Lycosa macrophthalma, Nadolny & Zamani, 2020

Nadolny, A. A. & Zamani, A., 2020, A new species of wolf spiders of the genus Lycosa (Aranei: Lycosidae) from Iran, Zoosystematica Rossica (China) 29 (2), pp. 205-212 : 206-211

Lycosa macrophthalma sp. nov.

( Figs 1–16, 28, 35–36)

Holotype. Female, Iran, Isfahan Prov., Ghomishloo National Park , 32°49′03.7″N 51°13′59.8″E, XI.2017, B. Zadhoush leg. ( MHNG).

Diagnosis. In the conformation of endogyne, Lycosa macrophthalma sp. nov. is most similar to L. tarantula , L. praegrandis C.L. Koch, 1836 and L. aragogi Nadolny et Zamani, 2017 ( Figs 10–12, 32–35), but differs in the shape of the epigyne, particularly in having the anterior hoods ( Eh) and protrusion ( Ep) between hood edges and a clearly marked septum ( Figs 8, 13–15, 28), compared to no hoods in L. tarantula and L. praegrandis ( Figs 17, 23) and the presence of an incision between hood edges and absence of protrusions on the sides of septum in L. aragogi ( Figs. 27).

Description. Female. Habitus as in Figs 1–6. Total length 18.7; carapace length 9.5, width 6.4. Length of legs: I 23.8 (7.0, 3.5, 5.6, 5.1, 2.6); II 22.3 (6.4, 3.3, 5.0, 5.1, 2.5); III 22.6 (6.0, 3.0, 4.5, 6.1, 3.0); IV 29.9 (8.0, 3.2, 6.4, 8.9, 3.4). Carapace with slightly marked gradual descend of thoracic region, eye field not elevated ( Fig. 6). Carapace brown, covered with white setae forming marginal stripes which are well visible in the preserved specimen ( Fig. 3) and poorly distinguishable in vivo ( Fig. 1). Sternum and labium dark brown, covered with black setae ( Fig. 4). Chelicerae brown, proximally covered with white setae, distally with black setae ( Figs. 2, 5). Palps light brown, with white setae. Legs yellow, covered with white setae. Black setae forming spots on all patellae (distally on ventral and prolateral sides) and tibiae (proximally on lateral and ventral sides) ( Figs 1–2). Metatarsi and tarsi: I–IV with spinules, I–II with well-developed and III–IV with poorly developed scopula. Leg spination (see Table 1 ). Abdomen yellow, dorsally with light brown lanceolate cardiac mark and three triangular spots of white and black setae; ventrally with area of black setae tapering toward spinnerets ( Fig. 4). Epigyne and endogyne as in Figs 7–16, 28, 35. Septum rectangular, with stalk ( Es); hood edges ( Eh) rounded; area between hoods and septum protuberant ( Ep) ( Figs 8, 13– 15); copulatory openings situated near anterior side of septum ( Fig. 9); spermathecal head ( Hs) spherical, 1.8 times wider than stalk ( Ss), with a large pore; spherical anterior outgrowth at spermathecal base ( Os); copulatory duct ( Cd) massive, zigzag-shaped, situated in front of head of spermatheca ( Figs 10–12, 35).

Male. Unknown.

Remarks. The epigyne of L. macrophthalma sp. nov. is similar to that of 14 species from the West Palaearctic ( Figs 17–31): L. abnormis Guy, 1966 , L. aragogi , L. baulnyi Simon, 1876 , L. bedeli Simon, 1876 , L. bonneti Guy et Carricaburu, 1967 , L. fasciiventris Dufour, 1835 , L. hispanica (Walckenaer, 1837) , L. munieri Simon, 1876 , L. oculata Simon, 1876 , L. piochardi Simon, 1876 , L. praegrandis , L. suboculata Guy, 1966 , L. tarantula , and L. vachoni Guy, 1966 . The habitus and the conformation of the epigyne in these species correspond to the diagnostic characters of the genus Lycosa (sensu Zyuzin & Logunov, 2000): large spiders with a well-developed long anterior part of the epigyne and the tongue-shaped epigynal septum. Other 16 illustrated species of Lycosa recorded from the Saharo-Gobian Desert Region (for the references with species descriptions see World Spider Catalog, 2020) are medium to large spiders having various epigynal conformations, as follows: 1) the anchor-shaped septum being similar to those of Hogna Simon, 1885 [ L. cretacea Simon, 1898 , L. interstitialis (Strand, 1906) , L. magnifica Hu, 2001 , L. nigricans Butt, Anwar et Tahir, 2006 , L. rufisterna Schenkel, 1953 ] and Trochosa C.L. Koch, 1847 [ L. maculata Butt, Anwar et Tahir, 2006 ], or to the species that actually belong to the genus Allohogna Roewer, 1955 but formally are still considered in Lycosa (see Logunov, 2010; World Spider Catalog, 2020: note under Lycosa ) [ L. gobiensis Schenkel, 1936 , L. singoriensis (Laxmann, 1770) , L. shansia (Hogg, 1912) ]; 2) the epigyne conformation corresponding to the Pardosa nebulosa (Thorell, 1872) species-group [ L. terrestris Butt, Anwar et Tahir, 2006 ]; 3) the triangular epigyne being similar to that of some members of Allocosa Banks, 1900 [ L. chaperi Simon, 1885 , L. choudhuryi Tikader et Malhotra, 1980 , L. trichopus (Roewer, 1960) ]; and 4) the peculiar septal shapes that are dissimilar to that of L. tarantula [ L. asiatica Sytshevskaja, 1980 , L. kempi Gravely, 1924 , L. mackenziei Gravely, 1924 ].

Lycosa macrophthalma sp. nov., L. aragogi , L. piochardi , L. praegrandis , and L. tarantula have a similar structure of the endogyne, with the massive, curved copulatory duct ( Cd) and an outgrowth at the base of spermatheca ( Os) (cf. Figs 10–12, 32–35; Logunov, 2010: Fig. 27; Nadolny & Zamani, 2017: Fig. 2 [marked as “massive fold” and “gland”]; Nentwig et al., 2019: Fig. 6e). In our opinion, such conformation ( Fig. 16) is a good diagnostic character of the genus Lycosa sensu stricto.

It is noteworthy that the diameter of posterior median eyes in this new species is relatively large: carapace width/eye diameter ratio in L. macrophthalma sp. nov. is 5.7 ( vs. in L. praegrandis : from Iran – 6.7, from the Crimea – 9.5, and from Rostov Province of Russia – 8.3). Somatic characters (gradually descending carapace profile, the presence of scopula and spinules on tarsi) of L. macrophthalma sp. nov. correspond to the structural and functional features of the burrowing wolf spiders, as argued by Zyuzin (1990).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Greek μακρός (large) and ὀφθαλμός (eye), referring to the uniquely large posterior median eyes in the new species.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Isfahan Province, central Iran ( Fig. 36). Both currently known Iranian endemic species of this genus were found in mountains of the Central Iranian Range (or Sahand-Bazman Volcanic and Plutonic Belt). It is noteworthy that the single record of L. tarantula from Iran ( Ghahari & Tabari, 2012) is highly doubtful and most probably refers to L. praegrandis .