Genus Pua n. gen.

Carapace high, without thoracic groove. Six eyes in two groups of three. Sternum convex, obtuse behind. Chelicerae without condyle, teeth present on both margins. Maxillae convergent. Legs 4.1.2.3., without spines. Trichobothria present on tibiae of all legs, absent from metatarsi. Tarsi much longer than metatarsi, tarsal drum proximal. Three claws. Male palp with patellar process. Female palp small without claw, with reduced number of segments. Abdomen in both sexes with dorsal and ventral scute. Six spinnerets and colulus. Posterior spiracles lacking. Anterior spiracles supplying tracheae to both cephalothorax and abdomen.

Type species Pua novazealandiae n.sp.

This genus appears to be closely related to Micropholcomma, from which it is clearly separated by the number and arrangement of the eyes, differences in the distribution of trichobothria and the absence of the posterior spiracle.

Pua novaezealandiae n.sp. (Figs. 70–77.)

Male. Measurements: Carapace—Length, 0.37; width, 0.31; height, 0.29. Abdomen—Length, 0.48; width, 0.48.

Colour. Body and appendages golden yellow.

Carapace (Fig. 70). Smooth. From the side the head region appears gently rounded highest posteriorly where it slopes steeply to the posterior margin. There are four median pairs of setae along the dorsal surface of the head progressively smaller anteriorly. Thoracic groove absent.

Eyes (Fig. 72). Six in two triads. Ratio of ALE:PME:PLE = 4:3:4. From above the posterior row is recurved, while from in front it appears procurved. The lateral eyes are sub-contiguous. PLE separated from AME by distance equal to ½ width of an ALE. ALE and PME both separated from each other by a distance equal to the diameter of an AME.

Chelicerae (Fig. 73). Vertical without boss. Furrow with short basal tooth and a small tooth and longer peg on promargin. Four ciliate hairs above promargin.

Maxillae somewhat triangular, transverse. Labium fused, twice as wide as long. Sternum convex smooth, almost as wide as long, terminated broadly behind, separating coxae 4 by twice their width.

Legs. 4.1.2.3. Clothed with smooth hairs, spines lacking. Tarsal drum proximal. Three claws, apparently smooth. Tibiae of legs 1–3 with two trichobothria, one at ⅓, the other at ½ of the length of the segment. Tibia 4 with row of three. Trichobothria absent from all metatarsi.

Palp (Figs. 76, 77). There is a blunt, curved process on the distal retrolateral surface of the patella. Bulb simple with a short curved embolus on the sub-distal retrolateral surface.

Abdomen (Fig. 70). Oval, with well developed scutes on both dorsal and ventral surfaces. Six spinnerets and colulus surrounded by sclerotic ring.

Female. Measurements: Carapace—Length, 0.34; width, 0.29; height, 0.22. Abdomen—Length, 0.56; width, 0.48.