Tegenaria ariadnae, BRIGNOLI, 1984

Bolzern, Angelo, Burckhardt, Daniel & Hänggi, Ambros, 2013, Phylogeny and taxonomy of European funnel-web spiders of the Tegenaria-Malthonica complex (Araneae: Agelenidae) based upon morphological and molecular data, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (Zool. J. Linn. Soc.) 168 (4), pp. 723-848 : 787-788

TEGENARIA ARIADNAE BRIGNOLI, 1984

( FIGS 14Q–T , 16C, D, L–N)

Tegenaria ariadnae Brignoli, 1984: 305 , 306, fig. 28, female.

Tegenaria labyrinthi Brignoli, 1984: 306 , 307, fig. 30, female, syn. nov.

First description of male.

Types

Holotype and paratype. Greece: Crete: Perama, grotte ‘Melidoni spilia’, 3 ♀ ( MHNG, Kar 79-17; paratype, MCSN, 542), 14.iii.1979, Hauser .

Sub Tegenaria labyrinthi : holotype. Greece: Crete: ‘ Heraklion, Risorgenza di Almiros’ , Gazi , ♀ ( MCSN, 542), 21.viii.1974, Sbordoni .

Other material examined

Greece (4 ♂, 16 ♀) .

Description

Measurements: Male (N = 1): CL 3.76, CW 2.94, STL 1.92, STW 1.70, OL 4.61, OW 2.78. Leg I (7.33, 1.51, 7.41, 7.49, 3.61), II (6.51, 1.44, 6.37, 7.52, 3.09), III (5.75, 1.42, 5.49, 7.21, 2.6), IV (6.79, 1.33, 6.74, 9.01, 3.15). Pedipalp (3.03, 1.06, 1.35, 1.72), bulbL 0.94. Female (N = 2): CL 4.45–4.64, CW 3.17–3.33, STL 2.16–2.24, STW 1.93–1.97, OL 5.30, OW 3.72. Leg I (7.28–7.55, 1.82–1.84, 7.07–7.44, 7.66–7.85, 3.41– 3.63), II (6.76–6.86, 1.81, 6.1–6.37, 6.97–7.04, 3.03– 3.10), III (6.15–6.36, 1.58–1.63, 5.46–5.7, 6.99–7.01, 2.55–2.65), IV (6.98–7.22, 1.65–1.78, 6.66–7.29, 7.49– 9.32, 2.82–3.09). Pedipalp (2.57–2.74, 0.98–0.99, 1.70– 1.80, 2.12–2.17). EPL 0.43–0.5, EPW 0.81–0.82, ATL 0.17–0.30, ATW 0.33–0.55. Eyes: PME 0.11–0.15, PLE 0.14–0.16, AME 0.11–0.12, ALE 0.16–0.18. Eye distances: PME–PME 1–2 x PME, PME–AME 0.5– 1.5 x PME, PME–PLE 1–2 x PME, PME–ALE 0.5– 1.5 x PME, AME–AME 0.5–1 x AME, AME–ALE 0.5–1 x AME. CLY1 2–3 x AME, CLY2 1.5–2 x ALE.

Male palp: Cymbium modified, dorsobasally with a depression, distally narrowly elongated. RTA with two branches, lateral branch basally strongly sclerotized, moderately fused with the lateroventral ridge, distally membranous, protruding, very close to the dorsal branch, which is protruding and strongly sclerotized, distally flattened, and broadly rounded. Filiform embolus length about same as CB, originating at 8 o’clock position, distal tip at 2 o’clock position. Conductor triangularly shaped, distal portion elongated, lateral margin completely folded. Terminal end with moderately protruding dorsal bulge, ventral part short and pointed. Tegular apophysis present, lamelliform, protruding basally of conductor. Connection of conductor to tegulum membranous. MA originating at 5 o’clock position, strongly protruding, distally with plate-like sclerite, tapered. MA membranously connected to tegulum.

Epigyne and vulva: Epigynal plate strongly sclerotized. Posterior sclerite absent. CO at anterior border of median area, triangular or almond-like shaped holes, surrounded by moderately protruding margin, distinctly sclerotized. Vulva consists of distinguishable CD, RC, and FD. CD very short leading into oblong globular and smoothly sclerotized RC, separated by 1.5–2 x their diameter. FD only represented by small, leaf-shaped appendages.

Other important characters: Cheliceral promargin with three, retromargin with three to four teeth. Colulus developed as trapezoidal plate with the distal margin medially notched. Same pattern of distal spigots on PMS (in females) as described for the type species. PLS with distal segment as long as basal segment. Tarsal trichobothria on cymbium and palp tarsus absent. Tarsal trichobothria seven to ten. Small teeth on paired claws of leg I 11–13. Leg spination: male palp (3–1–0–0, 2–0–0, 1–2–0–0), female palp (3–1–0–0. 2–0–0, 2–1p+1–0–0), leg femora (2–3–2–0 or 2–3–3–0 or 2–5–4–0, 2–4–2–0 or 2–4–3–0 or 2–4–4–0 or 2–5–4–0, 2–2–2–0 or 2–2–3–0 or 2–3–3–0 or 2–3–4–0, 2–1–1–0 or 2–1–2–0), patellae (all 2–0–0), tibiae (0–2–2–2 or 2–2–2–1+1p or 2–2– 2–2p, 2–2–2–1+1p or 2–2–2–2p, 2–2–2–1+1p or 2–2– 2–1+1p+1 or 2–2–2–2, 2–2–2–1+1p or 2–2–2–2 or 2–2–2–3), metatarsi (0–2–0–4p+1 or 0–1–1–3p+1, 0–1–1–3p+1 or 0–2–1–3p+1, 0–3–2–3p+1 or 0–3–3– 3p+1 or 2–3–2–3p+1, 1–3–3–1p+1+2p+1), tarsi (all 0).

Coloration: Carapace lacking distinct patterns, only head region and femora of leg I and II in males moderately more darkly sclerotized. Sternum uniform with only slightly pale median region. Opisthosoma bright yellowish, anteriomedian with pale area surrounded by a very weakly pronounced pattern of dark pigments, inconspicuously continuing in broad chevrons posteriad. Legs not annulated. ALS indistinctly darkened, PLS basal segment darkened, distal segment pale or all spinnerets pale.

Distribution

Endemic to Greece: Crete (in caves).

Discussion

Based on the examination of a series of recently collected specimens along with the types of Teg. ariadnae and Teg. labyrinthi , the two are synonymized here. The epigynal characters used by Brignoli (1984) to diagnose the two species fall within the range of variation of the recently collected material. Fulvio Gasparo drew the same conclusion with males that he had collected (pers. comm., 2009).

Tegenaria ariadnae was only found several metres inside the caves at points with hardly any light. Tegenaria parietina , in contrast, was captured at the entrance of both caves. The funnel webs of both species are attached either to stones on the ground or to the wall of the caves.

Figures

Figure 14. A, B, E, F, Eratigena inermis; C, D, G, H, Eratigena vomeroi; I, Tegenaria montiszasensis sp. nov.; J, Tegenaria annulata; K, L, Tegenaria schoenhoferi sp. nov.; M-P, Tegenaria annae sp. nov.; Q-T, Tegenaria ariadnae. Left male palp in ventral (A, C, K, M, Q) and retrolateral views (B, D, L, N, R); epigyne in ventral view (O, S), vulva in dorsal (E, G, I, J, P, T) and lateral views (F, H). Abbreviations: E, embolus; C, conductor; CD, copulatory duct; DA, dorsal appendages on CD; FD, fertilization duct; MA, median apophysis; RC, receptaculum; RTA d, dorsal branch of retrolateral tibial apophysis; RTA l, lateral branch of retrolateral tibial apophysis; TR, transversal ridge.