Drassodex fritillifer ( Simon, 1914 )

Hervé, Christophe, Roberts, Michael J. & Murphy, John A., 2009, A taxonomic revision of the genus Drassodex Murphy, 2007 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae), Zootaxa 2171, pp. 1-28 : 18-20

Drassodex fritillifer ( Simon, 1914)

Figs 34–38

Drassodes fritillifer Simon, 1914: 131 , 207, fig. 215 (male and female syntypes, examined); Reimoser, 1919: 161; Roewer, 1954: 386; Bonnet, 1956: 1566; Canard, 2005: 190.

Drassodex fritillifer Murphy, 2007: 41 , 55; Platnick, 2008.

Type material examined: Syntypes: 1 male and 1 female from France, Pyrénées-Orientales, Cap Ceris, L. Berland, Simon collection n° 6530 ( MNHN AR 1646).

Other material examined. SPAIN. Gerona: 1 Ƥ, Rosas, Dec. 1911, L. Fage ( MNHN AR 9249). Albacete: 2 Ƥ, Almansa, 950 m, April 3, 1996, R. Bosmans, Bosmans collection. Alicante: 2 Ƥ, north-west of Guadalest, Serra de Serella, April 7, 1998, R. Bosmans, Bosmans collection.

Diagnosis. The female of D. fritillifer is closely related to the female of D. hispanus , but can be easily identified by the ogive-shaped epigynal atrium ( Fig. 34 ) and the more extended forwards membranous coils ( Fig. 35 ). Male possesses the most atypical genitalic characters in the genus, having a RTA not bifid ( Fig. 37 ) and a cylindrical and twisted embolar structure ( Fig. 36 ).

Description. Male dimensions (syntype): total length 8.75. Carapace 4.29 long, 3.33 wide. Leg I: femur 3.43, patella 1.87, tibia 3.07, metatarsus 2.46, tarsus 1.65, total 12.48. Leg II: femur 3.07, patella 1.73, tibia 2.46, metatarsus 2.12, tarsus 1.42, total 10.80. Leg III: femur 2.64, patella 1.40, tibia 1.83, metatarsus 1.80, tarsus 1.22, total 8.89. Leg IV: femur 3.56, patella 1.69, tibia 2.92, metatarsus 2.85, tarsus 1.40, total 12.42. Cheliceral retromargin bearing a more isolated apical tooth, pointing towards the base of the fang ( Fig. 38 ). Leg spination: femora: I d1-1-0; III p0-1-0; IV p0-0-1; tibiae: I v0-1p-0; IV v2-2 p-2?, r1-1-1?; metatarsi: III, IV p0-2-2, r0-2-2; IV v1 r-0-2?. RTA not bifid, inferior prong absent, superior prong long, regularly attenuated, scarcely curved, almost straight ( Fig. 37 ); embolar coil compact, cylindrical, twisted, with small denticulations on the distal loop ( Figs 36–37 ); median apophysis wide, strongly hooked and pointing prolaterally ( Fig. 36 ).

Female dimensions (syntype): total length 10.57. Carapace 4.75 long, 3.71 wide. Leg I: femur 3.25, patella 1.82, tibia 2.58, metatarsus 2.20, tarsus 1.53, total 11.38. Leg II: femur 3.06, patella 1.72, tibia 2.29, metatarsus 2.04, tarsus 1.41, total 10.52. Leg III: femur 2.77, patella 1.58, tibia 1.83, metatarsus 1.84, tarsus 1.25, total 9.27. Leg IV: femur 3.66, patella 1.85, tibia 2.89, metatarsus 2.89, tarsus 1.43, total 12.72. Leg spination: femora: I d1-1-0; III p0-1-0; tibiae: I v0-1p-0; metatarsi: III, IV p0-2-2, r0-2-2. Atrium very large, resembling that of D. hispanus , but ogive-shaped, scarcely wider than high (0.68–0.71 wide, 0.60–0.64 high, ratio 1.06–1.18), with an anterior tongue lip-shaped, not projecting posteriorly ( Fig. 34 ); two large copulatory openings, plugged with thick concretion in examined specimens; membranous coils short, slightly higher than in D. hispanus , with external contour followed by coiled ducts simply once looped ( Fig. 35 ).

Distribution. Pyrénées-Orientales in France and eastern Spain.

Figures

FIGURES 32 – 40. 32 – 33 Drassodex cervinus (Simon, 1914) (MNHN AR 9241, paralectotype D. validior). 32 – 33 epigyne (32 ventral view, 33 dorsal view). 34 – 38 Drassodex fritillifer (Simon, 1914) (MNHN AR 1646, syntypes). 34 – 35 epigyne (34 ventral view, 35 dorsal view); 36 – 37 left male palp (36 ventral view, 37 retrolateral view); 38 left male chelicerae. 39 – 40 Drassodex hispanus (L. Koch, 1866) (MNHN AR 9247). 39 – 40 epigyne (39 ventral view, 40 dorsal view).