Eusparassus laevatus (Simon, 1897) Moradmand, 2013

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 : 16-19

Eusparassus laevatus (Simon, 1897) comb. nov.

Figs 4–6 , 47a–c , 59c, d

Sparassus laevatus Simon, 1897c: 388 (description of female, listing field numbers of one male and one female). [Syntypes, NHM, examined]

Olios laevatus (Simon) Roewer 1955b: 695 (unjustified transfer).

Type material. Syntypes (designated by Simon 1897c): 1♀, 1♂, ETHIOPIA: 1♀, West of Shebelle River , (label: Sparassus laevatus Simon , Type, W of Shebeli River, 15.12.94), ( NHM 97.11.10.55); 1♂ Shebelle River, (label: Sparassus laevatus Sim, Shebeli , 1.9.94) ( NHM) .

Other material examined. (17♂, 15♀♀): ETHIOPIA: Afar Region: 1♂, Awash National Park, RAS Hotel , 08° 59’N, 040° 10’ E, in gravely area, 5 October 1988, A. Russell-Smith leg. ( MRAC 236211 ) ; 1♂, Awash National Park, RAS Hotel, 08° 59’N, 040° 10’ E, in Caravan , 18 February 1986, A. Russell-Smith leg. ( MRAC 236152 ) ; DJIBOUTI: Tadjourah Region: 3♂, 4♀♀, Tadjoura, Randa, 1958 [label: Coloniales Cote francaise de Somalies, Tadjoura, Roünda, 1958] ( MNHN) ; SOMALIA: Nugal: 1♂, Run, Valle del Nogal, July 1969 ( MRAC 173159 ) ; Gobolka Woqooyi Galbeed: 1♀, Somaliland , NE Hargeshia, 1111 m, 8 July 2011, F. Kovařík leg. ( SMF, SD 841, MM 163); YEMEN: Muhafazat al Mahwit: 1♂, 1♀, Ar Rujum , 16 October 2000 – 15 January 2001, in Malaise trap, A.van Harten & A. M. Hayer (15.26 N, 43.40E, 1900 m) leg. No. 1500 ( SMF) ; 2♂, Ar Rujum , 9 April–5 June 2001, in Malaise trap, A. van Harten leg. No. 1500 ( SMF) ; 1♂, 2♀♀, Al Lahima , 1 January–8 April 2001, in Malaise trap, A. van Harten leg. No. 1368 ( SMF) ; 1♂, 1♀, 12 km NW of Mankha , 5 May–6 July 2001, in Malaise trap, A. van Harten leg. No. 1795 ( SMF) ; Muhafazat Hadramawt: 1♀, Hadhramaut, D. Anderion ( NHM 94.11.1) ; 1♀, Haraz Mountain, Southern slope of Al Lan , 2600 m, 23 June 2010, V. Hula & J. Niedobová ( SMF, SD 813 , MM164 ) ; SAUDI ARABIA: 1♂, Arabian, A. B. Derewal leg. ( NHM 99.12.2.16); Al Bahah : 1♂, Bani Sar, 29 February–7 March 1984, W. Büttiker leg. ( NMB) ; 2♂, 1♀, An-Namas , 17 April 1980, 2380 m, W. Büttiker leg.( NMB) ; 1♂, 1♀, An-Namas , 19 September 1980, 2380 m, W. Büttiker leg. ( NMB) ; 1♀, Wadi Damad , 800 m, 24 September 1981, W. Büttiker leg. ( NMB) ; OMAN: 1♂, Mudhaybi , 530 m, N 22˚ 12', E 58˚ 06', camp 12, 12 March 1986, W. Büttiker leg. ( NMB) ; Muhafazat Zufar: 1♀, ca. 40 km NE Dhofar, Tawi Atayr, Wadi Hinna, Salah Collection permit granted to Prof. Weygoldt No.07/2000, 23 September 2000, S. Huber leg. ( SMF, MM32 ) ; UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Ra's al Khaymah: 1♀, Wadi Shawkah , 5–12 May 2007, in water trap, A. van Harten leg. ( SMF, MM49 )

Diagnosis. Closely similar to E. walckenaeri but males differ in shape and direction of dRTA which extends disto-ventrally ( Fig. 4a ); female differ in having MS reduced in size ( Figs 5a ; 6a, d ); Gpo situated in an indentation in connection with TL collar forming a continuous ridge ( Figs 5b–c , 6b–c ) [see also diagnosis for walckenaeri species group above].

Description. Male (ranges: n=18, single measurement: syntype):

Measurements. Medium sized; total length: 12.3–15.7, prosoma length 5.8–7.5, prosoma width 4.5–6.7, anterior width of prosoma 2.1–3.6, opisthosoma length 6.5–8.2, opisthosoma width 3.5–5.2. Eye diameters: AME 0.50, ALE 0.40, PME 0.37, PLE 0.43, Eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.20, AME-ALE 0.01, PME-PME 0.36, PME-PLE 0.38, AME-PME 0.39, ALE-PLE 0.23, clypeus height at AME 0.25, clypeus height at ALE 0.41.

Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 4 or 5 posterior teeth; cheliceral furrow with intermarginal denticles.

Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 9.4 [3.1, 1.1, 1.7, 3.5], I 35.0 [9.2, 3.6, 9.6, 9.7, 2.9], II 37.1 [10.2, 3.7, 10.0, 10.3, 2.9], III 30.9 [9.0, 3.1, 8.0, 8.2, 2.6], IV 35.2 [10.0, 3.0, 9.1, 10.2, 2.9].

Spination. Palp 131, 001/101, 1111; Legs: Femur I– III 323 , IV 321 / 322; Patella I – IV 001 /101; Tibia I–IV 2124 /2224; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036.

Palp. As in diagnosis with cymbium longer than tibia but not more than twice tibia length ( Fig. 4b ); vRTA pointed and triangular ( Fig. 4a ); ET retrolaterad first and slightly distad ( Fig. 4c ).

Female (ranges: n=17, single measurement: syntype):

Measurements. Medium sized; total length: 16.3–18.1, prosoma length 7.0–8.6, prosoma width 6.2–7.5, anterior width of prosoma 3.5–4.3, opisthosoma length 9.3–9.5, opisthosoma width 6.3–6.5. Eye diameters: AME 0.51, ALE 0.37, PME 0.36, PLE 0.41; Eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.23, AME-ALE 0.05, PME-PME 0.50, PME-PLE 0.45, AME-PME 0.37, ALE-PLE 0.23, clypeus AME 0.43, clypeus ALE 0.56.

Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 3 to 5 posterior teeth, cheliceral furrow with 8 to 20 intermarginal denticles; one bristle at distal end of cheliceral basal segment ( Fig. 5e ).

Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 10.0 [2.8, 1.5, 2.0, 3.7], I 29.7 [7.8, 3.7, 7.7, 8.0, 2.5], II 32.5 [9.2, 3.7, 8.5, 8.6, 2.5], III 26.8 [8.2, 3.2, 6.7, 6.6, 2.1], IV 30.7 [9.1, 3.1, 7.8, 8.3, 2.4].

Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111, 1013; Legs: Femur I– III 323 , IV 321 /322; Patella I–IV 000/001; Tibia I–IV 2024; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3034/3036.

Epigyne/vulva. As in diagnosis with EF slightly wider than long ( Fig. 5a ) or as long as wide ( Figs 6a, d ); longitudinal sclerotized strip on MS present ( Fig. 6b ) or absent ( Fig. 5b ); CD short, vulva robust and compact ( Figs 5c , 6c ) compared to other walckenaeri group members.

Colouration (Live). Yellowish brown with distinct dark pattern on prosoma, dorsal opisthosoma with a long cardiac mark, legs clearly banded ( Fig. 47b ) to paler bands ( Fig. 47c ); specimen in ethanol reddish brown with pale body ( Fig. 47a ).

Remarks. Simon (1897c) described only the female of E. laevatus comb. nov. but he listed two different field numbers corresponding to specimens collected from the type locality, Shebelle River ( Simon 1897c: 389). My investigation in the collection of NHM revealed that the second number (1.9.94) refers to a male sympatrically collected from the type locality and definitely examined by Simon (1897c). According to Article 72.4.1 of the Code ( ICZN 1999), the male belongs to the type series, and is, as the female, a syntype. The type specimens were collected by the American investigator, A.D. Smith during “The first expedition from Somaliland to Lake Lamu ” in 1893–94. The female is redescribed but the male, even though it is a syntype, is described for the first time.

Known geographical distribution and habitat. East Africa from southern Ethiopia to the horn of Africa in Somalia and Djibouti (new country record), and the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen (new country record), Saudi Arabia (new country record) and Oman (new country record) ( Fig. 70a ).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Eusparassus laevatus (Simon, 1897) comb. nov., syntype male from Ethiopia: Shebelle River (NHM). (a) left palp, ventral; (b) left palp, retrolateral; (c) embolus tip and conductor, ventral.

FIGURE 5. Eusparassus laevatus (Simon, 1897) comb. nov., syntype female from Ethiopia: W of Shebelle River (NHM). (a) epigyne, ventral; (b) vulva, dorsal; (c) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral; (d) eye arrangement, dorsal; (e) right chelicera, ventral.

FIGURE 6. Eusparassus laevatus (Simon, 1897) comb. nov., variation in females from Arabian Peninsula: (a–c):female from Yemen (SMF); (d) female from United Arab Emirates (SMF). (a, d) epigyne, ventral; (b) vulva, dorsal; (c) left vulva, anteriodorso-lateral.

FIGURE 47. Habitus of species of the walckenaeri group. (a–c) Eusparassus laevatus (Simon, 1897) comb. nov. (a syntype female, b–c alive female specimen: b from Yemen, c from Somalia); (d–e) Eusparassus arabicus spec. nov. (d holotype male, e paratype female). Photos by V. Hula (b) and F. Kovařík (c).

FIGURE 59. Eusparassus walckenaeri group. (a–b) Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826); (c–d) Eusparassus laevatus (Simon, 1897) comb. nov.; (e–f) Eusparassus arabicus spec. nov. (a, c, e) left male palps, ventral; (b, d, f) epigynes, dorsal.

FIGURE 70. Distribution range of (a) Eusparassus walckenaeri group; (b) Eusparassus dufouri group.