Taxon classification Animalia Araneae Salticidae

Aelurillus leipoldae (Metzner, 1999) Figs 1, 29-31

Asianellus leipoldae Metzner 1999: 72, figs 37 a–i (♂, SMNK, re-examined).

Aelurillus leipoldae: Azarkina 2002: 253, figs 31-42; Logunov and Chatzaki 2003: 96.

Aelurillus steliosi Dobroruka 2002: 8, figs 5-13 (♂, re-examined) syn. n.

Aelurillus cretensis: Bosmans and Chatzaki 2005: 100 (in part); Bosmans et al. 2013: 110 (in part).

Type material.

Holotype of Aelurillus steliosi: ♂ (MNHN #AR 13334) "GREECE, Crete, Skalani (Pref. Irakleio), 230 m a.s.l., 35°17'N, 25°11'E, 21 May 2001, coll. S. Simaiakis ". Holotype of Asianellus leipoldae ♂ (SMNK, 2177) "GREECE, Kreta, Paleohóra, Küstengebirge” [=Crete, Palaiochora, Coastal Ranges, 35°13'N, 23°40'E], 9.01.1993 (D. Leiopold). Paratype of Asianellus leipoldae 1 ♂ (PCHM) "Kreta [=Crete], Chania, 35°18'N, 23°48'E, 4.09.1974 (A. Senglet).

Other material.

GREECE: 10 ♂ 2 ♀ (ISEA 001.4045, 001.4047, 001.4058) Crete, Chania, Lefka Ori Mts., 800 and 1650 m a.s.l., 35°17'N, 23°54'E, 23 November 1990, 6 July– 6 November 1991, coll. P. Lymperakis; 2 ♀ (ISEA 001.4057) Gavdos Island, Chania, Lavrakas sand-dunes, Juniperus forest, 34°52'N, 24°04'E, 24 July– 8 November 1997, coll. K. Paragamian; 1 ♂ (LM) Crete, September 2002, coll . S.L. Felton; 1 ♀ (SNHM) Crete, Chania, N of Lake Curna [=Kournas], N slope, 100 m from the coast, Luminacea, Salvia, 0-15 m a.s.l., 35°20'N, 24°16'E, 16 April 1958, coll. H. Kahmann; 1 ♀ (SNHM) Crete, Heraklion, 2 km SE of Zaros, NE slope, flat hill, sandy, Phrygana, Cirsium, Cystus, under stones, 35°07'N, 24°55'E, 7 April 1958, coll. H. Kahmann.

Remarks.

The holotype of Aelurillus steliosi is conspecific with that of Aelurillus leipoldae . Both specimens examined (the male holotypes of Aelurillus leipoldae and Aelurillus steliosi) have the same body coloration and structure of the palpus and the embolic division (Figs 29-31 and see Azarkina 2002: figs 31-38, 41; Dobroruka 2002: figs 6-10). Therefore, it is safe to conclude that the name Aelurillus steliosi Dobroruka, 2002 is a junior synonym of Aelurillus leipoldae (Metzner, 1999), contrary to Bosmans et al. (2013) (see also comment under Aelurillus cretensis) who synonymized Aelurillus steliosi with Aelurillus cretensis Azarkina, 2002.

Distribution.

Only known from Crete, Greece (Fig. 1; Metzner 1999: map 29; Azarkina 2002: fig. 43).