Pellenes hedjazensis Prószyfiski, 1993

Wesolowska, W. & van Harten, A., 2010, Order Araneae, Arthropod fauna of the UAE, Abu Dhabi: Dar Al Ummah, pp. 27-69 : 47

Pellenes hedjazensis Prószyfiski, 1993 Plate 17, Figures 52—56

Specimens examined: N of Ajman , 2♂ ‘, 1♀, 25.v—l 2.vi.2008, WT ; 7♂ ‘, 1♀, 25. vi-5.vii.2008, WT ; 3♂ ‘, 5 — 6. vii.2008, WT ; 2♂, 3 ♀, l 6—23.vii.2008, WT ; 3♂ ‘, 4 ♀, 23 — 30.vii. 2008, WT ; 1♂ ‘, 22.ix ~ l 7..2008, WT . Wadi Siji , 1♀, 24.ix ~ 12.x.2006, WT .

l x

Description: Measurements (male/female). Cephalothorax length 1.5—2.0/ 1.6-1.7, width 1.2- l. 5/ l.2-1.3, height 0.7¬0.9/0.7-0.8. Abdomen length 1.9 2.6/l. 8-2.6, width 1.3- 1.4/ 1.3-1.8. Eye field length 0.8-1.0/0.7-0.8, anterior width 1.0 — l. l/0.9 — l. 0, posterior width l.l—1.2/1.0— 1.1.

Male. General appearance as in Plate 17 and Figure 52. Small, light coloured spider. Carapace oval, eye field occupying about half of its length. Carapace striped, three longitudinal white streaks on light orange background, lateral stripes starting between lateral and median eyes run to posterior edge of carapace, median streak extends only to centre of ocular area ( Fig. 52). Lateral sides of cephalothorax clothed in white hairs. Clypeus covered with dense white hairs but bases of chelicerae black. Mouthparts white yellowish, sternum yellow. Abdomen oval, whitish yellow with two longitudinal orange stripes ( Fig. 52). Some white hairs on abdomen, among them sparse brown bristles. Venter light, almost white. Spinnerets yellowish. Legs yellow with white scales, spines light, only on first legs brown. Sparse black flattened long setae on ventral surface of first tibia. Pedipalps light, only bulb brownish. Cymbium with retrolateral shallow depression. Tibial apophysis short ( Fig. 54), embolus needle shaped, compound terminal apophysis large ( Fig. 53).

Female. Shape, size and colouration as in male, first tibia without black setae. Epigyne typical for members of the genus, with central pocket ( Fig. 55). Internal structures as in Figure 56. Remarks: The first description of the female is given here.

Distribution: Hitherto known only from Saudi Arabia. New to the UAE.