Titanoeca deltshevi, Naumova, 2019

Naumova, Maria, 2019, Description of Titanoeca deltshevi sp. n. from Bulgaria with faunistic notes on related species in the Balkans (Araneae, Titanoecidae), Zootaxa 4688 (3), pp. 420-430 : 421-424

Titanoeca deltshevi sp. n.

Figs. 1–5.

T. incerta Deltshev et al. 2012: 90 , Table 2 (1 ♂, reviewed, misidentification).

Type material: Holotype ♂, BULGARIA: Slavyanka Mts , near Izvora hut ( Fig. 6 : 1), N41.407137°, E23.564491°, 758 m a.s.l., under stone, 13.06.2017, lgt M. Naumova ( IBER, AT.0001.1 ) . Paratypes: 2 ♂ and 4 ♀, the same locality, date and lgt as the holotype ( IBER, AT.0001.2-7 ) ; 5 ♀, Slavyanka Mts ( Fig. 6 : 1), 28.06.1937, lgt P. Drensky ( NMNH, ARA-T.0001.1-5 ) ; 1 ♂ (sub T. incerta in Deltshev et al. 2012 ), Western Rhodopes Mts , Slashten village ( Fig. 6 : 2), 03.06.1936, lgt P. Drensky ( NMNH, ARA-T.0001.6 ) ; 1 ♂, Eastern Rhodopes Mts , near Gorski Izvor village ( Fig. 6 : 3), N41.3475°, E25.2158°, 572 m a.s.l., 09.06.2016, lgt T. Teofilova ( IBER, AT.0001.8 ) , 3 ♂, Eastern Danubian plain, Shirokovo village ( Fig. 6 : 4), N43.5557°, E25.9359°, 144 m a.s.l., 18.05.2016, lgt M. Naumova ( IBER, AT.0001.9-11 ) .

Additional material not included in the type series: 5 subadult ♀, collected with adult males, Eastern Danubian plain, Shirokovo village, N43.5557°, E25.9359°, 144 m a.s.l., 18.05.2016, lgt M. Naumova ( IBER, AS.0001.1- 5 ) .

Comparative material examined: T. flavicoma , BULGARIA: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Eastern Rhodopes Mts, Studen Kladenets dam , N 41.6268°, E 25.5361°, 365 m a.s.l., 14.05.2019, lgt M. Naumova ; GREECE: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Sharlia Mts near Fea Petra village , N 41.2581°, E 23.4137°, 219 m a.s.l., 04.05.2018, lgt M. Naumova; REPUBLIC of NORTH MACEDONIA: 1 ♀, Sechka Mts, Stavitsa village near Prilep, 28.05.2003, lgt G. Blagoev .

Etymology: The specific name is a patronym in honour of the great arachnologist, mentor and friend Prof. Christo Deltshev. Noun in genitive case.

Diagnosis: The male is similar to T. praefica , T. spominima and T. flavicoma by the bipartite TAC with a dorsal “ear-like” lamella of the tibia (DTA). It differs from T. praefica and T. spominima by the prolateral hook-shaped apophysis (PTA), and from T. flavicoma by the shape and the size of its PTA, which is relatively large and has a right-angled curve proximal to the hook-shaped tip ( Figs. 1 – 3 ) versus a relatively simple, small and smoothly curved hook in T. flavicoma ( Fig. 7 ). The female is similar to T. praefica , T. spominima and T. flavicoma by the triangular shape of the epigyne. It differs from them by the inverted triangular shape of the epigyne with the apex pointing posteriorly ( Figs 4 – 5 ) and GO open posterolaterally, versus apex directed anteriorly in T. praefica , T. spominima and T. flavicoma ( Fig. 8 ) and GO open anterolaterally. The female of T. deltshevi differs from T. flavicoma also by the shape of the D, which are small and globular in T. deltshevi and relatively large, and elongated in T. flavicoma ( Fig. 9 ).

Description: Species of small to medium size (3.5–5.0 mm). Similar in general appearance to T. praefica and T. spominima . Carapax yellow-brown to dark brown, cephalic part darker. Chelicerae yellowish- to reddish-brown, in males with several unequal, short black spines in two rows, on the basal half of the lateral sides. Sternum brown, sometimes with pale margin. Legs yellow to yellowish-brown, femora brown. Opisthosoma: dorsum grayish-brown to dark slate-grey, without whitish spots.

Male holotype: Measurements (in mm): Total length, 3.6; cephalothorax: length, 1.76, width, 1.44; cephalic region: length, 1.13, width, 0.95; chelicerae: length, 0.9, width, 0.36; sternum: length, 0.9, width, 0.77, opistosoma: length, 2.03, width, 1.49. Colouration: Prosoma yellow-brown. Sternum brown. Opisthosoma: grayish-brown, without dorsal whitish spots. Legs femora the same color as prosoma, other segments lighter. Chelicerae yellowishbrown, with 9 unequal short black spines in two rows on the basal half of the lateral sides. ALE larger than AME; PME larger than PLE and separated by about twice their diameter. Legs measurements in Table 1 . Chaetotaxy: all leg segments spineless except tibiae and metatarsi: ti I, 6 pairs of spines, v; ti II, 6 spines, v, ti III & IV, 5–6 spines, v. Metatarsi with 10–15 v spines in 2–3 rows and with 3–5 distal spines. Legs I & II armed with short strong spines, III & IV—with longer and thinner spines.

Male palpus: Tegulum, embolus, sperm duct and tegular process are almost indistinguishable from those of other species in the genus. The shape of TAC is bipartite and represents a dorsal “ear-like” lamella of tibia (DTA), and medium sized prolateral hook-shaped apophysis (PTA), which is curved dorsally on a right angle in the middle part and then continues to curve.

Female (paratype): Total length, 4.05; cephalothorax: length, 1.94, width, 1.44; cephalic region: length, 1.35, width, 1.04; chelicerae: length, 0.9, width, 0.45; sternum: length, 0.99, width, 0.81, opistosoma: length, 2.25, width, 1.35. Colouration as in male. Chelicerae without spines. Legs: all metatarsi with 3 distal spines, other segments spineless. Legs measurements as in Table 2.

Female epigyne: Copulatory ducts (D) relatively small and globular, almost the same size as spermathecae, which are short and rounded. The epigyne is in a form of inverted triangular with apex pointing backward. Genital openings (GO) rounded-triangular and open posterolaterally.

No apparent sexual dimorphism except in chelicerae and leg spination as noted above.

Ecology: Under stones, on sunny slopes with scarce or low vegetation. All females were caught in June, and the males in May and June.

Distribution: Known from the Slavyanka Mts, the Western & Eastern Rhodopes Mts, and the Eastern Danubian plain in Bulgaria ( Fig. 6 : 1–4).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Distribution of Titanoeca species in Bulgaria: 1–4, T. deltshevi sp. n., 5, T. flavicoma, 6–12, T. quadriguttata, 13– 16, T. schineri, 17–29, T. tristis, 30–31, T. turkmenia, 32–35, T. veteranica. Please see text for locality and collection details.

FIGURES 1–3. Titanoeca deltshevi sp. n., left male palp, different views. 1, dorsal, 2, prolateral, 3, ventral views. DTA, dorsal tibial apophysis, E, embolus, PTA, prolateral tibial apophisis, PTP, posterior tegular process, SD, sperm duct, TAC, tibial apophyses complex.Scale line: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 4–5. Titanoeca deltshevi sp. n., female genitalia. 4, epigyne, ventral view, 5, vulva, dorsal view. D, copulatory duct, EP,epigynal plate with medial septum, FD, fertilisation duct, GO,genital operculum, Sp, spermatheca. Scale line: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 7–9. Titanoeca flavicoma, 7, male palp, dorsal view, 8, epigyne, ventral view, 9, vulva, dorsal view. D, copulatory duct, DTA, dorsal tibial apophisis, GO, genital operculum, PTA, prolateral tibial apophisis, Sp, spermatheca. Scale line: 0.5 mm.