Eusparassus walckenaeri ( Audouin, 1826 )

Moradmand, Majid, 2013, The stone huntsman spider genus Eusparassus (Araneae: Sparassidae): systematics and zoogeography with revision of the African and Arabian species, Zootaxa 3675 (1), pp. 1-108 : 11-15

Eusparassus walckenaeri ( Audouin, 1826)

Figs 1–3 , 46a–e , 59a, b

Philodromus walckenaerii Audouin, 1826: 390 , pl. 6, fig. 1 (description of female, Egypt; no type series designated).

Philodromus linnaei Audouin, 1826: 390 , pl. 6, fig. 2 (description of male, Egypt, no type series designated) [synonymy by Simon 1906].

Drassus civilis Reuss, 1834: 207 (description of juvenile; holotype, immature, examined) [synonymy by Levy 1989].

Sparassus walckenaeri (Audouin) . Walckenaer 1837: 585 (transfer); Pavesi 1880: 364; 4; Levy 1989: 132–138, figs 3–18.

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

Sparassus validus Thorell, 1875a: 80 (description of female; holotype female, MZH, examined) [synonymy by Levy 1989]. Thorell 1875b: 124.

Sparassus cognatus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876: 588 (description of female; syntypes, one female and 10 immatures, Egypt, not 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 walckenaerius (Audouin) . Simon 1880: 292.

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

Sparassus linnaei (Audouin) Kulczyn'ski. 1901: 43 (transfer) (one male examined from Cairo in MIZ).

Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin) . Simon, 1906: 1168; Strand 1908b: 24; Denis 1947: 50, pl. 2, figs 14–16.); Deltshev 2011: 28; Gabriel 2011: 9–12, figs 2, 9; Moradmand and Jäger 2012a: 2453 , figs 1B, 5–6, 23A (designation of neotype, neotype male from EGYPT examined).

Eusparassus tersa (C. L. Koch) . Järvi 1912: 57, fig. 48, pl. 4, figs 4–8 (transfer); Järvi 1914: 173.

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

Type material. Neotype of E. walckenaeri (subsequent designation by Moradmand and Jäger 2012a): male, EGYPT: Muhafazat al Qahirah: Cairo [N 30° 3', E 31° 15'], 1971 ( SNSD 52 ) ; Holotype of Drassus civilis (designated by Reuss 1834): immatere, EGYPT: Sinai: Tor, 1827 Rüppell leg. ( SMF 4575 ) ; Holotype of Sparassus validus (designated by Thorell, 1875a): female, TURKAY: Taurus Mountains , (label: Taur. Merid., Ent.etikett nr=232), Nordmann leg. ( MZH 20.492 ) .

Other material examined. (16 ♂, 18 ♀♀): EGYPT: 1♂, 1♀ ( MM 121 ), with same data as for neotype ( SNSD) ; Muhafazat al Qahirah: 1♂, Helwan , March 1901, in house ( NHM) ; 1♂, Fayid , gravel area, 15 April 1947, J.H. Graham leg. ( NHM 1948.10.11.7) ; 1♂, Cairo, with label: “ Sparassus linnaei , Cairo, det. Kulczy ṅski, F.1691” ( MIZ 212984 ) ; Muhafazat al Qina : 1♂ ( MM 3 ) , 2♀♀ ( MM 17 , MM 206 ) , Luxor ( Al Uqsur ), Thebes ( SMF 5557 ) ; Muhafazat al Jizah : 1♂ ( MM 7 ) , Al Jizah (= Gizeh ) ( SMF 5576 ) ; Muhafazat al Suways: 1♀, Djebel Genaifa , W of Suez Canal, 9 June 1947, G. Konieczny leg. ( SMF) ; 3♂, 7♀♀, 1 juv., “ Prof. J. Omer-Cooper SIWA Expedition 1935 ”, Libyan Desert, Siwa Oasis, 20–30 May (2♀♀, 1 juv.: NHM 1936.2.12.94–96, 2♂: NHM 1936.2.12.97–98), 29 April (1♂: NHM 1936.7.10.6), 22 July (1♀: NHM 1936.2.12.176), August (1♀: NHM 1936.2.12.157), 22 August (1♀: NHM 1936.2.12.177), 30 August (1♀: NHM 1936.2.12.560) ; 1♂, 2♀♀, 18 October 1985, Sörensen & Kollend leg. ( ZMUC) ; LIBYA: Baladiyat al Kufrah: 1♂, Jebel Uweinat, Karkur Talh [N 21° 54’, E 024° 58’], “Mission Scientifique Belge”, 25 October 1968 ( MRAC 135886 ) ; 1♀, Baladiyat Shahhat , Susa (=Soussa) ( MNHN 227.61 ) ; SUDAN: Wilayat al Khartoum: 1♂, Khartoum, July 1909, S.S. Floman leg. ( NHM 09.10.13.1048) ; 1♀, 1 juv., Khartoum, October 1979, El Hamin El Rayal leg. ( MRAC 152086–87 ) ; Wilayat al Bahar al Ahmar : 1♀, Gabet al Maadin , 20 km S of Mohammed Qul., 21 September 1960, Prof. J. C. Thompson leg. ( NHM) ; ALGERIA: Wilaya d' El Oued: 1♂, 1♀, El Oued, C. I.E. coll: 13593-1559, 1953, L. Past al Ag leg. ( NHM) ; Wilaya d' Illizi: 1♂, Fort Polignac , C. I.E. coll: 13593-3585, September 1953, L. Pastal Ag leg. ( NHM) ; Wilaya d' Tamanghasset: 1♀, 1 juv., Tamarnaset, C. I.E. coll: 13593, 1953, L. Past al Ag leg. ( NHM) ; TUNISIA: Gouvernorat de Gafsa: 1♂, Gafsa, 1904, Weiss leg. ( MNHN) ; Gouvernorat de Kebili: 1♂. Kebili, Zaafrane 15 km w Douz , N 33° 26' 44.2'', E 8° 54' 7.6'', 21 May 2007, C. Muster leg. ( CCM) .

Diagnosis. Embolus tip (ET) retrolaterad and subsequently twisted distad ( Fig. 1d ); dRTA extending laterodistally ( Fig. 1b ); MS (compared to that of E. laevatus comb. nov.) enlarged and longer than wide ( Figs 2a ; 3a, c ). [see also diagnosis for walckenaeri species group above].

Description. Male (ranges: n=17, single measurement: MM7):

Measurements. Medium sized; total length 13.6–16.7, prosoma length 7.1–8.4, prosoma width 6.0–7.2, anterior width of prosoma 2.8–3.8, opisthosoma length 6.5–8.3, opisthosoma width 5.0–5.8. Eye diameters: AME 0.50, ALE 0.48, PME 0.47, PLE 0.51; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.20, AME-ALE 0.06, PME-PME 0.44, PME-PLE 0.52, AME-PME 0.42, ALE-PLE 0.30, clypeus height at AME 0.63, clypeus height at ALE 0.69.

Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 3 to 5 posterior teeth (first three larger with additional smaller ones); cheliceral furrow with 8 to 20 intermarginal denticles; mostly with one bristle at distal end of cheliceral basal segment ( Fig. 1f ).

Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs (MM7): Palp 11.8 [3.8, 1.7, 2.2, 4.1], I 44.7 [12.0, 4.6, 12.2, 12.3, 3.6], II 48.1 [13.1, 4.8, 13.4, 13.2, 3.6], III 40.8 [11.7, 4.2, 11.2, 10.6, 3.1], IV 45.5 [12.5, 4.0, 12.0, 13.7, 3.3].

Spination. Palp 131, 001/101, 1111; Legs: Femur I–III 323, IV 321/322; Patella I–IV 001/101; Tibia I–IV 2124 /2224; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036.

Palp. As in diagnosis with cymbium less than two times longer than tibia ( Fig. 1c ); ET hyline and not covered by EM ventrally ( Fig. 1d ); vRTA pointed and triangular in ventral view ( Fig. 1b ).

Female (ranges: n=18, single measurement: MM17):

Measurements. Medium to large sized; total length 17.8–26.6, prosoma length 7.5–10.1, prosoma width 6.4– 8.7, anterior width of prosoma 3.7–5.0, opisthosoma length 10.3–16.5, opisthosoma width 7.2–11.0. Eye diameters: AME 0.47, ALE 0.42, PME 0.44, PLE 0.51; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.19, AME-ALE 0.08, PME-PME 0.41, PME-PLE 0.57, AME-PME 0.50, ALE-PLE 0.39, clypeus AME 0.71, clypeus ALE 0.65.

Chelicerae. Chelicerae as in males.

Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs. Palp 12.0 [3.6, 1.8, 2.5, 4.1], I 36.6 [10.0, 4.5, 9.2, 9.7, 3.2], II 40.6 [11.3, 4.9, 10.5, 10.7, 3.2], III 34.3 [10.1, 4.1, 8.8, 8.5, 2.8], IV 38.7 [11.0, 4.1, 9.7, 10.7, 3.2]. Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111, 1013; Legs: Femur I–III 323, IV 321/322; Patella I–IV 000/001; Tibia I–IV 2024; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3034/3036.

Epigyne/vulva. As in diagnosis with EF slightly longer than wide ( Fig. 2a ) or as wide as long ( Figs 3a, c ); MS lacking a sclerotized strip dorsally ( Fig. 2b ); TL of vulva simply spherical ( Fig. 3b ) or folded ( Fig. 3d ).

Colouration (Live). Varies from dark brown with darker W-shaped distinct pattern on prosoma, a series of chevrons on dorsal opisthosoma and surrounding additional dark patches; legs clearly banded ( Figs 46 a, c–e ) to a milky cream body decorated with fewer dark patches on prosoma and opisthosoma, femora not banded with dark rings ( Fig. 46b ); ventral opisthosoma lacking dark marking ( Fig. 46d ).

Remarks. Species boundaries in walckenaeri species group remain obscure, despite distinguishing three valid species. Since E. walckenaeri shows a great similarity in copulatory structures in a vast area, it requires an additional and robust molecular investigation to uncover potential hidden diversity. For example, specimens from the Seychelles (MRAC 144729) examined by Benoit (1978) were studied and confirmed to be an Eusparassus sp. of the walckenaeri species group. Levy (1989) and Saaristo (2010) mentioned this record referring to Benoit (1978) but it seems that they did not study the specimens, as no illustration of the specimens appeared in their publications. These specimens closely resemble undescribed species from Eastern Africa and Arabia and were probably introduced to the islands by ships. Benoit (1978) stated that E. walckenaeri was introduced to the Seychelles Islands from the Mediterranean region. These specimens resemble E. walckenaeri but the diagnostic characters are neither sufficient to describe a new species nor to list them under E. walckenaeri . These speciemens are larger and more robust than E. walckenaeri and the epigyne has dorsally an additional sclerotized median band on the MS ( Figs 9d, e ; 10a–b ), Gpo is located in a small circular depression on vulva but with considerable distance from TL ( Figs 9f , 10e ), compared to that of E. walckenaeri . The specimens from Somalia and Sudan have a similar dark pattern as E. walckenaeri group but with white background ( Fig. 46f ) (instead of dark brown or creamy as in other walckenaeri group members). DNA barcoding from freshly collected samples hopefully will assist in any final decision.

Known geographical distribution and habitat. From Greece in the North to Chad in the South and from Algeria in the West to Iraq in the East ( Fig. 70a ), collected near vicinities of villages, orchards, stony deserts, living under stones.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826), male from EGYPT: Thebes (SMF). (a–c) left palp (a prolateral, b ventral, c retrolateral); (d) tip of embolus and conductor, ventral; (e) eye arrangement, dorsal; (f) right chelicera, ventral. Abbreviations: C—Conductor, dRTA—dorsal retrolateral tibial apophysis, E—Embolus, EM—Embolus membrane, ET— Embolus tip, H—Haematodocha, SpD—Sperm duct, ST—Subtegulum, T—tegulum, vRTA—ventral retrolateral tibial apophysis.

FIGURE 2. Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826), female from EGYPT: Thebes (SMF). (a) epigyne, ventral; (b) vulva, dorsal (c) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral. Abbreviations: AMLL—anterior margin of lateral lobes, CD—copulatory duct, CO—copulatory opening, EF—epigynal field, FD—fertilization duct, Gpo—glandular pores, L—Lumen, LL—lateral lobes, MS—median septum, SS—slit sensillum, TL—turning loop, Vsh—vulva shadow.

FIGURE 3. Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826), variation: (a, b) female from LIBYA (MRAC); (c, d) female from ALGERIA (NHM). (a, c) epigyne, ventral; (b, d) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral.

FIGURE 9. Eusparassus sp. (walckenaeri group) male and female from Djibouti (MNHN). (a) left palp, ventral; (b) left palp, retrolateral; (c) embolus tip and conductor, ventral; (d) epigyne, ventral; (e) vulva, dorsal; (f) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral.

FIGURE 10. Eusparassus sp. (walckenaeri group): (a–d) female from Seychelles (MRAC); (e–f) female from Saudi Arabia (SMF, MM33). (a, f) epigyne, ventral; (b) vulva, dorsal; (c) left chelicera, ventral; (d) eye arrangement, dorsal (e) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral. SLB—sclerotized longitudinal band.

FIGURE 46. Habitus of alive specimens of the walckenaeri group. (a–e) Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826) (a, c–e from Mügla, Turkey, b from Negev Desert, Israel); (f) Eusparassus sp. from Somalia, S of Berbera. Photos by P. Jäger (a–e) and F. Kovařík (f).

FIGURE 59. Eusparassus walckenaeri group. (a–b) Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826); (c–d) Eusparassus laevatus (Simon, 1897) comb. nov.; (e–f) Eusparassus arabicus spec. nov. (a, c, e) left male palps, ventral; (b, d, f) epigynes, dorsal.

FIGURE 70. Distribution range of (a) Eusparassus walckenaeri group; (b) Eusparassus dufouri group.