Micrommata ligurina (C.L. Koch, 1845 )

Jäger, Peter, 2023, Revision of the huntsman spider genus Micrommata Latreille, 1804 (Sparassidae Sparassinae), Zootaxa 5352 (1), pp. 1-45 : 24-28

Micrommata ligurina (C.L. Koch, 1845)

Figs 2 , 84–103

Sparassus ligurinus C.L. Koch, 1845: 89 , fig. 1020 (Description of female; holotype female from GREECE: Peloponnes: Nauplia [=Nafplio], Dr. Schuch leg.; not examined).

Sparassus pilosus Simon, 1870: 342 (Description of male, female).

Micrommata ligurina . Simon 1874: 273 (Transfer from Sparassus , synonymy of Sparassus pilosus ); Simon 1875: 340 (male); Kulczyński 1911: 36, pl. 1, figs 41–42 (illustration of male); Simon 1932: 892, 960, figs 1337-1338 (illustration of male, female); Urones 2004: 46, figs 1–3, 14–17 (redescription of male, female); Lecigne 2013: 187, figs 5J–K (redescription of male); Tutar & Yağmur 2023: 217, figs 19A–B (illustration of female).

Micrommata ligurinum . Levy 1989: 168, figs 115–125 (redescription of male, female).

Additional material examined. MOROCCO: Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima: 1 female, near Ouezzane (=Uezzan, Ouezzan) [34°47’33.19”N, 5°34’8.50”W, 337 m], A.O. Birula leg. end of March, beginning of April 1929, received on cotton-wool (i.e., dry) ( ZMZI). Rabat-Salé-Kénitra: 1 juvenile female, Kénitra, S Moulay-Bousselham, southern side of lagoon [34°52’11.86”N, 6°17’25.59”W, 5 m], sand dunes, D.W. Wrase leg. 2 March 2004, 27 ( SMF). PORTUGAL: North Region: 1 male, Costa Verde, Ofir [41°31’4.10”N, 8°47’7.63”W, 8 m], 22 September 1982, J. Murphy det., Coll. Murphy ( MMUE G7572.9233). Algarve: 1 male, ca. 50 NW Faro, c/o Alte [37°14’9.11”N, 8°10’43.07”W, 215 m], active by night, S. Huber leg. 18 March 2007 ( SMF). SPAIN: Community of Madrid: 1 male, Navas del Rey [40°22’50.69”N, 4°14’57.86”W, 705 m], Maj. Karl W. Haller leg. 1961 ( AMNH). Mallorca: Albufera [39°47’10.71”N, 3° 7’52.37”E, 2 m], marsh and beach, 16.4.1975, J. Murphy det. 1982, Coll. Murphy, 4567 ( MMUE G7572.2915). FRANCE: Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur: 1 subadult female, Maritime Alps, SE France ( SMF 9908931). 1 male, 1 female, Camarque, Tour du Valat [43°30’31.13”N, 4°40’9.18”E, 3 m], under stubs, M. Grasshoff leg. 15 April 1960, MLFRAF1 ( SMF); 1 male, Marseille [ca. 43°16’44.61”N, 5°21’56.80”E, 61 m], Bartels leg. ( SMF 999222). Corsica : 1 female, Restonica Tal [ca. 42°14’23.82”N, 9°2’35.00”E, 1246 m], Praun leg. ( ZSM). ITALY: Abruzzo: 1 male, Bomba, youth hostel, 42°1’3.10”N, 14°21’36.30”E, 250 m, J. Hillen leg. 5 April 2006, at night at front screen of car ( SMF); 1 male, between Barrea and Alfedena, 41°44’26.00”N, 14°1’8.90”E, 1073 m, under stones, meadow, J. Hillen leg. 6 April 2006 ( SMF). Sardinia: 1 female, Villanova Strisalli [39°57’48.91”N, 9°27’40.92”E, 825 m], B. & H. Malkin leg. 20 June 1976, MVITAF2 ( AMNH); 1 female, without further locality data, ex SMF 9900726, MLITAF1 ( SMF); 2 females, SW-Sardinia, municipality Gonnosfanadiga, Monte Linas [39°27’1.61”N, 8°37’0.47”E], 900–1100 m, rocks, stream valley, grass, Euphorbia , Quercus , Ferula , under stones, H. Kahmann leg. 5 April 1956, 14, MLITAF3–4 ( SMF); 1 female, camp of Siliqua [39°18’1.22”N, 8°49’29.39”E, 64 m], moist meadow with hedges of Opuntia , shaking of roots und running in hedges, H. Kahmann leg. 28 March 1956, 6, MLITAF15 ( SMF); 3 females, without further data, MLGREF3–5N ( SMF 9906390). Sicily: 1 subadult female, Taormina [37°51’1.04”N, 15°17’8.82”E, 83 m] ( SMF 9905569); 1 female, Bosco di Ficuzza, river valley at Rocca Busambra [37°49’38.80”N, 13°24’31.76”E, 694 m], moist and rocky, pastureland with Rubus fruticosus , Genista and Asphodelus , under stones, H. Kahmann leg 9 April 1957, 17, MLITAF6 ( SMF); 2 females, summit of mountain Pizzo Antenna Grande [=Pizza Carbonara; 37°53’54.70”N, 14° 2’9.40”E], 1900 m, large rocks with few Astragalus siculus , under stones, H. Kahmann leg 1 April 1957, 8, MLITAF18 ( SMF); 7 females, 5 km E of Ficuzza [37°49’40.27”N, 13°27’50.77”E], 800 m, Quercus ilex , Ruscus aculeatus , Bellis perennis , beneath cultivated land, running on grass, H. Kahmann leg 10 April 1957, 16, MLITAF7–13 ( SMF); 1 male, 2 female, W of Ficuzza [37°52’21.65”N, 13°21’34.42”E], flat NW-slope, moist grass with Cirsium , Camilla and Biscutella , under stones, H. Kahmann leg 9 April 1957, 13, MLITAF17(17A) ( SMF); 2 males, 2 females, near Ficuzza, N-slope at northern Rocca Busambra [], 800 m, rocky, moist grassland with Crataegus , Rubus , Prunus , Bellis perennis and Cirsium , under stones, H. Kahmann leg 11 April 1957, 19, MLITA16–17 ( SMF); 1 male, 1 subadult female, 1 km S of Ficuzza [37°52’31.40”N, 13°22’40.69”E], 700 m, flat forest of Pinus piaster , clearing with moist grassland and Asphodelus , under stones, H. Kahmann leg. 12 April 1957, 21 ( SMF); 7 males, 7 females, 1 subadult male, E of Ficuzza [ca. 37°53’9.57”N, 13°23’46.83”E], 900 m, edge of a path, thorny, dry, under large stones, H. Kahmann leg 10 April 1957, 15, MLITAF14/5 ( SMF). MALTA: 4 females, [ca. 35°50’5.80”N, 14°28’18.61”E, 92 m], A. Zilch leg., MLMALF1–4 ( SMF). SLOVENIA: Coastal-Karst: 1 female, 1.8 km SE of Komen, 45°48’20.61”N, 13°45’52.56”E, 210 m, meadow, P. Jäger leg. 28 June–7 July 2001, sweep-net, MLITAF2 ( SMF). GREECE: Ionian Islands: 3 males, North Corfu, Pantokrates [39°44’52.31”N, 19°52’20.37”E], 906 m, mountain slopes Jan Hraček leg. 21–26 April 2001 ( SMF); 1 male, Corfu [39°37’59.89”N, 19°49’5.87”E], A. Schönhofer leg. March/ April 2006, photos 3162–3168 ( SMF). West Macedonia: 1 female, 6.5 km SE of Siatista [40°12’34.72”N, 21°35’27.24”E, 904 m], M. Chatzaki leg. 2 July 2014, FC17149, MLGREF1 ( SMF). Central Macedonia: 1 female, Saloniki [=Thessaloniki; ca. 40°37’59.11”N, 22°57’34.40”E, 53 m], MLGRE1N ( SMF 9905178). Thessaly: 1 female, Meteora, Sarakina, 39°40’6.10”N, 21°37’30.90”E, 177 m, old Platanus trees and meadows, J. Hillen leg. 31 March 2006 as subadult, adult: 9 April 2006, MLGREF4 ( SMF); 1 male, SE Volos, hill close to Goritsa, 39°21’5.20”N, 22°58’23.40”E, 140 m, maquis under stones, A. Schönhofer leg. 30 March 2006 ( SMF). Attica : 2 males, 1 juvenile female, Athens, near Koropion, under stones in olive grove and phrygana [37°53’43.31”N, 23°51’35.22”E, 154 m], A. Schönhofer leg. 19 March 2007 ( SMF). Rhodes: 3 females, Gadura dam lake, 36°09’22’’N, 27°59’21’’E, 150 m elevation, from silken retreat in Colchicum autumnale , with parasitoid insect (dipteran?) larvae, S. Huber leg. 1 May 2023 ( SMF). Crete: 1 female, Milliaradon community, in stalk of reed, H. Eikamp & U. Kluge leg. 11 May 2007, 05-08, MLGREF3 ( SMF); 1 female, N of Agios Nikólaos, Spinalonga Island [35°17’51.95”N, 25°44’17.89”E, 44 m], H. Eikamp leg. 25 December 2009, MLGREF2 ( SMF); 1 male, SE of Zaros [35° 7’12.64”N, 24°55’1.16”E, 321 m], meadow, low grass, brushwood, in webs or running on grass, H. Kahmann leg. 7 April 1958, 20 ( SMF); 1 female, NE-Crete, mountains S of Sitia [35° 9’22.86”N, 26° 4’58.17”E, 168 m], SE-slope, cultivated land, oil palms, clover Asphodelos, Helianthemum, H. Kahmann leg. 22 March 1958, 7, MLGREF5 ( SMF); 1 female, Aptera [35°27’48.49”N, 24° 8’3.78”E, 194 m], MLGREF2N ( SMF 9911564). CYPRUS: Paphos: 1 male, S of Drouseia, 34°55’51”N, 32°25’29”E, 580 m, bushes near entrance of small cave, night catch, S. Huber leg. 22 April 2017 ( SMF). TÜRKIYE: Bursa: 1 male, Dikkaldırım [ca. 40°11’47.74”N, 29° 1’7.29”E, 300 m], R. Kaya leg. 27 April 2009, No. 4 ( ZMUU). Izmir: 1 male, Menemen district, Emiralem village [38°35’7.06”N, 27° 5’27.60”E, 49 m], E.A. Yağmur leg. 28 February 2010, No. 17 ( ZMUU); 1 female, Yeşilyurt [ca. 38°25’38.79”N, 27°40’23.92”E, 241 m], E.A. Yağmur leg. 5 May 2016, No. 12 ( ZMUU). Ankara: 1 female, Ankara [39°55'34.86"N, 32°51'47.37"E, 862 m], Kurt leg., WP 141, MLTURF1 ( SMF). Muğla: 1 male, 1 female, Datça [36°43'1.83"N, 27°40'58.06"E, 51 m], meadow near stream, W. Braunstein leg. 22 April 1992, TR 94, MLTURF2 ( SMF); 1 female, 3 km to Bozburun, 36°41'25"N, 28°5'1"E [174 m], R. Kaya leg. 5 April 2013, No. 5 ( ZMUU). Antalya: 1 male, Alanya [36°32'20.77"N, 31°59'39.14"E, 119 m], S. Huber leg. 31 March 2005 ( SMF); 1 female, Çıralı-Kemer, 36°29'56"N, 30°26'0"E, [705 m], E.A. Yağmur leg. 14 April 2012 ( SMF); 1 male, Kemer, Kiriş road, 36°39'16.41"N, 30°33'10.55"E, 29 m, E.A. Yağmur leg. 14 April 2012, No. 11 ( ZMUU); 1 female, Kemer, Kiriş road, 36°39'16.41"N, 30°33'10.55"E, 29 m, E.A. Yağmur leg. 14 February 2012, No. 15 ( ZMUU). Hatay: Hassa, Koruhüyük [36°49’42.08”N, 36°34’39.51”E, 374 m], E.A. Yağmur leg. 15 May 2008, No. 16 ( ZMUU). SYRIA: Quneitra: 2 males, Golan Heights, environments Camp Fauar [= Faouar; 33°14’9.54”N, 35°55’28.99”E, 953 m], June 1981, K. Kollnberger leg., Acqu.-Nr. 1981.XLVII.3, MFSYRF1 ( NHMW). UNITED KINGDOM: Devon: 1 male (palps only), Sidmouth, SY130818, outer door frame of a house, 13 February 2023, T. Killick ded., most likely introduced ( SMF). Without exact locality: 1 male, 2 May 2001, PMCOI42B ( SMF); 1 female, North Africa, Geisow, 1907 ( SMF); 1 female, Schweiz [=Switzerland, but see next note], Tarask [in Switzerland there is only a castle Tarasp in the canton of Grisons, with 1492 me elevation and in the midst of the alps, it seems to be an unlikely locality for the southern European species; in France in the Rhone valley, there exists a town Tarascon (=previously Tarasque), which would fit much better into the range of this species], Gerlach leg. 1908, FVSWIF1 ( SMF).

Diagnosis. Males of M. ligurina can be distinguished from those of all other congeners by the following combination of characters: 1. Distal tegular margin with distinct incision prolaterally of tegular prong in ventral view, 2. Plate of embolic division pointing proximally to tegular denticle field, 3. Embolic denticle field well visible in ventral view, 4. Embolus with basal outgrowth (best seen in retrolateral view), 5. Embolic plate with pointed retrolaterad outgrowth in ventral view ( Figs 84–85 ). Females of this species can be distinguished from those of all other congeners by the following combination of characters: 1. Anteromedian incision of MS pointed and clearly demarcated by straight margins, 2. IDS with distinct constriction between posterior and anterior part, the latter being pointed and diverging anteriorly, 3. Postero-median windings of IDS dorsad to distad ( Figs 90–95 ). Both sexes can be identified by a longitudinal dark patch around the fovea, which is also visible in preserved material ( Fig. 102 ).

Description. MALE (from Koropion): Measurements: TL 8.2, PL 3.8, PW 3.0, AW 1.6, OL 4.7, OW 2.1. Eyes: AME 0.16, ALE 0.26, PME 0.22, PLE 0.23, AME-AME 0.14, AME-ALE 0.04, PME-PME 0.28, PME-PLE 0.21, AME-PME 0.41, ALE-PLE 0.22, CH AME 0.34, CH ALE 0.31. Spination: Pp 130, 121, 201(very thin)1, 1122; Fe I 322, II 222, III 222(3), IV 221; Pa I–IV 001; Ti I–II 2024, III–IV 2124; Mt I–II 1014, III 2014, IV 3037. Measurements of palps and legs: Pp 5.0 (1.1, 0.6, 0.9, 1.4); I 12.6 (3.6, 1.6, 3.2, 3.1, 1.1); II 14.3 (3.8, 1.6, 3.2, 3.1, 1.1); III 11.3 (3.4, 1.3, 2.9, 2.7, 1.0); IV 14.3 (4.1, 1.4, 3.6, 2.7, 1.2). Leg formula: (II-IV)-I-III. Cheliceral furrow with 2 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth, without denticles, with 8 ES.

Palp ( Figs 84–85 ): As in diagnosis. RTA short, i.e. not reaching spine base on cymbium in retrolateral view. Fundus narrow, i.e. half the width of the basal tegulum winding, retrolaterad. Embolic division with distinct field of numerous denticles prolatero-dorsally; embolus tip claw-shaped in retrolateral view.

Colouration: Light yellowish-brown with distal segments of legs slightly darker. DS with dark longitudinal patch at fovea and indistinct marginal bands, consisting of dark setae. OS with white guanine crystals except for heart patch. Appendages with dark setae. Live specimens grass-green with dark foveal patch and dark olive-green median band on dorsal OS, the latter bordered in anterior half by light stripes ( Figs 102–103 ).

FEMALE (from Rhodos): Measurements: TL 10.8 , PL 4.6 , PW 3.7 , AW 2.3, OL 7.0, OW 3.4 . Eyes: AME 0.20, ALE 0.27, PME 0.21, PLE 0.23, AME-AME 0.18, AME-ALE 0.03, PME-PME 0.36, PME-PLE 0.25, AME-PME 0.46, ALE-PLE 0.24, CH AME 0.42, CH ALE 0.46. Spination: Pp 1(0)30, 121, 2121, 1013; Fe I –II, III 323(2), IV 221; Pa I –IV 000; Ti I 1014, II 2014, III 2024, IV 2124; Mt I 1004, II 1014, III 3014, IV 3037. Measurements of palps and legs: Pp 4.7 (1.4, 0.7, 1.0, -, 1.6); I 14.7 (4.2, 1.9, 3.7, 3.6, 1.3); II 15.4 (4.5, 1.9, 4.0, 3.7, 1.3); III 13.3 (4.0, 1.7, 3.3, 3.1, 1.2); IV 16.6 (4.8, 1.8, 4.1, 4.5, 1.4). Leg formula: IV-II-I-III. Cheliceral furrow with 2 promarginal and 4 retromarginal teeth, without denticles, with 9–10 ES.

Copulatory organ ( Figs 90–95 ): As in diagnosis. EF slightly wider than long, MS distinctly wider than long. Anterior incision of MS extending to the centre of MS. MS with 6–7 radial grooves. Epigynal pockets distinct and widely separated. Anterior part of IDS wider than posterior part, glandular appendages situated lateral to postero-median windings.

Colouration: As in male, but with denser coverage of dark setae, MT and TA darker, especially in leg IV, posterior half of OS darker.

Variation. Males (n=67): TL 5.1–7.8, PL 2.5–3.8, OL 2.6–4.6, CH 2/3–5, ES 5–8. Embolic plate in male from United Kingdom with trifurcate pointed retrolaterad outgrowth in ventral view. One male from Alte (SMF) with completely dark OS and active at night, foveal patch indistinct. Females (n=99): TL 8.9–12.1, PL 3.9–4.7, OL 4.9–7.4, CH 2/3–5, ES 7–10. MS width/length (unscaled measurements): 57/42=1.357, 121/90=1.344, 59/43= 1.37, 55/43=1.27, 3.5/2.6=1.346, 8/6.3=1.269. Anteromedian incision of MS may reach into posterior half.

Distribution. Northern Mediterranean ( Portugal, Spain, France (incl. Corsica), Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Slovenia, Greece, Cyprus, Ţrkiye, Syria), Morocco (new record) ( Fig. 2 : red circles, introduced into United Kingdom (Devon) and Germany (Berlin) by cargo (grapes etc.), not depicted).

Notes. Previous records of M. ligurina from central or western Asia seem to belong to M. biggi spec. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. Distribution ranges of Micrommata species. 1 M. virescens (red circles), M. diesenhoff spec. nov. (black triangle). 2 M.ligurina (red circles), M. biggi spec. nov. (black triangles).3 M. formosa (red circles), M.aljibica (black triangles). Majority of records is from specimens examined, some are from published literature or websites like iNaturalist (western record of M. aljibica, several records of M. virescens in its central range).

FIGURES 84–89. Micrommata ligurina, male. 84 Left palp, ventral. 85 Ditto, retrolateral. 86–87 leg claws, lateral.88 Trilobate membrane, dorsal. 89 Prosoma with eye arrangement, frontal (84–85 from Spain; 86–89 from Italy: Sardinia). BO—basal outgrowth of embolus, DI—incision of distal tegular margin.

FIGURES 90–101. Micrommata ligurina, female. 90–95 Copulatory organ (90, 92 epigyne, ventral; 91, 94 vulva, dorsal; 93 epigyne, posterior; 95 schematic course of IDS, dorsal). 96 Trilobate membrane, dorsal. 97–98 Leg claws, lateral. 99 Palpal claw, lateral. 100–101 Prosoma with eye arrangement (100 frontal; 101 lateral) (90–95 from Spain; 96–101 from Italy: Sardinia).

FIGURES 102–103. Micrommata ligurina, male from Greece (Corfu), live spider, dorsal. Arrow indicating dark foveal patch.