Persiscape nassirkhanii, 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 : 377-378

Persiscape nassirkhanii sp. n.

( Figs. 2C , 9B , 11 E–F, 15B)

Type material: Holotype ♂ ( MHNG), IRAN: Lorestan Province: Malavi-Shahabad , 33°35′N 47°14′E, 1400 m, 25 June 1974 (A. Senglet).

Etymology: This species is named after Iranian arachnologist and friend of the first author, Dr Mahrad Nassirkhani, in recognition of his substantial contributions to the taxonomy and faunistics of Iranian pseudoscorpions.

Diagnosis: This species is most similar to P. zagrosensis sp. n. from which it can be distinguished by the embolus proper directed retrolaterally (v. antero-retrolaterally) and by the semi-round extension at the base of the embolus proper (Ee) ( v. triangular ) ( Figs. 9B , 11E ).

Description of male: Habitus as in Fig. 2C . Total length 6.02. Carapace 2.67 long, 1.78 wide. Eye sizes and PME interdistance: AME: 0.13, ALE: 0.17, PME: 0.12, PLE: 0.12, PME–PME: 0.06. Carapace, sternum, labium, chelicera, and maxilla light brown. Carapace with dark margins, wide, light submarginal bands, two wide, brown lateral bands, and a wide, light median band. Legs the same colour as the carapace, without annulations. Abdomen light gray with two distinct dark gray lateral bands dorsally, without any pattern ventrally. Spinnerets uniformly light yellow. Leg I measurements: 9.3 (2.40, 0.93, 2.15, 2.33, 1.49).

Palp as in Figs. 9B , 11 E–F. Patella and tibia with blunt triangular retrolateral apophyses; median apophysis almost straight, tegular apophysis wide; lamellar process slightly shorter than embolus.

Female: Unknown.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality in Lorestan Province, southwestern 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. 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. 11: Male palps. A Persiscape zagrosensis sp. n., ventral view; B same, retrolateral view; C P. gideoni, retrolateral view; D same, ventral view; E P. nassirkhanii sp. n., ventral view; F same, retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm. Abbreviation: Ee = extension of embolus proper.

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.