Zodarion weissi Deltshev & Naumova, 2022

Deltshev, Christo, Naumova, Maria, Matevski, Dragan & Indzhov, Simeon, 2022, New taxonomic and faunistic data on the genus Zodarion Walckenaer, 1826 (Araneae: Zodariidae) in the Balkans, with the descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 5174 (3), pp. 247-261 : 256-258

Zodarion weissi Deltshev & Naumova sp. n.

Figs 61–75 .

Types. Holotype: ♂ (NMNHS-Zod-0004.1), BULGARIA: Sofia Mt., Kremikovtsi ward, N42.7882 ˚, E23.4812 ˚, 645 m, 23.06.2019, M. Naumova leg. Paratypes: 2♂, 2♀ (NMNHS-Zod-0004.2) same data as the holotype .

Comparative material examined. Zodarion abantense Wunderlich, 1980 (♂ holotype, 1♀ paratype ( SMF 30055, 58853), TURKEY, Bolu village, Abant Mountains, 29.04– 20.05.1976, H. Korge leg.; Z. pirini (1♂, 2♀ ( IBER), BULGARIA, Eastern Rhodopes Mts, Blagun village, N41.3698 ˚, E25.7515 ˚, 423 m, 24.05.2018, M. Naumova leg.; Z. turcicum Wunderlich, 1980 (1♂ ( IBER), BULGARIA, South Black Sea coast, Primorsko resort, N42.2544 ˚, E27.7487 ˚, 3 m, 27.04– 07.06.2016, T. Teofilova, T. Ljubomirov & N. Karaivanov leg.).

Diagnosis. Zodarion weissi sp. n. belongs to the germanicum species group (sensu Bosmans 2009) and resembles Z. aurorae Weiss, 1982 . Males differ by the following traits: tegular projection elongated triangular in lateral view in Z. weissi sp. n., vs. oblong with a broad rounded tip in Z. aurorae ; basal tegular bulge reaching to the half of the tegular projection in Z. weissi sp. n. ( Figs 63–65 , 71, 72 ), vs. reaching more than 2/3 of the tegular projection length in Z. aurorae (see in Weiss 1982: 80, fig. 1) in lateral view. Females differ as follows: posterior margin of the epigynal plate with triangular incision with broad and shallow hood, 2.5–3 times wider than long in Z. weissi sp. n. ( Figs 68–70 , 73–75 ), vs. narrow and deep anterior hood, clearly longer than wide in Z. aurorae (see in Weiss 1982: 80, fig. 3).

Etymology. The species is dedicated to Ingmar Weiss (Grafenau, Germany) a well-known arachnologist who has great contribution to araneological research in Romania.

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 3.3. Carapace 1.54 long, 1.22 wide; sternum 0.9 long, 0.72 wide; chelicerae 0.54 long, 0.32 wide; clypeus 0.28 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.07, PME 0.07, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.07, ALE–PLE 0.03, PME–PME 0.22. Abdomen 1.8 long. Legs: I—5.22 (1.26, 0.54, 1.26, 1.26, 0.9); II—4.86 (1.15, 0.54, 1.26, 1.08, 9.82); III—4.46 (1.26, 0.36, 0.97, 1.15, 0.72); IV—5.97 (1.69, 0.54, 1.22, 1.62, 0.9). Color ( Fig. 61, 62 ): Carapace, sternum and chelicerae brown. Abdomen dark sepia-brown with a thick U-shaped, ventrolateral whitish spot on each side. Spinnerets bright, uniform in color. Coxae whitish, first couple light-brown. Other segments of the legs brown to brown-yellow, without annulations.

Palp as in Figs 63–65 , 71, 72 . Femur 0.54 long, 0.18 wide, brown; patella 0.18 long, 0.18 wide, beige; tibia 0.11 long, 0,18 wide, brown, with elongated triangular retrolateral apophysis 0.18 long. Cymbium 0.65 long, 0.48 wide, brown with lightening tip; bulb 0.36 long, 0.29 wide. Tegulum with large basal bulge extended to the half of the tegular projection in prolateral view; tegular projection 0.18 long, 0.11 wide, elongated triangle in lateral view, perpendicular to the tegular surface, apically thinned; retinaculum 0.11 long, 0.07 wide, rhomboid-shaped, same sized as the bulge in ventral view; embolus thin, apically pointed, originating at a 9 o’clock position and terminating at a 1 o’clock position.

Female. Total length 4.78. Carapace 1.9 long, 1.26 wide; sternum 1.08 long, 0.82 wide; chelicerae 0.54 long, 0.32 wide; clypeus 0.36 high. Eye sizes and interdistances:AME 0.09, ALE 0.06, PME 0.05, PLE 0.05, AME–AME 0.02, ALE–PLE 0.02, PME–PME 0.13. Abdomen 2.88 long. Legs: I—5.4 (1.36, 0.61, 1.26, 1.26, 0.9); II—5.07 (1.33, 0.61, 1.08, 1.26, 0.79); III—5.11 (1.33, 0.54, 1.08, 1.44, 0.72); IV—6.78 (1.8, 0.61, 1.62, 1.8, 0.9). Coloration as in male.

Epigyne ( Figs 68–70 , 73–75 ): epigynal plate 1.5 times wider than long, broadly ovate. Posterior margin with large triangular incision with a base as wide as a distance between spermathecae and a tip reaching their half. Hood wide and shallow. Spermathecae rounded, separated by 2.5 diameters.

Ecology. Found only in June, under stones in an open, dry and sunny place with very sparse low vegetation.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Sofia Mt., Bulgaria ( Fig. 76 ).

Figures

FIGURE 76. Georeferenced locations of the new records of Zodarion species in the Balkans.

FIGURES 61–65. Z. weissi sp. n., male: habitus (61, 62) and palp (63–65), dorsal (61), ventral (62, 64), prolateral (63) and retrolateral (65) views. Scales: 1.5 mm (61, 62), 0.2 mm (63–65).

FIGURES 66–70. Z. weissi sp. n., female: habitus (66, 67), epigyne (68–70), dorsal (66, 69), ventral (67, 68) and posterior (69) views. Scales: 1.0 mm (66, 67), 0.2 mm (68–70).

FIGURES 71–75. Z. weissi sp. n., drawings of male palps (71, 72) and female genitalia (73–75), ventral (71, 73), retrolateral (72), dorsal (74) and posterior (75) views. Scales: 0.15 mm. E—embolus, H—hood of the epigyne, MI—median incision of the posterior epigynal margin, S—spermatheca, Rt—retinaculum, RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis, TgB—tegular bulge, TgP—tegular projection.