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The new goblin spider genus Prethopalpus is restricted to the Australasian tropics, from the lower Himalayan Mountains in Nepal and India to the Malaysian Peninsula, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. Prethopalpus contains those species with a swollen palpal patella, which is one to two times the size of the femur, together with a cymbium and bulb that is usually separated, although it is largely fused in four species. The type species Opopaea fosuma Burger et al. from Sumatra, and Camptoscaphiella infernalis Harvey and Edward from Western Australia are newly transferred to Prethopalpus.
The genus consists of 41 species of which 39 are newly described: P. ilam Baehr ([male, female]) from Nepal; P. khasi Baehr ([male]), P. madurai Baehr ([male]), P. mahanadi Baehr ([male, female]), and P. meghalaya Baehr ([male, female]) from India; P. bali Baehr ([male]), P. bellicosus Baehr and Thoma ([male, female]), P. brunei Baehr ([male, female]), P. deelemanae Baehr and Thoma ([male]), P. java Baehr ([male, female]), P. kranzae Baehr ([male]), P. kropfi Baehr ([male, female]), P. leuser Baehr ([male, female]), P. magnocularis Baehr and Thoma ([male]), P. pahang Baehr ([male]), P. perak Baehr ([male, female]), P. sabah Baehr ([male, female]), P. sarawak Baehr ([male]), P. schwendingeri Baehr ([male, female]), and P. utara Baehr ([male, female]) from Indonesia and Malaysia; and P. alexanderi Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. attenboroughi Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. blosfeldsorum Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. boltoni Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. callani Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. cooperi Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. eberhardi Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. framenaui Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. humphreysi Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. kintyre Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. scanloni Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. pearsoni Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. julianneae Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. maini Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. marionae Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. platnicki Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]), P. oneillae Baehr and Harvey ([male]), P. rawlinsoni Baehr and Harvey ([male]), and P. tropicus Baehr and Harvey ([male, female]) from Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Three separate keys to species from different geographical regions are provided. Most species are recorded from single locations and only three species are more widely distributed. A significant radiation of blind troglobites comprising 14 species living in subterranean ecosystems in Western Australia is discussed. These include several species that lack abdominal scuta, a feature previously used to define subfamilies of Oonopidae.
