Lathys spasskyi Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1969

Marusik, Yuri M., Esyunin, Sergei L. & Tuneva, Tatyana K., 2015, A survey of Palaearctic Dictynidae (Araneae). 1. Taxonomic notes on Dictynomorpha Spassky, 1939, Brigittea Lehtinen, 1967 and Lathys Simon, 1884, Zootaxa 3925 (1), pp. 129-144 : 138-139

Lathys spasskyi Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1969 , reinstated

Figs 24–25 , 45–47 , 53–60

Lathys spasskyi Andreeva & Tyshchenko 1969: 378 , figs 4в –г (♀); Andreeva 1976: 25, figs 24–25 (♀); Marusik et al. 2006: 356, figs 14, 24–25 (♂♀).

Material examined. AZERBAIJAN: Lenkoran Area: 3♀ ( IBPN), Hyrcan Reserve, 38º38,5'N, 48º47,5'E, 23.05.2003, Y.M. Marusik leg.; 1♂, 12♀ ( IBPN), environs of Aurora Village, 38º40'N, 48º52'E, 23– 28.04.2001, Y.M. Marusik leg. Nakhchevan: 7♀ ( IBPN), ca 3 km E of Akhura Village, 39º34' N, 45º11'E, 1400 m, 2.06.2003, Y.M. Marusik leg.. KAZAKHSTAN: Akmola Area: 1♀ ( ZMMU), Atbasar Town, 1.06.1995, A.V. Gromov leg. Dzhambul Area: 1♂, 3♀ ( IBPN), Georgievka Village [=Kordai Town], 22.04.1984, S.V. Ovtchinnikov leg. East- Kazakhstan Area: 2♀ (PSU-6210), environs of Zaisan Lake, Ak-Mas Mt., under stones, 5.08.1936, D.E. Charitonov leg. KYRGYZSTAN, Chu Area: 3♂, 1♀ ( IBPN), near Kamyshanovka Village, 20.05.1995, S. Ovtchinnikov leg. UZBEKISTAN, Surkhan-Darya Area: 24♀ ( IBPN), Babatagh Mt. range, 5km SW of Ak- Mechet Village, ca 38ºN 68º12’E, 18.04.– 02.05.1994, S.V. Ovtchinnikov leg. TAJIKISTAN: 1♂ 13♀ ( IBPN), Gazimailik Mt. Range, environs of Gandzhyna Village, 1800 m, 13– 18.04.1991, S.V. Ovtchinnikov leg.

Comments. This species was described from only two females from Gandzhyna ( Tajikistan). While making a survey of the cribellate spiders of Kyrgyzstan, Ovtchinnikov (1988) came to the conclusion that L. spasskyi is a junior synonym of L. stigmatisata . Our study of Palaearctic Lathys shows that the two species were synonymized in error. Although it was previously noted ( Marusik et al. 2006) that L. spasskyi is a valid species, a formal revalidation was not done. Here we resurrect L. spasskyi and provide a diagnosis that separates the two species.

Diagnosis. Males of L. spasskyi can be separated from the related L. stigmatisata by the palpal patella lacking conical outgrowth (cf. Figs 47, 50 ), the shorter tip of the conductor (Tc) (cf. Figs 47 , 53–54 & 50–52 ), the position of the base of embolus (Eb) (ca. 9 o'clock in L. spasskyi and ca. 6 o'clock in sibling species) and the shape and position of seminal loop (Sl, cf. Figs 51, 53 ). Females of the two species have an equal number of vertical (Vl) and horizontal (Hl) loops of insemination ducts but differ in the size of the atria (Fo) (smaller in L. spasskyi ), and the distance between the atria (Es) (wider than the insemination duct in L. spasskyi , and with atria touching or almost touching each other in L. stigmatisata ) (cf. Figs 45–46, 48–49 ).

Description. A detailed description will be given in a special paper devoted to Palaearctic Lathys (Marusik, in preparation).

Distribution. So far this species is known from Azerbaijan to East-Kazakhstan Area, and from South Ural to Tajikistan (present data).

Figures

FIGURES 22 – 25. Dictynomorpha daemonis sp. n. (22 – 23), Lathys spasskyi (24 – 25 from Kyrgyzstan), male palp (22, 24 ventral; 23 tip of conductor, ventral; 25 tibia, retrolateral). Abbreviations: Cf—cymbial fovea; Da—dorsal tibial apophysis; La—lower arm of conductor; Ra—retrolateral tibial apophysis; Va—ventral tibial apophysis; Ua—upper arm of conductor.

FIGURES 43 – 50. Lathys truncata (43 from Buryatia, 44 from Almaty Area), L. spasskyi (45 – 47 from Kyrgyzstan), L. stigmatisata (48 – 50 from Azerbaijan), copulatory organs. 43 – 46, 48 Epigyne, ventral. 47, 50 Male palp, retrolateral. 49 Epigyne, dorsal. Scales = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: Es—septum; Fo—atrium; Pc—conical outgrowth of patella; Tc—tip of conductor.

FIGURES 51 – 55. Lathys stigmatisata (51 – 52 from Crimea), L. spasskyi (53 – 55 ♂ from Kyrgyzstan, ♀ from Akmola), copulatory organs. 51, 53 Bulbus, dorsal. 52, 54 Tip of conductor. 55 Epigyne, fronto-ventral. Abbreviations: Eb—base of embolus; Fo—atrium; Sl—seminal loop.

FIGURES 56 – 60. Lathys spasskyi from Kyrgyzstan, copulatory organs. 56 Bulbus, dorsal. 57 Epigyne, ventral. 58 Atrium of epigyne showing copulatory opening (Oc). 59 – 60 Epigyne (59 dorsal, 60 dorso-frontal). Scales = 0.1 mm, if not otherwise indicated. Abbreviations: Co—copulatory opening; Eb—base of embolus; Es—septum; Fo—fovea; Hl—horizontal loop of insemination duct; Re—receptacle; Vl—ventral loop of insemination duct.