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Sydney Basin (SB) ; NSW, Qld, Vic: South Eastern Highlands (SEH) ; Tas: Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE) ; Vic: South East Coastal Plain (SCP)
Original AFD Distribution Data
Australian Region
- Australia
- Tasmania
Diagnosis
Representatives of this genus are recognized by the following combination of characters: the eyes in two strongly procurved rows, resulting in a (2-4-2) situation as the PLE are situated level with the PME; tibia of male palp with shallow retrolateral concavity delimited with apophyses; bulbus with remarkably large, folded VTA and short triangular apophysis at the base of the embolus; females with poorly sclerotised epigyne showing strong entrance ducts in transparency; entrance ducts with fairly constant curves, leading to widely separated, poorly delimited spermathecae; dorsal abdominal pattern with five white spots on a dark background.
ID Keys
Key to the species of Asteron
1. Males 2
- Females 6
2. VTA with proximal, outwards curved hook (Figures 17, 21) 3
- Proximal part of VTA rounded, without hook (Figures 15, 19, 23) 4
3. Proximal hook of VTA double; dorsal tibial apophysis tooth-shaped, tiny (Figures 21-22) A. zabkai
- Proximal hook on VTA single; dorsal tibial apophysis large, bent down and forwards (Figures 17-18) A. tasmaniense
4. Dorsal tibial apophysis sharp (Figures 16, 24) 5
- Dorsal tibial apophysis blunt, indented (Figure 20) A. hunti
5 Dorsal tibial apophysis spine-shaped as seen in ventral and frontal views, strongly tapered in lateral view; LTA a short thick hook in ventral view (Figure 16) A. reticulatum
- Dorsolateral tibial apophysis large and ear-shaped as seen from in front, appearing as spine-shaped with parallel margins in lateral view; LTA with straight, sharp tip, pointing outwards in ventral view (Figures 23) A. grayi
6. Entrance with two large openings in posterior half of epigyne (Figures 37)
A. biperforatum
- Entrance hardly visible on uncleared epigyne (Figures 31,33,39) 7
7. Epigyne with one very wide depresson, as broad as the epigyne, behind central opening area (Figure 35) A. zabkai
- Epigyne without well marked depression (Figure 27) 8
8. Internal structure visible in transparency not reaching posterior margin of epigyne (Figures 25, 27) 9
- Internal structure visible in transparency reaching posterior margin of epigyne (Figures 29, 31, 33, 39) 10
9. Projection of copulatory duct in transparency forming an almost complete circle (Figure 25) A. reticulatum
- Projection of copulatory duct in transparency with a large interruption in front and dark circular areas aborally (Figure 27) A. tasmaniense
10. Posterior margin of epigyne straight or indented; central part of copulatory ducts straight 11
Posterior margin of epigyne convex; central part of copulatory ducts curved 12
11. Posterior margin of epigyne slightly concave (Figure 33) A. quintum
Posterior margin of epigyne straight (Figure 31) A. inflatum
12. Epigyne with diamond-shaped pale central area just in front of posterior margin (Figure 39) ) A. grayi
Epigyne without diamond-shaped pale central area but with dark adjacent circular areas aborally (Figure 29) A. hunti
Diagnosis References
Jocqué, R. & Baehr, B. 2001. Revisions of genera in the Asteron-complex (Araneae: Zodariidae). Asteron Jocqué and the new genus Pseudasteron. Records of the Australian Museum 53: 21-36
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-Oct-2020 | 20-Jun-2012 | MODIFIED | ||
| 05-Jul-2010 | MODIFIED |