Eusparassus walckenaeri ( Audouin, 1826 )

Moradmand, Majid & Jäger, Peter, 2012, Taxonomic revision of the huntsman spider genus Eusparassus Simon, 1903 (Araneae: Sparassidae) in Eurasia, Journal of Natural History 46 (39 - 40), pp. 2439-2496 : 2453-2459

Eusparassus walckenaeri ( Audouin, 1826)

( Figures 1B , 5 , 6 , 23A )

Philodromus walckenaerii Audouin, 1826: 390 , pl. 6, fig. 1 (description of female, type not designated).

Philodromus linnaei Audouin, 1826: 390 , pl. 6, fig. 2 (description of male, type not designated) [synonymy by Simon 1906].

Drassus civilis Reuss, 1834: 207 (description of juvenile; holotype, immature, Egypt: Sinai: Tor, 1827 Rüpell leg., SMF 4575 examined).

Sparassus walckenaeri – Walckenaer, 1837: 585 (transfer).

Pavesi, 1880: 364; 4; Levy, 1989: 132 –138, figs 318.

Ocypete tersa C. L. Koch, 1837: 83 , fig. 305 (description of female; from Greece, type not available) [synonymy by Levy 1989]; C. L. Koch, 1845: 39, figs 980–981.

Sparassus tersa – Simon, 1880: 291 (in part, material from Greece, MNHN, examined).

Eusparassus tersa – Järvi, 1912: 57, fig. 48, pl. 4, figs 48 (transfer); Järvi, 1914: 173.

Sparassus cambridgii Simon, 1874: 257 (description of juvenile, from Egypt) [synonymy by Simon 1880].

Sparassus validus Thorell, 1875a: 80 (description of female; holotype, female, Taur. Merid., Ent.etikett nr=232, Nordmann leg. MZH 20.492, examined) [synonymy by Levy 1989] – Thorell, 1875b: 124.

Sparassus cognatus Pickard-Cambridge, 1876: 588 (description of female; syntypes, one female and 10 immatures, Egypt, not examined) [synonymy by Levy 1989].

Sparassus fontanieri Simon, 1880: 294 (description of male, holotype, locality not clear, MNHN, examined) [synonymy by Levy 1989].

Sparassus extensipes Karsch, 1880: 383 , pl. 12, fig. 12. (description of male, holotype, male, Egypt: Cairo, not examined) [synonymy by Simon 1906].

Sparassus linnaei – Kulczyński, 1901: 43 (transfer, one male examined from Cairo in MIZ).

Sparassus walckenaerius – Simon, 1880: 292.

Heteropoda civilis – Strand 1916: 36 (unjustified combination).

Eusparassus walckenaeri – Strand 1908: 24; Simon, 1906: 1168; Denis, 1947: 50, pl. 2, figs 14–16.); Deltshev, 2011: 28; Gabriel, 2011: 9–12, figs 2, 9.

Type material

(type female from Egypt not designated, unavailable, see notes below) Neotype: male, with label “ Egypt: Cairo ” (30 ◦ 3 ′ N, 31 ◦ 15 ′ E), 1971 ( SNSD).

Other material examined

EGYPT: 1♂, 1♀, with same data as for neotype ( SMF) ; 1♂, Cairo, with label: “ Sparassus linnaei , Cairo, det. Kulczyński, F. 1691” ( MIZ 212984 ) . PALESTINE: 2♂♂, surrounding of Nablus , 25 June 1999, A. Hussein leg ( CRB) ; 2♂♂, surrounding of Nablus , 6 May 1999, A. Hussein leg ( CRB) . ISRAEL: 1♀, Sede Boqer, Negev desert, between Béer Sheva and Mituzpe Ramon , 6–29 May 2003, M. Rezac leg. ( SMF) ; 2♀♀, 10 juveniles, Jerusalem, F.166 ( MIZ 212984 ) . LEBANON: 1♀, Amioun , 1944, H.B. Cott leg., ( NHM 1950.3.30.124) ; JORDAN: 1♀, Dana Natural Reserve, Wadi Dana , (30 ◦ 41 ′ N, 35 ◦ 37 ′ E), under stones, 16 April 2004, J. Altman and J. Meier leg. ( SMF, SD8 ) ; 1♀, Petra, Al-Habis , April 1983, J. Wittenberg and Kinzelbach leg., ( SMF) ; 1♀, Amman, Pine forest , July 2007, J. Wiehle leg. ( SMF) ; 2♀♀, Al-Bala, 10 km southeast of Suwaylih, Al-Fuhays , summer 1980, F. Krupp and W. Schneider leg. ( SMF) ; SYRIA: 13♂♂, 4♀♀, 5 juveniles, Golan, camp Faüar , June 1981, K. Kollnberger leg. ( NHMW) ; 1♀, Damascus ( ZMB) ; IRAQ: 1♀, Al-Anbar Province: Lake Tharthar (33 ◦ 58 ′ N, 43 ◦ 11 ′ E), 23 March 1986, M. Carl leg. ( SMF) ; 1♀, Baghdad, Kálová leg. PGD 312003 ( MMB) ; TURKEY: 1♀, Taurus Mountains , with label: [type, Sparassus validus Thorell 1875 , Aranea, Taur. Merid., Ent. etikett nr=232] Nordmann leg. ( MZH 20.492 ) ; 1♀, Muğla Province, Güllück Yeni Oba , 26 August 2010, R. Zeelen and D. Kunz leg. ( SMF) ; 1♂, Muğla Province, Bafa Gölü / Bafa Lake , 7 September 2010, R. Zeelen and D. Kunz leg. ( SMF) ; 1♀, Ankara, Güvecci , 25 October 2006, D. Kunz leg. ( SMF) ; 1♂, Turkish Riviera, 25 km north of Anamur , mountain meadow, July 2007, S. Huber leg. ( SMF) ; 1♀, Izmir, in crevices inside retreat, 24 April 1992, W. Braunstein leg. ( SMF) ; GREECE: 1♂, Laconia, 4 km northeast of Jithion, with rivulet across the shore (Near East Excursion ), 5 August 1980, R. Kinzelbach leg ( SMF) ; 1♂, northern Aegean region, Sámos Island, near Vouliótes [=Vourilótoi], (37 ◦ 47 ′ N, 26 ◦ 51 ′ 30 ′′ E), 400 m altitude, 25 June 2003, V. Vignoli leg ( SMF) ; 1♀, Sámos Island , 26 June 2003, V. Vignoli leg. ( SMF) ; 1♀, Lesbos Island, between Molivos and Kalloni , 3 July 2003, V. Vignoli leg. ( SMF) ; 1♂, Sporades, Skiathos Island (39 ◦ 10 ′ N, 23 ◦ 29 ′ E), 31 May 1979, Liebegott leg. ( SMF 30846 / 1) ; 1♂, Thessaly, Volos , A. Schönhofer leg. ( SMF 30846) ; 1♀, Lemnos Island, August 1976, A. de Caboga leg ( MHNG) ; 3♀♀, Cyclades, Paros Island, Parikia , 25 June 1968, A. Senglet leg. ( MHNG) ; 3♀♀, Cyclades, Naxos Island, Polichni , 6 August 1968, A. Senglet leg. ( MHNG) ; 1♀, Central mainland, Phthiotis (= Phthiotida ), Tragana , (38 ◦ 38 ′ N, 23 ◦ 06 ′ E) 5 June 1980, A. Senglet leg. ( MHNG) ; 1♀, Crete Island, Lassithi, Exo Mouliana , 18 May 1970, A. Senglet leg. ( MHNG) ; 1♂, Crete Island , Aptera, ( SMF4618 ) ; 1♂, Crete Island, Stanion , 16 May 1979 J. Wunderlich leg. ( SMF) ; 1♂, Arcadia, Paralia Astros, marshy area along mouth river Tanos , 26 May 1998, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB) ; 1♂, Attica, Thoriki, Velatouri , 16 May 1974, P. Goemare leg. ( CRB) ; 1♂, Euboea (= Evia) Island , Psachna E., 100 m, stones around ruin in open maquis shrubland, 10 May 2001, R. Bosmans leg. ( CRB) ; 1♂, Peloponnese, Geráki , (36 ◦ 59 ′ 44.11 ′′ N, 22 ◦ 43 ′ 22.02 ′′ E), 25 February 2011, F. Štáhlavský and M. Peprný leg. ( SMF) ; CYPRUS: 1♂, Phapos , May 1994, T. Zugles leg. ( SMF) ; 1♀, Protaras, Ayios Elias Village , 17 May 1997, P.J. Haymoz leg. ( MHNG) ; ITALY: 1♂, 4 juvenile males, Etruria (1896.VIII.181 NHMW) .

Diagnosis

The species can be recognized by a combination of somatic and genital characters. Males can be distinguished by hyaline and slender ET pointed retrolaterad in left palp and twisted at its distal end ( Figure 5E ). In female, AMLL not fused anteriorly ( Figures 5F , 6A,C ) (fused in E. dufouri ); glandular pores located on a circular depression in vulva, behind loop ( Figures 5G , 6B,D ) (in E. mesopotamicus sp. nov. and several other species on a projection part). Mostly a patch of intermarginal denticles (3–20) is present in cheliceral furrow ( Figures 5B , 6E–G ) (usually absent or if present one or two denticles in other Eurasian species).

Redescription

Male (n = 33). Medium to large Sparassidae (body length 10–20 mm).

Total length: 13.4–20.6, prosoma length 6.1–8.6, prosoma width 5.7–7.8, anterior width of prosoma 2.8–4.0, opisthosoma length 7.3–12.0, opisthosoma width 4.3–6.4. Eye diameters (neotype): AME 0.47, ALE 0.50, PME 0.48, PLE 0.55; eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.25, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.38, PME–PLE 0.50, AME–PME 0.50, ALE–PLE 0.31, clypeus height at AME 0.33, clypeus height at ALE 0.47. Eyes subequal.

Chelicerae with two anterior and four to six posterior teeth, Cheliceral furrow with denticles ( Figure 5B ); the number of denticles is variable (3–20), 3 to 10 denticles arranged in a single line ( Figure 6E–G ) or cluster of 10 to 20 denticles ( Figure 5B ); variation in denticles is not correlated to geographical distributions or to sexes. In one case even without denticles (one female from Damascus, Syria, ZMB). Eyes subequal; Basal segment of chelicerae at distal end in most cases with a single bristle ( Figure 5B ) or two bristles ( Figure 6G ).

Leg formula: 2 4 1 3. Measurements of palp and legs (neotype): Palp 13.2 [3.6, 1.8, 2.1, 5.7], I 44.6 [12.0, 4.7, 12.1, 12.3, 3.5], II 49.8 [13.5, 4.4, 14.1, 14.3, 3.5], III 41.5 [12.0, 4.0, 11.5, 11.0, 3.0], IV 46.0 [12.7, 4.0, 12.4, 13.5, 3.4].

Spination. Palp 131, 000 / 101, 1111; Legs: Femur I–III 323, IV 322; Patella I–IV 000(1) / 101; Tibia I–IV 2024 / 2224; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036.

Palp. As in diagnosis with cymbium and tibia elongated, Cymbium longer than tibia, ET slender and hyaline, dRTA flattened dorso-ventrally, vRTA prominent and triangular in ventral view ( Figure 5C,D ).

Female (n = 33). Total length: 16.9–25.3, prosoma length 6.0–10.0, prosoma width 5.2–8.6, anterior width of prosoma 3.6–5.0, opisthosoma length 10.9–15.3, opisthosoma width 6.5–10.5. Eyes (female from the neotype locality): AME 0.50, ALE 0.47, PME 0.46, PLE 0.51; eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.24, AME–ALE 0.07, PME–PME 0.43, PME–PLE 0.42, AME–PME 0.38, ALE–PLE 0.22, clypeus height at AME 0.43, clypeus height at ALE 0.52. Eyes subequal.

Chelicerae with two anterior and four or five posterior teeth, Cheliceral furrow with denticles. Dentition similarly variable as in males. For instance, in three females (MHNG) from Naxos Island (Aegean region, Greece), intermarginal denticle variations are observed. A female from Cyprus has no denticles at the cheliceral furrow but the copulatory organ is assumed to the species. Specimens from Greece ( Paros , Lakonia , Skiathos , Samos and Lesbos Islands) in most cases have a line of denticles.

Leg formula: 2 4 1 3. Measurements of palp and legs (female from the neotype locality): palp 9.8 [3.0, 1.5, 1.8, 3.5], I 31.5 [8.6, 3.7, 8.4, 8.5, 2.3], II 34.4 [10.0, 4.0, 9.1, 8.8, 2.5], III 29.6 [8.8, 3.5, 7.7, 7.4, 2.2], IV 32.6 [9.6, 3.1, 8.5, 9.0, 2.4].

Spination. Palp 131, 000 / 001, 1111, 1013; Legs: Femur I–III 323, IV 322; Patella I–IV 000(1) / 101; Tibia I–IV 2024 / 2224; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036.

Epigyne / vulva. As in diagnosis, with slight variations in epigyne relative length; epigyne may be elongated beyond epigynal furrow ( Figure 6A,C ); EFB in most specimens absent ( Figures 5F , 6A ), but if present only as thin bridge ( Figure 6C ).

Colouration. Dark brown to orange-brown in Turkey and Greece to milky cream in the Negev desert with darker patterns on prosoma; legs with distinct darker bands; dorsal opisthosoma with a series of small chevron-like patterns, ventral opisthosoma without marking ( Figure 23A ).

Remarks

Type material of E. walckenaeri was collected by French naturalist J. C. Savigny (1777–1851), who accompanied Napoleon on his military expedition to Egypt (1798–1801). Savigny was responsible for studying and collecting invertebrates ( Fransen et al. 1997). Back in Paris, he produced his famous plates for the “Description de l’Egypte” in which he illustrated the type specimens (plate 6, figs 1, 2) but without any description of them. Audouin (1826) briefly explained Savigny’s illustrations. In his sketchy explanation, Audouin proposed two names for the same species in the same plate. He named the female, fig. 1, “ Philodromus walckenaerii ” and the male, fig. 2, “ P. linnaei ”. The type specimens cannot be traced because he never designated any ( Alderweireldt 1996) therefore the plates were treated as the only “types” for the name ( Brignoli 1978). Since no name-bearing type material (other than the plate) is known to be extant, it is necessary to establish a neotype to maintain nomenclatural stability and reduce taxonomic confusion with morphologically similar species [i.e. E. doriae ( Simon, 1874) stat. nov., E. kronebergi Denis, 1958 stat. nov.] within the distribution range.

Neotype designation

The detailed locality in which Savigny collected the types was not recorded. According to the history of the expedition, it is assumed that most likely the collecting took place around Cairo, as the scientists’ team spent most of the time there ( Fransen et al. 1997). Hence , Cairo is thought to be putatively the type locality of this species. We select it as being as close as practicable to the original type locality. Two males and one female sampled in Cairo were found in the collection of SNSD, and one male is here designated as neotype. The neotype male and the other male and female from the type locality, Cairo (determined by the neotype) fit well with the fine illustrations of original plate 6 including general habitus, eye arrangements, chelicera and also accurate illustrated male palp (plate 6, fig. 2d).

Known geographical distribution and habitat

The distribution range is restricted to eastern Mediterranean countries from Egypt to Greece and its eastern-most distribution to Iraq in the Middle East. They are found in semi-dry areas under flat stones. In Greece, it is recorded that they are trogloxene, sporadically occurring underground ( Deltshev 2011).

Note on doubtful records in Europe

A single male and four juveniles from Etruria, Italy (NHMW) were found to be conspecific. Levy (1989) considered this material to be mislabelled because there are no other records from Italy. In addition to these specimens, we found a vial containing three immatures from Sicily in NHMW for which somatic characters (presence of intermarginal denticles in chelicera, pale ventral opisthosoma and eyes arrangements) agree well with the E. walckenaeri description. Further records of E. walckenaeri in Europe from “ Crimea, Ukraine ” (sub Sparassus validus ) [misunderstanding by Simon (1880) and Levy (1989)] cannot be correct because both the original description and label are noted “Taur.”, which refers to the Taurus Mountains in western Turkey, Anatolia.

Figures

Figure 1. (A) Papery retreats of Eusparassus walckenaeri underside of flat stones in Mügla, Turkey: (B) habitus of E. walckenaeri at the entrance of its retreat: (C) habitus of Eusparassus cf. mesopotamicus sp. nov. from Birecik, Turkey. Photos by D. Kunz (A, B) and B. Göcmen (C).

Figure 5. Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826), neotype male (A–E) from Cairo, Egypt (SNSD): (A) eye arrangement; (B) left chelicera, ventral; (C) left palp, ventral; (D) left palp, retrolateral, (E) tip of embolus and conductor, ventral. Female (F, G) from type locality: (F) epigyne, ventral (G) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral. Scale bars: (A–D, F) 1 mm, (E, G) 0.5 mm.

Figure 6. Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826), female copulatory organ variations: (A, B) female from Greece, Samos Island: (A) epigyne, ventral; (B) left vulva, anterio-dorsolateral; (C, D) female from Turkey, Milas: (C) epigyne, ventral; (D) left vulva, anterio-dorsolateral; (E–G) variations in chelicerae: number of bristles and intermarginal denticles, ventral. Scale bars: (A, C, E–G) 1 mm, (B, D) 0.5 mm.

Figure 23. Ventral opisthosoma colouration, (A) Eusparassus walckenaeri; (B) Eusparassus xerxes comb. nov., (C) Eusparassus dufouri, (D) Eusparassus levantinus.