OEDOTHORAX AGRESTIS (BLACKWALL, 1853)

(FIGS 5, 7V, 8H, 9H; SUPPORTING INFORMATION, FIG. S1G)

Neriene agrestis Blackwall, 1853: 23 (Dmf) .

Neriene agrestis Blackwall, 1864: 276, pl. 19, fig. 190, pl. 22, fig. D (mf).

Neriene agrestis O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1882: 4, pl. 1, fig. 2B.

Gongylidium agreste Simon, 1884: 494, figs 280–282 (mf).

Gongylidium agrestis Becker, 1896: 89, pl. 9, fig. 9 (mf).

Kulczynskiellum agreste Bösenberg, 1902: 169, pl. 15, fig. 228 (mf).

Oedothorax agrestis de Lessert, 1910: 193 .

Stylothorax agrestis Reimoser, 1919: 72 .

Oedothorax agrestis Simon, 1926: 453, 523, fig. 784 (mf).

Oedothorax agrestis Denis, 1947: 140, figs 2D, 6G, 7H, 8H, 9B, 10C, 11B (mf).

Oedothorax agrestis Locket & Millidge, 1953: 241, figs 145C, 146D, 147C, D (mf).

Oedothorax agrestis Wiehle, 1960a: 445, figs 817–826 (mf).

Oedothorax agrestis Merrett, 1963: 386, fig. 46A–F (m).

Oedothorax agrestis Tystshenko, 1971: 251, fig. 827 (f).

Oedothorax agrestis Miller, 1971: 262, pl. LIV, figs 17–19 (mf).

Oedothorax agrestis Palmgren, 1976: 87, figs 7.11, 13–17 (mf).

Oedothorax agrestis Růžička, 1978: 195, fig. 8E, F (f).

Oedothorax agrestis Müller, 1983: 64, fig. 2a–c (m).

Oedothorax agrestis Bosmans, 1985: 65, figs 16, 21, 33 (m).

Oedothorax agrestis Roberts, 1987: 57, figs 22D, 23B (mf).

Oedothorax agrestis Heimer & Nentwig, 1991: 224, fig. 606 (mf).

Oedothorax agrestis Aakra 2000: 81, fig. 3A–E (mf).

Type material: Not examined. According to the original description of Blackwall (1853), individuals were collected in Oakland, United Kingdom, among herbage and under stones in pastures near woods. According to O. Pickard-Cambridge (1882), Blackwall lost all type material of Oe. agrestis . The original and subsequent descriptions, nevertheless, make the identification of this species unequivocal.

Examined material: England: London, Beckenham, 1♂ 2.ii.1958, coll. D. J. Clark, det. G. H. Locket (NHM) ; Dorset, River Allen, Noritumb, c. 650 m, 3♂ 1.ix.1965, under stones by river (AMNH, No. 3080) ; Cumbria, Drumburgh, salt marsh, 1♀ 15.viii.1965 (AMNH) . Wales: Merionethshire, Dolgellau, Cymmel Abbey, 1♀ 6.vi.56, coll. and det. D. J. Clark (NHM) . Scotland: Perth, River Tay, under stone by loch, 1♂ 2.ix.1965 (AMNH No. 3083) . Switzerland: Trius, 1♀ det. Schenkel (AMNH) . Sweden: Öland, Stora Rör, 1♀ 15.vii.1931, leg. Nielsen, 16.ii.1932, det. Seheukel (ZMUC 00011739) .

Diagnosis:

Males: The lack of male prosomal modifications and the presence of an embolic base protuberance distinguishes the males of this species from the ‘ gibbosus -like species group’ (Clade 22). Oedothorax agrestis is further distinguished from Oe. paludigena by the the palpal tibia prolateral apophysis basal thorn, and from Oe. fuscus and Oe. tingitanus by the lack of a bifurcated protegulum.

Females: Can be distinguished from other species by the epigynal configuration and number of sub-AME setae (two; one in Oe. gibbosus, Oe. trilobatus, Oe. apicatus, Oe. retusus, Oe. gibbifer and Oe. paludigena). Distinguished from Oe. apicatus by the more anteriorly extended copulatory ducts; from Oe. fuscus by the less sclerotized epigyne, the dorsal plate bordered by thinner dark stripes and the copulatory ducts less extended anteriorly; from Oe. gibbosus, Oe. retusus, Oe. gibbifer and Oe. meridionalis by the more curved and less convergent ventral plate borders; from Oe. tingitanus by the lateral copulatory openings (Fig. 5E, G; mesal in Oe. tingitanus, Fig. 11F); from Oe. trilobatus by the more anteriorly located copulatory openings.

Description:

Male (London): Total length: 2.54. Prosoma: 0.95 long, 0.80 wide, postocular region slightly elevated (Fig. 7V). Eyes: AME-AME: 0.03, AME width: 0.06, AME-ALE: 0.017, ALE width: 0.08, ALE-PLE: 0.01, PLE width: 0.08, PLE-PME: 0.05, PME width: 0.08, PME-PME: 0.06. Clypeus: not hirsute, two sub-AME setae. Sternum: 0.57 long, 0.59 wide. Chelicerae: mastidia absent; stridulatory striae scaly, rows widely and evenly spaced (Fig. 8H). Legs: dorsal proximal macroseta on tibia I, III and IV 0.96, 1.68 and 1.90 times diameter of tibia, respectively; Tm I: 0.64. Pedipalp: TPA short, rod-like, distal part scaly, with several small denticles; basal thorn short, pointed antero-ventrally; PC distal setae at median position (Fig. 5A); T papillae scale-like, PT with long papillae; TS short, without papillae (Fig. 5D); DSA tip narrow, pointed (Fig. 5A); EM median-long, cylindrical, distally oriented, with long papillae at tip; ARP prolaterally spiral; TP with several small protuberances; E not broadened at basal part (Fig. 5B). Opisthosoma: brown, evenly coloured (Fig. 9H).

Female (Wales): Total length: 3.19. Prosoma: 1.20 long, 0.91 wide. Eyes: AME-AME: 0.03, AME width: 0.07, AME-ALE: 0.02, ALE width: 0.10, ALE-PLE: 0.01, PLE width: 0.08, PLE-PME: 0.04, PME width: 0.08, PME- PME: 0.06. Sternum: 0.68 long; 0.65 wide. Legs: dorsal proximal macroseta on tibia I, II and III 1,28, 1.47 and 1.76 times diameter of tibia, respectively; Tm I: 0.63. Chelicerae: stridulatory striae scaly, rows widely and evenly spaced. Epigyne: Clade 13 characteristic morphology, borders between dorsal and ventral plates parallel, copulatory duct short (Fig. 5E–H).

Variation: The measurements are based on examined material.

Males (N = 6, means in parentheses): Total length 2.21–2.54 (2.3). Prosoma: 0.95–0.99 (0.96) long, 0.76– 0.81 (0.79) wide. Legs: dorsal proximal macroseta on tibia I, II, III and IV 0.96–1.13 (1.06), 0.94–1.51 (1.24, N = 5), 1.66–1.88 (1.75) and 1.84–2.14 (1.96) times diameter of tibia, respectively; Tm I: 0.55 –0.70 (0.64).

Females (N = 4, means in parentheses): Total length 2.89–3.65 (3.18). Prosoma: 1.02–1.30 (1.17) long, 0.79– 0.1.01 (0.90) wide. Legs: dorsal proximal macroseta on tibia I, II, III and IV 1.28–1.55 (1.39, N = 3), 1.2–1.67 (1.44), 1.34–1.94 (1.66) and 1.50–1.85 (1.73, N = 3) times diameter of tibia, respectively; Tm I: 0.60–0.74 (0.65).

Distribution: Europe.

Habitat: Among herbage and under stones in pastures; in swamp litter; stony lakeshores.