Eusparassus syrticus Simon, 1909

Moradmand, Majid, 2013, The stone huntsman spider genus Eusparassus (Araneae: Sparassidae): systematics and zoogeography with revision of the African and Arabian species, Zootaxa 3675 (1), pp. 1-108 : 42

Eusparassus syrticus Simon, 1909

Figs 24 , 51c–d , 62c

Eusparassus argelasius syrticus Simon, 1909: 30–31 (description of female). [2 female and 1 immature syntypes from Tunisia, MNHN, examined] 1 female lectotype designated here, (for justification see remarks).

Eusparassus dufouri syrticus (Simon) . Denis 1945: 54.

Type material. Lectotype: female, TUNISIA: Governorat de Tataouine: Tataouine [N 32° 25' 32'', E 10° 10' 29''] (label: Eus. argel. syrticus E.S. Tunesia S of Triholitaine , Tatahouine ), Jar number: 1668, Simon number: 22701 ( MNHN).

Diagnosis. Copulatory duct very robust and wide like that of E. oraniensis but differing from it by TL not visible in dorsal view ( Fig. 24b ) and having larger and semispherical GP overlapping with distal end of CD ( Fig. 24c ) [see also diagnosis for dufouri species group above].

Description. Female (lectotype):

Measurements. Large sized Eusparassus species ; total length 22.8, prosoma length 9.5, prosoma width 8.6, anterior width of prosoma 4.8, opisthosoma length 13.3, opisthosoma width 9.0. Eye diameters: AME 0.55, ALE 0.60, PME 0.55, PLE 0.62; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.23, AME-ALE 0.05, PME-PME 0.50, PME-PLE 0.51, AME-PME 0.62, ALE-PLE 0.39, clypeus height at AME 0.52, clypeus height at ALE 0.58. PLE largest; LE larger than ME ( Fig. 24d ).

Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 3 posterior teeth, intermarginal denticles absent ( Fig. 24e ).

Legs. Leg formula: IV II I III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 11.2 [3.5, 1.7, 2.2, 3.8], I 34.4 [10.0, 4.3, 8.6, 9.1, 2.4], II 36.2 [10.7, 4.4, 9.4, 9.2, 2.5], III 34.1 [10.7, 4.0, 8.4, 8.5, 2.5], IV 37.5 [11.7, 3.8, 9.2, 10.2, 2.6].

Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111, 1013; Legs: Femur I– III 424 , IV 423 ; Patella I– IV 101 ; Tibia I–IV 2024; Metatarsus I 1014 , II–III 2024, IV 3036.

Epigyne/vulva. As in diagnosis with EF longer than wide, MS as long as wide ( Fig. 24a ); CD widened and covered by TL, only parts of GP extending beyond CD in dorsal view of vulva ( Fig. 24b ); GP enlarged ( Fig. 24c ).

Colouration [in ethanol]. Reddish brown with banded legs: femur with a distal dark band, tibia with two strong bands ( Fig. 51c ); ventral opisthosoma with a robust V-shaped dark marking ( Fig. 51d ).

Male: unknown.

Remarks. The type series consists of two females and one immature female. The one medium sized female belongs to the known species E. barbarus . The larger female and immature female both belong to the same species. Thus, in order to conserve the specific name syrticus , this latter female is selected and designated here as lectotype. Levy (1989: 137, figs 22–23) studied one female (sub Sparassus syrticus ) from Morocco but it was a misidentification and the species is actually belonged to E. atlanticus stat. nov.

Known geographical distribution. Southern Tunisia (type locality).

Figures

FIGURE 24. Eusparassus syrticus Simon, 1909, lectotype female from Tunisia: Tataouine (MNHN). (a) epigyne, ventral; (b) vulva, dorsal; (c) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral; (d) eye arrangement, dorsal; (e) left chelicera, ventral.

FIGURE 51. Habitus of species of the dufouri group. (a–b) Eusparassus barbarus (Lucas, 1846) female from Algeria; (c–d) Eusparassus syrticus Simon, 1909, lectotype female from Tunisia. (a, c) dorsal, (b, d) ventral.

FIGURE 62. Eusparassus dufouri group. (a–b) Eusparassus oraniensis (Lucas, 1846); (c) Eusparassus syrticus Simon, 1909. (a) left male palp, ventral; (b, c) epigynes, dorsal.