Zodariellum Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968

Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2022, New taxonomic considerations in Zodariellum Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968 (Araneae: Zodariidae), with notes on the presence of cymbial diverticulum in different zodariid genera, Zootaxa 5178 (2), pp. 161-177 : 162-163

Genus Zodariellum Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968

Zodariellum Andreeva & Tystshenko, 1968: 688 .

Zodariellum: Marusik & Koponen 2001: 40 (removed from the synonymy of Zodarion ).— Zamani & Marusik 2021: 184 .

Type species. Zodariellum surprisum Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968 from Tajikistan, by original designation .

Emended diagnosis. Males of Zodariellum differ from that of Zodarion nitidum (Audouin, 1826) ( Fig. 11A– C ), the generotype of Zodarion , by having: 1) RTA (Ra) longer than wide, with solid base and either bifurcated or solid tip, with branch or branches (Rb) bent retrolaterally at more than right angle ( Figs 4A–D , 5A–D ) (vs. wider than long and divided into 3 parts basally; Fig. 11B ), 2) lacking ventral tibial apophysis (vs. present, Va in Fig. 11A–B ), 3) cymbium with short tip (i.e. as long as wide, shorter than RTA) and prominent tutaculum (Tu) (vs. tip longer than wide and longer than RTA, tutaculum absent), 4) large tegular apophysis (Tg) longer that bulb, with prolateral spur (Sp) located basally and directed postero-ectally, and long retrolateral arm (Tr) with tip resting on tutaculum (vs. tegular apophysis shorter than bulb), 5) very long conductor (Cn), longer than bulb, with prolateral arm (Cp) terminating at a 6 o’clock position or earlier (vs. conductor lacking prolateral arm and shorter than bulb), and 6) longer filamentous embolus originating at a 6 o’clock position or earlier (vs. 6:30). Females of Zodariellum differ from those of Zodarion sensu lato by the long, twisted (i.e. similar to a screw), converging copulatory ducts ( Fig. 10A–D ) (vs. not twisted or diverging if twisted).

Furthermore, males of Zodariellum differ from those of all other zodariid genera by having a very deep (=long) diverticulum of cymbium (Di, Fig. 2F ) (about 0.4 time of cymbium length and 0.75 of cymbium width). The species of Acanthinozodium also have a cymbial diverticulum, although in the form of a short conical (i.e. depth about one radius) round pit ( Jocqué & Henrard 2015: fig. 9A, B; Zamani & Marusik, 2021: figs 13C, 14G‒H, 15C, F, 21F, 22H‒I, 23C, 24C). Furthermore, the male palps of Zodariellum species have serrated processes of RTA and serrated spur of the tegular apophysis (Sp), which have not been recorded in other Zodariinae genera.

Composition. 21 species (including those described here and the new combinations):

Z. asiaticum (Tyshchenko, 1970) (♂ ♀), Z. bactrianum ( Kroneberg, 1875) (♂ ♀), Z. bekuzini (Nenilin, 1985) (♂ ♀), Z. chaoyangense (Zhu & Zhu, 1983) (♂ ♀), Z. continentale ( Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968) (♂ ♀), Z. furcum (Zhu, 1988) (♂ ♀), Z. hunanense ( Yin, 2012) comb. n. (♀), Z. mongolicum Marusik & Koponen, 2001 (♂ ♀), Z. nenilini ( Eskov, 1995) (♂ ♀), Z. planum ( Zhang & Zhang, 2019) comb. n. (♂), Z. proszynskii (Nenilin & Fet, 1985) (♂ ♀), Z. schmidti Marusik & Koponen, 2001 (♂ ♀), Z. spasskyi ( Charitonov, 1946) comb. n. (♀), Z. surprisum ( Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968) (♂), Z. sytchevskajae (Nenilin & Fet, 1985) (♂ ♀), Z. tadzhikum ( Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968) comb. n. (♀), Z. testaceofasciatum ( Spassky, 1941) comb. n. (♀), Z. turanicum sp. n. (♂), Z. turkmenicum sp. n. (♂), Z. volgouralense Ponomarev, 2007 (♂ ♀) and Z. zebra ( Charitonov, 1946) comb. n. (♀).

According to the shape of the RTA, the genus can be split into three species-groups:

1) furcum species-group, comprising Z. furcum and Z. planum ; in both species, RTA has a process arising from its mid part, and a pointed tip ( Zhang & Zhang 2019: figs 4E, 12C).

2) bactrianum species-group, comprising Z. bactrianum and Z. turanicum sp. n.; in both species, RTA has two processes originating posteriorly, and an abrupt tip ( Figs 2B, D ).

3) surprisum species-group, comprising the rest of the species with known males; in all species of this group, RTA has one or two processes, and a roundly or almost roundly bent tip ( Figs 2A, C, E ).

Distribution. From Volga River’s delta to northeastern China, south to northeastern Iran and south China (ca 25ºN) ( Fig. 12 ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Male palps of Zodariellum asiaticum (A), Z. bactrianum (B, F), Z. nenilini (C), Z. turanicum sp. n. (D) and Z. turkmenicum sp. n. (E). A–E ventral view; F dorsal view of cymbium, showing cymbial diverticulum. Scale bars = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Cn—conductor, Cp—prolateral arm of conductor, Eb—base of embolus, Di—diverticulum, Ra—retrolateral tibial apophysis, Rb—branch(es) of retrolateral tibial apophysis, Sp—spur of tegular apophysis, Tg—tegular apophysis, To—triangular outgrowth, Tr—retrolateral arm of tegular apophysis, Tu—tutaculum.

FIGURE 4. Male palps of Zodariellum asiaticum (A), Z. bactrianum (B), Z. nenilini (C), Z. turanicum sp. n. (D) and Z. turkmenicum sp. n. (E), retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Ap—anterodorsal part of retrolateral tibial apophysis, Cn—conductor, Di—diverticulum, Ra—retrolateral tibial apophysis, Rb—branches of retrolateral tibial apophysis, Tr—retrolateral arm of tegular apophysis, Tu—tutaculum.

FIGURE 5. SEM images of the male palps of Zodariellum asiaticum (A), Z. bactrianum (B), Z. nenilini (C), Z. turanicum sp. n. (D) and Z. turkmenicum sp. n. (E), retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: Cn—conductor, Cp—prolateral arm of conductor, Di—diverticulum, Eb—base of embolus, Ra—retrolateral tibial apophysis, Rb—branches of retrolateral tibial apophysis, Tr—retrolateral arm of tegular apophysis, Tu—tutaculum.

FIGURE 10. Epigynes of Zodariellum nenilini (A) and Z. proszynskii (B–D). A–B intact, ventral view; C–D macerated, dorsal and ventral views. Scale bars = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Cd—copulatory duct, Fo—fovea, Re—receptacle.

FIGURE 11. SEM images of the male palp of Zodarion nitidum. A ventral view; B retrolateral view; C dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: Cn—conductor, Eb—base of embolus, Ra—retrolateral tibial apophysis, Tg—tegular apophysis, Va—ventral tibial apophysis.

FIGURE 12. Distribution records of Zodariellum spp. A: 1) Z. asiaticum, 2) Z. bactrianum, 3) Z. bekuzini, 4) Z. continentale, 5) Z. proszynskii, 6) Z. spasskyi and Z. zebra, 7) Z. surprisum, 8) Z. sytchevskajae, 9) Z. turanicum sp. n., 10) Z. turkmenicum sp. n., 11) Z. tadzhikum, 12) Z. testaceofasciatum, 13) Z. volgouralense, 14) Z. nenilini (in part, excluding records from Mongolia). B: 1) Z. nenilini (in part, records from Mongolia), 2) Z. schmidti, 3) Z. mongolicum, 4) Z. chaoyangense, 5) Z. furcum, 6) Z. hunanense, 7) Z. planum. A single point may refer to several closely located records.