Persiscape ecbatana, Zamani & Marusik, 2020

Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2020, A review of Agelenini (Araneae: Agelenidae: Ageleninae) of Iran and Tajikistan, with descriptions of four new genera, Arachnology 18 (4), pp. 368-386 : 376

Persiscape ecbatana sp. n.

( Figs. 2 A–B, 6B, E, 7C, 9E, 10C–D, 13D–J, 15B)

Type material: Holotype ♂ and paratypes 3♂ 4♀ ( MHNG), IRAN: Hamedan Province: Hamedan, 34°44′N 48°47′E, 2600 m, 16 June 1975 (A. Senglet).

Etymology: This species is named after Ecbatana, an ancient city of Hagmatana Hill, and an archaeological mound in Hamedan, the type locality of the new species.

Diagnosis: The male of the new species differs from P. caspica sp. n. by the embolus being as long as the lamellar process ( v. shorter ), the relatively longer patellar apophysis (cf. Figs. 6B, E , 9E , 10C ), and the globular tegulum ( v. longer than wide); the female differs from the similar P. caspica sp. n. by the scape being 2× wider than long (v. 1.5×) ( Figs. 13E, F ).

Description of male: Habitus as in Fig. 2B . Total length 5.72. Carapace 2.59 long, 1.63 wide. Eye sizes and PME interdistance: AME: 0.08, ALE: 0.12, PME: 0.12, PLE: 0.13, PME–PME: 0.07. Carapace, sternum, labium, chelicera, and maxilla brown. Carapace with dark margins, wide, light submarginal bands, two wide, brown lateral bands, and a wide, light median band ( Figs. 2 A–B). Legs the same colour as the carapace and without annulations. Abdomen light brown, with two distinct dark gray submarginal bands dorsally with numerous small light gray patches, a distinct cardiac mark, and distinct light gray sub- marginal bands ventrally. Spinnerets uniformly light brown. Leg I measurements: 8.30 (2.13, 0.90, 1.92, 2.02, 1.33).

Palp as in Figs. 6B, E , 7C , 9E , 10 C–D; tegulum almost as wide as long; base of embolus wide, with subparallel sides, embolus spine-like, as long as lamellar process.

Description of female: Habitus as in Fig. 2A . Total length 9.0. Carapace 3.71 long, 2.45 wide. Eye sizes and PME interdistance: AME: 0.15, ALE: 0.16, PME: 0.14, PLE: 0.17, PME–PME: 0.13. Body colouration generally as in male, but abdomen slightly darker and with less distinct patterns. Leg I measurements: 10.59 (2.74, 1.29, 2.35, 2.58, 1.63).

Epigyne as in Figs. 13 D–J; scape approximately 2× wider than long, occupies most of foveal plate, slightly subdivided in some specimens; fovea c. 1.6× wider than scape; receptacles with two globular or oval chambers.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality in Hamedan Province, northwestern Iran ( Fig. 15B ).

Figures

Fig. 2: A Persiscape ecbatana sp. n., ♀ habitus; B same, ♂ habitus; C P. nassirkhanii sp. n., ♂ habitus; D Agelescape cf. livida, ♂ habitus, from Galilee, northern slope of Mt Meron, Israel, showing extreme size variation observed between two males of the same population.

Fig. 6: SEM micrographs of male palps. A Persiscape gideoni, bulb, ventral view; B P. ecbatana sp. n., bulb, ventral view; C P. levyi, bulb, ventral view; D Agelescape cf. livida, from Israel, bulb, ventral view; E P. ecbatana sp. n., bulb, retrolateral view; F Gorbiscape gorbachevi sp. n., bulb, ventral view; G Agelescape cf. livida, from Israel, whole palp with removed bulb; H same, bulb, anterior view; I Persiscape gideoni, bulb, anterior view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm, if not otherwise indicated. Abbreviations: Be = base of embolus, Cb = base of conductor, Co = conductor, Em = embolus, Pe = embolar process.

Fig. 9: Bulb, ventral view. A Persiscape gideoni; B P. nassirkhanii sp. n.; C P. zagrosensis sp. n.; D P. caspica sp. n.; E P. ecbatana sp. n.; F P. levyi. Scale bar = 0.2 mm, if not stated otherwise.

Fig. 10: Male palp. A Persiscape levyi, ventral view; B same, retrolateral view; C P. ecbatana sp. n., ventral view; D same, retrolateral view; E P. caspica sp. n., ventral view; F same, retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm, if not stated otherwise.

Fig. 13: Epigynes, showing variations.A Persiscape caspica sp. n., ventral view; B same, posterior view; C same, dorsal view; D P. ecbatana sp. n., dorsal view; E same, antero-ventral view; F same, ventral view; G same, dorsal view; HAD same, posterior views. E and F show variation of the scape. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 7: SEM micrographs of terminal part of bulb, anterior view. A Gorbiscape gorbachevi sp. n.; B Persiscape levyi; C P. ecbatana sp. n. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 15: Distribution maps. A Agelescape afFnis, A. livida, and Persiscape caucasica; B P. caspica sp. n., P. ecbatana sp. n., P. nassirkhanii sp. n., P. levyi, P. zagrosensis sp. n., Asiascape parthica sp. n., Persilena sengleti sp. n., and Gorbiscape gorbachevi sp. n.; C Persiscape gideoni.