Zodarion alentejanum, Pekár, Stano, Cardoso, Pedro, Barriga, Javier C. & Carvalho, José C., 2011

Pekár, Stano, Cardoso, Pedro, Barriga, Javier C. & Carvalho, José C., 2011, Update to the zodariid spider fauna of the Iberian Peninsula and Madeira (Araneae: Zodariidae), Zootaxa 2814, pp. 19-32 : 21-22

Zodarion alentejanum sp. n. Pekár & Carvalho

Figs 1–2

Type material. Holotype female. Portugal: Setúbal district: Lagoa da Sancha, 6 June 2009, J.C. Carvalho leg. ( SMF).

Etymology. The name is an adjective in neuter derived form the area where it occurs, the Alentejo province in southern Portugal.

Diagnosis. This species belongs to the styliferum group. It is very closely related to Z. merlijni both in size and colour. Females are distinguished by the epigyne in which the median plate is about twice as long as wide and the central semi-circular rim is small.

Description. Male unknown.

Female. Total length 3.3–4.1 mm; prosoma 1.5–1.7 mm long, 0.9–1.2 mm wide. Colour. Carapace and chelicera yellow, legs yellow, sternum, coxae and femora pale, abdomen dorsally brown, laterally and ventrally pale. Epigyne: Median plate almost ellipsoid, 2-times longer than wide, with a semi-circular rim in the centre of the posterior half of plate. The diameter of the rim is half the plate width ( Fig. 1 ). Vulva with triangular receptacula separated by 3x their diameter, irregular large ducts formed as in Fig. 2 .

Other material. PORTUGAL. Setúbal district: Lagoa da Sancha, 6 June 2009, 11Ƥ+2j, J.C. Carvalho leg. (CSP).

Distribution. It has been recorded only on the sand dunes of the south-western coast of Portugal. But it may occur along the southern coast too ( Fig. 14 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Zodarion alentejanum. 1. Epigyne, ventral view. 2. Vulva, dorsal view. Scales: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 11 – 18. Distribution maps showing actual records (points) and predicted area of distribution (shaded). 11. A. balnearius, 12. S. reticulata, 13. Z. alacre, 14. Z. alentejanum, 15. Z. algarvense, 16. Z. atlanticum, 17. Z. cesari, 18. Z. costablancae.