Megalepthyphantes globularis, V. & Tanasevitch, 2011

Tanasevitch, Andrei V., 2011, On linyphiid spiders (Araneae) from the Eastern and Central Mediterranean kept at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Geneva, Revue suisse de Zoologie 118 (1), pp. 49-91 : 72-74

Megalepthyphantes globularis sp. n. Figs 77-81

HOLOTYPE: ♀, Turkey, Artvin, Cankurtaran Geçidi , between Borçka and Hopa, 700 m a.s.l., under stones, 8.VI.1986, leg. C. Besuchet, I. Löbl & D. Burckhardt [7a].

FIGS 77-81

Megalepthyphantes globularis sp. n., ♀ holotype. (77) Body, dorsal view. (78-81) Epigyne, ventral, posteroventral, dorsal and lateral view, respectively.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name, an adjective, refers to the globular shape of the distal part of the scape.

DIAGNOSIS: The species is characterised by the peculiar structure of its epigyne.

DESCRIPTION: Female. Total length 2.48. Carapace unmodified, 1.08 long, 0.80 wide, pale yellow, with a broad grey margin as in Fig. 77. Chelicerae 0.45 long. Legs yellow, without bands, with darkened end of segments. Leg I 7.35 long (1.95+0.30+1.95+2.00+1.15), IV 5.05 long (1.50+0.25+1.30+1.30+0.70) long. Chaetotaxy: FeI: 0-1-0-0, II-IV: 0-0-0-0; TiI-IV: 2-1-1-0; MtI-IV: 1-0-0-0. TmI 0.19. Metatarsus IV without trichobothrium. Abdomen 1.43 long, 0.93 wide, abdomen pattern as in Fig. 77. Epigyne (Figs 78-81): Pseudoscape divided into two lobes by a deep notch. Distal part of scape globular, middle part short, proximal part (= proscape), as well as lateral lobes and stretcher totally reduced. Entrance grooves passing through middle part of scape, then entering backwall and running through lateral walls to the receptacles.

TAXONOMIC REMARKS: The species differs from other congeners by the totally reduced proscape and the presence of a pseudoscape. The epigyne bears some resemblance to that of the representatives of Lidia Saaristo & Marusik, 2004 . In the absence of the corresponding male it is difficult to unambiguously place the species into any genus.

DISTRIBUTION: Known from the type locality only.

Megalepthyphantes turkeyensis Tanasevitch, Kunt & Seyyar, 2005 Fig. 82 Lepthyphantes congener (O. P.-Cambridge, 1872) sensu Kulczyński, 1908: 68, pl. 2, fig. 17; Ƌ

from Cyprus, misidentification.

MATERIAL: 1 Ƌ, 2 ♀, Cyprus, Troodos Mts , Cedar Valley, near camping, 1100 m a.s.l., under stones, 18.XI.1991, leg. B. Hauser [ZS-91/20]. – 2 Ƌ , 1 ♀, Ikaria , above Aghios, Metallio, stony slope, S exposition, litter and under stones, 50 m a.s.l., 23.XI.1991, leg. C. Lienhard [ZS- 91/48] .

REMARKS: Kulczyński (1908) described and illustrated a male from Cyprus, which he erroneously believed to be the missing male of Lepthyphantes congener (O. P.-Cambridge, 1872) [= Frontinellina frutetorum (C. L. Koch, 1834) ]. The figure of a male palp of L. congener made by Kulczyński (1908) (Fig. 83) shows that this specimen clearly belongs to M. turkeyensis , not to F. frutetorum , as mentioned by Bosmans (1994). Compare Fig. 82 and Fig. 83.

DISTRIBUTION: Cyprus and Mersin Province, Turkey.