Indozodion lindbergi ( Roewer, 1960 ) Zamani & Marusik, 2022

Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2022, New taxonomic data on Zodariinae (Araneae: Zodariidae) of Azerbaijan, Iran Afghanistan and Pakistan, Zootaxa 5155 (3), pp. 423-438 : 424-427

Indozodion lindbergi ( Roewer, 1960) , comb. n.

Zodarion lindbergi Roewer, 1960: 45 , f. 15a‒f (♂ ♀).

Figs 1A‒F , 2A‒C , 3A‒E

Type material examined. Holotype ♂ ( GNM) and one palp mounted on a slide ( SMF), AFGHANISTAN: Parwan Province: Jabal-os-Sarâj , under stone in a steppe, 25.07.1957 (K. Lindberg) . Allotype ♀ ( GNM), AFGHANISTAN: Kabul Province: Qal’eh Lakou , valley of Kabul, under stone in a steppe, 7.07.1957 (K. Lindberg) .

Additional material examined. PAKISTAN: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province: 1♂ ( MHNG), Chitral, above Madaklasht, under stone, 2900‒3000 m, 27.05.1973 (Cl. Besuchet, I. Löbl) .

Comments. The generic placement is tentative and because of the similarity of RTA, elongate tegular apophysis (Ta), long embolus, and round receptacles.

Diagnosis. Both sexes differ from I. inayatullahi by the dark anterior part of carapace (vs. almost uniformly colored). The male of I. lindbergi differs from that of the generotype by the absence of strong setae on the palpal tibia and RTA (vs. present), and the slightly bent tip of RTA directed anteriorly (vs. bent at about 45º and directed dorsally). The epigyne of I. lindbergi lacks anterior transversal pits (vs. present in I. inayatullahi ), and receptacles are more widely separated (by 4.5 diameters vs. less than 3 in I. inayatullahi ).

Description. Male (specimen from Pakistan). Habitus as in Fig. 1A . Total length 3.45. Carapace 1.65 long, 1.23 wide. Eye sizes: AME: 0.13, ALE: 0.11, PME: 0.08, PLE: 0.09. Carapace, sternum, labium, chelicerae and maxillae yellowish; carapace with irregular dark patterns on pars cephalica. Legs yellowish, without annulations. Abdomen dorsally grayish and with scattered darker patches; grayish brown ventrally. Spinnerets pale, uniform in color. Measurements of legs: I: 5.67 (1.57, 0.54, 1.38, 1.27, 0.91), II: 5.66 (1.52, 0.56, 1.19, 1.44, 0.95), III: 5.50 (1.50, 0.59, 1.08, 1.51, 0.82), Fe IV: 2.00, rest of the segments missing.

Palp as in Figs 1C–F , 2A–C ; femur 3 times longer than wide, 1.25 times shorter than cymbium; patella as long as wide; tibia short, as long as wide, with very long RTA almost 2.5 times longer than tibia itself ( Fig. 1C, F ), and small ventro-retrolateral apophysis (Va) ( Fig. 1D ); tibia and RTA slightly longer than cymbium; RTA almost straight, about 10 times longer than wide (=basal width), tip sharply pointed; cymbium elongate, 2 times longer than wide, lacking folds and tutaculum; bulb oval, 2 times longer than wide; tegular apophysis (Ta) long, originating from mesal part of tegulum, almost straight, ca. 4 times longer than wide, with anterior lamellar extension (Tl) and hook-like tip ( Figs 1E‒F , 2B ); sperm duct not meandering; conductor (Co) small, visible on SEM images only ( Fig. 2C ); embolus broad, originating at about 6 o’clock position and terminating at a 12 o’clock position, bifurcated terminally at about 10:30 o’clock position, ventral branch (Ev) shorter than embolus proper (Ep), tip sharply pointed, terminating on terminal part of tegular apophysis ( Fig. 2B‒C ).

Female (allotype from Afghanistan). Habitus as in Fig. 1B . Total length 5.30. Carapace 2.24 long, 1.55 wide. Eye sizes: AME: 0.17, ALE: 0.12, PME: 0.08, PLE: 0.11. Carapace yellowish brown, darker at pars cephalica. Chelicerae light brown. Sternum, labium and maxillae yellowish. Legs yellowish, without annulations; distolateral portion of Fe I and entire Ti I darker. Abdomen dorsally dark grayish and with a pale posterior spot; beige ventrally, margins of book lungs more heavily sclerotized than opercula. Spinnerets uniformly yellowish. Measurements of legs: I: 6.84 (1.74, 0.65, 1.51, 1.85, 1.09), II: 6.70 (1.73, 0.67, 1.30, 1.88, 1.12), III: 7.05 (1.82, 0.71, 1.35, 2.17, 1.00), IV: 9.00 (2.40, 0.75, 2.11, 2.77, 0.97).

Epigyne as in Fig. 3A–E ; almost 2 times wider than long, semicircular, lacking fovea and hood, with poorly distinct, slit-like copulatory openings (Oc) leading directly to receptacles (Re); copulatory ducts indistinct; receptacles oval, slightly longer than wide, separated by more than 4 diameters.

Note. The conductor is reduced in size in both I. lindbergi and I. inayatullahi , and apparently it is the tegular apophysis that functions as a conductor in these two species.

Distribution. Known from one locality in northern Pakistan and two localities in eastern Afghanistan.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus and male palp of Indozodion lindbergi (Roewer, 1960). A male habitus, dorsal; B female habitus, dorsal; C–F palp, dorsal, retrolateral, prolateral and ventral. Scale bars = 0.2 mm, unless stated otherwise. Abbreviations: Ta—tegular apophysis, Tl—lamellar extension of the tegular apophysis, Va—ventro-retrolateral apophysis.

FIGURE 2. SEM images of the male palp of Indozodion lindbergi (Roewer, 1960). A retrolateral; B ventral; C distal. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: Co—conductor, Ep—embolus proper, Ev—ventral branch of embolus.

FIGURE 3. Epigyne and vulva of Indozodion lindbergi (Roewer, 1960). A macerated epigyne, ventral; B vulva, dorsal; C intact epigyne, ventral; D right receptacle, dorsal; E left receptacle, dorsal. Scale bars = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Oc—copulatory opening, Re—receptacle.