Spinozodium denisi ( Spassky, 1938 ) Zamani & Marusik, 2022

Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2022, A new genus of Zodariidae (Arachnida: Araneae) from Tajikistan, Journal of Natural History 56 (25 - 28), pp. 1187-1198 : 1190-1196

Spinozodium denisi ( Spassky, 1938) , comb. nov.

( Figures 1a–b , 2a–c , 3d–g , 4a–b , 5a–b )

Zodarion denisi Spassky, 1938: 580 , figure 5 (♂).

Zodarium [sic!] denisi: Spassky 1952: 193 . – Andreeva and Tystshenko 1968: 688, figure 6 (♂).

Zodarion denisi: Andreeva 1976: 37 , figure 44 (♂). – Marusik and Koponen 2001: 46, figures 28– 31 (♂).

Material examined

TAJIKISTAN: Dushanbe: 2♂ ( MMUE), env . of Dushanbe, Hissar Mt . ridge, 20 km of Varzob Hway, Gusgarf Vil., exposed northern slopes with Acer litter and cliffs, 8 May 2015 (Yu. M. Marusik); 4♂ 4♀ ( ZMMU), env . of Dushanbe, Hissar Mt . ridge, 48 km of Varzob Hway, Gusgarf Vill., 38.555, 68.482, 1530 m, exposed southern slopes with Juglans litter and under stones, 7 May 2015 (Yu. M. Marusik, M. Saidov); 3♂ 1♀ ( MMUE), env . of Dushanbe, Varzob valley, surroundings of Varzob Lake , 38.399, 68.482, 1043 m, pine litter, 3 May 2015 (Yu. M. Marusik); 1♂ ( SMNH), Hissar Mt . Range, Ramit Res., Darai Holmon (Kholmon) creek gorge, 38.756, 69.304, 1370 m, 2 May 2015 (S.L. Zonstein); Khatlon Region: 2♂ ( ZMMU), env . of Khovaling, Obimazar River , 38.3490, 69.9699, 1413 m, gravelly river shores with some bushes, 27 April 2015 (Yu. M. Marusik); 7♂ 1♀ ( ZMMU), Khovaling Dist ., opposite to Alakosim Kishlak , 38.359333, 70.064200, 1840 m, 28 April 2015 (Yu. M. Marusik) .

Diagnosis

The male of this species differs from that of its congener by (1) the tip of RTA bent at a different angle (see Figure 4 (a,c)), (2) straight, spine-like and longer process of tegular apophysis (Tp) located prolaterally (vs claw-like, shorter and located anteriorly), and (3) having teeth (Tt) on the anterior edge of the tegular apophysis (vs no teeth). The female of S. denisi differs from that of its congener by (1) the shorter anterior hood and subparallel margins of fovea (vs wider hood and posteriorly converging lateral margins of fovea; see Figure 5 (a–d)), (2) relatively shorter base of septum and (3) smaller head of receptacle (see Figure 5 (a–d)).

Description

Male. Habitus as in Figure 1 (b). Total length 2.60. Carapace 1.42 long, 0.99 wide. Eye sizes: AME: 0.10, ALE: 0.08, PME: 0.07, PLE: 0.07. Carapace, sternum, chelicerae, labium and maxillae yellowish. Carapace with irregular darker markings. Legs yellowish, without annulations. Abdomen dorsally dark greyish with pale beige median stripe, ventrally pale beige. Spinnerets uniformly pale beige. Measurements of legs: I: 3.97 (1.05, 0.42, 0.84, 0.97, 0.70), II: 3.73 (1.02, 0.45, 0.74, 0.92, 0.60), III: 3.74 (1.00, 0.45, 0.73, 0.96, 0.60), IV: 5.03 (1.28, 0.47, 1.16, 1.44, 0.68).

Palp as in Figures 2 (a–c), 3(d–g) and 4(a); terminal half of RTA bent ventrally; cymbium with shallow fold (Cf) opposing RTA; bulb oval, tegular apophysis (Ta) with straight, spinelike process (Tp), anterior edge of tegular apophysis with fine teeth (Tt).

Female. Habitus as in Figure 1 (a). Total length 3.60. Carapace 1.50 long, 1.05 wide. Eye sizes: AME: 0.10, ALE: 0.09, PME: 0.08, PLE: 0.08. Colouration as in male. Measurements of legs: I: 4.24 (1.10, 0.47, 0.88, 1.06, 0.73), II: 3.78 (1.00, 0.46, 0.77, 0.95, 0.60), III: 4.05 (1.07, 0.49, 0.76, 1.13, 0.60), IV: 5.51 (1.38, 0.50, 1.27, 1.62, 0.74).

Epigyne as in Figures 4 (b) and 5(a,b); anterior hood short and arched; margins of fovea subparallel ( Figure 5 (a,b)); septal stem (Ss) about 2 times shorter than septal base (Sb); receptacles separated by about 7 diameters and each bearing a small head (Rh).

Distribution

Known only from Dushanbe and Khatlon regions, western to south-central Tajikistan ( Figure 6 ). Ovtsharenko and Fet (1980) and Krivokhatsky and Fet (1981) reported this species from Turkmenistan, although these records were later attributed to Parazodarion raddei (Simon, 1889) (sub Zodarion ) by Mikhailov and Fet (1994).

Comments

The female of this species is described here for the first time.

Figures

Figure 1. Habitus of Spinozodium denisi (a, b) and S. khatlonicum sp. nov. (c, d), dorsal view. (a, c) females; (b, d) males. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Figure 2. Male palps of Spinozodium denisi (a–c) and S. khatlonicum sp. nov. (d–f). (a, d) ventral view; (b, e) prolateral view; (c, f) dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figure 3. Scanning electron microscopy images of the male palps of Spinozodium khatlonicum sp. nov. (a–c) and S. denisi (d–g). (a, e) detail of embolus and tegular apophysis, anteroventral view; (b, d) ventral view; (c, f) retrolateral view; (g) cymbial trichobothrium. Scale bars = 0.1 mm, unless otherwise stated. Abbreviations: Cf – cymbial fold, Co – conductor, Em – embolus, Ep – process of embolus tip, Os – opening of the sperm duct, Ta – tegular apophysis, Tp – process of tegular apophysis, Tr – retrolateral arm of tegular apophysis, Tt – teeth of tegular apophysis.

Figure 4. Spinozodium denisi (a, b) and S. khatlonicum sp. nov. (c, d). (a, c) male palp, retrolateral view; (b, d) intact epigyne, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figure 5. Macerated epigynes of Spinozodium denisi (a, b) and S. khatlonicum sp. nov. (c, d). (a, c) dorsal view; (b, d) ventral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Ah – anterior hood, Rh – head of receptacle, Sb – septal base, Ss – septal stem.

Figure 6. Collection localities of Spinozodium denisi (circles) and S. khatlonicum sp. nov. (squares). Black symbols indicate the type localities.