Zaitunia minoica, Sergei Zonstein & Yuri M. Marusik, 2016

Sergei Zonstein & Yuri M. Marusik, 2016, A revision of the spider genus Zaitunia (Araneae, Filistatidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 214, pp. 1-97 : 26-30

Zaitunia minoica sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3409E2F9-90A8-41A5-869B-F80B553ED136

Figs 12–13 , 43 D

Diagnosis

Zaitunia minoica sp. nov. differs from other species of its group by having a longer embolus gradually curved in the subapical part, and by the receptacles subequal in size with widely spaced (more than 2 diameters) median pair (in Z. annulipes , the embolus is noticeably shorter and more gently curved, and the median receptacles are considerably larger than the outer ones; whereas in Z. kunti sp. nov., the slightly shorter embolus is more sharply curved subapically, and the receptacles are close together (about 1.5 of their diameter) – cf. Figs 9 , 10 F–G, I).

Etymology

The specific epithet is given after the Minoan civilisation, which flourished during the Bronze Age in Crete.

Material examined

Holotype

GREECE: ♂, Crete Isl., Gouves 16 km E of Iraklion, 1 May 2008, H. Eikamp & U. Kluge ( SMF).

Paratypes (5 ♂♂, 16 ♀♀)

GREECE: 2 ♂♂, Crete Isl., same locality as holotype, 4 May 2009, K. Eckl ( SMF) ; 3 ♀♀, SW of Zaros , 5 Apr. 1958, H. Kahmann ( SMF) ; 1 ♀, W of Camaris , 600–800 m, 6 Apr. 1958, H. Kahmann ( SMF) ; 2 ♀♀, Gortys near Ajil Deka , 85–100 m, 9 Apr. 1958, H. Kahmann ( SMF) ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, same, 11 Apr. 1958, H. Kahmann ( SMF) ; 4 ♀♀, E of Agios Fotia (Hagia Photia), 35°11.9' N, 26°10.3' E, 29 m, 20 Apr. 2007, A. Schönhofer ( SMF) ; 1 ♂, Analipsi , 5 May 2008, H. Eikamp & U. Kluge ( SMF) ; 1 ♂, 20 May 2009, K. Eckl ( SMF) ; 1 ♀, Kastri-Arvi , 3 May 2009, K. Eskl ( SMF) ; 1 ♀, Kavousi , 10 May 2009, H. Eikamp & U. Kluge ( SMF) ; 1 ♀, Arvi, Keratokampos , 11 May 2009, K. Eskl & U. Kluge ( SMF) ; 1 ♀, Anogia , 30 km SW of Iraklion, 17 May 2010, K. Eskl & H. Eikamp ( SMF) .

Description

Male (holotype)

HABITUS. See Figs 12 C, 13A–B.

BODY LENGTH. 2.97.

COLOUR. Carapace dark ochre-yellow, with brownish clypeus, narrow marginal bands, postocular area and radial grooves; eye tubercle brownish-black; labium, sternum and maxillae yellow; chelicerae, palps and legs yellow with diffuse brownish spots and fasciae; abdomen uniformly dark brown.

CARAPACE ( Fig. 12 F). 1.35 long, 1.08 wide.

EYES. AME 0.09, ALE 0.13, PLE 0.12, PME 0.10, AME–AME 0.06.

PALP ( Figs 13 C–D, 43D). Femur as long as tibia; tibia 1.5 times thicker than femur. Cymbium moderately long and slightly curved, without dorsal hump. Tegulum globular. Embolus long, gradually tapering near base and with parallel margins in mid-part, spermophore in embolus straight, tip of embolus screwshaped.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. ♂ (♀)

	Femur	Patella	Tibia	Metatarsus	Tarsus	Total
Palp	0.86 (0.73)	0.25 (0.34)	0.67 (0.55)	―	0.29 (0.63)	2.07 (2.25)
I	2.02 (1.85)	0.57 (0.58)	2.20 (1.87)	2.11 (1.51)	1.38 (1.08)	8.28 (6.89)
II	1.59 (1.38)	0.46 (0.54)	1.53 (1.22)	1.52 (1.03)	1.03 (0.78)	6.13 (4.95)
III	1.37 (1.22)	0.44 (0.51)	1.29 (0.83)	1.53 (0.97)	0.72 (0.61)	5.35 (4.14)
IV	1.95 (1.57)	0.51 (0.57)	1.94 (1.28)	2.07 (1.28)	1.10 (0.76)	7.57 (5.46)

Female (paratype from Gortys)

HABITUS. See Fig. 12 A.

BODY LENGTH. 3.87.

COLOUR. As in male, but abdomen dorsally, carapace margins and fasciae on palps and legs are somewhat darker.

CARAPACE. 1.63 long, 1.31 wide.

EYES. AME 0.09, ALE 0.15, PLE 0.14, PME 0.10, AME–AME 0.05.

ENDOGYNE ( Fig. 12 G–I). Both pairs of receptacles subglobular, median pair slightly elongate. Median and lateral receptacles close together. Median receptacles separated by more than 2 diameters.

Variation

Carapace length in males varies from 1.25 to 1.47, in females from 1.40 to 1.65. Some specimens have less contrast, with a darker and more diffuse coloration ( Fig. 12 B, D–E).

Ecology

According to the label data, the species inhabits rocky slopes from seashore to 800 m, covered by shrubs and steppe vegetation, where spiders occur under the stones.

Distribution

Known only from Crete ( Fig. 46 ).

Figures

Fig. 9. Copulatory organs of Zaitunia annulipes (Kulczyński, 1908), ♂ from Paramali (A – C) and ♀ from Germasogenea (D – F). — A – C. Palp, prolateral, ventro-retrolateral and retrolateral. D. Endogyne, anterior. E – F. Same, dorsal. Scale bars: A – C = 0.2 mm; D – F = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 10. Somatic characters and copulatory organs of Zaitunia kunti sp. nov., paratype, ♀ from Turkey (A – H) and holotype, ♂ (I – J). — A – B. Habitus, dorsal and ventral. C. Prosoma, dorsal. D – E. Habitus, frontal and lateral. F – G. Endogyne, dorsal. H. Calamistrum, dorsal. I. Palp, retrolateral. J. Habitus, lateral. Scale bars: A – B = 0.5 mm; D – F, I = 0.2 mm; G – H = 0.1 mm; J = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 12. Somatic characters and endogyne of Zaitunia minoica sp. nov., paratypes, ♀♀ (A – B, D – E, G – I) and holotype, ♂ (C, F). — A – C. Habitus, dorsal. D, F. Prosoma, dorsal. E. Habitus, dorso-sublateral. G – H. Endogyne, dorsal. I. Right pair of receptacles, dorsal. Scale bars: A – C, E = 0.5 mm; D, F – G = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 13. Somatic characters and palp of Zaitunia minoica sp. nov., holotype, ♂. A – B. Habitus, dorsal and lateral. C – D. Palp, pro- and retrolateral. Scale bars: A – B = 1.0 mm. C – D = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 43. Male copulatory organs of Zaitunia species, retrolateral. A. Z. schmitzi (Kulczyński, 1911) (Jerusalem area). B. Z. annulipes (Kulczyński, 1908) (Paramali). C. Z. kunti sp. nov. (holotype). D. Z. minoica sp. nov. (paratype). E. Z. logunovi sp. nov. (paratype). F. Z. martynovae (Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1969) (Gandzhina). Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 46. Distribution of Zaitunia schmitzi and Zaitunia annulipes species groups.