Haplodrassus crassipes ( Lucas, 1846 ) 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 : 8-12

Haplodrassus crassipes ( Lucas, 1846) , comb. n.

Figs 1‒9 , 18‒23 , map 1

Drassus crassipes Lucas, 1846: 217 , pl. 13 fig. 4 (♂♀).

Drassus macellinus: Pavesi 1884: 467 ; Simon 1885: 39 (misidentifications).

Drassodes macellinus: Simon 1908: 52 ; Simon 1914: 139; Denis 1937: 1035 (misidentifications).

Haplodrassus macellinus: Di Franco 1994: 206 (misidentification).

Haplodrassus macellinus hebes: Denis 1948: 146 (misidentification).

Types. Lectotype ♂ (MNHN AR14576), paralectotype ♀ ( MNHN AR14577 ) of Drassus crassipes , by present designation, from Algeria, La Calle (= El Kala) ; MNHN, Coll. Lucas; examined.

Remarks. Type material of Drassus crassipes was discovered in the collection of the MNHN and could be compared with our material. It appears to be one of the most abundant Haplodrassus species in the Maghreb, in the past confused with H. macellinus .

Diagnosis. Haplodrassus crassipes is the largest Haplodrassus species in North Africa, with males up to 10 mm and females up to 16 mm. Small specimens overlap however with other species, so size cannot be used as a sole diagnostic character. It differs from all other species in males by the S-shaped embolic apophysis with nearly parallel margins, terminally with a small dorsal tooth ( Figs 4, 6 , 19‒20 ). Females are most close to H. securifer sp. n. but differ by the epigyne being longer than wide ( Figs 7 , 22 ), as wide as long in H. securifer sp. n. ( Figs. 145 , 165 ).

Description. Measurements: Male 5 (n=20): Total length 6.1‒10.3; carapace 2.8‒5.9 long, 2.2‒4.4 wide. Female (n=20): Total length 10.2 ‒ 16.4; carapace 3.4 ‒6.4 long, 2.2‒4.6 wide. Colour: Carapace brown to dark reddish brown, cephalic part infuscate; chelicerae dark brown; legs yellowish brown to dark reddish brown; abdomen dark brownish to dark greyish, venter pale. Spinulation: General pattern, but ventral spines on MtI and II sometimes missing and without prolateral spines on TiIV in all specimens examined.

Male palp ( Figs 3‒6 , 18‒21 ): Tibial apophysis nearly twice as long as its diameter, distinctly constricted basally, distal part strongly asymmetric, with truncate dorsal margin; embolic apophysis S-shaped, with nearly parallel margins, terminally with a small dorsal nipple.

Epigyne ( Figs 7‒9 , 22‒23 ): Distinctly longer than wide (1.3x); hood slightly narrower than areola, posterior margin nearly straight, with strongly recurved lateral parts; pro-fovea relatively large, as long as fovea, laterally with some longitudinal folds; fovea wider than long, elevated in the middle, antero-laterally with obtuse tooth, in most specimens hidden by concretions (compare Figs 7 & 8 ); areola oval, wider than long; receptacles large, touching; lateral pockets wide, semi-circular.

Citations. ALGERIA, Annaba, Monts de l’Edough (36°55'38” E7°43'11”) ( Di Franco 1994, as H. macellinus ), El Tarf, El Kala (N36°53’44” E8°26’36”) ( Lucas 1846), Jijel, Djébel Daya (N36°35’00” E6°11’00”) ( Denis 1937, as D. macellinus, Souk-Ahras, Souk-Ahras (N36°17’11” E7°57’04”) ( Simon 1885, as D. macellinus ). TUNISIA, Beja, Aïn Draham (N36°46’43” E8°41’14”) ( Simon 1908, as D. macellinus ), Gabes, Gabes (N33°52’53” E10°05’54”) ( Simon 1885, as D. macellinus ), Tunis, Hammam-el-Lif ( Simon 1885, as D. macellinus ), Tunis, Porto Farina (N37°10’10” E10°11’26”) ( Pavesi 1884, as D. macellinus ).

Further material examined. “ Algeria: Saïda! Djebel Maadid! Ouarsenis! Bône! (= Annaba) (E. Simon leg.), Theniet-el-Had (L. Bedel leg.). Tunisia ”, 1♂ 12♀, labelled D. macellinus, Coll. Simon 2916 ( MNHN AR9216). ALGERIA, Alger, Bab Ezzouar (N36°42’45” E3°10’54”), 25m, 1♀, pitfalls in wasteland at University Campus, 29.IV.1987, 1♀, 15.III.1988, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), 4♂ 6♀, 7.VII.2008 ‒ 22.V.2009 ( COA), Aïn Defla, Miliana, Djébel Zaccar (N36°20’0” E2°13’00”), 1000m, 1♂, stones in Quecus ilex forest, 23.IV.1989, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Blida, Atlas Blidéen, Chréa, 1300m, 10♂, pitfalls in Cedrus atlantica forest, 27.VI.1989, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Chréa, Djébel Ferroukha, Ghellaï (N36°28’10” E2°56’18”), 1350m, 1♂, sieving litter in Cedrus atlantica plantation, 20.X.1987, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Chréa, Pic E. Abdelkader (N36°24’14” E2°50’6”), 1520m, 1♂, pitfalls in Cedrus atlantica forest, 27.V.1989, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), S. Meftah, Djébel Zerouela (N36°36’0” E3°15’00”), 1♂, stones in grassland, 7.IV.1987, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Bouira, Er Rich (N36°25’28” E3°51’ 19’), 450m, 1♂, under stones, 15.IV.1990, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Massif du Djurdjura, Tikjda (N36°26'54” E4°7'44”), 1510m, 1♀, pitfalls in Cedrus atlantica forest, 11.VI.1988 and 1♂, 24.IV.1982, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Massif du Djurdjura, Tizi Boussouil (N36°27'37” E4°9'57”), 1720m, 4♂ 1♀, pitfalls in stony and spiny grassland, VIII.1990, O. Abrous leg. ( COA, CRB), Massif du Djurdjura, Col de Tizi 'n Kouillal (N36°28'26” E4°14'9”), 1520m, 1♂, pitfalls in Amphelodesmus grassland, III.1990, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Saharidj, 650m, 1♂, pitfalls in dense Pistacea lentisca maquis, 1.VI.1988, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Boumerdes, between Larba and Col des 2 Bassins (N36°31'33” E3°13'30”), 800m, 5♀, stones in open Quercus ilex forest, 21.V.1987, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), between Toulmout and Keddara (N36°37'17" E3°27'46”), 500m, 2♀, stony grassland near Ifri Nziri cave, 27.IV.1989, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Chlef, Forêt de Tacheta, 850m, 2♂, pitfalls in Quercus faginea forest, 29.IX.1989, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Sétif, Djébel Babor, N. slope (N31°30'35” E5°29'15”), 1600m, 1♂, stones in open Cedrus atlantica forest, 21.IV.1982, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Monts du Hodna, Djébel Bouthaleb (N35°43’25” E5°21’8”), 1450m, 1♀, pitfalls in Cedrus atlantica forest, 20.IV.1989, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Tissemsilt, 5 km N. Théniet-el-Had (N35°53'38” E2°3'11”), 880m, 1♀, litter in irrigated garden, 20.IV.1984, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Tizi Ouzou, Chabet-el-Ameur (N36°37'17” E3°43'46”), 250m, 2♂, stones bordering fields, 20.IV.1990 ( CRB), Mazer, 5 km E. Tigzirt (N36°53'38” E4°2'5”), 50m, 1♂, litter in Pistacea lentisca maquis, 27.IV.1990, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), 5 km E. Tizi Ouzou, (N36°42'26” E4°10'20”), 180m, 1♂, herbs on damp slope, 25.I.1990, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), forêt de Mizrana (N6°52' 5' E4°4'5”), 300m, 1♀, stones in Quercus suber forest, 26.I.1990, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Massif du Djurdjura, Aït Ouabane (N36°28'1” E4°17'1”), 1♂, 1410m, pitfalls in Cedrus atlantica forest, 1.VI.1988, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Massif du Djurdjura, Tala Guilef (N36°28’36” E3°59'48”), 1420m, 29♂ 11♀, pitfalls in grassland, XI.1992 ‒ XI.1993, O. Abrous leg. ( COA, CRB), Tirourda (N36°28'33” E4°20'9”), 1300m, 1♀, herbs at entrance of Maccabée cave (Ifri Megath), 27.IV.1989, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Tizi Ouzou (N36°42'42” E4°2'37”), 195m, 1♂, stones near hotel Amraoua, 25.I.1990, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Tlemcen, Mansourah, plateau de Lalla Setti (N36°4'52” E4°27'42”), 975m, 5♂ 3♀, litter in Pinus halepensis forest, 6.V.1984, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB). MOROCCO, Fès-Meknès, N. Timahdite (N33°14'11” W5°3'31”), 1800m, 1♂ 1♀, stones in grassland, 7.II.1996, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB), Marrakech-Safi, Marakech, Amizmiz (N31°13’26” W8°15’2”), 1♀, 7.II.1962, J. Malhomme leg. ( ISRM). SPAIN, Melilla, 1♀, as Drassodes ariasi Simon nomen nudum, Arias leg., Coll. Simon 24784 ( MNHN AR15691).

Ecology. The species was mostly collected in forests at higher altitudes in the humid and subhumid climate zones of the Maghreb. Males were collected from September to June, females from January to June.

Distribution. Tell Atlas in Algeria, Rif and Middle Atlas in Morocco (map 1).

MAP 1. Distribution of Haplodrassus crassipes (Lucas) .

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Haplodrassus crassipes (Algeria, 1,3‒6: male from Mansourah, 2: female from Djébel Babor; 7. female from Djébel Bouthaleb; 8‒9: female from Djébel Ouarsenis). 1. Male, dorsal aspect; 2. Female, dorsal aspect; 3. Male left palp, retrolateral view; 4. Idem, ventral view; 5. Male palpal tibia, dorsolateral view; 6. Embolic apophysis of male palp, ventral view; 7. Epigyne, ventral view, specimen without mating plugs; 8. Idem, specimen with mating plugs; 9. Vulva, ventral view.

FIGURES 18–29. Figs 18‒23. Haplodrassus crassipes (Algeria, 18‒21: male from Mansourah, 22‒23: female from Djébel Bouthaleb). 18. Male left palp, retrolateral view; 19. Idem, ventral view; 20. Embolic apophysis of male palp, ventral view; 21. Male palpal tibia, dorsolateral view; 22. Epigyne, ventral view; 23. Vulva, ventral view. Figs 24‒29. Haplodrassus dalmatensis (Algeria, Chréa). 24. Male left palp, retrolateral view; 25. Idem, ventral view; 26. Embolic apophysis of male palp, ventral view; 27. Male palpal tibia, dorsolateral view; 28. Epigyne, ventral view; 29. Vulva, ventral view.

FIGURES 145–153. Haplodrassus securifer sp. n. (Tunisia, Gafsa). 145. Male, dorsal aspect; 146. Female, dorsal aspect; 147. Male palpal tibia, dorsolateral view; 148. Male left palp, retrolateral view; 149. Idem, ventral view; 150. Idem, prolateral view; 151. Epigyne, ventral view; 152. Vulva, ventral view. 153. Vulva, dorsal view.

FIGURES 162–171. Figs 162‒166. Haplodrassus securifer sp. n. (Tunisia, Gafsa). 162. Male left palp, ventral view; 163. Male palpal tibia, dorsolateral view; 164. Embolic apophysis, ventral view; 165. Epigyne, ventral view; 166. Vulva, ventral view. Figs 167‒171. Haplodrassus signifer (male from Crete, Nida Plateau, female from France, Corse). 167. Male left palp, ventral view; 168. Male palpal tibia, dorsolateral view; 169. Embolic apophysis, ventral view; 170. Epigyne, ventral view; 171. Vulva, ventral view.