Trachyzelotes adriaticus (Caporiacco, 1953)

Chatzaki, Maria, 2010, New data on the least known zelotines (Araneae, Gnaphosidae) of Greece and adjacent regions, Zootaxa 2564, pp. 43-61 : 45-47

Trachyzelotes adriaticus (Caporiacco, 1953)

Figs 2–5 , 13

Zelotes adriaticus Caporiacco, 1951: 87 , Figs 8 a–b (Dm), holotype from Diomedea Caprara island, Tremeti Islands, Apulia, Italy (not examined).

Trachyzelotes adriaticus Platnick & Murphy, 1984: 9 , Figs 11–14 (Df).

T. a. Song et al., 1999: 455, Fig. 265E, O (mf).

T. a. Tuneva & Esyunin, 2002: 223, Figs 30–34 (mf).

T. a. Chatzaki et al., 2003: 54, Figs 30 –39 (mf).

T. a. Song et al., 2004: 232, Figs 135A–D (mf).

Identification: Platnick & Murphy, 1984: 9, Figs 11–14 .

Diagnosis: Males of T. adriaticus are distinguished by other congeners by the shape of the cymbium, the strongly sclerotized tegular parts and the bifid and turned tibial apophysis of the palpal organ. This species is very similar to T. stubbsi but different by the shape of the prolateral extension of the terminal apophysis (see details in taxonomic comments). Females are distinguished by the small spermathecae and the long M-shaped median ridge of the epigyne. From T. lyonneti females T. adriaticus differs by the close distance between this structure and the anterior margin. Females of T. adriaticus and T. stubbsi are inseparable.

Material re-examined: GREECE: Crete: Chania: Gramvousa peninsula, phrygana, 350 m: 1 ɗ (25/4/ 1996 - 26/6/1996), Gramvousa peninsula, phrygana on the sea coast, beneath Agios Sozos church: 15 ɗɗ 5 ΨΨ (25.IV.1996 to 26.VI.1996); Kournas lake: 2 ɗɗ (25.IV.1996 to 25.VI.1996) [all leg. P. Lymberakis]; Gavdos isl., Metochi, between Vatsiana and Alyki: 1 Ψ (11.XI.1996 to 16.III.1997); Gavdopoula islet NW of Gavdos: 2 ΨΨ (26.VII.1996 to 10.XI.1996), 8 ɗɗ 3 ΨΨ (16.III.1997 to 14.VI.1997) [all leg. K. Paragamian]; Rethymno: Moni Preveli: 10 ɗɗ 1 Ψ (25.IV.1996 to 25.VI.1996) (leg. P. Lymberakis), Psiloreitis Mt., Kouroutes, 1650m: 3 ΨΨ (14.IV.2000 to 02.VII.2000) (leg. M. Chatzaki), Psiloreitis Mt., Agios Mamas, Tigania plateau, 1200m: 2 ɗɗ 1 Ψ (22.IV.1999 to 20.VII.1999) (leg. M. Nikolakakis).

Taxonomic comments. T. adriaticus was recorded from Greece by Chatzaki et al. (2003). The morphological differences of males collected from three different islands (Crete, Gavdopoula and Antikythira) were attributed to either intraspecific variation of this species or to the similarities between it and the very similar T. stubbsi Platnick & Murphy, 1984 which was described from Cyprus and considered at that time a synonym of T. adriaticus . The description of the female of T. stubbsi by Levy (2009) and new material collected from Cyprus urged the re-examination of the genitalic characters of the material from Greece and gave new evidence for the re-evaluation of these two species. Therefore the previously proposed synonymy of T. adriaticus with T. stubbsi is withdrawn and both species are confirmed for the Greek catalogue, the former recorded from Crete and Gavdopoula and the latter recorded from Antikythira (see below). Differences between the two species are: size and color of somatic parts; prolateral extension of the terminal apophysis of the palp (sensu Platnick & Murphy 1984); shape of tibial apophysis of the palp (compare Figs 2–5 , T. adriaticus from Crete and Gavdopoula, and Figs 6–9 , T. stubbsi from Cyprus and Antikythira). Details of all these characters are summarized in Table 1 . The prolateral extension of the terminal apophysis is clearly variable within both species. This variation is also deduced by the comparison of figures of T. adriaticus from Tuneva & Esyunin (2004, p.223, Figs 30–34 , South Urals) and Platnick & Murphy (1984, p.8, Figs 11–14 , Italy and Croatia) where this extension seems to be more slender and pointed compared to the Greek populations and by the comparison of T. stubbsi from Antikythira and from Cyprus examined by the author (see also next section). However, there is no intraspecific variation in females of T. adriaticus ( Fig. 13 ).

Distribution. Greece: Crete isl., Gavdos isl., Gavdopoula isl.; Italy; South Urals; North Caucasus; NW China.

length, CW= carapace width, AL= abdomen length, Co= coxa, Me= metatarsus, Ta= tarsus, TA= terminal apophysis).

T. adriaticus T. stubbsi

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 5. Trachyzelotes adriaticus male. Specimen from Crete (2, 4), specimen from Gavdopoula (3, 5). Ventral view (2 – 3). Retrolateral view (4 – 5). (From Chatzaki et al. 2003).

FIGURES 10 – 13. Trachyzelotes stubbsi female, specimen from Cyprus (10 – 11), specimen from Antikythira (12). Trachyzelotes adriaticus female, specimen from Crete (13). Epigyne (10, 12, 13). Vulva (11).

FIGURES 6 – 9. Trachyzelotes stubbsi male. Specimen from Cyprus (6, 8), specimen from Antikythira (7, 9). Ventral view (6 – 7). Retrolateral view (8 – 9). rp = retrolateral process.

FIGURES 29 – 30. Zelotes balcanicus male from Bulgaria (29). Zelotes baram male holotype from Israel (30).

FIGURES 31 – 34. Zelotes olympi male (31 – 32). Zelotes talpinus male holotype (33 – 34). Ventral view (31, 33), prolateral view (32, 34). A = dorsal sclerite, B = terminal apophysis.