Dasumia crassipalpis (Simon, 1882)

Kunt, Kadir Bogac, Oezkuetuek, Recep Sulhi & Elverici, Mert, 2011, A survey of East Mediterranean Dasumia (Araneae, Dysderidae) with description of new species, ZooKeys 137, pp. 89-101 : 94-95

Dasumia crassipalpis (Simon, 1882)

Harpactes crassipalpis : Simon, 1882: 224, f. 7-8 (D ♂).

Harpactocrates crassipalpis : Reimoser, 1919: 11.

Dasumia crassipalpis : Alicata, 1974: 40, f. 1-4 (T ♂ from Harpactocrates , D ♀).

Material examined.

1 ♂ (AUZM), ISRAEL, Mount Meron, 17.XII.2010, leg. C. Drees

Detailed comparison of Dasumia gasparoi sp. n. and Dasumia crassipalpis .

Unfortunately, due to lack of material, we were unable to compare females of the two species. Here we comment on general similarities and differences observed from comparison of male specimens from both species; and from the description of female Dasumia crassipalpis given by Alicata (1974) with the female of Dasumia gasparoi sp. n., as follows:

Body coloration and general appearance similar in both species.

Arrangement of cheliceral teeth on cheliceral groove similar, but in Dasumia crassipalpis , distance between teeth on promargin and retromargin relatively wider.

In the original description of Dasumia crassipalpis , carapace width for males was given as 3.2 mm (see Simon 1882, page 224). Our Dasumia crassipalpis specimen from Israel has a carapace width of 3.26 mm. Based on the body measurements of Dasumia gasparoi sp. n., there are no significant differences between the two species. However, the legs of Dasumia crassipalpis from Israel are relatively shorter than Dasumia gasparoi sp. n. (see Table 3).

Leg spination similar in both species. Legs III and IV of female Dasumia gasparoi sp. n. and leg IV of male Dasumia crassipalpis exhibit trochanteric retrolateral spines, which is an interesting observation (see Table 2 and 4).

Linear postpedicelar and trapezoid epigastric scutum present in males of both species, in Dasumia gasparoi sp. n. pale; in Dasumia crassipalpis even paler.

In Dasumia crassipalpis , morphology of the distal appendages distinctive on male palp. Apophysisb longer and wider. Also, in Dasumia gasparoi sp. n., Apophysisa1 shorter and projecting downwards; while in Dasumia crassipalpis it is well developed, apparent and projected upwards. In Dasumia crassipalpis palp when viewed ventrally, except for Apophysisa1, the remaining apophyses are located at the right corner of Apophysisa, close to Apophysisa1 (Figs 21, 22, 23).

Even though there are structural differences apparent, the vulvae of both species are similar and generally well sclerotized (see Alicata 1974).

A short assessment on the distribution of

Dasumia crassipalpis .First described as Harpactes crassipalpis by Simon (1882) on the basis of male specimens collected from Syria, females were subsequently described by Alicata (1974); and based on the previously unknown female genitalia, the species was transferred to the genus Dasumia . Simon reported the terra typica of Dasumia crassipalpis as "Syria", without giving any further detail (see Simon 1882). Moreover, Syria was the land of the Ottoman Empire in those days, and some provinces today known as Turkish were included with the rest of the region then known as Syria. For this reason, it is hard to draw a northern border line for the distribution of the species. However, considering that the only male specimen examined for the purpose of this study was collected in Israel, it may be assumed that Dasumia crassipalpis is distributed along the line of Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Although we have not yet collected this species during our extensive arachnological field studies at the Turkey-Syria border, it is possible that this species reaches Turkey at the north and Jordan at the south of its range.