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.