Male Cavisternum spp. are recognized by a concave sternum, as the generic name suggests. They also have elongated fangs with broadened tips. They are small spiders, ♀ 1.1-1.4mm ♂ .9mm-1.3. The carapace, narrowed at the front, is not elevated. There are six eyes. The species name honours Ewan Jay Martyr McLean, the son of Stacey McLean, Senior Program Officer, Biodiversity Planning, Environment and Parks Branch, Brisbane City Council. Males of C. ewani resemble those of C. toadshow with the sternal concavity occupying most of the sternal length, and the epigastric scutum not protruding, but can be separated by their broad field of clavate, club shaped, setae, or hairs, covering almost the whole width of the sternum. Females can be distinguished by their large elliptical membranous epigastric area. ♀ Male holotype from Great Basalt Walls National Park, obtained by pitfall trap array in open forest at 420m 1.2mm ♂ 1.1mm
Male from above
Male from underneath
References
- Oonopidae, Baehr et al, 2011 - The Goblin Spiders of the New Endemic Australian Genus Cavisternum (Araneae: Oonopidae) BARBARA C. BAEHR, MARK S. HARVEY, AND HELEN M. SMITH
