Eusparassus Simon, 1903

Moradmand, Majid & Jäger, Peter, 2012, Taxonomic revision of the huntsman spider genus Eusparassus Simon, 1903 (Araneae: Sparassidae) in Eurasia, Journal of Natural History 46 (39 - 40), pp. 2439-2496 : 2443-2445

Genus Eusparassus Simon, 1903

Micrommata [part] – Latreille, 1818: 517; Dufour, 1820: 299, pl. 2 (misidentification).

Sparassus [part] – Walckenaer, 1830: 108, pl. 7, fig. 1; Walckenaer, 1837: 584, 585; Simon, 1880: 290; Bonnet, 1958: 4098; Levy, 1989: 138, fig. 20. (misidentification).

Eusparassus Simon, 1903: 1020, 1023 , 1025– Strand, 1906: 630; Strand, 1907: 437; Strand, 1908: 19; Simon, 1909: 31; Järvi, 1912: 57, 175, fig. 49, pl. 4, figs 9, 10; Järvi, 1914: 173–175; Reimoser, 1919: 200; Petrunkevich, 1928: 155; Gravely, 1931: 238; Schenkel, 1936: 9, 283; Roewer, 1928: 118, pl. 2, figs 38–39; Roewer, 1955: 775; Roewer, 1962: 4, figs 82–84; Caporiacco, 1935: 216, pl. 6, f. 4; Caporiacco, 1939: 353; Caporiacco, 1941: 109, f. 40; Denis, 1945: 54; Denis, 1947: 49, pl. 2, f. 12; Denis, 1958: 102, f. 30; Barrientos and Urones, 1985: 356, figs 4, 5; Jäger, 1999: 1, 4, 6; Song et al. 1999: 467, f. 268H, K; Jäger, 2001: 16, 18, fig 13 a–c, ä, ö; Jäger and Yin, 2001: 132; Jäger and Kunz, 2005: 168, 169, figs 205–213; Urones, 2006: 100, figs 1–43; Dunlop et al. 2011; Deltshev, 2011: 28; Gabriel, 2011: 9–12, figs 2, 9.

Notes

Simon (1903) created the generic name Eusparassus to substitute it for the name Sparassus ; because he suspected that Sparassus was a junior synonym of Micrommata ( Simon 1903: 1020) . Simon (1903) designated the type species as Eusparassus argelasius denoted by a new replacement name (nomen novum) for the name of misidentified M. argelasia (published in Latreille 1818). Since this species could be mistaken with Olios argelasius , type of Olios Walckenaer,1805 (sub Sparassus argelasius ) Simon (1932) presented E. dufouri as a new species.

Type species

Eusparassus dufouri Simon, 1932 by original designation in Simon (1903) sub E. argelasius , female from Spain.

Extended diagnosis

Eusparassus spp. can be diagnosed from the other two monotypic genera of Eusparassinae by the number of ventral tibial spines: I–IV four (six in Arandisa and Pseudomicrommata ) and by relative diameters of AME, which is subequal to or larger than ALE (in the other two genera, AME smaller than ALE); Eusparassus spp. are recognizable by the shape of copulatory structures: parallel embolus and tegulum constructing a U-shaped structure, embolus membrane partially covering embolus tip; dRTA strong and straight, in contrast to dRTA, vRTA small and weakly developed ( Figures 2A , 11G , 19A ); Female epigyne characterized by two large triangular lateral lobes, LL parallel and in contact on the median longitudinal suture and diverging at posterior margins strongly and at anterior margins slightly and circumscribing MS entirely ( Figures 3A , 4C ) or partially ( Figures 5F , 8A , 16A , 21A ); in vulva, dorsal view, two parallel copulatory ducts, straight and fully or partially hyaline, folded and membranous ( Figure 3B ).

Redescription

Medium to large Sparassidae , body length 10 mm (e.g. E. oculatus ) to 30 mm (e.g. E. xerxes comb. nov.); prosoma slightly longer than wide. Leg length formula 2 4 1 3 (most species) or 2 4=1 3; eyes arranged in two rows, anterior row slightly recurved and posterior row relatively straight, eyes about subequal in size, AME slightly larger than or subequal to ALE; Basal segment of chelicerae at distal retromarginal end with one ( Figures 2E , 7B ) to three or four thick bristles ( Figures 19E , 22D ), in most species just one bristle. Chelicerae with two anterior and three to six posterior teeth, Cheliceral furrow with ( Figure 4B ) or without ( Figures 2E , 9B , 21D ) denticles; ventral tibial spines: I–IV four, spination of other parts variable but in most species: Palp 131, 101, 1111, 1013. Legs: Femur I–III 323, IV 322; Patella I–IV 101; Tibia I–IV 2024; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3034 / 3036; male palp as in diagnosis with embolus originating at 6:30 (o’clock position) running first distally and bent retrolaterally, tip of embolus pointing in various angles and with diverse shapes, embolus and tegulum forming a U-shaped structure in ventral view; small and hyaline conductor situated at distal end of tegulum and partially covering tip of embolus ( Figures 11E , 12B ). Female epigyne consisting of two large triangular lateral lobes, LL parallel and in contact on the median longitudinal suture; MS soft and hyaline ( Figure 5F ) or hard and sclerotized ( Figure 22E ), EF fusing anteriorly and constructing EFB ( Figures 17F , 20A ) or not ( Figure 16A ); internal duct system with glandular pores situated in a depression ( Figures 5G , 6B, D ) or on a projection ( Figures 2C , 8B , 22F ).

Colouration

Pale grey to dark brown spiders, with uniform colouration of body ( Figure 1C ) or clearly patterned body and banded legs ( Figure 1B ), ventral opisthosoma with distinct dark marking ( Figure 23 B-D) or pale ( Figure 23A ), dorsal opisthosoma with a pattern of small chevrons in posterior half.

Figures

Figure 1. (A) Papery retreats of Eusparassus walckenaeri underside of flat stones in Mügla, Turkey: (B) habitus of E. walckenaeri at the entrance of its retreat: (C) habitus of Eusparassus cf. mesopotamicus sp. nov. from Birecik, Turkey. Photos by D. Kunz (A, B) and B. Göcmen (C).

Figure 2. Eusparassus dufouri Simon, 1932, neotype male from Chanca, Portugal (SMF): (A) left palp, ventral; (B) left palp, retrolateral; (C) tip of embolus and conductor, ventral; (D) eye arrangement; (E) left chelicera, ventral. Abbreviations: C, conductor; dRTA, dorsal retrolateral tibial apophysis; E, embolus; EM, embolus membrane; ET, embolus tip; H, haematodocha; SpD, sperm duct; ST, subtegulum; T, tegulum; vRTA, ventral retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: (A, B, D, E) 1 mm, (C) 0.5 mm.

Figure 3. Eusparassus dufouri Simon, 1932, female from type locality (SMF): (A) epigyne, ventral; (B) vulva, dorsal; (C) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral. Abbreviations: AMLL, anterior margin of LL; CD, copulatory duct; CO, copulatory opening; EF, epigynal field; EFB, epigynal field bridge; FD, fertilization duct; GP, glandular process; GPo, glandular pores; L, lumen; LL, lateral lobes; MS, median septum; SS, slit sensillum; TL, Turning Loop. Scale bars: (A, B) 1 mm, (C) 0.5 mm.

Figure 4. Eusparassus levantinus Urones, 2006, female paratype (A–D) from Almeria, Spain: (A) eye arrangement; (B) left chelicera, ventral; (C) epigyne, ventral; (D) left vulva, anteriodorso-lateral. Male (E–G) from Andalusia, Spain: (E) left palp, ventral; (F) left palp, retrolateral; (G) tip of embolus and conductor, ventral. Scale bars: (A–C, E, F) 1 mm, (D, G) 0.5 mm.

Figure 5. Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826), neotype male (A–E) from Cairo, Egypt (SNSD): (A) eye arrangement; (B) left chelicera, ventral; (C) left palp, ventral; (D) left palp, retrolateral, (E) tip of embolus and conductor, ventral. Female (F, G) from type locality: (F) epigyne, ventral (G) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral. Scale bars: (A–D, F) 1 mm, (E, G) 0.5 mm.

Figure 6. Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826), female copulatory organ variations: (A, B) female from Greece, Samos Island: (A) epigyne, ventral; (B) left vulva, anterio-dorsolateral; (C, D) female from Turkey, Milas: (C) epigyne, ventral; (D) left vulva, anterio-dorsolateral; (E–G) variations in chelicerae: number of bristles and intermarginal denticles, ventral. Scale bars: (A, C, E–G) 1 mm, (B, D) 0.5 mm.

Figure 7. Eusparassus mesopotamicus sp. nov., holotype male from Shush, Khuzestan Province, Iran: (A) eye arrangement; (B) left chelicera, ventral; (C) left palp, ventral; (D) left palp, retrolateral; (E) tip of embolus and conductor, ventral. Scale bars: (A–D) 1 mm, (E) 0.5 mm.

Figure 8. Eusparassus mesopotamicus sp. nov., (A, B) paratype female, from Ahwaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran: (A) epigyne, ventral; (B) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral; (C, D) paratype female, same locality, variations: (C) epigyne, ventral; (D) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral; (E) female from Nejef, Iraq: variation left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral. Scale bars: (A, C) 1 mm, (B, D, E) 0.5 mm.

Figure 9. Eusparassus doriae (Simon, 1874) stat. nov., male from Jiroft, Kerman Province, Iran: (A) eye arrangement; (B) left chelicera, ventral; (C) left palp, ventral; (D) left palp, retrolateral; (E) tip of embolus and conductor, ventral. Scale bars: (A–D) 1 mm, (E) 0.5 mm.

Figure 11. Eusparassus kronebergi Denis, 1958 stat. nov., (A–E) lectotype male from Faizabad, Sistan, Afghanistan: (A) eye arrangement; (B) left chelicera, ventral; (C) left palp, ventral; (D) left palp, retrolateral; (E) tip of embolus and conductor, ventral; (F, G) paralectotype female from Farah, Farah Province, Afghanistan: (F) epigyne; (G) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral. Scale bars: (A–C, E) 1 mm, (D, F) 0.5 mm.

Figure 12. Eusparassus fuscimanus Denis, 1958, male from Jalalabad, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan: (A) eye arrangement; (B) left palp, ventral; (C) left palp, retrolateral; (D) tip of embolus and conductor, ventral. Scale bars: (A–C) 1 mm, (D) 0.5 mm.

Figure 16. Eusparassus oculatus (Kroneberg, 1875): (A) epigyne, ventral, of syntype female from Samarkand, Uzbekistan; (B, C) female from Zarafshan, Uzbekistan (B) epigyne, ventral (C) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral; (D) variation of vulva, female from Tajikistan; (E) variation of vulva, female from Turkmenistan. Scale bars: (A, B) 1 mm, (C–E) 0.5 mm.

Figure 17. Eusparassus potanini (Simon, 1895), (A–E) holotype male from Nan-Shan-Kou, Tjian-Shan, China: (A) eye arrangement; (B) left chelicera, ventral; (C) left palp, ventral; (D) left palp, retrolateral; (E) tip of embolus and conductor, ventral; (F–G) female from Jarkend, Oyghur Autonomous region, China: (F) epigyne; (G) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral. Scale bars: (A–D, F) 1 mm, (E, G) 0.5 mm.

Figure 19. Eusparassus xerxes (Pocock, 1901) comb. nov., (A–C) syntype male from Ormara, Makran coast, Pakistan: (A) left palp, ventral; (B) left palp, retrolateral; (C) tip of embolus and conductor, ventral; (D–F) syntype male from Bushehr, Persian Gulf coast, Iran: (D) eye arrangement; (E) left chelicera, ventral; (F) tip of embolus and conductor from left palp, ventral. Scale bars: (A, B, D, E) 1 mm, (C, F) 0.5 mm.

Figure 20. Eusparassus xerxes (Pocock, 1901) comb. nov., (A, B) syntype female from Bushehr, Persian Gulf coast, Iran: (A) epigyne, ventral; (B) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral; (C, D) female from Kedsh, Azad Keshmir, Pakistan: (C) epigyne, ventral; (D) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral. Scale bars: (A, C) 1 mm, (B, D) 0.5 mm.

Figure 21. Eusparassus maynardi (Pocock, 1901) comb. nov., (A–D) lectotype female from Baluchistan, Pakistan: (A) epigyne, ventral; (B) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral; (C) eye arrangement; (D) left chelicera, ventral; (E) variation of epigyne, ventral, female from Jacobabad, Sindh Province, Pakistan. Scale bars: (A, C–E) 1 mm, (B) 0.5 mm.

Figure 22. Eusparassus pearsoni (Pocock, 1901) comb. nov., (A–D) lectotype female from Poona, western Ghats, India: (A) epigyne, ventral; (B) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral; (C) eye arrangement; (D) left chelicera, ventral; (E, F) paralectotype female from Eastern Khandesh, India: (E) variation of epigyne, ventral; (F) variation, left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral. Scale bars: (A, C–E) 1 mm, (B, F) 0.5 mm.

Figure 23. Ventral opisthosoma colouration, (A) Eusparassus walckenaeri; (B) Eusparassus xerxes comb. nov., (C) Eusparassus dufouri, (D) Eusparassus levantinus.