Acanthinozodium armita, Zamani & Marusik, 2021

Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2021, Revision of the spider family Zodariidae (Arachnida, Araneae) in Iran and Turkmenistan, with seventeen new species, ZooKeys 1035, pp. 145-193 : 145

Acanthinozodium armita sp. nov. Figs 18A , 20A-C , 22A-C, F , 33

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (MMUE), Iran: Tehran Province: northwest of Tehran, Sardor area, 35°50'N, 51°05'E, 13.06.2000 (Y.M. Marusik). Paratype ♂ (NHMW), Iran: Haji Abad, 06.1972 (G. Pretzman & A. Konetschnig).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a Persian feminine name meaning “righteous”, “virtuous”, and “good”. Noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

The new species differs from all congeners in the region by the short RTA having 2 claw-like outgrowths on the tip (vs. tip tapering and lacking 2 claws) and also by the modified embolus, widening near the tip (vs. unmodified).

Description.

Male (holotype). Habitus as in Fig. 18A . Total length 4.70. Carapace 2.18 long, 0.92 wide at pars cephalica, 1.52 wide at pars thoracica. Eye sizes and interdistance of PMEs: AME: 0.19, ALE: 0.12, PME: 0.10, PLE: 0.12, PME-PME: 0.25. Carapace dark brown, with irregular dark patches and lines. Sternum, labium and maxillae light brown. Chelicera dark brown, with one tooth. Legs light brown, without annulations. Abdomen black, without any pattern; slightly lighter ventrally. Spinnerets pale, uniform in color. Measurements of legs: I: 9.49 (2.38, 0.71, 2.16, 2.76, 1.48), II: 8.76 (2.10, 0.78, 1.98, 2.50, 1.40), III: 8.36 (2.11, 0.70, 1.69, 2.73, 1.13), IV: 11.42 (3.00, 0.81, 2.60, 3.59, 1.42).

Palp as in Figs 20A-C , 22A-C, F . RTA short and stout, with 2 claw-like outgrowths on the tip; ventral apophysis absent; tegulum longer than wide; median apophysis (Ma) longer than wide, with outgrowths on all four sides; embolus with a distinct ridge (Er); embolus proper twisted basally and widened near the tip.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution.

Known from the type locality in Tehran Province, northern Iran, and another locality (Haji Abad) which cannot be georeferenced because there are many places with this name in Iran (Fig. 33 ).

Figures

Figure 18. Habitus of Acanthinozodium armita sp. nov. (A), A. diara sp. nov. (B), A. dorsa sp. nov. (C, D), A. elburzicum sp. nov. (E-J), A. kiana sp. nov. (K) and A. masa sp. nov. (L) A-C, F, G, K, L males, dorsal H male, ventral D, E, I females, dorsal J female, ventral. Scale bars: 0.2 mm, unless stated otherwise.

Figure 20. Male palps of Acanthinozodium armita sp. nov. (A-C), A. diara sp. nov. (D-F), A. kiana sp. nov. (G, H) and A. masa sp. nov. (I-K) A, D, G, J ventral B, E, H, I retrolateral C, F, K dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm, unless stated otherwise.

Figure 22. SEM images of the male palps of Acanthinozodium armita sp. nov. (A-C, F) and A. ovtchinnikovi sp. nov. (D, E, G-I) A, H retroventral and retrolateral B, C, G ventral D-F proventral, apicoproventral and apicoventral I retrolateral tibial and cymbial groove. Abbreviations: Cg - cymbial groove, Co - conductor, Em - embolus, Er - embolar ridge, Ma - median apophysis. Scale bars: 0.1 mm, unless stated otherwise.

Figure 33. Distribution records of Acanthinozodium spp. (partim 1 - 3, 5, 6, 8, 9), Zodariellum spp. (10, 11) and Zodarion spp. (4, 7, 12) in Iran and Turkmenistan: 1 A. armita sp. nov. 2 A. diara sp. nov. 3 A. elburzicum sp. nov. 4 Z. buettikeri 5 A. dorsa sp. nov. 6 A. kiana sp. nov. 7 Z. lutipes 8 A. masa sp. nov. 9 A. parmida sp. nov. 10 Z. proszynskii 11 Z. sytchevskajae 12 Z. talyschicum.