Plexippus minor Wesolowska & van Harten

Wesolowska, W. & van Harten, A., 2010, Order Araneae, Arthropod fauna of the UAE, Abu Dhabi: Dar Al Ummah, pp. 27-69 : 49

Plexippus minor Wesolowska & van Harten nov. spec. Plate 19, Figures 57-58

Specimens examined: Holotype: ♂ ‘, United Arab Emirates, Wadi Shawkah , 25 ° 13 'N 56°08'E, 1 9. iv. 2007, in water trap, leg. A. van Harten ( MRAC) . Paratypes: 1♂, same data as holotype . 1♂, same locality but 5 — 12.v.2007, WT ; 2♂, same locality but 11. viii ll. ix. 2008, WT ; 1♂, same locality but 19- 28. xi. 2007, WT .

Diagnosis: The male may be distinguished from congeners by the short tibial apophysis and short embolus.

Description: Measurements. Cephalothorax length 3.1 3.3, width 2.3 2.5, height 1.3. Abdomen length 3.3 3.4, width 2.0. Eye field length 1.3-1.4, anterior width 2.0 2.1, posterior width 1.9 2.0.

Male. General appearance as in Plate 19. Carapace orange with two large light brown spots divided by light area on thoracic part, black line along margins of carapace. Eye field almost black, covered with white hairs, the same hairs on slopes of carapace. Reddish hairs form patch between anterior" median eyes and surround them, long brown bristles laterally on ocular area. Chelicerae dark brown, white hairs on their dorsal surface. Gnathocoxae and labium brown with yellowish tips. Sternum yellow. Abdomen ovoid, with three longitudinal stripes, lateral ones brown, median white but its anterior part reddish fawn, sides of abdomen light with brown dots, Venter light, in dark specimens tinged with grey, with three dark streaks. Dense hairs cover abdomen, at anterior edge hairs denser and longer. Spinnerets light, their tips dark. First legs dark, almost black, brrt femur dorsally and patella prolaterally yellowish, white scales on femur. Second pair of legs slightly lighter, lateral surfaces of femur and dorsuin of patella brown. Legs III and IV yellow, with brown patches on ventral surfaces of femora. Spines long, brown, leg hairs dark. Pedipalps generally light, yellowish; basal part of femur tinged with brown, retrolateral surface of femur apically with tuft of long light scalelike hairs. Dense white hairs cover lower part of cymbium. Tibial apophysis considerably shorter than other Plexíppııs species, light, only tip dark ( Fig. 58 ). Embolus short, prolateral edge of bulb with strongly sclerotised serrate keel ( Fig. 57 ).

Female unknown.

Etymology: The specific name refers to body size smaller than in P. paykıılli , the second species of the genus occurring in the UAE.

Figures

Figures 57 - 60. 57 - 58: Plexippus minor nov. spec.; 59 - 60: Plexippııs paykulli (Audouin). 57 - 59: Palpal organ in ventral view; 58 - 60: Same in lateral view.