Zaitunia psammodroma, Sergei Zonstein & Yuri M. Marusik, 2016

Sergei Zonstein & Yuri M. Marusik, 2016, A revision of the spider genus Zaitunia (Araneae, Filistatidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 214, pp. 1-97 : 62-63

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2016.214

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CA243C98-9461-441A-BBD9-ECBDEC103DD9

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5634899

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/C4E7DB83-2472-4BCF-85B6-B1CF85CA5714

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:C4E7DB83-2472-4BCF-85B6-B1CF85CA5714

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Zaitunia psammodroma
status

sp. nov.

Zaitunia psammodroma View in CoL sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C4E7DB83-2472-4BCF-85B6-B1CF85CA5714

Fig. 30 View Fig. 30 G–K

Diagnosis

The species differs from all other congeners in having modified metatarsi IV – shortened, distally dilated and flattened, with ventrodistal spines ( Fig. 30 View Fig. 30 G, K).

Etymology

The specific epithet is derived from psammo- (a combining form of the Greek psámmos, “sand”) + -droma (a combining form of the Greek drómos meaning “running”), indicating the ability of these spiders to run on a loose, sandy substrate.

Material examined

Holotype

TURKMENISTAN: ♂, Karakum Desert , Repetek Nature Reserve, c. 38º34' N, 63º10' E, 200 m, 3 May 1972, V.I. Kuznetzov ( TAU). GoogleMaps

Paratype

TURKMENISTAN: 1 ♂, same data as holotype ( ZMMU).

Description

Male (holotype)

HABITUS. See Fig. 30 View Fig. 30 G.

BODY LENGTH. 3.37.

COLOUR. Carapace light yellowish-orange, other parts of body and legs uniformly pale greyish-yellow.

CARAPACE. Subcircular, 1.47 long, 1.42 wide.

EYES. AME 0.09, ALE 0.14, PLE 0.12, PME 0.10, AME–AME 0.09.

PALP ( Figs 30 View Fig. 30 H–J, 44C). Femur in prolateral view 1/3 longer than tibia and 1.5 times thinner; cymbium slightly shorter than bulb; embolic neck straight, with thin, straight keel, its width equal to spermophore diameter; embolus relatively long and thin, bent ventrally.

LEG MEASUREMENTS.

  Femur Patella Tibia Metatarsus Tarsus Total
Palp 0.97 0.42 0.78 0.32 2.49
I 2.23 0.72 1.54 1.65 0.90 7.04
II 1.86 0.65 1.32 1.51 0.68 6.02
III 1.78 0.67 1.32 1.30 0.53 5.60
IV 2.13 0.75 1.29 1.53 0.61 6.31

SPECIAL CHARACTERS. Tibia and metatarsus III with c. 20 short spines each; metatarsus IV short and flattened, with 7–8 short and stout ventroapical spines ( Fig. 30 View Fig. 30 K).

Female

Unknown.

Variation

Carapace length in males varies from 1.42 to 1.45; no differences in coloration are evident.

Ecology

The species occurs in an extra-arid sandy desert with Haloxylon shrubs; the males were collected in pitfall traps in rodent colonies. Most likely the spiders inhabit abandoned gerbil burrows.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 49 View Fig. 49 ).

TAU

Tel-Aviv University

ZMMU

Zoological Museum, Moscow Lomonosov State University

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Filistatidae

Genus

Zaitunia

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