Zodarion rhodiense Caporiacco, 1948

Dimitrov, Dragomir, 2024, On the taxonomy of the Zodarion thoni species-group (Araneae, Zodariidae), with description of a new species with an unmodified embolus, Zootaxa 5419 (1), pp. 112-120 : 113-114

Zodarion rhodiense Caporiacco, 1948 sp. reval.

Figs 1–9

Zodarion rhodiense rhodiense Caporiacco, 1948: 47 , figs 5–6 [♂; ♀ misidentified, belongs to Z. frenatum Simon, 1885 ].

Zodarion rhodiense nigrifemur Caporiacco, 1948: 49 [♂; ♀ misidentified, belongs to Z. frenatum ]. syn. n.

Zodarion nigrifemur : Bosmans, 2009: 279, figs 172–173, 180–181 [♂ ♀; elevated to species, misidentified].— Lecigne & Henrard, 2022: 33, figs 1A–D, 2A–G, 3A–E, 4A–H, 5A [♂; misidentified]., n. syn.

Zodarion thoni : Lecigne, 2021: 34, fig. 55a–b [♂; misidentified per Lecigne & Henrard, 2022: 33].

Type material. 1♂ syntype, Greece, Rhodes , Scafe (near Platania-Campochiaro), 04.1942 ( MZUF 618 ) ; 4 adult & 1 juvenile ♂♂ syntypes, Greece, Rhodes , San Demetrio (Campochiaro), 05.1942 ( MZUF 619 ) ; 1 ♂ (syntype of Z. rhodiense nigrifemur ), Greece, Rhodes , Draco (Lardo), 04.1941 ( MZUF 621 ) ;

Remarks. The type series is sufficiently small, and the diagnostic characters remain stable (see Figs 1–9 ). Consequently, the designation of a Lectotype (and Paralectotypes) seems unnecessary, as it does not confer any discernible nomenclatural advantages (See Article 74.7.3 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (1999)).

Diagnosis (partial, male). Zodarion rhodiense sp. reval. belongs to Z. thoni species-group, judging from its large rectangular median apophysis and long, arch-shaped embolus ( Figs 4–6 ). It is morphologically most close to Z. thoni because of its very similar lanceolate tip of the embolus, with a specific knob on the prolateral side. The only difference between the two is that in Z. rhodiense sp. reval. the embolic tip is thinner, longer, and twisted backward ( Figs 4–6 ), while in Z. thoni it is wider and shorter ( Bosmans 2009: figs 168–169; Lecigne & Henrard 2022: fig. 5B–C).

Description. Male ( Figs 1–9 ). Measurements. Total length 4.25; carapace length 2.05, width 1.50; sternum length 1.20, width 1.01; chelicerae length 0.66, width 0.39; clypeus height (measured under the AME) 0.39; cymbium length 0.94; eye diameters: AME 0.13, ALE 0.09, PME 0.8, PLE 0.09; abdomen length 2.02, width 1.67; spinnerets length 0.3; leg I—7.88 (0.88, 1.97, 0.72, 1.54, 1.72, 1.05), leg II—7.18 (0.81, 1.72, 0.66, 1.25, 1.84, 0.90), leg III—7.48 (0.76, 1.82, 0.63, 1.42, 1.87, 0.98), leg IV—8.45 (1.13, 2.43, 0.75, 1.30, 1.92, 0.92).

Colouration ( Figs 1–3 ). Carapace brown with dark brown pattern. The fovea is well-visible, dark brown. Legs with dark brown femora, as dark as the carapace pattern. The other leg segments yellowish. Sternum yellowish with light brown pattern. Chelicerae the same color as the carapace. The palpal femora brown, the other segments yellowish to light brown. Dorsal abdominal scutum black, with a metallic glint, without a pattern. Abdomen almost black, but lighter than the scutum. There is a small white spot above the spinnerets, another (bigger) one ventrally, and a broad diagonal white stripe on each side. The lateral and abdominal white areas connected. Colulus well visible, yellowish, with brown rim. Spinnerets yellowish with light-brown pattern in the base. AME significantly larger than the other eyes. Chelicerae with opistognathic position. Femoral organ with 3 setae on femur I [Since the material is in very bad condition, it was not possible to examined them on the other legs, but see Lecigne & Henrard, 2022: 36, fig. 3A–D]. Abdomen with 2 spinnerets and narrow dorsal scutum, not covering its whole length. Colulus shaped as a broad, hairy plate.

Palp ( Figs 4–9 ). RTA elongated, curved distally, with a pointed tip ( Figs 7–9 ). Bulbus oval, elongated. Embolus long and thin, arch-shaped, starting approximately at 8 o’clock position and ending at approximately 3 o’clock. The tip of the embolus wide, lanceolate, with a specific knob on the prolateral side. MA large, shaped as an irregular rectangle, with characteristically twisted prolateral extension ( Figs. 4–6 ).

Variations of the body size (based on the adult syntypes only). Carapace 1.80–2.08; abdomen 1.80–2.02.

Remarks. When synonymizing Z. rhodiense with Z. granulatum, Bosmans (2009) referred to the description and drawings of Z. rhodiense providedby Brignoli (1984: figs 50–53). They indeed correspond to Z. granulatum , but this is due to misidentification. Brignoli (1984) has described and depicted Z. granulatum instead of Z. rhodiense . I was able to find and examine the syntypes of the two subspecies Z. rhodiense rhodiense and Z. rhodiense nigrifemur . Males have fully identical tips of the embolus ( Figs 4–6 ) and no other somatic or genital differences. Even the main diagnostic feature (the color of the femur) is identical between the two ( Figs 1–3 ). However, the tip of the embolus clearly differs from those of Z. granulatum ( Fig. 18 ). The females collected with both Z. r. rhodiense and Z. r. nigrifemur were not conspecific with the males and belong to Zodarion frenatum ( Figs 10–12 ). I include also photographs of Z. frenatum from Bulgaria for comparison ( Figs 13–14 ). Ido not update the female diagnosis because there were no females belonging to Z. rhodiense sp. reval. among the syntypes. Since Caporiacco (1948) named the species Z. rhodiense in the original description, this name has priority and is revalidated, whereas its subspecies Z. r. nigrifemur n. syn. is assigned as a junior synonym to the nominate one.

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. Zodarion rhodiense sp. reval., male, habitus. 1 Z. rhodiense, syntype (MZUF 619); 2 Z. rhodiense, syntype (MZUF 618); 3 Z. r. nigrifemur syn. n., syntype (MZUF 621). Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 4–9. Zodarion rhodiense sp. reval., male, left palp. 4, 7 Z. rhodiense, syntype (MZUF 619); 5, 8 Z. rhodiense, syntype (MZUF 618); 6, 9 Z. r. nigrifemur syn. n., syntype (MZUF 621); 4–6 ventral; 7–9 retrolateral. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 15–18. 15–17 Z. namrun sp. n., male holotype. 18 Z. granulatum, male holotype (ARA025383); 15 habitus dorsal; 16, 18 left palp, ventral; 17 left palp, retrolateral. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 10–14. Zodarion frenatum. 10 female syntype of Z. rhodiense (MZUF 619); 11, 12 female syntype of Z. rhodiense nigrifemur (MZUF 621); 13, 14 female and male specimens from Bulgaria. 10, 11 epigyne, 12, 13 vulva, 14 male palp, ventral. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.