Haplodrassus pseudosignifer Marusik, Hippa & Koponen, 1996

Kovblyuk, Mykola M., Kastrygina, Zoya A. & Omelko, Mikhail M., 2012, A review of the spider genus Haplodrassus Chamberlin, 1922 in Crimea (Ukraine) and adjacent areas (Araneae, Gnaphosidae), ZooKeys 205, pp. 59-89 : 67-68

Haplodrassus pseudosignifer Marusik, Hippa & Koponen, 1996 Figs 68 –7075– 76

Haplodrassus pseudosignifer Marusik et al., 1996: 26, f. 63-65, 69 (♂♀).

Type material.

RUSSIA. 2 ♂♂ paratypes (ZMT), SW Altai, 7 km W Katanda, Katun River valley, forest steppe, pitfall traps, 22.06.-26.07.1983, H. Hippa.

Material.

UKRAINE, CRIMEA: Feodosiya Distr.:19 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀ (TNU), Karadag Nature Reserve, 15.10.2006-05.2011, M.M. Kovblyuk, O.V. Kukushkin, A.A. Nadolny. Simferopol Distr.: 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ (TNU), Bayrakly Mt. (519 m), ~ 400 m, 14.05.-23.06.2000, M.M. Kovblyuk; 1 ♂ (TNU), Chatyr-Dag Mt., east slope, 10-28.06.2000, M.M. Kovblyuk; 1 ♀ (TNU), near Skvortsovo Vill., 9-30.06.2002, M.M. Kovblyuk. Sudak Distr.: 28 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀ (TNU), 10 km west from Sudak Town, Mezhdurechie Vill., 3.05.-3.06.2010, M.K. Yusufova. Yalta Distr.: 1 ♂ (TNU), Ay-Petri Yaila Mt., west part, 12-13.06.1999, O.V. Kukushkin; 15 ♂♂, 1 ♀ (TNU), Nikitskaya Yaila Mt. (=Skrinita), ~ 1200 m, 2.06.-24.07.2001, M.M. Kovblyuk.

Additional material.

UKRAINE. Nikolaev Area: 1 ♀ (TNU), Pervomaysky Distr., Kuripchane Vil., 26.05-8.06.2006, N.Yu. Polchaninova.

Note.

Identification of this species was based on comparison of our specimens with the male paratypes from ZMT. Specimens from Crimea and Altai differ only slightly in the shape of the tooth on embolus. In our opinion the specimens from Crimea, Nikolaev Area and Altai are conspecific.

Diagnosis.

Haplodrassus pseudosignifer is very similar to Haplodrassus signifer . The two species have no distinct differences in coloration, size or leg spination, but Haplodrassus pseudosignifer can be differentiated from Haplodrassus signifer by having an almost straight and shorter terminal apophysis and thinner embolus, and by the shape of the lateral pockets and fovea of the epigyne.

Description.

Males (n = 5) and females (n = 5). Measurements (♂ / ♀): total length 5.7-8.0 (6.79) / 6.6-10.5 (7.8); carapace 2.8-3.5 (3.1) / 2.6-3.6 (3.3) long, 2.2-2.6 (2.4) / 2.1-3.0 (2.6) wide; abdomen 3.1-4.8 (3.8) / 3.4-6.7 (4.7) long, 1.7-2.4 (2.0) / 2.1-4.2 (2.8) wide.

Length of leg segments:

Length of palp segments (male / female): femur 1.0-1.3 (1.2) / 0.8-1.2 (1.1), patella 0.4-0.7 (0.5) / 0.5-0.6 (0.5), tibia 0.3-0.4 (0.38) / 0.4-0.6 (0.5), tarsus 1.0-1.2 (1.1) / 0.7-0.9 (0.8).

Chelicerae with 2-3 promarginal and 2 retromarginal teeth in males and females. Number of promarginal teeth varies from 2 (frequently) to 3 (rarely).

Coloration grey.

Male palp as in Figs 68-70. Terminal apophysis short (length/width ratio ~ 2) and straight, ridge poorly developed; embolus almost straight and with a tooth.

Epigyne as in Figs 75-76. Fovea elongated, rectangular (longer than wide) with narrow longitudinal groove.

Distribution.

Steppe zone of Eurasia: from Crimea and Nikolaev Area of Ukraine east to Altai ( Marusik et al. 1996; present data).

Comments.

Haplodrassus pseudosignifer is a new species record for Crimea and Ukraine. Crimea is the westernmost point of the known distribution range.

Habitats.

Forests with Pistaca mutica or Quercus pubescens , forest-steppes, forest stripes (=shelter belts), rocky steppes, grasslands.

Phenology.

♂♀ - V-VII, ♂♂ - IV, X. In Crimea the peak of activity in adults occurs in May.