Turkozelotes attavirus Chatzaki, 2019

Chatzaki, Maria & Keer, Johan Van, 2019, Ground spiders (Araneae: Gnaphosidae, Liocranidae, Prodidomidae) from the Greek islands Rodos, Symi and Karpathos, with the description of new species, Zootaxa 4646 (3), pp. 434-460 : 451-454

Turkozelotes attavirus Chatzaki sp.n.

Figs 50–57

Diagnosis. The species clearly belongs to the genus Turkozelotes , with males diagnosed by the prolateral origin of the embolus, transversing the tegulum dorsally to reappear at its retrolateral side and by the stout median apophysis and females diagnosed by the form of the epigynal atria, multi-chambered spermathecae and coiled copulatory ducts ( Chatzaki 2018). Males of the new species here described are easily distinguished from all three congeners ( T. microb Kovblyuk & Seyyar, 2009 , T. mccowani ( Chatzaki & Russell-Smith, 2017 and T. mirandus Ponomarev, 2011) by the small conical retrolateral tibial apophysis without any softer lobe and the combination of a bulging pointed terminal apophysis and a median apophysis with a largely membranous base. Females are distinguished by the rectangular shape of the epigynal atrium and the long coiled copulatory ducts with their openings on the anterior part of the epigyne.

Holotype: male, Rodos, Attaviros Mt 1000 m, pitfalls in phrygana, 12.V to 08.VII.2006 ( NHMC: 8464) . Paratypes: same locality, 1 ♂ 1 ♀. All leg. M. Chatzaki & D. Kaltsas.

Other material examined. Site 37: 1 ♀; Site 43: 1♂.

Etymology. The name is taken from the mountain at the type locality.

Description. Male. Small spiders. Prosoma orange brown ( Fig. 50 ), opisthosoma grey with one posterior and two median stripes of lighter color barely seen. Legs light brown except for Fe I and II and all palpal segments which are darker. Measurements: TL 2.884; CL 1.345; CW 1.016; AL 1.516. Eye sizes: AME 0.055, PME 0.041x0.051, PLE 0.054, ALE 0.052. All eyes separated by less than their diameter except for PME-PME distance which is ca their diameter. All eyes pearly white with black surroundings except for AME which are black. PER straight to procurved, AER straight to recurved. Prosoma with widening thoracic region and heavily punctuated ( Fig. 51 ), scarce white setae, fovea tiny at posterior third of its length. Labium triangular, not fused to sternum. Chelicerae with 1 tooth on RM and 2 teeth on PM. Scutum large, covering almost all of abdominal dorsal surface. ALS cylindrical separated by more than their diameter. Leg formula is IV>I>II>III. Legs spineless but hairy. Ti/Mt/Ta of all legs with numerous trichobothria.

Palp ( Figs 52−55 ). Small conical retrolateral tibial apophysis with narrow, tapering tip. Heavily sclerotized terminal apophysis originating from median part of tegulum and reaching beyond it, with a pointed tip and lower round processes ( Fig. 52 , TA). Median apophysis broad and membranous and with a sclerotized hook shaped tip. Transparent terminal membrane (Tm in Figs 53−55 ) reduced at base of terminal apophysis, mostly with rough (spiny) surface when viewed laterally. Embolar base barely seen from ventral side, arising from dorso-prolateral part of the tegulum ( Fig. 54 ) and immediately freeing the thin filiform embolus on the dorsal part ( Fig. 55 ). Embolus with a small dorso-prolateral pointed tip ( Fig. 54 ), crossing the dorsal part of the tegulum and re-appearing on its retrolateral side to meet the soft cavity of the median apophysis ( Figs 52 and 53 ).

Description. Female. Small spiders of same coloration as male. Measurements: TL 3.206; CL 1.325; CW 1.048; AL 1.803. Eye sizes: AME 0.050, PME 0.053, PLE 0.051, ALE 0.051. All eye configurations (color and interdistances) as in male. PER straight to slightly procurved, AER straight to slightly recurved. Prosoma with widening thoracic region and fovea in posterior third of its length, scarce white setae. Chelicerae armed with 1 tooth on RM and 2 teeth on PM. Leg formula is I>IV>II>III. Legs spineless and hairy.

Epigyne ( Fig. 56 ). Anterior hood well above continuous lateral margins which form a rectangular atrium. Its anterior edges slightly extended and with small copulatory openings.

Vulva ( Fig. 57 ). Spermathecae round with anterior glands and horizontal fertilization glands. Copulatory ducts large, coiled, forming pouches just below the epidermal membrane of the opisthosoma, not seen dorsally, with anterior glandular heads.

Distribution. Only known from Rodos.

Figures

FIGURES 50–51. Turkozelotes attavirus sp.n., holotype habitus. 50 Whole body, dorsal view. 51 Prosoma, dorsal view.

FIGURES 52–55. Turkozelotes attavirus sp.n., holotype left palp. 52 Ventral view. 53 Retrolateral view. 54 Prolateral view. 55 Dorsal view. TA: terminal apophysis, MA: median apophysis, EmbB: embolar base, Tm: terminal membrane.

FIGURES 56–57. Turkozelotes attavirus sp.n., female paratype. 56 Epigyne. 57 Vulva.