Levymanus, Zonstein, Sergei & Marusik, Yuri M., 2013

Zonstein, Sergei & Marusik, Yuri M., 2013, On Levymanus, a remarkable new spider genus from Israel, with notes on the Chediminae (Araneae, Palpimanidae), ZooKeys 326, pp. 27-45 : 28-29

Levymanus gen. n.

Type species.

Levymanus gershomi sp. n., by monotypy.

Etymology.

Both the generic name and the specific epithet are given in honour and memory of Gershom Levy (1937-2009), the prominent Israeli arachnologist, for his immense contribution to Israeli and Near East arachnological research. The gender is masculine.

Diagnosis.

In general appearance, especially by the elongate body and the extended dorsal abdominal scutum, Levymanus gen. n. resembles the otiothopine genus Fernandezina Birabén, 1951 (cf. Platnick 1975, fig. 80; Grismado 2002, fig. 1; Grismado and Ramírez 2008, fig. 4; Piacentini et al. 2013, fig. 5 a–f), but can be easily distinguished from it by the presence of the accessory structures in the male palp, accompanying the embolus (Figs 38-48), characteristic for the Chediminae , but absent in the Otiothopinae . Both males and females belonging to the new genus are easily distinguishable from other palpimanids due to the characteristic bipartite thoracic fovea (Figs 10, 12).

Description.

Small bicolored chedimine palpimanids with body length 2.0-2.5 in males and 2.5-3.0 in females; legs and abdomen without pattern. Carapace with corrugated cuticle, diamond-oval in dorsal view, narrowed anteriorly and posteriorly. Cephalic part somewhat raised behind eye area - slightly in males, and more noticeably in females. Thoracic fovea short and bipartite, with two separate sulci located side by side; posterior edge of carapace slightly raised (Figs 14-15). Eight eyes. ALE largest, about four to five times larger than other eyes, which are subaequal in size. ALE and PLE almost touching each other. PME widely spaced from each other, as well as from AMEs and from PLEs. Clypeus about two times higher than AME diameter. Chilum inconspicuous. Chelicerae small, equal in length with clypeus; stridulatory ridges absent; cheliceral furrow without true or peg teeth. Sternum shield-like with fine reticulation; labium about as broad at base as it is long. Prosoma posteriorly with short paired triangular extentions and narrow tubular structure (Figs 11, 13) entering pedicel tube of abdomen (= scutopetiolar apparatus sensu Saaristo and Marusik (2008)). Palps relatively short; legs I–IV long and slender. Leg formula: 1=4,2,3. Femora with well-developed scale-like microsculpture on the cuticle; scales weakly developed on patella and other segments. Femur I rather long and moderately swollen; patella very long (longer that tibia). Tibia and metatarsus I with weakly developed prolateral scopula. Leg tarsi slightly curved and ascopulate. Claw tufts weakly developed. Leg tarsi with two narrow and dentate claws. Abdominal scuta conforming a rather long and corrugated pedicel tube; dorsal portion of scutum with irregular posterior margin. Scutum in male larger than in female, its dorsal part longer than the ventral in the male (Fig. 15) and ventral and dorsal parts subequal in the female (Fig. 14). Although the dorsal and ventral parts of the scutum are fused, the seams are clearly visible in females (Fig. 12) and the dorsal part is rather narrow. Spinneret group very small (Fig. 34). Sclerotised ring encircling spinnerets present but weakly raised. AMS tiny and domed (Fig. 32); PMS and PLS reduced to a few sessile spigots in females, absent in males. Male palp: patella very small without dorsal process; tibia enlarged (swollen); both articles sub-globular. Cymbium moderately long lacking processes and with clusters of setae: a bunch of setae near prolateral base (Figs 43, 48), and larger setae on retrolateral side (Figs 44, 48). Tegulum with relatively short embolic division (Figs 41-46). Female genitalia with large spermathecae and with short and distal seminal ducts (Figs 49, 50).

Species included.

Levymanus gershomi sp. n.

Distribution.

The genus is currently known only from the Arava Valley, Israel.