Episinus algiricus Lucas, 1846

Knoflach, Barbara, Rollard, Christine & Thaler, Konrad, 2009, Notes on Mediterranean Theridiidae (Araneae) – II, ZooKeys 16 (16), pp. 227-264 : 232-233

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.3897/zookeys.16.237

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3791808

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F387D5-FFFC-FFBC-06E4-FF27CD4DFF33

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Episinus algiricus Lucas, 1846
status

 

Episinus algiricus Lucas, 1846 View in CoL

Figs 10-13, 15-17 View Figures 10-12 View Figures 13-18 , 22, 25-26 View Figures 21-27

Episinus algiricus Lucas, 1846: 269 View in CoL , fig. 11, pl. 17, subadult male, type region: Algeria, not examined.

Episinus albescens Denis, 1965: 611 View in CoL , figs 1-3, female, holotype from Landes, France, in MHNP, examined, syn. n.

Description, identification. Kulczyński (1905), Denis (1965; sub E. albescens View in CoL , female), Knoflach and Thaler (2000, female). Species name algiricus View in CoL as in original description (see Lucas 1846: 269).

Synonymy. The type specimen (female) of Episinus albescens View in CoL , which is in rather poor condition, allows a clear synonymisation according to the epigynal/vulval characters ( Figs 15-16 View Figures 13-18 ). Shape and size of epigynal cavity and receptacula agree well with E. algiricus View in CoL . Also colour pattern and the abdominal shape figured by Denis (1965) support this interpretation. E. albescens View in CoL has not been recorded since its description. The type locality in Landes lies within the distribution area of E. algiricus View in CoL .

Material examined. France: Var, Cavalaire , 1 ♂ ( MHNP AR 2198 , sub Episinus truncatus ). Menton , 1 ♂ ( MHNP AR 2184 ), 22.5.1915, E. Simon . “ Gallia ” without exact locality, 2 ♂, 6 ♀ 1 juvenile ( MHNP AR 2196 ) . Landes, surroundings of Dax , 1 ♀, August 1962, leg. Schilt ( Denis 1965; type of E. albescens ; faded and shrivelled; MHNP) . Corse, Evisa , 1 ♀ ( MHNP AR 2206 View Materials sub E. angulatus ) . Italy: Sardinia, Ogliastra, W Baunei , 718 m, 40°06.319’ N, 09°34.867’ E, 1 ♂ ( CTh), 2.6.2003, beating from Quercus , leg. B. Knoflach & K. Thaler [Th-443 Sa03/2] GoogleMaps . Baunei / Dorgali, close to branch-off to Codula di Luna , 635 m, 40°05.791’ N, 09°33.158’ E, 1 ♀ ( CTh), 5.6.2003, pasture plateau, beating from Cistus , leg. B. Knoflach and K. Thaler [Th-455 Sa03/14] GoogleMaps . E Dorgali, above Cala Gonone , 220 m, 40°16.290’ N, 09°36.641’ E, 1 ♀ ( CTh), 5.6.2003, beating in oak forest with rocky, bare ground, leg. B. Knoflach and K. Thaler [Th-458 Sa03/17] GoogleMaps . Tunisia: Monastir, salt marsh near airport, 35°45’N 10°47’E, 1 ♂ ( CM), 27.4.2007, from scrub, leg. C. Muster GoogleMaps . Algeria: “ Forêt de Zonagha ”, 1 ♀, 1 juvenile ( MHNP) .

Measurements. Males (n=5, min-max): Total length 2.9-4.2, carapace length 1.2- 1.6, width 1.0-1.4, length femur I 3.4-4.2, tibia I 2.8-3.9 mm. Females (n=5, minmax): Total length 4.2-5.0, carapace length 1.5-1.6, width 1.2-1.4, length femur I 2.5-2.8, tibia I 2.1-2.4 mm. Prosoma smaller than in E. maculipes (see also Kulczyński 1905), but male legs comparatively longer ( Fig. 22 View Figures 21-27 ).

Somatic features, colouration ( Figs 22, 25-26 View Figures 21-27 ). Habitus, colour and pattern similar to E. maculipes . Sternum dark, its light median stripe narrower than in E. maculipes , sometimes even missing. Carapace with brown median band and reticulate pattern at margins. These and leg markings more diffuse than in E. maculipes . Venter and epigaster usually dark or greyish.

Male palp ( Figs 10-12 View Figures 10-12 ). Theridiid tegular apophysis (= TA 2 in Knoflach and Thaler 2000) of characteristic shape, markedly projecting beyond conductor and cymbium (TTA in Figs 10-12 View Figures 10-12 ). Conductor forming two small tips, retrolateral one tooth-like ( Fig. 11 View Figures 10-12 ). Palp morphology as in other congeners: embolus well developed, containing numerous loops of sperm duct, partially guided by a large conductor, three apophyses present (nomenclature of median apophysis, theridiid tegular apophysis and extra tegular apophysis according to Agnarsson et al. 2007), tibia with one dorsal and two retrolateral trichobothria, cymbium with two distal groups of setae. Palp altogether smaller than in E. maculipes ( Figs 22 View Figures 21-27 vs. 21; see also Kulczyński 1905), in ventral view 0.4-0.5 mm broad, 0.7-0.8 mm long (distance between distal rim of tibia and tip of cymbium). Tibia as wide as long ( Fig. 11 View Figures 10-12 ), see also Simon (1914).

Epigynum /vulva ( Figs 13, 15-17 View Figures 13-18 ). Epigynal cavity longer than wide, covering proximal part of receptacula ( Figs 13, 17 View Figures 13-18 ), without median septum. Cavity 0.19-0.21 mm wide, its posterior margin distinct. Receptacula seminis small as compared with E. maculipes , and less spherical. The uncertain assignment of E. algiricus females in Knoflach and Thaler (2000) can be confirmed here.

Distribution. Episinus algiricus is apparently confined to the western Mediterranean. Several records come from North Africa, Algeria ( Lucas 1846; Simon 1914; Denis 1937), Tunisia ( Simon 1914) and Morocco ( Simon 1873a), and from south-west Europe, Portugal ( Bacelar 1927; Cardoso 2009), Spain ( Simon 1873a, 1914), France ( Simon 1914; Denis 1934, 1964, 1965, 1966; Soyer 1973) including Corsica ( Simon 1873a; sub E. truncatus Walckenaer, 1809 ), and Italy (Sardinia), see also Knoflach and Thaler (2000). Sympatric occurrence with E. maculipes seems to be evident from a few localities only, e.g. Vendée, Longeville ( Denis 1964, 1966). Among the present records from Sardinia both species were found at least not far apart.

MHNP

Museum d'Histoire Naturelle Perpignan

CM

Chongqing Museum

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Theridiidae

Genus

Episinus

Loc

Episinus algiricus Lucas, 1846

Knoflach, Barbara, Rollard, Christine & Thaler, Konrad 2009
2009
Loc

Episinus albescens

Denis J 1965: 611
1965
Loc

Episinus algiricus

Lucas H 1846: 269
1846
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