Sympycnus simplicipes Becker

(Figs 20–25)

Sympycnus simplicipes Becker, 1908: 46 . Grichanov (2008: 45, fig. 28).

Type material examined. LECTOTYPE ♂, labelled: [Spain: Canary Is.,] Tenerife, 46684, XII / Sympycnus simplicipes Becker (here designated to fix the current taxonomic concept and ensure consistent future interpretation; ZMHB). PARALECTOTYPES: 6♂, 3♀, same labels.

Other material examined. Egypt. 1♂, Luxor (on Nile), 29.I.2007, N. Vikhrev (ZMMU) . Iran. 2♀, Resht, 10.V.1937, Zhenzhurist (ZMMU) . Japan. 2♂, Ibarak pref., Tsukuba, Sakuragaoka, Forest planted near rice fields, 26.IV and 3.V.1997, Fursov (ZIN) ; 1♂, Honshu, Aichi pref., Nagakute-cho Park, 1.VII.2004, Fursov (VSU) . Korea. 1♂, Seul, 31.VII.1938, Zhenzhurist (ZMMU) . Kyrgyzstan. 1♂, Bishkek, Park, 42.90°N, 74.62°E, 17.IX.2013, N. Vikhrev (ZMMU) . Russia. 4♂, Gelendzhik env., 3.IX.1975, 28.VIII.1979, Negrobov (VSU) ; 1♂, Krasnodar Terr., Khosta, 23.VII.1975, Tsurikov (VSU) . Tajikistan. 14♂, Stalinabad [= Dushanbe], Dyushanbinka River valley, 6–25.V.1943, Stackelberg (ZIN) ; 1♂, Stalinabad [= Dushanbe], 4.VII.1939, M. Evtikhieva (ZIN) ; 3♂, Dushanbe env., 4.V.1962, Guryeva (ZIN); 1♂, Gissar Ridge, Ramit, Sardaimiona Gorge, 1200 m, 1.VI.1979, Grichanov (VSU) ; 1 ♂, Gissar Ridge, Ramit, Sorbo Gorge, 1200 m, 29.V.1979, Grichanov (VSU) ; 3♂, Parkhar district, Dekhkonabad, 10.V, 27.VII.1981, Grichanov (VSU) .

Remarks. Sympycnus simplicipes specimens examined are slightly variable in hind leg colouration, and the acrostichals are usually uniseriate anteriorly and biseriate posteriorly, sometimes irregularly uniseriate or biseriate along entire row length. All male specimens examined have fore basitarsus (Figs 21–22) bearing a row of elongate ventral setae on basal half and a row of elongate lateral setae at apex (MSSC). Females of the species have only a single small ventral seta at the base of the fore basitarsus, but having a broad face and strongly bulging clypeus, thus strongly differing from other species of the genus.

Distribution. Palaearctic: Abkhazia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece incl. Crete, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, N Kazakhstan, Korea, Russia (Adygea, Krasnodar), Spain incl. Canary Is., Tajikistan, Turkey (Afyonkarahisar, Kütahya, Uşak), Uzbekistan; Afrotropical: DR Congo, Kenya, South Africa; Oriental: China (Taiwan), India (Kashmir, West Bengal). New for Egypt and Kyrgyzstan.