Deltshevia, Marusik & Fet, 2009

Marusik, Yuri & Fet, Victor, 2009, A survey of East Palaearctic Hersiliola Thorell, 1870 (Araneae, Hersiliidae), with a description of three new genera, ZooKeys 16 (16), pp. 75-114 : 98-99

Deltshevia gen. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:44D11CBC-5310-4DC0-A3C8-67F27C7A247D

Type species. Deltshevia danovi sp. n.

Etymology. The genus name is a patronym honoring our colleague, friend, and a prominent araneologist, Christo Deltshev of Sofia, Bulgaria. We are especially glad to dedicate this genus to Christo on the occasion of his 70 th birthday. Gender: feminine.

Diagnosis. Deltshevia gen. n. differs from other genera of Hersiliidae by a globular tegulum; thick and screw-shaped embolus with a tapering, sharp tip; large two-armed tegular apophysis extended upward; large epigyne openings; and thick copulatory ducts.

Comments. A globular tegulum and tegular apophysis extended upward are also found in Duninia gen. n. In the latter genus, however, the tegular apophysis has one clawlike arm; this arm is thinner than the embolus and is extended upward (along the cymbial axis). In Deltshevia gen. n., the tegular apophysis has two arms: an upper arm directed upward, and a claw-like arm perpendicular to the cymbial axis. Females of this genus can be easily recognized by the presence of a (real) septum, large copulatory openings, and a wide (wider than spermathecae) and uncoiled insemination duct. Septum and small copulatory openings are present also in Hersiliola , but insemination ducts in this genus are always coiled and thinner than the spermathecae, or subequal in width to the spermathecae.

Description. Small hersiliids 5-7 mm long, with carapace 2.1-2.7 long and wide. Palp globular; embolus thick and screw-shaped; tegular apophysis large, with two arms: a massive vertical arm and a small horizontal arm. Epigyne with large copulatory openings; wide insemination ducts; septum and median plate distinct; spermathecae oval; fertilization duct short; accessory gland globular.

Distinguishing characters. The two species of Deltshevia gen. n. can be easily distinguished by the shape of copulatory organs.

Composition and distribution. Deltshevia gen. n. includes two species: D. danovi sp. n. (type species; Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan) and D. gromovi sp. n. (eastern Uzbekistan).