Sahastata sinuspersica Marusik, Zamani & Mirshamsi, 2014

Marusik, Yuri M. & Zamani, Alireza, 2015, The spider family Filistatidae (Araneae) in Iran, ZooKeys 516, pp. 123-135 : 125-127

Taxon classification Animalia Araneae Filistatidae

Sahastata sinuspersica Marusik, Zamani & Mirshamsi, 2014 Figs 2, 3, 6 b–c, 7

Sahastata sinuspersica Marusik et al. 2014: 9, f. 22-29, 34-40 (♀).

Material examined.

IRAN: 1♂ 1♀ (SMF), Hormozgan Province: Hormuz Island, 27°04'N, 56°28'E, January 2015 (A. Zamani).

Diagnosis.

Females of Sahastata sinuspersica can be distinguished from the other female congeners by having one pair of receptacle heads connected to the epigastric furrow by a pair of ducts, while Sahastata nigra Simon, 1897 present two pairs of spermathecae heads ( Benoit 1968: fig. 4) and Sahastata sabaea Brignoli, 1982 has the duct connected to the bursa copulatrix ( Brignoli 1982: fig. 18) (Fig. 3 e–f). The male differs from all known filistatids except for Filistata puta O.Pickard-Cambridge, 1876 (sensu Wunderlich 1995) by having numerous small spines on femora I and II. Males of Sahastata sinuspersica and Filistata puta both have relatively long palps but differ by the shape of the bulb: conical and tapering in Sahastata sinuspersica and with round tegular part in Filistata puta ( Wunderlich 1995: figs 2-4). The bulb of Sahastata sinuspersica is very similar to that in Sahastata ashapuriae . Although the latter species is poorly-described and illustrated, it can be easily distinguished from Sahastata sinuspersica by having palps longer than leg I (palp twice shorter than leg I in Iranian species).

Description.

Male. Total length 4.85. Carapace 2.32 long, 1.75 wide, 0.5 high, flat, light-colored, with V-shaped brown median spot reaching clypeus and poorly distinct radial stripes, covered with short adpressed dark hairs, postocular area with few strong erected hairs (Fig. 2 b–c). Eye tubercle moderately elevated, brownish-black. Chelicerae with median brown bands (Fig. 2 b–c). Sternum uniformly light-colored (Fig. 2d), hairs covering sternum not as dense as in female ( Marusik et al. 2014: fig. 24). Legs light brownish-yellow, darker than carapace, metatarsi and tarsi darker than other segments due to dense brownish hairs (Fig. 2a, d). Legs very long, first leg four times longer than body (Fig. 2a). All legs with distinct spines, femora I with numerous pro- and retrolateral small spines (Fig. 2b, f), femora II with less dense spination prolaterally. All leg tarsi with pseudosegmentation (cuticular cracks) (Fig. 2a, d). Calamistrum absent. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 9.66 [4.5, 0.5, 4.03, 0.63], I 19.65 [5.25, 1.05, 5.85, 5.5, 2.0], II 13.75 [3.85, 1.0, 3.65, 3.75, 1.5], III 11.9 [3.25, 0.95, 2.8, 3.5, 1.4], IV 16.65 [4.5, 1.05, 4.3, 4.8, 2.0]. Abdomen brownish, with dark brown anterior part of dorsum and distinct light median stripe. Book lungs (Bl) very large (length about 1/3 of abdomen length) (Fig. 2b), tracheal spiracle (Ts) wide, located almost on half way from epigastric furrow to cribellum (Fig. 2e). Cribellum (Cr) present (Fig. 2e), large, transverse and divided.

Palp as in Fig. 3 a–d, very long, two times longer than body, femur as long as femur of leg IV, covered with spines; patella very short, shorter than cymbium; tibia slightly thinner than femur, without spines; cymbium cylindrical, longer than free part of bulb; bulb conical gradually tapering, embolic part not well-separated from tegular part, shorter than tegular part; tip of embolus slightly bent retrolaterally; Spermophor with three coils in retrolateral and two coils in prolateral.

Female. Described by Marusik et al. (2014).

Habitat.

Specimens were mostly found under stones and in natural crevices on a sandy substrate near the sea.

Records in Iran.

Hormozgan.

Distribution.

Endemic to southern Iran.