Minosiella apolakia Chatzaki, 2019

Chatzaki, Maria & Keer, Johan Van, 2019, Ground spiders (Araneae: Gnaphosidae, Liocranidae, Prodidomidae) from the Greek islands Rodos, Symi and Karpathos, with the description of new species, Zootaxa 4646 (3), pp. 434-460 : 444-446

Minosiella apolakia Chatzaki sp.n.

Figs 23–28

Diagnosis. Females of this species are distinguished by the shield like atrium with two sub-chambers of almost the same size, separated by a small median depression. The closest morphological relative to this epigynal configuration is M. spinigera Simon, 1882 (see Dalmas 1921, p. 314, Fig. 117) described from Yemen. However, in M. apolakia sp.n. the anterior chamber of the atrium is equally long as the posterior (in M. spinigera it is longer than the posterior chamber) and the scape is distally wider, forming a pumpkin like tongue (e.g. Fig. 25 ) (in M. spinigera it is completely rectangular).

Holotype: female, Rodos, Apolakia, pitfalls in phrygana, 13.V to 09.VII.2006 ( NHMC: 8459) . Paratypes: same locality, 2 ♀♀. All leg. M. Chatzaki & D. Kaltsas.

Other material examined. Site 36 (same locality as type material): 10 ♀♀ ; Site 55: 1♀.

Etymology. The name is taken from the type locality.

Description. Female holotype. Yellow spiders of medium size ( Figs 23 ─24). Legs same color of body except for Ta and Mt which are slightly darker than the rest of leg segments. Measurements: TL 5.148; CL 2.297; CW 1.654; AL 2.539. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.120, PME 0.089x0.071, PLE 0.129, ALE 0.117, AME-AME 0.075 (ca by 1/2 their diameter), AME-ALE almost touching, PME-PLE 0.060 (ca by 1/2 their diameter), PME- PME 0.074 (ca by PME width). All eyes pearly white with black surroundings, especially AME. PME oval and closer to PLE than to each other, all others round. PER straight, AER straight to slightly recurved. Prosoma with widening thoracic region, fovea at posterior half of its length. Labium and maxillae triangular, longer than wide. Chelicerae with 1 tooth on RM and bifid serrated keel on PM. Leg formula is IV>I>II>III. Legs spination: Leg I: Fe 2d; leg II: Fe 2d; leg III: Fe 5d, Pa/Ti/Mt spinose; leg IV: Fe 6d, Ti/Mt spinose; palp: Fe 2d; Ti spinose. Femoral spines thinner, resembling long bristles. Pa III and IV densely setose dorsally, Ta not densely scopulated.

Epigyne ( Figs 25 , 27 ). Shield like atrium with almost parallel lateral margins, forming two chambers of almost equal size and a small median depression. Length of atrium ca double its width. Scape slightly widened at its end. Copulatory openings located at posterior base of epigynal plate.

Vulva ( Figs 26 , 28 ). Spermathecae coiled, forming bulging bean-like lateral chambers with glandular heads on posterior ends.

Distribution: Rodos, Karpathos.

Figures

FIGURES 23–26. Minosiella apolakia sp.n. 23 Holotype habitus, dorsal view. 24 Same, ventral view. 25 Paratype, epigyne. 26 Paratype, vulva.

FIGURES 27–28. Minosiella apolakia sp.n. paratype 27 Epigyne. 28 Vulva. g: glandular head, co: copulatory opening, Sc: scape.