Palpimanus persicus, Zamani & Marusik, 2021

Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2021, A new genus and ten new species of spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) from Iran, ZooKeys 1054, pp. 95-126 : 95

Palpimanus persicus sp. nov.

Figures 13B, C , 14C-F , 15D-F , 16A-D , 17A-F

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (NHMW), Iran: Hormozgan Province: 40 km NW of Bandar Abbas, 7.4.1972 (G. Pretzmann). Paratype: 1♂ (NHMW), Hormozgan Province: 26 km S of Minab, 7.1974 (G. Pretzmann).

Other material examined.

Iran: Hormozgan Province: 1♀ (NHMW), 28 km N of Bandar Abbas, 28.3.1972 (G. Pretzmann) .

Etymology.

The specific epithet is an adjective of “Persian” or "of Persia", referring to the historical region of the Middle East, located in the east of Mesopotamia (nowadays Iran).

Diagnosis.

The male of this species differs from the closely related Palpimanus carmania sp. nov. by having the embolic stalk originating in the proximal half of the bulb (vs distal) and the stalk wider, not tapering, and its tip not pointed (cf. Fig. 16A and E ). Endogyne of the new species is similar to that of P. sogdianus Charitonov, 1946 and specimens identified as P. cf. sogdianus from Azerbaijan (see Marusik and Guseinov 2003: figs 35-36), but it differs by having the anterior and posterior halves of the receptacles subequal in length (vs anterior halves longer). In addition, females of the new species differ from specimen from Azerbaijan by having the copulatory opening (Co) more arched.

Description.

Male (holotype). Habitus as in Figures 13C , 14C . Total length 5.20. Carapace 2.60 long, 1.95 wide. Eye sizes: AME: 0.21, ALE: 0.11, PME: 0.07, PLE: 0.13. Carapace, labium, chelicera, maxilla and sternum dark reddish, coated with white setae. Leg I dark orange, legs II-IV yellowish-brown, without annulations. Metatarsus I and metatarsi and tarsi II-IV with a distinct ventral hair tuft. Abdomen cream-colored, with scattered long dark setae and a ventral scutum, two long diagonal and two dot-like scutula (Fig. 14D ). Spinnerets unicolourous. Measurements of legs: I: 5.57 (1.77, 1.46, 1.27, 0.57, 0.50), II: 4.74 (1.44, 0.92, 1.10, 0.72, 0.56), III: 4.23 (1.29, 0.76, 1.03, 0.70, 0.45), IV: 5.01 (1.53, 0.93, 1.20, 0.91, 0.44).

Palp as in Figures 15D-F , 16A-D ; tibia swollen, as wide as long; cymbium 1.6 times longer than wide; embolic stalk (Es) originates in proximal half of bulb, wide, not tapering, tip not pointed.

Female. Habitus as in Figures 13B , 14E . Total length 6.55. Carapace 3.00 long, 2.27 wide. Eye sizes: AME: 0.17, ALE: 0.11, PME: 0.07, PLE: 0.11. Coloration and somatic features as in male. Postgaster with 3 pairs of scutula (Fig. 14F ). Measurements of legs: I: 6.78 (2.17, 1.80, 1.62, 0.61, 0.58), II: 5.71 (1.76, 1.16, 1.32, 0.83, 0.64), III: 5.06 (1.50, 0.93, 1.17, 0.86, 0.60), IV: 6.77 (2.04, 1.19, 1.66, 1.32, 0.56).

Endogyne as in Figure 17A-F ; copulatory opening (Co) arched in ventral view and squared in posterior view; endogyne weakly sclerotized, receptacles about 3.5 times longer than wide, each with cylindrical posterior part and subglobular anterior part, posterior parts converging, receptacles lacking distinct accessorial or pore glands; fine threads (Ft) originate near copulatory opening; grape-shaped glands (Gg) poorly distinct, about 5 on each side.

Comment.

As the single female specimen treated here was collected separately from the males and in a different locality (although all from the same province and from sites relatively close to one another), it was not considered within the type material; the conspecificity of these specimens shall be confirmed when both sexes are collected together.

Distribution.

Known only from the listed localities in Hormozgan Province, southern Iran.

Figures

Figure 13. Lateral habitus of Palpimanus carmania sp. nov. (A) and P. persicus sp. nov. (B, C) A, C males B female.

Figure 14. Dorsal habitus (A, C, E) and ventral anterior portion of abdomen (B, D, F) of Palpimanus carmania sp. nov. (A, B) and P. persicus sp. nov. (C-F) A-D males E, F female. Scale bars: 0.2 mm, unless stated otherwise.

Figure 15. Male palps of Palpimanus carmania sp. nov. (A-C) and P. persicus sp. nov. (D-F) A, D ventral B, E retrolateral C, F proventral and prolateral. Abbreviation: Es - embolic stalk. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 16. SEM images of the male palps of Palpimanus persicus sp. nov. (A-D) and P. carmania sp. nov. (E-G) A, E ventral B, G proventral C, F apical D proapical. Abbreviation: Es - embolic stalk. Scale bars: 0.1 mm, unless stated otherwise.

Figure 17. Endogyne of Palpimanus persicus sp. nov. A-D, F dorsal E posterior. Boxes in C and D refer to detailed views presented in D and F, respectively. Abbreviations: Co - copulatory opening, Ft - fine threads, Gg - grape-shaped glands, Re - receptacle. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.