Zelotes Gistel, 1848

Sankaran, Pradeep M., 2022, On the synonymy of Aracus Thorell, 1887 with Zelotes Gistel, 1848 (Araneae, Gnaphosidae, Zelotinae), Zootaxa 5105 (1), pp. 145-147 : 145

Zelotes Gistel, 1848

Melanophora C. L. Koch, 1833 , plate CXX.

Zelotes Gistel, 1848: 11 .

Prostheisima L. Koch, 1872: 139.

Scotophinus Simon, 1905: 169 .

Zavattarica Caporiacco, 1941: 114 .

Aracus Thorell, 1887: 35 . New synonymy

Justification of the synonymy. The epigynum of A. captator looks similar to the epigynum of the subterraneus -group of Zelotes , as illustrated for Zelotes subterraneus (C. L. Koch, 1833) , Zelotes fratris Chamberlin, 1920 and Zelotes sula Lowrie & Gertsch, 1955 : epigynum with paired anterior comma-like margins, with L-shaped lateral margins and posterior margin with a median protrusion (compare Fig. 5 with Platnick & Shadab 1983: figs 4, 8, 11, 16). Moreover, A. captator has small, globular spermathecae that are also similar to that of the above-mentioned species (compare Fig. 5 with Platnick & Shadab 1983: figs 4, 8, 11, 16). Based on these observations, I propose to consider Aracus as a junior synonym of Zelotes , in contrast to Deeleman-Reinhold (2001), who doubted Aracus as a senior synonym of Haplodrassus Chamberlin, 1922 . Females of Haplodrassus species are distinct from that of Aracus by having paired lateral epigynal arms ( Platnick & Shadab 1975: figs 3, 7). The proposed synonymy has resulted in a new combination (see below).

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Zelotes captator (Thorell, 1887) comb. nov., holotype female of Aracus captator Thorell, 1887 (MSNG). 1 habitus, dorsal view; 2 eye group, dorsal view; 3 right chelicera, retrolateral view; 4 anterior lateral spinnerets, ventral view; 5 epigynum, ventral view; 6 original labels in the holotype vial. All figures not to scale. © MSNG, Genova, Italy.