Uroctea grossa Roewer, 1960

Zamani, Alireza & Bosselaers, Jan, 2020, The spider family Oecobiidae (Arachnida: Araneae) in Iran, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, European Journal of Taxonomy 726, pp. 38-58 : 45-51

Uroctea grossa Roewer, 1960

Figs 3 E–F, 4F–G, 5, 6A–D, 7A–C, 8–9

Uroctea grossa Roewer, 1960: 51 , figs 18a–d (♀).

Uroctea grossa – Zamani et al. 2015: 342, fig. 4 (♀). — Fomichev & Marusik 2020: 235, figs 1–12 (♀).

Uroctea durandi – Roewer 1955: 752 (misidentification).

Uroctea limbata – Denis 1958: 112 (misidentification, tentatively assigned to U. grossa ).

Emended diagnosis

Uroctea grossa is closest to U. thaleri Rheims, Santos & van Harten, 2007 and U. gambronica sp. nov., but differs from them and from other species of Uroctea by its larger size, its broad, V-shaped MAb2 making a sharp angle (also present in U. gambronica sp. nov.) and having a wide, fan-shaped terminal section (also present in U. thaleri , cf. Fig. 7 A–G), by its gently curved MAb1, its relatively long, stout, curved TL ( Fig. 7C , also present in U. thaleri ), its short and stout Bd and a Cd that is coiled over 360° and directed outwards anteriorly (vs uncoiled in U. limbata (C.L. Koch, 1843) and inwardly bent in U. thaleri ; cf. Fig. 9B , Rheims et al. 2007: fig. 8 and Baum 1972: fig. 9).

Material examined

Holotype AFGHANISTAN • ♀; Kandahar Province, “Kouh Dana Ouat (bei Spin Boldaq an der Grenze von Pakistan)” [Kouh Dana Ouat (near Spin Boldaq on the Pakistan border)]; 9 May 1958; K. Lindberg leg.; “unter Steinen” [under stones]; GNM-A497 .

Other material

AFGHANISTAN • 1 ♂ (only palp); Parwan Province, near Gulbahar, Rig-Revan , outside cave ; 26 Jul. 1957; K. Lindberg leg.; misidentified as U. limbata ; SMF-13231 .

IRAN • 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀, 3 juvs; Fars Province, 50 km NNE of Shiraz, Bamoo Res. ; 29°45′ N, 52°45′ E; 18–28 May 2000; Y.M. Marusik leg.; ZMMU • 1 ♀; Fars Province, Barm-e-peere-Ghaibi ; 29 May 2000; Y.M. Marusik and K. Elmi leg.; ZMMU • 2 ♀; Fars Province, Firouzabad ; 28°52′ N, 52°32′ E; 6 Jun. 1974; A. Senglet leg.; MHNG • 1 juv.; Kerman Province, Qualeh-e-Asghard ; F. Starmühlner leg.; misidentified as U. durandi ; SMF • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Mazandaran Province, Amol County, Larijan ; 35°52′54″ N, 52°10′12″ E; Jun. 2014; A. Zamani leg.; MHNG • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Khash, surroundings of Taftan volcano; 28°36′ N, 61°07′ E; May 2018; A. Zamani leg.; MHNG • 1 sub ♀; South Khorasan Province, 40 km N of Naybandan; J. Garzoni leg.; MHNG • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; Tehran Province, 80 km E of Tehran, Damavand area, Aroo Vil. ; 35°40′ N, 52°27′ E; 15 Jun. 2000; Y.M. Marusik and F. Mozaffarian leg.; ZMMU • 1 ♂, 1 juv.; Tehran Province, 5 km N of Tehran, Tochal Mountain ; 35°53′ N, 51°20′ E; 2000–2900 m a.s.l.; 16 Jun. 2000; Y.M. Marusik, F. Mozaffarian and R. Bahramishad leg.; ZMMU • 3 ♀♀; Tehran Province, Damavand County, Havir Vil. ; 35°42′52″ N, 52°19′15″ E; Jul. 2015; A. Zamani leg.; MHNG .

TURKMENISTAN • 1 ♀; Balkan Province, SW of Kopetdagh, Damdam ; 800 m a.s.l.; SMF38817 .

Description

Male (measurements based on specimen from Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Iran)

Total length 9.80. Carapace broadly oval, yellowish brown with thin grey margin, faint black radial pattern and dark median band from eye region to fovea. Carapace length 4.00, width 5.05. Fovea deep triangular pit, situated 2.15 from front, length 0.30, width 0.35. Eyes surrounded by black pigment. AER 1.03, PER 1.00. AME larger than ALE, separated by slightly less than AME diameter. PLE similar in size to ALE, PME smaller, separated by four times their own diameter (= 0.5). PME and PLE touching. MOQ anterior width 0.65, posterior width 0.75, depth 0.45. Clypeus 0.60. No chilum. Chelicerae long and thin, parallel-sided, yellowish brown, length 1.35, width 0.25, no teeth. Sternum yellow with orange-brown border, smooth, heart-shaped. Sternum length 2.50, width 2.45. Labium free, subtriangular, length 0.60, width 0.65. Endites subrectangular, no serrula, no apical hair tuft. PSP long and narrow, parallel-sided, fused with sternum. Abdomen dorsally either entirely black with concentric pattern of yellowish wrinkles or bearing longitudinal oval central black mark surrounded by broad yellow zone and thin black border ( Fig. 6D ). Three pairs of orange-brown sigilla are present on dorsal side of abdomen. ALS subcylindrical with short apical segment. PMS small, conical. PLS with long and curved apical segment. Colulus large and covered in stiff setae. Legs greyish brown with orange brown mt and ta. Patellar indentation narrow, one third of length of pa. Tarsus IV straight. Three tarsal claws, two large ones with fine teeth. No tenent hairs. Leg formula: 4321. For leg spination see Fig. 4F .

Leg measurements: Palp as illustrated in Fig. 7 A–C, with short, pointed and curved E connected to narrow, membranous and spoon-shaped fC, long and thin, gently curved and hooked MAb1, large, sharply angled, V-shaped MAb2 with fan-shaped tip ending in three blunt terminal lobes and with large, blunt and slightly curved TL.

Female (measurements based on holotype, GNM)

Total length 13.15. Carapace broadly oval, yellowish brown, margin mottled with black ( Fig. 5 ). Carapace length 4.15, width 5.35. Fovea deep oval pit, situated 2.35 from front, length 0.20, width 0.35. Eyes faintly ringed with black. AER 1.13, PER 1.15. AME larger than ALE, separated by slightly less than AME diameter. PLE similar in size to ALE, PME smaller, separated by 2.5 times their own diameter. Median and lateral eyes touching in both eye rows. MOQ anterior width 0.70, posterior width 0.80, depth 0.50. Clypeus 0.90. No chilum. Chelicerae long and thin, parallel-sided, yellowish brown, length 1.65, width 0.45, no teeth. Sternum light yellow brown with dark reddish brown border, smooth, heart-shaped. Sternum length 2.60, width 2.85. Labium free, subtriangular, length 0.70, width 0.85. Endites subrectangular, no serrula, no apical hair tuft. PSP long and narrow, parallel-sided, fused with sternum.Abdomen of holotype dorsally dark grey with light yellow border and thin, dark grey silky hairs ( Fig. 5 ). Three pairs of orange-brown sigilla present on dorsal side of abdomen. ALS subcylindrical with short apical segment. PMS small, conical. PLS with long and curved apical segment. Colulus large and covered in stiff setae. Legs reddish brown, mottled with grey. Coxa I with flattened, very pale rh, length 0.20, width 0.13. Patellar indentation narrow, one third of length of pa. Tarsus IV straight. Three tarsal claws, two large ones with fine teeth. No tenent hairs. Leg formula: 4321. For leg spination see Fig. 4G .

Leg measurements: Epigyne and vulva as in Figs 8–9 , somewhat variable, simple, with numerous sclerotized arcs in anterior half and in posterior half with oval Co connected to Cd ( Figs 8 A–D). Vulva ( Figs 9 A–D) with long, stout Cd curved over 360° and terminally directed outwards, and with thin, long, wavy Fd that are terminally recurved and connected to subtriangular sclerite ( Fig. 9 C–D) that tends to detach in some vulva preparations ( Fig. 9 ). St small and sclerotized, connected to short and blunt Bd and adjacent to large, thin-walled bursae.

Distribution

Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan ( World Spider Catalog 2020), Turkmenistan (this paper).

Records in Iran

Kerman ( Roewer 1955), North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan ( Zamani et al. 2015), Fars, Mazandaran, Sistan and Baluchistan, South Khorasan, and Tehran (this paper) Provinces.

Records in Afghanistan

Balkh, Parwan and Kandahar Provinces ( Denis 1958; Roewer 1960; this paper).

Records in Turkmenistan

Balkan Province (this paper) ( Fig. 2 ).

Figures

Fig. 3. Live habitus and tent web of oecobiids. A. Oecobius ferdowsii Mirshamsi, Zamani & Marusik, 2017, ♀. B. Oecobius nadiae (Spassky, 1936), ♀. C. Oecobius putus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876, ♂. D. Uroctea thaleri Rheims, Santos & van Harten, 2007, juvenile. E. Uroctea grossa Roewer, 1960, ♀. F. Tent web of Uroctea grossa. A–C, E–F by Alireza Zamani; D courtesy of Mahmoud Kolnegari.

Fig. 7. Left male palps. A–C. Uroctea grossa Roewer, 1960, ♂ from Sistan and Baluchistan Province, surroundings of Taftan volcano (MHNG). D–F. Uroctea gambronica sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (NMP- P6j-180/2002). G. Uroctea thaleri Rheims, Santos & van Harten, 2007, ♂ from Hormozgan Province, Minab County (MHNG). A, D, G = prolateral view; B, E = ventral view; C, F = retrolateral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 9. Vulvae of Uroctea grossa Roewer, 1960; dorsal view. A. ♀ from Mazandaran Province, Larijan (MHNG). B. Holotype, ♀ (GNM-A497). C. ♀ from Turkmenistan (SMF38817). D. ♀ from Sistan and Baluchistan Province, surroundings of Taftan volcano (MHNG). Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 6. Abdominal patterns, dorsal views. A–D. Uroctea grossa Roewer, 1960. A–B. ♀♀ from Iran, Damavand County, Havir village (MHNG). C. ♀ from Mazandaran Province, Larijan (MHNG). D. ♂ from Mazandaran Province, Larijan (MHNG). E. Uroctea gambronica sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (NMP-P6j-180/2002). F. Uroctea thaleri Rheims, Santos & van Harten, 2007, ♂ from Hormozgan Province, Minab County (MHNG). Scale bars = 2 mm.

Fig. 4. Leg spination schematics. A. Legend. B. Uroctea hashemitorum Bosselaers, 1999, holotype, ♂ (RBINS). C. Uroctea durandi (Latreille, 1809), ♂ from Spain, Catalonia, Empordà (CJB-3992). D. Uroctea durandi, ♀ from Spain, Catalonia, Empordà (CJB-2198). E. Uroctea thaleri Rheims, Santos & van Harten, 2007, ♂ from Hormozgan Province, Minab County (MHNG). F. Uroctea grossa Roewer, 1960, ♂ from Sistan and Baluchistan Province, surroundings of Taftan volcano (MHNG). G. Uroctea grossa, holotype, ♀ (GNM-A497). H. Uroctea gambronica sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (NMP- P6j-180/2002).

Fig. 5. Uroctea grossa Roewer, 1960, holotype, ♀ (GNM-A497); dorsal habitus. Scale bar = 4 mm.

Fig. 8. Epigynes of Uroctea grossa Roewer, 1960; ventral view. A. Holotype, ♀ (GNM-A497). B. ♀ from Mazandaran Province, Larijan (MHNG). C. ♀ from Sistan and Baluchistan Province, surroundings of Taftan volcano (MHNG). D. ♀ from Turkmenistan (SMF38817). Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 2. Distribution of Uroctea Dufour, 1820 in Iran, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. red circles = U. grossa Roewer, 1960; yellow circles = U. thaleri Rheims, Santos & van Harten, 2007; blue circle = U. gambronica sp. nov.