Neoscona lotan n. sp.

Figs. 70–74

Holotype. adult male from sands east of Lotan, Arava Valley (702017/320896), Israel, leg. Uri Shanas, February 22, 2004, pitfall trap (HUJ 15488); female unknown.

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition referring to the type locality.

Description. Male. Carapace yellow, slightly blackened anteriorly; shallow fovea. Yellow sternum with median longitudinal white band and fine black margins. Chelicerae with three pro- and two retromarginal teeth. Legs yellow with dorsal black stripes along anterior pairs, and blackened articulations in posterior pairs; coxa of leg-I furnished with ventral hook on distal edges; tibiae without rows of spines; patella of male palpus bears two long bristles. Opisthosoma dorsally, with light longitudinal band flanked by scalloped pattern (Fig. 70); venter with broad white patch.

Measurements (holotype + 1ɗ; holotype listed first): total length 6.4, 5.8; carapace length 2.8, 2.9, width 2.2, 2.0, index 1.27, 1.45; AM-AM distance/AM diameter 1.27, 1.15; leg lengths: I 12.5, 12.7, II 11.0, 11.9, III 7.0, 7.0, IV 10.1, 10.1; patella-tibia index 1.64, 1.58.

Palpus. Mesal side with deeply notched cymbium exposing fine black stylet pointing towards bi-spiculated median apophysis (Fig. 71); wrinkled membranous slender terminal apophysis winds apically, covering in part fine black embolus (Figs. 71–74).

Diagnosis. Based on male. The configuration of the palpal sclerites with the peculiar mesally notched cymbium, the strong mesal stylet and the shape of the slender terminal apophysis distinguish Neoscona lotan n. sp. distinctly from all other Neoscona species.

Distribution. Israel: known only from the type locality in the Arava Valley.

Comments. The two males known so far were collected with pitfall traps, which is uncommon (accidental?) for orb-weaver spiders like Neoscona . These usually suspend their webs on low vegetation and bushes (Levy 1997).