Zodariellum zebra ( Charitonov, 1946 )

Esyunin, Sergei L., Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2023, Redescriptions of two poorly known species of Zodariellum Andreeva & Tystshenko, 1968 (Araneae, Zodariidae) from Uzbekistan, Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 9 (4), pp. 703-709 : 705

Zodariellum zebra ( Charitonov, 1946) ( Figs 3, 6–7)

Zodarion zebra Charitonov, 1946:21 , fig. 10 ( ♀).

Zodarion zebra : Charitonov, 1969:71.

Zodariellum zebra : Zamani & Marusik, 2022:176 .

Type material. Holotype ♀ ( PSU; epigyne mounted on a slide), UZBEKISTAN: Samarqand Region : Urgut District, near 39°18'N 66°55'E, 1200‒1900 m; labelled as “ Zodarion zebra n.sp., D. Charitonov det., Aman-Kutap [mountain area], 40 km SE from Samarqand, 21.V.1942, D.M. Fedotov ”.

Diagnosis. The epigyne of Z. zebra is very similar to that of Z. proszynskii (Nenilin & Fet, 1895) . However, it can be distinguished by its large and well-delimited bell-shaped atrium and wider coils of copulatory ducts. Additionally, the anterior part of the copulatory ducts are contiguous (cf. Figs 6, 9). Regarding abdominal patterning, Z. zebra is similar to Z. testaceofasciatum ( Spassky, 1941) . Nevertheless, it can be distinguished from the latter by its smaller size (carapace length of 1.05, vs. 1.7).

Description. Female. Habitus as in Fig. 3. Total length 2.45. Carapace length 1.05, width 0.43. Eye sizes: ALE: 0.07, AME: 0.08, PLE: 0.07, PME: 0.07. Coloration ( sensu Charitonov 1946, 1969): carapace yellow, with a brown transverse spot on border of cephalic and thoracic parts; eye field black; abdomen light yellow, with 3 transverse brown bands in anterior half and a herringbone-shaped spot in posterior half. Measurements of legs (unlisted segments missing): I: 2.55 (0.67, 0.27, 0.53, 0.60, 0.48), II: 2.56 (0.70, 0.31, 0.49, 0.63, 0.43), Fe III: 0.77, IV: 3.57 (1.01, 0.35, 0.74, 0.92, 0.55). Epigyne as in Figs 6–7; plate ca. 1.9 times wider than long; with large, bell-shaped fovea having well delimited margins, ca. as long as wide; receptacles round, spaced by ca. 4 diameters; copulatory ducts converging, touching anteriorly, and forming an angle of 100º; each copulatory duct forming 4 complete coils.

Male. Unknown.

Comments. According to Zamani & Marusik (2022), there is a possibility that Z. zebra is a junior synonym of Z. testaceofasciatum . The latter species is known solely by a female and a juvenile specimen from western Tajikistan, with no accompanying illustrations of the epigyne ( Spassky, 1941). These two species exhibit a similar abdominal pattern, and their respective type localities are approximately 200 km apart. Zodariellum turanicum Zamani & Marusik, 2022 is another species with a similar abdominal pattern, known only by the male holotype. Its type locality is situated in Lebap, Turkmenistan, about 155 km away from the type locality of Z. zebra and approximately 300 km from the type locality of Z. testaceofasciatum . Until the discovery of the currently unknown sexes of these species and a redescription of the female of Z. testaceofasciatum is provided, the three species can tentatively be differentiated from one another by their size and coloration ( Table 1).