Haplodrassus rhodanicus ( Simon, 1914 ) Bosmans & Kherbouche-Abrous & Benhalima & Hervé, 2018

Bosmans, Robert, Kherbouche-Abrous, Ourida, Benhalima, Souâd & Hervé, Christophe, 2018, The genus Haplodrassus Chamberlin, 1922 in the Mediterranean and the Maghreb in particular (Araneae: Gnaphosidae), Zootaxa 4451 (1), pp. 1-67 : 29-33

Haplodrassus rhodanicus ( Simon, 1914) , comb. n.

Figs 118‒125 , 136‒139 , map 3

Drassodes rhodanicus Simon, 1914: 122 , 134, 208 (♂).

Types. Male syntypes from France, Ardèche, Bourg St.-Andéol (N44°22’32” E4°38’33”) and Gard, Pont-St-Esprit (44°15’17” E4°38’50”); not examined, missing in MNHN where the type material normally should be hosted.

Remark. The male of this species is illustrated for the first time, and the female is described for the first time.

Diagnosis. This species is easily recognised in the male by the narrow, truncate tibial apophysis ( Figs 120 , 137 ) and the narrow embolic apophysis and embolus ( Figs 122 , 136 ). The female is recognized by the elongate epigyne and is clearly related to Haplodrassus longivulva sp. n., from which it differs by the straight lateral margins of the fovea ( Figs 124 , 138 ).

Description. Measurements: Male (n=12): Total length 2.3‒5.2; carapace 1.20‒2.12 long, 0.96‒1.73 wide. Female (n=3): Total length 2.9‒3.4; carapace 1.14‒1.33 long, 0.91‒0.98 wide. Colour: Carapace yellowish brown with darkened eye region; chelicerae brown to dark brown; sternum yellowish brown with brown margins; legs yellowish brown; abdomen grey, anterior half often with three pairs of drop-like spots. Spinulation: General pattern, but all metatarsi spineless and lateral spines on Fe III‒IV missing.

Male palp ( Figs 120‒123 , 136‒137 ): Tibia much longer than wide (ratio 2.6), apophysis shorter than tibia’s diameter (ratio 0.6), narrow from its base, terminally truncate with blunt tip ( Figs 120 , 137 ); embolic apophyis small and elongated, terminally bluntly pointed; embolus narrow, with subterminal denticle ( Figs 122 , 136 ).

Epigyne ( Figs 124‒125 , 138‒139 ): Strongly elongated, nearly twice as wide as long, with rounded anterior hood; fovea rectangular, with straight margins ( Figs 124 , 138 ); receptacles small and touching, with anterolaterally directed ducts ( Figs 125 , 139 ).

Further material examined. AFRICA, TUNISIA, Jendouba, Hammam Bourguiba (N36°46'32” E8°36'35”), 350m, 1♂, stones in Quercus suber forest, 9.V.2006, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). EUROPE, PORTUGAL, Setubal, Alcochete NW (N38°45'37” W8°56’6”), 5m, 5♂, pitfalls in salt marsh, 14‒22.IV.2013, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). SPAIN, Baleares, Mallorca, Sa Rapita W., Punta Negra (N39°21'22" E'2°54'43'), 10m, 1♀, stones in small lagoon near the sea, 5.IV.2003, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB), Málaga, Málaga (N36°43’12” W4°25’13”), 2♂ 1♀, as Drassus scenicus L. Koch nomen nudum, E. Simon leg., Coll. Simon 2051 (MNHN AR9377), Palencia, Laguna de la Nava (N39°2’58” W3°41’47”), 670m, 2♂, 24.VI.1996, U. Stengele leg. (CRB), Valencia, Embalse de Cofrentes (N39°14'31” W1°3'37”), 375m, 2♂ 1♀, in Tamarix and Phragmites litter near the water, 3.IV.1996, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). FRANCE, Aude, La Palme near Leucate (N42°58’53” E3°1’01”), 1♀, stones in salt marsh, 9.V.2015, J. Van Keer leg. (CJVK), Leucate, Chemin de Las Pichinos (N42°56’10” E3°1’8”), 4♂, pitfalls in salt marsh, 9‒26.V.2015 (CJVK), Bouches-du-Rhone, Petite Camargue (N43°30'0” E4°19'0”), 1♂ 1♀, 15.V.1989, P. Poot leg. (CRB), Haute-Corse: Etang de Biguglia near Borgo (N42°38’23” E9°26’39”), 15m, 1♀, pitfalls in Phragmites stand bordering the lake, 28.V.1995, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). ITALY, Sardinia, Medio Campidano, Montevecchio, Piccalinna (N39°33'24” E8°34'6”), 1♂, pitfalls in garrigue, 3.VI.2009, M. Verdinelli & A. Sassu leg. (MCSNB).

Ecology. The species was mostly collected in marshy areas: lagoons near the sea, inland salt marshes, along inside lakes and reservoirs. Males were found from April to June, females in April and May.

Distribution. Haplodrassus rhodanicus was first described from the south of France ( Simon 1914) and later only cited from Croatia, Dubrovnik - Pobrezje ( Nikolic & Polenec 1981). The species now appears to have a much larger distribution area, with first records in Tunisia, Spain, Portugal and Italy. It was mostly collected in marshes (map 3).

Figures

FIGURES 118–125. Haplodrassus rhodanicus (male from Portugal, Alcochete, female from France, Leucate). 118. Male, dorsal aspect; 119. Female, dorsal aspect; 120. Male palpal tibia, retrolateral view; 121. Male left palp, retrolateral view; 122. Idem, ventral view; 123. Idem, prolateral view; 124. Epigyne, ventral view; 125. Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURES 136–144. Figs 136‒139. Haplodrassus rhodanicus (male from Portugal, Alcochete, female from France, Leucate). 136. Male left palp, ventral view; 137. Male palpal tibia, dorsolateral view; 138. Epigyne, ventral view; 139. Vulva, ventral view. Figs. 140‒144. Haplodrassus rufipes (Lucas) (male from France, Saint-André, female from Spain, Torremolinos). 140. Male left palp, ventral view; 141. Male palpal tibia, dorsolateral view; 142. Embolic apophysis, ventral view; 143. Epigyne, ventral view; 144. Vulva, ventral view.