Troxochrus apertus, V. & Tanasevitch, 2011

Tanasevitch, Andrei V., 2011, On linyphiid spiders (Araneae) from the Eastern and Central Mediterranean kept at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Geneva, Revue suisse de Zoologie 118 (1), pp. 49-91 : 83-87

Troxochrus apertus sp. n. Figs 113-124

HOLOTYPE: Ƌ, Greece, Rhodes, Mt Kariona , 6 km W of Apollona, 400 m a.s.l., sifting litter under Platanus , 13.IV.1977, leg. C. Besuchet [13].

FIGS 104-112

Tenuiphantes herbicola ( Simon, 1884) , Ƌ from Greece, Peloponnese. (104) Right palp, retrolateral view. (105) Paracymbium, lateral view. (106) Embolic division. (107) Lamella characteristica. (108) Base of lamella characteristica and terminal apophysis. (109-112) Embolus, different aspects.

PARATYPES: 1 Ƌ, 14 ♀; 1 Ƌ, 5 ♀ ( ZMMU), collected together with holotype, 13.IV.1977, leg. C. Besuchet [13]. – 3 ♀, same locality, 11.IV.1977, leg. C. Besuchet [8b]. – 4 ♀, 2 km SW of Ebonas , sifting moss and litter in ravine, 15.IV.1977, leg. C. Besuchet [15b]. – 2 ♀, Epta Pigai , sifting moss and litter in ravine, 9.IV.1977, leg. C. Besuchet [3b]. – 1 ♀, Samos , between FIGS 113-117

Troxochrus apertus sp. n., Ƌ paratype from Samos, Greece (113-115), and ♀ paratype from Apollona , Greece (116, 117). (113-116) Carapace, lateral view (113, 116), dorsal view (114), and frontal view (115). (117) Epigyne, ventral view .

Leka and Kastanea , near cloister “Agios Trias”, 200 m a.s.l., sifting litter under Platanus & Cupressus, 16. V.1985, leg. C. Besuchet [8b]. – 1 Ƌ ( ZMMU), Samos, route Kambos (E of Aghios Konstantinos) - Vourliotes , above cloister “Moni Vronda”, in soil under Pinus sp. , 520 m a.s.l., 26.XI.1991, leg. B. Hauser [ZS-91/64]. – 1 Ƌ, 2 ♀, Turkey, Adana, Karatepe, near Kadirli , 200 m a.s.l., 1. V.1978, leg. C. Besuchet & I. Löbl [15]. – 1 ♀, same locality, 1. V.1978, leg. C. Besuchet & I. Löbl [15]. – 1 ♀, Mersin, route to Arslankoy Aladay (36°56’20N, 34°30’12E), 830 m a.s.l., 2. V.2004, leg. C. Besuchet [34]. – 1 ♀, Antalia, 12 km N of Manavgat , 26.IV.1978, leg. C. Besuchet & I. Löbl [2]. – 1 ♀, Chaine Ak Daglari, Fethiye , 900 m a.s.l., sifting litter, 11.IV.1993, leg. S. Vit [4]. – 1 Ƌ, Fethiye, Sinekcibeli Pass , 1000 m a.s.l., under stones, 11.IV.1993, leg. S. Vit [5].

ETYMOLOGY: The species name, an adjective, refers to the shape of the epigyne.

FIGS 118-124

Troxochrus apertus sp. n., Ƌ paratype from Samos , Greece. (118, 119) Right palp, retrolateral and prolateral view, respectively. (120) Distal part of palp. (121) Palpal tibia, dorsal view. (122-124) Embolic division, different aspects .

DIAGNOSIS: The new species is characterised by the peculiar shape of the embolic division, as well as by the large and wide aperture of the epigyne.

DESCRIPTION: Male paratype. Total length 1.34. Carapace modified as shown in

Figs 113-115, 0.63 long, 0.50 wide, yellow to pale brown. Chelicerae 0.25 long, un- modified. Legs yellow. Leg I 1.58 long (0.48+0.19+0.38+0.28+0.25), IV 1.54 long (0.43+0.20+0.38+0.29+0.24). Chaetotaxy: 1.1.1.1, spines scarcely visible, very thin and short, about half of diameter of segment. TmI 0.50. Metatarsus IV without trichobothrium. Palp (Figs 118-124): Palpal tibia as long as wide, with two slanting sharpened outgrowths. Paracymbium relatively small and narrow, C-shaped. Distal suprategular apophysis short and wide, rounded distally. Embolic part of embolic division wide and coiled. Abdomen 0.70 long, 0.50 wide, white to pale grey.

Female. Total length 1.50. Carapace as shown in Fig. 116, 0.65 long, 0.50 wide. Chelicerae 0.25 long. Leg I 1.54 long (0.48+0.20+0.38+0.25+0.23), IV 1.60 long (0.50+0.19+0.38+0.29+0.24). TmI 0.50. Abdomen 0.93 long, 0.650 wide. Epigyne large, aperture wide, with a rounded “visor” hanging over epigynal cavity (Fig. 117). Body and leg coloration, as well as chaetotaxy, as in male.

TAXONOMIC REMARKS: The new species clearly differs from other congeners by the peculiar shape of the embolus, as well as by the very large aperture and the presence of a rounded “visor” hanging over the epigynal cavity.

DISTRIBUTION: Turkish and Greek islands near the western coast of Turkey.

RANGE: Anatolian.