Leptodrassus femineus Simon, 1873

Levy, Gershom, 2009, New ground-spider genera and species with annexed checklist of the Gnaphosidae (Araneae) of Israel, Zootaxa 2066, pp. 1-49 : 7

Leptodrassus femineus Simon, 1873

Figs 8–14

Drassus femineus Simon, 1873: 163 , ♂Ψ types from Corsica (not examined).

Leptodrassus femineus ( Simon) . Simon, 1878: 209, pl.15, fig. 3; Simon, 1893: 355, fig. 323, eye configuration; Simon, 1914: 142, fig. 254, ♂; Dalmas, 1919: 243, figs 1, 2, ♂Ψ; Di Franco, 1987: 144, figs 6, 7, ♂; Di Franco, 2001: 201, figs 1, 2, Ψ; Chatzaki, Thaler & Mylonas, 2002a: 590, figs 66, 67, 73, ♂Ψ; Murphy, 2007: 61, figs 504, 505, ♂Ψ.

Description. Small, pale-coloured, with eyes grouped around markedly enlarged AME.

Male. Measurements (1 ɗ): total length 4.1; carapace length 1.8, width 1.3, index 1.38; labial index 1.0; clypeal index 1.0; MOQ index 6.9; legs length: I 5.5, II 5.0, III 4.0, IV 6.2; patella-tibia index 1.1.

Palpus. Large with fine filamentous embolus (Fig. 9); apical tegular sclerites comprise of a brown gutterlike and two pointed laminae (Figs 9, 10); large, stout tibial apophysis hinged dorsally on cymbium by a thick, black process (Fig. 11).

Female. Measurements (2ΨΨ): total length 2.2–3.1; carapace length 1.0–1.4, width 0.8–0.9, index 1.25–1.55; labial index 0.55–0.63; clypeal index 1.11–1.14; MOQ index 5.0–5.6; legs length: I 2.8–3.5, II 2.4–3.0, III 2.0–2.7, IV 3.4–4.3; patella-tibia index 0.93–1.0.

Epigynum . Epigynal plate partly covered by dark, semi-circular scape ( Fig. 12 ); spermathecal structures discernible in ventral view when scape is upwards deflected ( Fig. 13 ); spermathecae, in dorsal, inner view as in Fig. 14 .

Diagnosis. Leptodrassus femineus can be easily separated from all other Leptodrassus species by the peculiar tibial apophysis of the male palpus and by the epigynal plate of the female with the short, semicircular scape and the shape of the spermathecal structures.

Distribution. Portugal to Crete, Algeria, Israel - new record. Records. Israel: Sedot Mikha , Devira.

Comment. Spiders at Sedot Mikha were collected by pitfall traps (Yael Mandelik) while at Devira a female was collected from a cereal ( Hyparrenia hirta ) by a suction appliance (Yoni Gavish).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Leptodrassus femineus Simon, 1873, Ψ, right chela with retromarginal characteristic teeth; inner view. FIGURES 9 – 11. Leptodrassus femineus Simon, 1873, ♂, left palpus. 9. Ventral view. 10. Retrolateral view. 11. Tibia and cymbium (in part), dorsal view.

FIGURES 12 – 14. Leptodrassus femineus Simon, 1873, Ψ, epigynum. 12. Ventral view. 13. Scape upwards deflected, ventral view. 14. Spermathecae, dorsal (inner) view.