Pax leila, Zamani & Marusik, 2021

Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2021, Revision of the spider family Zodariidae (Arachnida, Araneae) in Iran and Turkmenistan, with seventeen new species, ZooKeys 1035, pp. 145-193 : 145

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1035.65767
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:ADD73A16-2DB3-4873-890B-1E490C2C8841
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9DEB48F2-08A4-482E-AEFF-405D9AAAA248
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:9DEB48F2-08A4-482E-AEFF-405D9AAAA248
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Pax leila
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Pax leila sp. nov. Figs 5C, D View Figure 5 , 8 View Figure 8 , 9 View Figure 9 , 10F-J View Figure 10 , 32 View Figure 32

Type material.

Holotype ♂ and paratype 1♀ (MHNG), Iran: Fars Province: road to Yasuj, 30°28'N, 51°30'E, 25.05.1974 (A. Senglet).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a feminine given name in the Persian language, meaning "daughter of the night". Noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

The new species differs from all congeners by having a pair of spine-like cymbial outgrowths (Figs 8 View Figure 8 , 9C, E View Figure 9 ) (vs. lacking) and a triangular epigynal median plate (vs. absent or rectangular).

Description.

Male. Habitus as in Fig. 5C View Figure 5 . Total length 4.42. Carapace 2.07 long, 1.03 wide at pars cephalica, 1.46 wide at pars thoracica. Eye sizes and interdistance of PMEs: AME: 0.09, ALE: 0.09, PME: 0.06, PLE: 0.09, PME-PME: 0.07. Carapace, sternum, labium, chelicerae and maxillae reddish brown, without any pattern. Chelicera with 2 promarginal teeth. Legs yellow, with few spines and without annulations. Abdomen dark brown, dorsally with large scutum covering 2/3 of the abdomen. Spinnerets pale, uniform in color. Measurements of legs: I: 4.51 (1.21, 0.50, 1.06, 0.93, 0.81), II: 3.89 (1.04, 0.52, 0.79, 0.83, 0.71), III: 3.62 (0.98, 0.50, 0.69, 0.85, 0.60), IV: 4.99 (1.33, 0.58, 1.05, 1.33, 0.70).

Palp as in Figs 8A-F View Figure 8 , 9A-E View Figure 9 . Tibia wider than long, with short apophysis; cymbium with 2 strong spine-like baso-posterior outgrowths (Cp, Cr), lateral fold lacking; embolus long, with robust triangular outgrowth near base (Se); median apophysis (Ma) very large, with 2 claw-like extensions; conductor small and strongly sclerotized.

Female. Habitus as in Fig. 5D View Figure 5 . Total length 4.95. Carapace 1.97 long, 1.00 wide at pars cephalica, 1.31 wide at pars thoracica. Eye sizes and interdistance of PMEs: AME: 0.07, ALE: 0.08, PME: 0.06, PLE: 0.07, PME-PME: 0.08. Coloration as in male, with lighter abdomen lacking a scutum. Measurements of legs: I: 4.25 (1.21, 0.50, 0.99, 0.84, 0.71), II: 3.58 (0.94, 0.52, 0.74, 0.74, 0.64), III: 3.47 (0.90, 0.51, 0.70, 0.81, 0.55), IV: 4.71 (1.18, 0.53, 1.05, 1.21, 0.74).

Epigyne as in Fig. 10F-J View Figure 10 . Epigyne trilobate, with triangular median plate, posteriorly as wide as lateral lobes; copulatory openings slit-like, broad; copulatory ducts wide, as wide as receptacles; receptacles globular, separated by less than their radii.

Comments.

Although this species is rather similar in general appearance to the generotype and the other species known from Iran, the bulb and cymbium conformation is very different from those of other species considered in Pax and most likely belongs to an undescribed genus.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality in Fars Province, southwestern Iran (Fig. 32 View Figure 32 ). This is the easternmost record of the genus Pax .