Lepthyphantes aelleni Denis, 1957

Barrientos, José Antonio, Brañas, Neus & Mederos, Jorge, 2020, The high complexity of Micronetinae Hull, 1920 (Araneae, Linyphiidae) evidenced through ten new cave-dweller species from the Morocco, Zoosystema 42 (1), pp. 1-29 : 5

Lepthyphantes aelleni Denis, 1957

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Morocco. 1♂, 1♀; Ifri Friouato, Bab Bou Idir, Taza ; 28.VIII.1970; O. Escolá leg.; MZB 73-2903 • 2♀, 1 juv.; Kef el Maa, Taza ; 9.V .2002; F. Fadrique & O. Escolá leg.; MZB 2003-0198 • 1♀, 3 juv.; Kef Pigeons, Takerboust, Berkane , Oriental region; 23.VIII.2013; F. Fadrique leg.; MZB 2016-0034 • 1♀; Ifri Bouslama, Bab Bou Idir, Taza ; 14.IX.2016; F. Fadrique leg.; MZB 2016-4062 .

DIAGNOSIS. — As in Bosmans (2006: figs 6-10) the males are easily recognized by the shape of their lamella characteristica; it is long and “C” curved, laminar, and with subtriangular and slightly toothed distal part. In its posterior median part the paracymbium presents a thick and sharp denticle and its anterior branch is irregular and digitiform. The females have an elongated epigyne, which narrows characteristically in its basal third and expands again in the distal part; the distal portion of the scape protrudes in the central area of the latter. According to our observations and the data provided here, L. aelleni could be related to other species of the Moroccan Atlas, such as L. maurusius , L. taza and L. almoravidus Barrientos n. sp.

DISTRIBUTION. — Lepthyphantes aelleni is known from the chasm of Kaf el Bouk, from which comes the holotype ( Denis & Dresco 1957) and from the cave of Friouato ( Bosmans 2006). With the new data, the number of caves in which it is found is expanded; so that in addition to the Taza region, the species is also in the Eastern region.