Amaurobius C. L. Koch, 1837

Robert Bosmans, 2011, On some new or rare spider species from Lesbos, Greece (Araneae: Agelenidae, Amaurobiidae, Corinnidae, Gnaphosidae, Liocranidae), Arachnologische Mitteilungen 40 (1), pp. 15-22 : 17

Genus Amaurobius C. L. Koch

The genus Amaurobius currently includes 67 species ( PLATNICK 2010) and has a mainly Holarctic distribution. In Greece, it has been thoroughly studied by THALER & KNOFLACH (1991, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2002) and WUNDERLICH (1995). Thirteen Amaurobius species have been found in Greece ( BOSMANS & CHATZAKI 2005). A. candia Thaler & Knoflach, 2002 , A. cretaensis Wunderlich, 1995 and A. geminus Thaler & Knoflach, 2002 are endemics for Crete, A. phaeacus Thaler & Knoflach, 1998 is an endemic for Kerkyra, A. deelemanae Thaler & Knoflach, 1995 occurs on Crete, the Dodekanisa and Kyklades and A. azusobskyi Thaler & Knoflach,.4. longipes Thaler & Knoflach, 1995, A. ossa Thaler & Knoflach, 1993 , A A. paon Thaler & Knoflach, 1993 and A..pelops Thaler & Knoflach, 1991 are endemics occurring in continental Greece. Amaurobius pallidus L. Koch, 1868 and A. strandi Charitonov, 1937 have an eastern Mediterranean distribution and A. erberi (Keyserling, 1863) has a circummediterranean distribution. From the Eastern Aegean islands (to which Lesbos belongs) only Amaurobius scopolii Thorell, 1871 has been cited from Chios ( STRAND 1917) but this is most probably a misidentification. It is thus not surprising to discover another new Amaurobius species on one of the Aegean Islands.