Loureedia Miller, Griswold, Scharff, Řezac , Szűts & Marhabaie

Miller, Jeremy A., Griswold, Charles E., Scharff, Nikolaj, Řezac, Milan, Szűts, Tamas & Marhabaie, Mohammad, 2012, The velvet spiders: an atlas of the Eresidae (Arachnida, Araneae), ZooKeys 195, pp. 1-144 : 63-66

Loureedia Miller, Griswold, Scharff, Řezac, Szűts & Marhabaie gen. n.

Type species.

Eresus annulipes Lucas, 1857.

Circumscription.

Loureedia gen. n. is monotypic, containing only the type species. Two species are here synonymized with Loureedia annulipes : Eresus semicanus Simon, 1908 and Eresus jerbae El-Hennawy, 2005. We examined specimens of Loureedia annulipes from Israel and type material from the Eugene Simon collection at the MNHN.

Etymology.

Named for Lou Reed, leader of the rock band The Velvet Underground from 1965-1970; the gender is feminine.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from other eresid genera except Dorceus , some Dresserus , and Paradonea splendens by the cephalic region, which is wider than long (Fig. 9J, L); distinguished from Dorceus by the median eye group, which have the PME clearly larger than the AME (AME/PME ca. 0.5; Fig. 9I, K); median eyes small with the PME only slightly larger than the AME in Dorceus (Fig. 8E), AME/PME> 0.8; Figs 8E, G, 28A, 29A); distinguished from Dresserus by the lack of prominent tubercles bearing the ALE and the palpal conformation, which has a proximal-ventral axis with the helical embolus encircling the distal part (Fig. 63B; obliquely ventral-dorsal in Dresserus with the embolus encircling the ventral part, Figs 33 I–K, 34 A–D); distinguished from Paradonea splendens by the subrectangular shape of the cephalic region, which does not overhang the thoracic region posteriorly (Figs 9J, 62A, D; subtrapezoidal, slightly overhanging the thoracic region in Paradonea splendens , Fig. 68D). Male further distinguished from other eresids except Stegodyphus dumicola , Stegodyphus tentoriicola , and Paradonea striatipes by the strongly bifid conductor (Fig. 63D, E); separated from these species by several characters including details of the conductor shape, the shape of the cephalic region, the lack of ALE tubercles, and a striking abdominal pattern of white and red patches on a black field (Fig. 1G, H). Female further distinguished by the epigynum with its unique anterior depression and by the compact configuration of the reproductive duct system (Figs 18A, D, 65A, B).

Natural history.

Known from Loess desert habitat with low shrubs, often in wadis. They build a simple vertical or inclined burrow lined by silk. The opening is covered by silken sheet camouflaged from above by debris. Signaling threads radiate out from the edges of this roof. Mating occurs in late autumn. Prey remnants are incorporated into the roof of the burrow. Juveniles feed on their mother’s corpse before dispersing (cf. Fig. 3D). Males take approximately 3 years to mature, females one year longer (Martin Forman, personal observation).