Loxosceles mrazig Ribera & Planas, 2009

Massa, Marc & Ribera, Carles, 2021, The Mediterranean species of genus Loxosceles Heineken & Lowe, 1832 (Araneae Sicariidae): Loxosceles imazighen sp. n. from Morocco and first description of the female of L. mrazig Ribera & Planas, 2009 from Tunisia, Zootaxa 5071 (3), pp. 326-348 : 339-344

Loxosceles mrazig Ribera & Planas, 2009

Figs 7–10

Loxosceles mrazig Ribera & Planas, 2009: 222 , f. 2–7; Duncan et al., 2010: 241, f. 3.

Material examined. TUNISIA. Kebili Governorate (Province): 1 ♂ (Type) LX1054, Sakasa near Douz , 33° 24’ 26.77” N, 09° 02’ 41.92” E, 27 January 2007 (Múrria, C. leg) . 1 ♀ sub. (LX2123) and 1 juv. (LX2124), Douz, 73 m. a.s.l., 33° 27’ 31.3” N, 09° 03’ 52.6” E, 7 March 2012 (Planas, E. leg) Gabès Governorate: 1 ♂ (LX2125) , 6 ♀ (LX2126-2128), LX2131 (female description is based in this specimen) LX2132- LX2133), 1 ♀ sub. (LX2129) and 1 juv. (LX2130), Tamezret to Matmatat, 446 m. a.s.l., 33° 32’ 20.3” N, 09° 53’ 12.4” E, 7 March 2012 (Planas, E.). 1 ♀ (LX1052), Road near Akarit, 29 m. a.s.l., 34° 09’ 20.8” N, 09° 59’ 04.4” E, 24 March 2006 (López, A. & Ribera, C. leg). 1 ♂ (LX1880) and 1 ♀ (LX1879), Arram , 33° 35’ 14.856” N, 10° 19’ 7.464” E, 16 December 1999 (Bosmans, R. leg) . Kasserine Governorate: 1 ♂ (LX2100) , 1 ♀ (LX2102), 1 ♂ sub. (LX2099) and 1 ♀ sub. (LX2101), near El Ayoun, 972 m. a.s.l., 35° 36’ 01.8” N, 08° 56’ 47.2” E, 5 March 2012 (Planas, E. leg). 1 ♀ sub. (LX2103) and 2 juvs. (LX2105, LX2106), Djebel Chambi National Park , 1269 m.a.s.l., 35° 11’ 57.3” N, 08° 39’ 37.4” E, 5 March 2012 (Planas, E. leg) . Kairouan Governorate: 1 juv. (LX2090), Mina de La Mine , 900 m .a.s.l., 35° 56’ 50.0” N, 09° 34’ 51.5” E, 4 March 2012 (Planas, E. leg). Tozeur Governorate: 2 ♀ (LX2119, LX2120) and 2 juvs. (LX2121, LX2122), near Tamaqzah, 250 m .a.s.l., 34° 22’ 26.3” N, 07° 54’ 39.0” E, 6 March 2012 (Planas, E. leg). Gafsa Governorate: 4 ♂ (LX2108, LX2109, LX2111, LX2112) , 2 ♀ (LX2107, LX2110) and 6 juvs. (LX2113–2118), Bou Omrane, 341 m. a.s.l., 34° 20’ 14.2” N, 09° 03’ 40.8” E, 6 March 2012 (Planas, E. leg). 1 juv. (LX1051), same locality, near Bou Omrane, 350 m .a.s.l. 34° 20’ 36.1” N, 09° 04’ 24.6” E, 26 March 2006 (López, A. & Ribera, C. leg). 1 ♂ (LX1877), El Guettar, 34° 20’ 12.9” N, 08° 57’ 10.15” E, 2 March 2005 (Bosmans, R. leg) . Médenine Governorate: 1 ♂ (LX1878), near Sidi Makhlouf , 33° 34’ 25.2” N, 10° 29’ 04.3” E, 16 December 1999 (Bosmans, R. leg) . 2 ♀ (LX1886, LX1887), near Gighti , 33° 31’ 47.1” N, 10° 39’ 43.2” E, 13 December 1999 (Bosmans, R. leg) . 1 ♂ (LX1891). El Hallouf (El Modhar), 33° 16’ 16.248” N, 10° 07’ 49.497” E, 13 December 1999 (Bosmans, R. leg) . Tataouine Governorate: 1 ♀ (LX2136) and 7 juvs. (LX2134, LX2135, LX2137–2141). Krerachfa, 392 m .a.s.l., 33° 11’ 33.4” N, 10° 14’ 07.3” E, 7 March 2012 (Planas, E. leg). ALGERIA. Djelfa Province: 7 ♂ (LX1892–1897, LX1900) , 2 ♀ (LX1899, LX1902), 2 ♂ subs. (LX1898, LX1901) and 1 ♀ sub. (LX1903), Djebel Senalba, 705 m . a.s.l., 34° 33’ 50.562” N, 03° 02’ 09.495” E, 10 June 1989 (Bosmans, R. leg). Ghardaia Province: 2 ♂ (LX1882, LX1883) and 1 ♀ (LX1881), Beni Isguen, 906 m. a.s.l., 32° 28’ 26.6” N, 03° 41’ 45.3” E, 3 November 1989 ( Bosmans , R. leg) .

Diagnosis. Loxosceles mrazig differs from L. imazighen sp. n. by the shape and proportions of the male palpal tibia and the shape of the seminal receptacles in females ( Figs. 6–7 ). Both species can also be distinguished by the leg length/carapace length ratios ( Fig. 8 ). In L. imazighen sp. n. males and females show proportionally longer legs than those of L. mrazig . In males of L. imazighen sp. n. the male palpal tibia is sharply oval, clearly longer than wide (0.74 long 0.54 wide), while in L. mrazig ( Fig. 6 B, D–E ) the male palpal tibia is oval and slightly longer than wide (0.63 long 0.54 wide) and almost circular. Females of L. mrazig can be distinguished of the other species of the genus, by the shape and disposition of their seminal receptacles ( Figs. 7 B–D , 9 , 10 ). L. mrazig differs from L. imazighen sp. n. by the shape and disposition of the inner lobe. In L. imazighen sp. n. the inner lobe is approximately twice as long as the outer lobe while in L. mrazig it is more than two-fold longer. In L. imazighen sp. n. the basal part of the inner lobe is abruptly curved pointing apically and continues forming a sharp curve pointing ventrally. In L. mrazig the basal part of the inner lobe is directed toward the center, then strongly curved and pointing ventrally.

Remarks: for detailed male description see Ribera & Planas 2009. Here we include the morphometric variability observed in the different males studied as a complement to the original description (see Tables 5 , 6 ). As there were no females collected in the type locality, we have chosen for the description a female collected in the nearest to the point where the holotype was collected (TN9: Tamezret to Matmatat, approximately 80 Km from TN8: Douz) with individuals belonging to the same genetic clade as the holotype. Description. Female (LX2131). Genitalia removed and conserved in a vial with the specimen. Coloration: Carapace yellowish, median groove, clypeus and pars cephalica brownish. Dark V-mark not contacting at the vertex posteriorly on pars cephalica ( Fig. 7 A ). Carapace convex with short black setae. Median groove clearly visible. Eye tubercle black surrounded by an intense orange pigmented area. Chelicerae reddish-brown, slightly intense in its distal parts. Sternum pale yellowish. Labium and gnathocoxae reddish-brown. Legs and palp yellowish with apical segments reddish-brown and covered by short and long setae. Opisthosoma grayish-yellow. Prosoma: Carapace slightly longer (3.45) than wide (2.97), truncated behind, widely rounded on sides, narrowed in front and with dispersed short black setae ( Fig. 7 A ). Larger setae in a single row, pointing anteriorly, on the side margin of the carapace. Pars cephalica elongated (2.40 long, 1.18 wide) slightly higher than the rest of the prosoma and with larger setae forming seven parallel longitudinal rows. Clypeus height 0.41. Sternum longer (1.81) than wide (1.55). Eye sizes: ALE: 0.20, PME: 0.14, PLE: 0.19. Distance between ALE and PME 0.19. Opisthosoma: Oval, slightly elongated in dorsal view (6.16 long, 4.16 wide), coated with short black setae. Legs: leg formula 4 2 1 3; Leg 1 (17.80): femur 5.20, patella 1.16, tibia 5.17, metatarsus 5.05, tarsus 1.22; Leg 2 (18.48): femur 5.43, patella 1.17, tibia 5.27, metatarsus 5.38, tarsus 1.23; Leg 3 (15.95): femur 4.81, patella 1.13, tibia 4.13, metatarsus 4.84, tarsus 1.04; Leg 4 (18.57): femur 5.37, patella 1.17, tibia 4.94, metatarsus 5.83, tarsus 1.26. Palp (3.62): femur 1.22, patella 0.42, tibia 0.81, tarsus 1.17. Vulva: ( Fig. 7 B–D ). Base of seminal receptacle conical and wide, reinforced laterally with a wide, curved, dark, sclerotized band. Medium part very short, bifurcating toward the tip in two lobes. Outer lobe short and rounded, inner lobe at least twice as long as the outer. Inner lobe wide, inflated, his basal part abruptly curved, pointing centrally and continues forming a sharp curve pointing ventrally. Surface of the Inner lobe irregular and considerably asymmetrical.

Variability. Genital morphology shows a wide variability in females. The inner lobe can be less rounded, its curvature can be less abrupt, it can hide the outer lobe in a dorsal view, and it can show some globular protuberances or have a smoother surface ( Figs. 9–10 ). This species also shows morphometric variability in its segments and appendages, as well as in its leg formula (see Tables 7 , 8 ).

Distribution. Known for 14 localities in the governorates of Kebili, Kasserine, Tozeur, Gafsa, Gabés, Medenine, Tataouine and Kairouan in Tunisia (center, south and southeast of the country) and for two localities in the provinces of Djelfa and Ghardaia from Algeria (center and south of the country) ( Fig. 1 B ). This species is distributed throughout the arid territories of central Tunisia, and in those of the southern Tunisia with Saharan climate. In the center of the country the climate is arid with little rainfall. Further south the climate is typically Saharan. Although this species is abundant in areas with arid and Saharan climates, near the Mediterranean Sea, in the east of the country, L. rufescens is also found in ecosystems with human influence. The specimens from Algeria have also been collected in extremely arid areas. Quite possibly this species is distributed in a wide part of central and southern Algeria.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Sampling localities of the specimens included in this study. A Western Mediterranean; B Loxosceles imazighen sp. n. from Morocco; C Loxosceles mrazig from Tunisia and Algeria.AL = Algeria, MA = Morocco and TN = Tunisia.

FIGURE 6. Loxosceles mrazig, male holotype (LX1054 TN8). A carapace, dorsal view; B, D, E palp, prolateral, retrolateral and dorsal views; C bulb and embolus apical view. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURE 7. Loxosceles mrazig, female paratype (LX2131 TN9). A carapace, dorsal view; B–D vulva dorsal, anterior and ventral views. IL = Inner lobe and OL = Outer lobe. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURE 8. Graphical representation of the leg length/carapace length ratios for Leg 1 to Leg 4 in Loxosceles imazighen sp. n. and Loxosceles mrazig. A. males leg length/carapace length ratios; B. females leg length/carapace length ratios.

FIGURE 9. Loxosceles mrazig, female genitalia variability. A, C, E vulva of LX1899 (AL1), dorsal, ventral and anterior views; B, D, F vulva of LX2102 (TN2), dorsal, ventral and anterior views. IL = Inner lobe and OL = Outer lobe. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURE 10. Loxosceles mrazig, female genitalia variability. A, C, E vulva of LX2107 (TN6), dorsal, ventral and anterior views; B, D, F vulva of LX2136 (TN14), dorsal, ventral and anterior views. IL = Inner lobe and OL = Outer lobe. Scale bars in mm.