Erigonoplus castellanus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1875)

Bosmans, Robert, Cardoso, Pedro & Crespo, Luis Carlos, 2010, A review of the linyphiid spiders of Portugal, with the description of six new species (Araneae: Linyphiidae) 2473, Zootaxa 2473 (1), pp. 1-67 : 19

Erigonoplus castellanus (O.P.- Cambridge, 1875)

( Figs 30–36)

Diagnosis: Males are easily recognised from other Erigonoplus species by the bladder like cephalic tubercle ( Fig. 30), females by the abruptly narrowing median septum in the epigynum ( Fig. 35).

Description: Male: Measurements: Total length 1.8; prosoma 0.61–0.70 long, 0.54–0.56 wide. Colour: Prosoma yellow-brown, suffused with blackish brown at thoracic part, legs dull orange, abdomen black. Prosoma ( Fig. 30): With very peculiar, bladder like tubercle, not carrying any eyes and constricted above the eye region. Legs: Femur I ventrally with 12 spines ( Fig. 31); Ti I–II with spines broken off, Ti III–IV with 1 dorsal spine; Tb Mt II = 0.40. Palp ( Figs 32–34): Tibia bent in the middle, distally with triangular prolateral and retrolateral apophyses; paracymbium J-shaped; radix and tail-piece wide, forming an angle of 90°; embolus compact, distally with small triangular tooth.

Female: Total length 1.8–1.9; prosoma 0.73 long, 0.57 wide. Legs: Spine formula 2211; L Sp Ti I = 0.8, P Sp Ti I = 0.21; Tb I = 0.38. Epigynum ( Fig. 35): With trapezoid atrium, divided by a median septum, narrowing towards the base. Vulva ( Fig. 36): Spermathecae suboval, separated by their maximal diameter.

Previous records: Lisboa: Mafra ( Telfer 2003).

New records: Coimbra : Paúl de Arzila NR, 2 males 1 female, 28.V.2008 (CLC). Leiria: Serras de Aire e Candeeiros NP, Serra da Pevide, 2 males 1 female, 6.V.2007, 1 male 19.V.2007 (CLC). Santarém: Paúl do Boquilobo NR, Torres Novas, montado, 1 male 22.V.2002, 1 male 30.VII.2002 (CPC) .

Distribution: Known from Spain, Aranjuez (O.P.- Cambridge 1875), Ciudad Real ( Barriga et al. 2006) and from near Lisboa in Portugal ( Telfer et al. 2003). Three new localities in Portugal are reported here.

Habitat type: Not enough data to draw any conclusions.

Phenology: The species was only collected between May and July.