Stalagtia christoi Van Keer & Bosmans, 2009

Coşar, İlhan, Danişman, Tarik, Yağmur, Ersen Aydin & Kunt, Kadir Boğaç, 2023, Notes on the genus Stalagtia from Turkey with description of a new species (Araneae, Dysderidae), Zootaxa 5352 (2), pp. 289-295 : 292-294

Stalagtia christoi Van Keer & Bosmans, 2009

Figs 8–9

Stalagtia christoi Van Keer & Bosmans, 2009: 282 , f. 17–20 (Dmf).

Stalagtia thaleriana Kunt, Yağmur & Kürşat, 2009: 46 , f. 2–5 (m). misidentification

Material examined. TURKEY: AYDIN PROV. 1 ³, 2 ♀♀, Cevizli Mt., Paşa Plateau (37°57’00.40”N 27°53’25.30”E), 1230 m, 09 Oct.–08 Dec. 2012 ; 3 ³³, 4 juvenile, Karpuzlu Dist., Gölcük Vill. (37°34’39.50”N 27°49’59.80”E), 84 m, 3 Feb. 2013 , leg. TD.; 5 ³³, 4 ♀♀, Cevizli Mt., Paşa Plateau (37°55’38’’N 27°54’07’’E), 1038 m, 25 Nov 2016 – 11 May 2017 ; 5 ³³, 2 ♀♀, Aydın Prov., Cevizli Mtn., Paşa Plateau (37°57’00’’N 27°53’20’’E), 1220 m, 29 Nov. 2016 – 11 May 2017 ; 1 ³, Aydın Prov. , Dilek Peninsula NP., 4 km S of Güzelçamlı Vill. (37°41’26.00”N 27°14’14.00”E), 163 m, 12 May 2017 . BALIKESİR PROV. 2 ³³, 3 ♀♀, İvrindi Dist., Gökçeyazı Vill. (39°37’33.40”N 27°37’32.40”E), 194 m, 17 Jan. 2016 – 06 June 2016 ; 1 ³, Susurluk Dist. , Ekinlik Vill. (39°54.542’N 28°12.832’E), 452 m, 15 Oct. 2017 , leg. SS & MEB. DENİZLİ PROV. 1 ³, 1 ♀, Babadağ Dist., Demirli Vill. (37°47’43.00”N 28°48’47.00”E), 903 m, 30 May 2014 ; 1 ³, 1 ♀, Merkezefendi Dist., Başkarcı Vill., Karcı Mt. (37°44’56’’N 28°58’53’’E), 805 m, 25 May 2016 – 29 Apr. 2017 ; 6 ♀♀, Honaz Dist., Aydınlar Vill., Honaz Mt. (37°40’44.00”N 29°19’41.00”E), 1478 m, 25 Sep 2016 – 01 Apr. 2017 . İZMİR PROV. 1 ³, Seferihisar Dist. , Orhanlı Vill. (38°10’43.52”N 26°56’56.13”E), 175 m, 25 Jan.–21 Sept. 2012 ; 7 ³³, Karaburun Dist. (38°35’43.00”N 26°30’24.00”E), 750 m, 23 Mar. 2012 ; 2 ³³, Karşıyaka Dist., Yamanlar Mt. (38°32’18.50”N 27°10’32.80”E), 851 m, 01 Apr. 2012 ; 3 ♀♀, Ödemiş Dist., Bozdağlar (38°11’58”N 28°06’49”E), 1500 m, 14 May 2012 ; 2 ³³, 1 juvenile, Karşıyaka Dist., Yamanlar Mt. (38°33’1.00”N 27° 9’12.00”E), 867 m, 23 Mar–23 May 2012 ; 2 ³³, Karaburun Dist. (38°35’43.00”N 26°30’24.00”E), 750 m, 23 Mar.–23 May 2012 ; 4 ³³, 4 ♀♀, Ödemiş Dist., Bozdağlar (38°19’56”N 28° 06’36”E), 1685 m, 14 May–2 June 2012 ; 1 ³, Buca Dist. , Kaynaklar Vill. (38°21’34.58”N 27°17’23.60”E), asl 383 m, 21 Apr.–12 June 2012 ; 5 ³³, 3 ♀♀, Gölcük Road, Bozdağlar (38°18’11.00”N 28° 2’6.70”E), 1211 m, 02 June–28 June 2012 ; 5 ³³, 4 ♀♀, Ödemiş Dist., Bozdağlar (38°19’56”N 28° 06’36”E), 1685 m, 2 June–28 June 2012 ; 3 ³³, 4 ♀♀, Nif Mt. (38°25’1.61”N 27°23’38.19”E), 21 Oct–2 Dec 2012 ; 2 ³³, 1 ♀, Bergama Dist., Güneşli Vill. (39°21’47.80”N 27°8’3.40”E), 544 m, 5 May 2013 ; 1 ³, Kemalpaşa Dist. , Nif Mtn. (38°23’03”N 27°21’56”E), 1220 m, 16 Mar. 2014 ; 5 ³³, 2 ♀♀, Ödemiş Dist., Bozdağlar (38°19’56”N 28°06’36”E), 1620 m, 02 May 2014 ; 4 ♀♀, Bergama Dist., Güneşli Vill. (39°21’47.80”N 27° 8’3.40”E), 790 m, 08 July 2014 – 21 Aug. 2014 ; 1 ³, Urla Dist. , 3 km SW of Gülbahçe Vill. (38°17’48’’N 26°37’47’’E), 66 m, 19 Mar. 2017 – 20 May 2017 ; 6 ³³, Urla Dist. (38°16’30’’N 26°35’07’’E), 236 m, 19 Mar.–20 May 2017 . MANİSA PROV. 1 ³, Spil Mt. (38°32’58.20”N 27°25’19.30”E), 1297 m, 15 Mar. 2014 ; 4 ³³, 6 ♀♀, Turgutlu Dist., Kuşlar Vill. (38°21’24’’N 27°50’38’’E), 950 m, 25 Mar. 2017 .

Life history and habitat preferences: S. christoi is distributed in the Aegean region of Turkey at altitudes ranging from sea level to over a thousand meters, under stones, in pine and deciduous forests, and in leaf litter in maquis. Generally active through all seasons.

Van Keer & Bosmans (2009) distinguished Stalagtia christoi from S. thaleriana as follows: “ S. christoi differs from S. thaleriana in that the embolus is longer than the tegulum and is straight distally and not bent as in the former.” This was observed in almost all Stalagtia specimens examined during our study. Kunt et al. (2009) reported S. thaleriana from Turkey, and Van Keer & Bosmans (2009) described S. christoi from Lesbos almost simultaneously. Therefore, it is highly probable that Kunt et al. (2009) misidentified S. christoi as S. thaleriana and that S. christoi is the Stalagtia species distributed in the Aegean region of Turkey. The presence of the same species in both areas should not be surprising given the proximity of Lesbos to Anatolia and the existing land bridges between Anatolia and the Aegean islands in the past.

According to the available distribution data, S. christoi is an Aegean endemic. Neither Kunt (2019) in southern Turkey nor Elverici (2018) in northwestern Turkey found evidence of the presence of S. christoi in their extensive surveys. Based on available records, S. christoi is predominantly distributed along the Aegean coast of western Turkey, entering the interior of the Aegean region and extending north towards Marmara ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Distribution map. Square: Type locality of Stalagtia thaleriana Dots: Collecting localities of S. christoi in Turkey Star: Type locality of S. christoi Triangle: Type locality of S. martinae sp. n. Black hatched area: Study region of Elverici (2018) Purple hatched area: Study region of Kunt (2019).

FIGURES 4–9. Stalagtia martinae sp. n. 4. Right male palp, retrolateral view 5. Ditto, posterior view 6–7 Vulva, dorsal view Stalagtia christoi 8. Right male palp, retrolateral view 9. Vulva, ventral view. Abbreviations: AC Anterior arc C Conductor E Embolus PD Posterior diverticulum S Spermatecha TB Transversal bar TZ Transition zone.