Tegenaria pallens Zamani & Marusik, 2023

Zamani, Alireza, Darvishnia, Hamid & Marusik, Yuri M., 2023, New data on cave spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) of Iran, with new species and records, Zootaxa 5361 (3), pp. 345-366 : 348-351

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5361.3.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D9AE18C9-A265-44F0-A0AF-E663A59B2EAF
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10164594
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C5CF42-FF9B-864F-22B5-F95BFD8C280C
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Tegenaria pallens Zamani & Marusik
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Tegenaria pallens Zamani & Marusik , sp. n.

Figs 1A–B View FIGURE 1 , 2A–B View FIGURE 2 , 3A‒C View FIGURE 3

Type material. Holotype ♂ ( ZMUT), IRAN: Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province : Gachsaran, Gakal Cave, 1100 m, 30°18'44.0"N, 51°09'28.0"E, XI.2017 (M.J. Malek Hosseini) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 1♂ 1♀ ( ZMUT), same data as for the holotype GoogleMaps .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin adjective, referring to the pale coloration of both sexes of this species.

Diagnosis. This species is most similar to T. alamto from western Iran, from which it differs by the angled anterior edge of the conductor (vs. roundly bent), the bulb (from posterior edge to embolus) being longer than it is wide (vs. as long as wide), the embolus base positioned at 8:30 o’clock (vs. 9:30), the roundly bent embolus (vs. the embolus bent at right angle), the relatively long conductor (cf. Fig. 2A and 2C View FIGURE 2 ), and the converging receptacles forming a right angle (vs. obtuse; cf. Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 and Zamani et al. 2018: fig. 11).

Description. Male (Holotype). Habitus as in Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 . Total length 7.60. Carapace 3.40 long, 2.63 wide. Eye sizes: AME 0.14, ALE 0.17, PME 0.13, PLE 0.17. Cephalothorax and its appendages overall pale; pars cephalica, chelicerae, palps and femora I light brown. Chelicerae with 3 pro- and 3 retromarginal teeth.Abdomen and spinnerets light beige. Measurements of legs: I: 27.82 (7.50, 1.53, 7.50, 8.12, 3.17), II: 22.87 (6.20, 1.50, 5.76, 6.73, 2.68), III: 20.13 (5.50, 1.25, 4.78, 6.30, 2.30), IV: 25.37 (6.50, 1.45, 6.35, 8.37, 2.70). Spination: Palp: Fm: 3d. Legs: I: Fm: 2d, 4(5)pl, 2rl; Ti: 2pl, 2rl, 4v; Mt: 8t. II: Fm: 2d, 5pl, 2rl; Ti: 2pl, 2rl, 4v; Mt: 9t. III: Fm: 2d, 3pl, 2rl; Ti: 2d, 2pl, 2rl, 3v; Mt: 13t. IV: Fm: 1(2)d, 1pl, 1(2)rl; Ti: 2d, 2pl, 2rl, 4(6)v; Mt: 13t.

Palp as in Fig. 2A–B View FIGURE 2 ; tibia ca. 2 times longer than wide, 2 times shorter than cymbium, with 2 apophyses: membranous and roundly bent on tip retrolateral apophysis, and well sclerotized retro-dorsal digitiform apophysis with pointed tip; cymbium ca. 2.2 times longer than wide, with tip comprising ca. half of cymbium’s length; bulb longer than wide; sperm duct running along edge of tegulum; tegular apophysis elongate, ca. half of cymbium's width, originates at ca. 4 o’clock position; conductor as long as wide, with stem ca. 0.33 of conductor’s anterior width, anterior edge of conductor angled; embolus filiform, roundly bent, originating at ca. 8:30 o’clock position.

Female. Habitus as in Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 . Total length 8.90. Carapace 3.87 long, 2.70 wide. Eye sizes: AME 0.11, ALE 0.15, PME 0.12, PLE 0.16. Colouration as in male. Chelicerae with 3 pro- and 3 retromarginal teeth. Measurements of legs: I: 21.92 (5.96, 1.53, 5.76, 6.14, 2.53), II: 18.51 (5.13, 1.40, 4.65, 5.20, 2.13), III: 16.73 (4.60, 1.33, 3.95, 5.00, 1.85), IV: 21.67 (5.80, 1.37, 5.50, 6.80, 2.20). Spination: Palp: Fm: 3d. Legs: I: Fm: 2d, 4pl, 2rl; Ti: 2pl, 3rl, 4v; Mt: 7t. II: Fm: 2d, 4pl, 2rl; Ti: 2pl, 2rl, 4v; Mt: 9t. III: Fm: 2d, 2pl, 2rl; Ti: 2d, 2pl, 2rl, 5v; Mt: 11t. IV: Fm: 2d, 1pl, 1rl; Ti: 2d, 2pl, 2rl, 5v; Mt: 15t.

Epigyne as in Fig. 3A–C View FIGURE 3 ; epigynal plate over 3 times wider than long; fovea oval, transverse; teeth indistinct; copulatory openings (Co) located on anterior edges of fovea; copulatory ducts seem coiled, forming 2 loops; receptacles oval, together with copulatory ducts converging and forming right angle.

Comment. This is the first known Iranian agelenid species displaying a certain level troglomorphism (i.e., elongated appendages and depigmentation).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Gakal Cave ( Fig. 15C View FIGURE 15 ), Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province, southwestern Iran ( Fig. 17 View FIGURE 17 ).