Synaphris wunderlichi, Marusik, Yuri M. & Zonstein, Sergei, 2011

Marusik, Yuri M. & Zonstein, Sergei, 2011, A synopsis of East-Mediterranean Synaphris Simon, 1894 (Araneae, Synaphridae) with a description of a new species from Israel, ZooKeys 82, pp. 35-44 : 37-38

Synaphris wunderlichi sp. n. Figs 111, 1418-20

Material

Holotype ♂ (TAU) and paratypes 29♂♂ (HUJ, TAU, GTM & ZMMU) ISRAEL: Adulam 8 km SSW Beit-Shemesh, 31°39'N, 34°57'E, 350-400 m, oak maquis ( Quercus calliprinos ), pitfall traps, 15.04.2003 (U. Columbus & T. Levanony).

Note

Although the species was numerous in pitfall traps, the second author (SZ) was unable to find any specimen by hand-picking or sifting the litter.

Etymology

The species name is a patronym in honour of our friend and colleague, the noted arachnologist Jörg Wunderlich (Germany), who erected the subfamily Synaphrinae.

Diagnosis

The new species can be separated from other East-Mediterranean species, Synaphris orientalis , Synaphris lehtineni and Synaphris letourneuxi , by its smaller size (carapace <0.5, in all other species longer than 0.5). In addition to size, the new species can be recognized by the relatively smaller lamella (cf. Figs 8, 12-13), with less developed ridges. Number of lamellar ridges in the new species (about 6) is approximately half that of its East-Mediterranean congeners. In addition, Synaphris wunderlichi sp. n. has a relatively shorter and thicker palpal femur (cf. Figs 14-15, 17-19, 22). The new species is most similar in size to Synaphris dalmatensis Wunderlich, 1980, but the Balkan species has relatively longer legs, and unlike other Synaphris species, it has tarsus I shorter than metatarsus I (0.24 and 0.21 respectively). The shape of the lamella in Synaphris dalmatensis is unknown.

Description

Male. Total length 0.91-0.96. Carapace: 0.46 long, 0.41 wide, uniformly coloured light brown with three dorsal median setae as in other species. Abdomen oval, lighter than carapace, without pattern.

Leg joint measurements:

The palp as in Figs 8-11, 14, 18-20. Femur short and thick; patella small; tibia wide, round and flat (Fig. 14); lamella lanceolate with six longitudinal ridges, lamella invisible in compound microscope in prolateral view, but can be found in terminal view (Fig. 20); seminal duct in the base of embolus is straight (Fig. 18).

Distribution. Type locality only.

Comments. When we first examined these specimens from Israel, we thought that they might be conspecific with the generotype, Synaphris letourneuxi , described and known from neighbouring Egypt. The type locality of Synaphris letourneuxi , near Aswan (=Assuan), is quite distant from southern Israel. The holotype of Synaphris letourneuxi is 1.28 long, with carapace 0.53 long, distinctly larger than the new species. In addition to differences in the terminal part of the bulbus, Synaphris letourneuxi has a thinner and relatively longer palpal femur (cf. Fig. 22). Unfortunately, the lamella in this species remains unknown, as in all other species described prior to its first observation in 2003.