Zelotes zekharya Levy, 2009

Russell-Smith, Anthony, 2017, New species and new records of ground spiders (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) from Cyprus, Zootaxa 4329 (3), pp. 237-255 : 251-253

Zelotes zekharya Levy, 2009

Figs 41–42

Z. zekharia Levy 2009: 49 , Figs 63, 64. Male holotype from ISRAEL, Zekharya, leg. Y. Mandelik (13.VIII.2001), deposited at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem ( HUJ 15504).

Diagnosis. The female of Z. zekharya described here is characterized by an epigynal plate wider than long, its anterior margin of equal width and its lateral margins being curved, as well as by long and curved median copulatory ducts. From its closest morphological relative, Z. tenuis (L. Koch, 1866) , it differs by the continuous anterior margin, in Z. tenuis being divided (see Senglet, 2011, p. 523, Figs 45̄49).

Material examined. 1 ♀, Cyprus, Agridi , near Dali, in building, VII.2011, leg. D. McCowan.

Description. Female. Medium sized spiders of orange colouration, abdomen grey. Measurements: TL 5.527; CL 2.289; CW 1.621; AL 3.096. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.098, PME 0.079x0.130, PLE 0.103, ALE 0.123 AME-AME 0.057 (ca 1/2 of AME diameter), AME-ALE almost touching, PME-PME (min/max) 0.044/ 0.166, PME-PLE 0.055. All eyes pearly white with black surrounding except for AME which are black. PER slightly procurved to straight, AER slightly recurved to straight. Cephalothorax with widening thoracic region and fovea at posterior third of its length. Chelicera armed with 5 teeth at promargin and 3 denticles at retromargin. Labium 0.412 long, 0.326 wide at its base. Sternum 1.43 long, 1.084 wide. Legs size are IV>I>II>III. Leg spination: Leg I: Fe 2d/1pl; Leg II: Fe 2-3d/1pl Mt 3v; Leg III: Fe 6d Pa 1rl Ti/Mt spinose; Leg IV: Fe 4d Ti/Mt spinose. Epigyne ( Fig. 41 ). Epigynal plate wider than long, formed by continuous anterior margin and curved latero-posterior margins, which divide the plate into two parts. Anterior margin width almost equal to epigynal width. Vulva ( Fig. 42 ). Median ducts long and curved. Spermathecae rounded, almost touching.

Comments. The female described here belongs to the tenuis group as defined by Senglet (2011). Following the key proposed by the same author, it closely resembles Z. tenuis (L. Koch, 1866) but it is different from it (see diagnosis). On the other hand, Z. zekharya was described by Levy (2009) on the basis of male specimens only. The shape of the palpal embolar base and the embolus ( Levy, 2009, p. 30, Fig. 63) indicate this species clearly belongs to the tenuis -group as well. Because both Z. zekharya and the female here examined belong to the same species group and also due to the biogeographical affinity between Cyprus and Israel, the region from which Z. zekharya was described, we believe that this female is the matching sex of Z. zekharya .

Distribution. Israel, Cyprus.

Figures

FIGURES 41 – 42. Zelotes zekharya Levy, 2009. 41. Epigyne. 42. Vulva.