Trichothyse pugnax (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874) comb. nov.

Drassus pugnax O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874: 339, plate LII, fig. 25 (holotype ♂: EGYPT: Cairo [30°02’N, 31°14’E], date unknown, leg. O. Pickard-Cambridge, repository OUMNH (B. 254)—not examined).

Drassus sockniensis Karsch, 1881: 12, plate I, fig. 9.

Poecilochroa pugnax Simon, 1908: 423; Levy, 1999: 433, figs 10–14; Bosmans & Hervé, 2021: 60, fig. 2d–e.

Scotophaeus subpugnax Strand, 1908: 62 .

Poecilochroa lesserti Denis, 1947: 62, plate III, figs 8–10.

Description. Male and female. For description of the male and female, see Levy (1999).

Justification of transfer. The illustrations of male and female genitalia provided in Levy (1999: figs 10–14) are diagnostic and were used for comparison. Although we did not examine the types of P. pugnax, the illustrations of the genitalia provided for this species are consistent with the diagnostic features of male and female Trichothyse species, in contrast to Poecilochroa sensu stricto and Macarophaeus: distomedially originating broad conductor with prolateral bend, apically originating claw-like embolus with broad embolic base, medially contiguous sperm duct with single loop, robust RTA with apical bifurcation, epigyne with a median extension of anterior margin and vulva with short copulatory ducts, large, bean-shaped primary and small secondary spermathecae (cf. Figs 1–20, 54–57, 109–119 and Levy 1999: figs 10–14). Moreover, in the original description, O. Pickard-Cambridge (1874) clearly mentioned that this species has very large AMEs, also indicating its incorrect placement in Poecilochroa sensu stricto . Based on these observations, we propose the transfer of P. pugnax to Trichothyse .

Distribution. Mediterranean North Africa and Ethiopia (Fig. 120).