Agroeca inopina

Bosmans, Robert, 1999, The genera Agroeca, Agraecina, Apostenus and Scotina in the Maghreb countries (Araneae: Liocranidae), Bulletin Di L' Institut Royal Des Sciences Naturelles De Belgique Entomologie 69, pp. 25-34 : 29

Agroeca inopina O.P.- Cambridge, 1886

( Figs 9-12 )

Agroeca inopina O.P.- Cambridge 1886: 71 (descr. male, female); Simon 1932: 972; Grimm 1986: 29.

Diagnosis: Besides the copulatory organs, this species is easily distinguished from both other Agroeca species occurring in the Maghreb by its yellowish brown cephalothorax and the uniform legs with no annulations.

Description:

Measurements: Male: Total length 5.0-5.4; carapace 2.34-2.44 long, 1.82-1.92 wide. Female: Total length 5.3- 7.6; carapace 2.56-2.64 long, 2.02-2.16 wide.

Colour: Carapace yellowish brown with narrow black margin and anastomosing, radiating dark brown striae; legs yellowish brown, not annulated; abdomen with central reddish brown band, laterally darker.

Palp ( Figs. 9-10 ): Tibial apophysis relatively short; median apophysis large, terminally with elongated hook.

Epigyne ( Fig. 11 ): As long as wide, with large anteromedian depression with triangular antero-median septum; depression often filled with secretions (“ copulation plugs”).

Vulva ( Fig. 12 ): Copulation ducts c-shaped, widely touching in middle; spermathecae not wider than copulation ducts.

Material examined:

Algeria - Blida: Djebel Mouzaia , 1200m, 1 male 1 female stones in grassland around lake, 27.I.1990, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB) ; idem, 1250m, 1 male in pitfalls in Quercus suber forest, 27.I.1990, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB) .

- Tizi Ouzou: Aït Ouabane , 1850m, 2 males, stones in montane grassland, 15.XI.1985, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB) ; forêt d’Akfadou , 1200m, 1 female in Quercus faginea litter, 18.V.1988 and 910m, 1 female in Quercus faginea litter, 24.III.1988, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB) ; Tala Guilef, 1600m, 1 male in pitfalls in dense Cedrus forest, 16.III.1990, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB) ; Yakouren, 800m, 1 female in pitfalls in Quercus faginea forest, 22.IV. 1982, 1 female, 4.XII.1986 and 1 female, 25.1.1990, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB) .

- Tiemcen: S.E. Tiemcen, forêt d’Hafir , 1350m, 1 female in Quercus ilex litter, 23.V.1990, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB) .

Distribution: Portugal, Spain, France, S. England, Austria, S.W. Finland, and cited here for the first time from Africa from Algeria, where it appears to be a species of higher altitudes.

Figures

Figs. 9 - 12 — Agroeca inopina O. P. Cambridge. - 9. Male palp, lateral view; - 10. Idem, ventral view; - 1 1. Epigyne, ventral view; - 12. Vulva, ventral view. Figs. 13 - 16 — Scutina celans (Blackwall). - 13. Male palp, lateral view; - 14. Idem, ventral view; - 15. Epigyne, ventral view; - 16. Vulva, ventral view.