Evippa amitaii, Steinpress & Alderweireldt & Cohen & Chipman & Gavish-Regev, 2021

Steinpress, Igor Armiach, Alderweireldt, Mark, Cohen, Mira, Chipman, Ariel & Gavish-Regev, Efrat, 2021, Synopsis of the Evippinae (Araneae, Lycosidae) of Israel, with description of a new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 733, pp. 87-124 : 104-107

Evippa amitaii sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CB6C5814-B74C-4FEC-AD41-27D18232D3FC

Figs 4A , 5A , 6A , 7A , 8A , 9 , 10A , 11A , 12 , 13A, 13C

Diagnosis

Recognized by a combination of genital characters (compare with Evippa aequalis Alderweireldt, 1991 ). Male palp: tegular apophysis tip flat, curved ventrad. Basal process of tegular apophysis long, with sharp tip. Bulb differs from the bulbs of other Evippinae species found in Israel, and from that of E. aequalis , by the terminal apophysis (process between tegular apophysis and cymbium) being at least at 40° angle to tegular apophysis and oriented ventrad (in the others the tip of the tegular apophysis is oriented distad) ( Figs 6A , 7A , 8A , 12 ). Epigyne: Atrium borders indistinct. Septum wide, longer than atrium, narrowing slightly anteriorly and mesally, creating a small protrusion ( Figs 10A , 13A ). Spermathecae club-shaped, long, reaching over frontal edge of atria ( Figs 11A , 13C ). In contrast, the similar E. praelongipes lacks the protrusion in the septum ( Fig. 10D ). The similar E. aequalis has a protrusion in the septum, but has short spermathecae, not reaching the frontal edge of the atria ( Alderweireldt 1991).

Etymology

Named after Pinchas Amitai, an Israeli entomologist, writer and educator, who coined the Hebrew name for Evippa : Şוחצר (Pronounced: rats’hol, meaning “sand-runner”).

Material examined

Holotype ISRAEL – Dead Sea Area • ♂; Ne’ot HaKikkar; [30.94° N, 35.37° E]; Nov. 2014; I. Renan leg.; HUJ INV-Ar 16051 .

Paratype ISRAEL – Dead Sea Area • 1 ♀; Ne’ot HaKikkar; [30.94° N, 35.37° E]; 3–27 Aug. 2014; I. Renan leg.; pitfall; HUJ INV-Ar 16048 .

Other material

ISRAEL – Dead Sea Area • 1 ♂; Ne’ot HaKikkar ; [30.94° N, 35.37° E]; 3–27 Aug. 2014; pitfall; I. Renan leg.; HUJ INV-Ar 16047 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; HUJ INV-Ar 16052 • 1 ♀; Sedom ; [31.01° N, 35.35° E]; 21 Apr. 1954; A. Shulov leg.; HUJ INV-Ar 16053 .

Description

Male

MALE HOLOTYPE MEASUREMENTS. AME diameter: 0.15; PME diameter: 0.36; carapace length: 2.37; carapace width: 2.2; abdomen length: 2.34; leg I (Fe, Pa, Ti, Mt, Tr): 3.16, 1.21, 2.92, 3.07, 1.48; leg II: 2.95, 1.2, 2.8, 3.07, 1.54; leg III: 2.98, 1.05, 2.87, 3.67, 1.55; leg IV: 3.0, 1.04, 2.88, 3.77, 1.71.

VARIATION IN MALES (n= 2). AME diameter: 0.15–0.16; PME diameter: 0.36–0.39; carapace length: 2.37–2.61; carapace width: 2.2–2.25; abdomen length: 2.1–2.34; legs I, III, IV of male HUJ INV-Ar 16047 are missing. Leg II (Fe, Pa, Ti, Mt, Tr): 2.99, 1.07, 2.9, 3.9, 1.6.

CARAPACE. Transverse depression posterior to ocular area.

CHELICERAL TEETH. 3 promarginal, 2 retromarginal.

COLOR. Carapace yellow, lateral bands faint, brown-grey; margins spotted. Clypeus yellow to brown. Chelicerae yellow, darker retrolaterally. Legs yellow. Femora III–IV with grey dorsal bands. Palps yellow. Sternum yellow. Abdomen dorsum yellow, with dark spots on margins, cardiac mark dark. Abdomen venter yellow to dark yellow, sometimes with longitudinal lines. Spinnerets yellow to orange ( Fig. 4A ).

GENITALIA. Palpal organs strongly sclerotized. Part of sperm duct visible through tegulum as sinuous line. Tegulum bulging. Tegular apophysis large, curved ventrad at about 90°, tip flat ( Figs 6A , 7A , 8A , 9 , 12 ), best examined in distal view ( Figs 9 , 12C ). Terminal apophysis long, sharp, slightly curved, oriented distad.

LEGS. Pseudoarticulation of tarsi present. Metatarsus I ventral spination: 3 pairs + apical triplet; tibia I ventral spination: 6 pairs + single weak retrolateral spine + apical pair.

Female

FEMALE PARATYPE MEASUREMENTS. AME diameter: 0.15; PME diameter: 0.37; carapace length: 3.18; carapace width: 2.46; abdomen length: 2.85; leg I (Fe, Pa, Ti, Mt, Tr): 2.6, 1.2, 2.8, 2.77, 1.4; leg II: 2.9, 1.0, 2.85, 2.69, 1.38; leg III: 3.0, 1.2, 2.7, 3.2, 1.5; leg IV: 4.2, 1.2, 3.98, 5.27, 2.0

VARIATION IN FEMALES (n=3). AME diameter: 0.15–0.19; PME diameter: 0.35–0.46; carapace length: 3.14–3. 2; carapace width: 2.46–2.8; abdomen length: 2.85–4.37; leg I (Fe, Pa, Ti, Mt, Tr): 2.6–3.1, 1.2, 2.8–3.09, 2.77–2.8, 1.4–1.5; leg II: 2.9–3.19, 1.0–1.18, 2.85–2.9, 2.69–2.79, 1.35–1.38; leg III: 3.0–3.7, 1.2–1.25, 2.7–2.88, 3.2–3.5, 1.5–1.8; leg IV: 4.2–4.6, 1.2–1.37, 3.98–4.1, 5.6–5.27, 2.0.

COLOR. Carapace yellow, lateral bands distinct, orange to brown, sometimes radiated. Clypeus yellow to brown. Chelicerae orange. Legs yellow. Legs I–II with faint grey spots. Femora III–IV with three dorsal bands. Palps yellow, darker towards tip, femora with dark stain. Sternum yellow. Abdomen dorsum yellow, with four brown, unfused chevrons (sometimes indistinct); dark cardiac mark. Abdomen venter whitish. Spinnerets whitish yellow with brown setae ( Fig. 5A ).

CARAPACE. Transverse depression posterior to ocular area.

CHELICERAL TEETH. 3 promarginal, 2 retromarginal.

GENITALIA. Epigyne as wide as long, septum approximately straight, mildly widening on proximal half, atria indistinct laterally. Spermathecae club-shaped, slightly longer than atria ( Figs 10A , 11A , 13C ).

LEGS. Pseudoarticulation of tarsi present. Metatarsus I ventral spination: 3 pairs + apical triplet; tibia I ventral spination: 6 pairs + apical pair.

Natural history

No live specimens observed. Adults collected in April, August and September ( Table 3 ), from salt pans and oases ( Fig. 16 ).

Distribution

Israel, southern Dead Sea area (Ne’ot HaKikkar, Sedom). ( Fig. 16 ).

Remarks

The species closely resembles the African species Evippa aequalis Alderweireldt, 1991 . The Dead Sea area is known to be a refugium for tropical species ( Yom-Tov & Tchernov 1988), mainly of African origin. We suggest that populations of E. amitaii sp. nov., or a closely related species, exist in suitable habitats south of Israel. This species does not conform to Roewer’s diagnostic character for Evippinae (metatarsus IV shorter than patella IV + tibia IV), as the females’ metatarsus IV (5.27 mm) is slightly longer than its patella and tibia IV (1.2 + 3.98 = 5.18 mm).

Figures

Fig. 4. ♂♂, habitus. A. Evippa amitaii sp. nov. (HUJ INV-Ar 16051). B. E. arenaria (Audouin, 1826) (HUJ INV-Ar 16508). C. E. onager Simon, 1895 sensu Šternbergs 1979 (HUJ INV-Ar 20316). D. E. praelongipes (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871) (HUJ INV-Ar 16041). E. Evippomma simoni Alderweireldt, 1992 (HUJ INV-Ar 16049). Scale bars = 10 mm. Photos by A. Uzan.

Fig. 5. ♀♀, habitus. A. Evippa amitaii sp. nov. (HUJ INV-Ar 16048). B. E. arenaria (Audouin, 1826) (HUJ INV-Ar 16507). C. E. onager Simon, 1895 sensu Šternbergs 1979 (HUJ INV-Ar 16510). D. E. praelongipes (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871) (HUJ INV-Ar 16044). E. Evippomma simoni Alderweireldt, 1992 (HUJ INV-Ar 16544). Scale bars = 10 mm. Photos by A. Uzan.

Fig. 6. ♂♂, left palp, ventral view. A. Evippa amitaii sp. nov. (HUJ INV-Ar 16051). B. E. arenaria (Audouin, 1826) (HUJ INV-Ar 16508). C. E. onager Simon, 1895 sensu Šternbergs 1979 (HUJ INV-Ar 16510). D. E. praelongipes (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871) (HUJ INV-Ar 16531). E. Evippomma simoni Alderweireldt, 1992 (HUJ INV-Ar 16538). Scale bars = 0.5 mm. Photos by I. Armiach Steinpress.

Fig. 7. ♂♂, left palp, retrolateral view. A. Evippa amitaii sp. nov. (HUJ INV-Ar 16051). B. E. arenaria (Audouin, 1826) (HUJ INV-Ar 16508). C. E. onager Simon, 1895 sensu Šternbergs 1979 (HUJ INV-Ar 16510). D. E. praelongipes (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871) (HUJ INV-Ar 16531). E. Evippomma simoni Alderweireldt, 1992 (HUJ INV-Ar 16538). Scale bars = 0.5 mm. Photos by I. Armiach Steinpress.

Fig. 8. ♂♂, left palp, prolateral view. A. Evippa amitaii sp. nov. (HUJ INV-Ar 16051). B. E. arenaria (Audouin, 1826) (HUJ INV-Ar 16508). C. E. onager Simon, 1895 sensu Šternbergs 1979 (HUJ INV-Ar 16510). D. E. praelongipes (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871) (HUJ INV-Ar 16531). E. Evippomma simoni Alderweireldt, 1992 (HUJ INV-Ar 16538). Scale bars = 0.5 mm. Photos by I. Armiach Steinpress.

Fig. 9. Evippa amitaii sp. nov., ♂ (HUJ INV-Ar 16051), bulb of left palp, proximal view. Photo by I. Armiach Steinpress. Scale bar = 0.3 mm.

Fig. 10. ♀♀, genitalia, ventral view. A. Evippa amitaii sp. nov. (HUJ INV-Ar 16053). B. E. arenaria (Audouin, 1826) (HUJ INV-Ar 16058). C. E. onager Simon, 1895 sensu Šternbergs 1979 (HUJ INV-Ar 20314). D. E. praelongipes (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871) (HUJ INV-Ar 16521). E. Evippomma simoni Alderweireldt, 1992 (HUJ INV-Ar 16543). Scale bars = 0.5 mm. Photos by I. Armiach Steinpress.

Fig. 11. ♀♀, genitalia, dorsal view. A. Evippa amitaii sp. nov. (HUJ INV-Ar 16053). B. E. arenaria (Audouin, 1826) (HUJ INV-Ar 16058). C. E. onager Simon, 1895 sensu Šternbergs 1979 (HUJ INV-Ar 20314). D. E. praelongipes (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871) (HUJ INV-Ar 16521). E. Evippomma simoni Alderweireldt, 1992 (HUJ INV-Ar 16543). Scale bars = 0.5 mm. Photos by I. Armiach Steinpress.

Fig. 12. Evippa amitaii sp. nov., ♂ (HUJ INV-Ar 16051), drawings of left palp. A. Ventral view. B. Retrolateral view. C. Proximal view.D. Prolateral view. Scale bars = 0.5 mm. Drawings by I. Armiach Steinpress.

Fig. 13. ♀♀, genitalia, drawings. A. Evippa amitaii sp. nov. (HUJ INV-Ar 16053), ventral view. B. Evippomma simoni Alderweireldt, 1992 (HUJ INV-Ar 16543), ventral view. C. Evippa amitaii sp. nov. (HUJ INV-Ar 16053), dorsal view. D. Evippomma simoni Alderweireldt, 1992 (HUJ INV-Ar 16543), dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.5 mm. Drawings by I. Armiach Steinpress.

Fig. 16. Recorded distribution of Evippinae in Israel and Palestine: - Evippa amitaii sp. nov., - Evippa arenaria (Audouin, 1826), - E. onager Simon, 1895 sensu Šternbergs 1979, - E. praelongipes (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871), - Evippomma simoni Alderweireldt, 1992. Dune areas marked by grainy background. Isohyets marking average annual precipitation.