Zaitunia schmitzi species group

Sergei Zonstein & Yuri M. Marusik, 2016, A revision of the spider genus Zaitunia (Araneae, Filistatidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 214, pp. 1-97 : 13-14

Zaitunia schmitzi species group

Remarks

This group unites intensely dark-coloured species. The clypeus, the eye tubercle and the carapace margins are only slightly darker than the general background colour. The abdomen is uniformly darkcoloured. Legs I–IV dark, with very broad ever darker fasciae. The male palpal tibia is rather short. A long and large tegulum is cigar-shaped; it is subequal in length to the cymbium. The embolus is a short and sideward-directed lamina. The vulva is provided with two pairs of receptacles. Two species are included: Z. schmitzi ( Kulczyński, 1911) from Egypt and Israel and (tentatively, due to unknown male characters) Z. halepensis sp. nov. from Syria.

Key to species of the Zaitunia schmitzi- group

(Male of Z. halepensis sp. nov. is unknown.)

1. Males (palpal structures as shown in Fig. 7 A–D) …………………… Z. schmitzi ( Kulczyński, 1911)

– Females ……………………………………………………………………………………………2

2. Prosoma and legs brown to dark brown; median receptacles minute and globulate, smaller than lateral pair ( Fig. 7 E–K). Egypt (Sinai) and Israel ……………………… Z. schmitzi ( Kulczyński, 1911)

– Prosoma and legs deep brownish yellow; median receptacles large and clublike, much longer than small lateral pair ( Fig. 5 C–D). Syria …………………………………………… Z. halepensis sp. nov.

Figures

Fig. 5. Zaitunia halepensis sp. nov., holotype, ♀. A – B. Habitus, lateral and dorsal. C – D. Endogyne.

Fig. 7. Copulatory organs of Zaitunia schmitzi (Kulczyński, 1911), ♂ (A – D) and ♀ (E – K) from Jerusalem area. — A – B. Palp, retrolateral and prolateral. C – D. Same, ventro-prolateral and ventroretrolateral. E, G, K. Endogyne, anterior. F. Same, posterior. H, J. Receptacles, dorsal and anterior. I. Endogyne, dorsal.