Pardosa albatula (Roewer, 1951)

Naumova, Maria & Deltshev, Christo, 2023, On the identity of Pardosa consimilis Nosek, 1905 with a first description of the male and notes on two related species (Araneae: Lycosidae), Zootaxa 5352 (4), pp. 553-564 : 554

Pardosa albatula –complex

Identification key to Pardosa albatula –complex

1. Males.............................................................................................. 2

– Females............................................................................................ 4

2. Palps yellowish to light brown, with white setae (WS) from femur to tarsus........................................ 3

– All segments of palp dark brown; only femur and patella with white setae (WS) ( Figs 4 (C, I), 5 (C, F, I).......... P. blanda

3. WS from femur to middle of the tarsus of the palp; erected setae (ES) shorter than tibial length ( Figs 4 B, H ), 5 B, E, H)............................................................................................... P. albatula

– WS from femur to the 2/3 of the tarsus; ES longer than tibial length ( Figs 4 A, G ), 5 A, D, G)................ P. consimilis

4. Median septum narrower than 0.8 mm, spermathecae less than 0.1 mm wide...................................... 5

– Median septum wider than 0.85 (mostly than 0.9) mm, spermathecae about 0.15 mm wide ( Fig. 3 D, G, J )...... P. consimilis

5. Medial lumen of epigyne (L) narrower than or equal to the copulatory ducts (CD) behind the spermathecae (S); CD transverse, then at almost right angles directed forward ( Fig. 3 E, H, K )........................................... P. albatula *

– Medial lumen (L) wider than diameter of CD behind the spermathecae; CD curved forward ( Fig. 3 F, I, L )...... P. blanda *

*Female P. albatula and P. blanda may be indistinguishable due to a high overlap of all major taxonomic features (see also in Discussion).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Pardosa consimilis Nosek, 1905; female (A, D, G, J), P. albatula (Roewer, 1951) (B, E, H, K) and P. blanda (C. L. Koch, 1833) (C, F, I, L); habitus dorsal (A–C) (scales 2.0 mm), macerated epigyne ventral (D–F) and vulva dorsal (G–L) views. Scales: 2.0 mm (A–C) and 0.5 mm (D–I). Arrows indicate the lumen of median septum.

FIGURE 4. Pardosa consimilis Nosek, 1905; male (A, D, G), P. albatula (Roewer, 1951) (B, E, H) and P. blanda (C. L. Koch, 1833) (C, F, I); habitus dorsal (A–C), right leg I, prolateral (D–F) and left male palp dorsal (G–I) views. Arrows indicate the distal white setae (WS).