Theridion musivum Simon, 1873

Knoflach, Barbara, Rollard, Christine & Thaler, Konrad, 2009, Notes on Mediterranean Theridiidae (Araneae) – II, ZooKeys 16 (16), pp. 227-264 : 249-251

Theridion musivum Simon, 1873

Figs 43 , 60-64

T. musivum Simon, 1873a: 94 , pl. 2, f. 26, male female, type region: Corsica.

Material examined. Croatia: Istria, Rovinj surroundings, agricultural site, 1 ♀ ( CTh), 4.8.1965, leg. K. Thaler [Yu 65-15] . Italy: Sardinia, Isola Serpentara, 2 ♀ 1 juvenile, 9.5.1988 Vaglio, leg. G. Osella and Gregori . Sardinia, Isola di San Pietro, Stagno di Cala Vinagra , 1 ♀, 13.5.1988, leg. Gregori, ded. G. Osella . Sardinia, Isola di San Pietro, Pendici, Mte Guardia dei Mori , 1 ♀, 10.6.1989, leg. G. Osella. Sardinia, Oristano, Su Pallosu , 1 ♀, 24.- 28.4.1992 leg. E. Heiss. Sardinia, Baunei / Dorgali, close to branch-off to Codula di Luna , 635 m, 40°05.791’ N, 09°33.158’ E, 2 ♀ ( CTh), 5.6.2003, pasture plateau, beating Cistus , leg. B. Knoflach and K. Thaler [Th-454 Sa03/13] . France: Corsica, Calvi, Capo di a Veta , 180 m, 42°32’16.5’’N 08°45’11.6’’E, beating garigue, Cistus , 1 ♀, 29.4.2001, leg. B. Knoflach and K. Thaler [Th-402, Co-01/1] . Corsica, Ostriconi-estuary, E Ile Rousse , 42°09’40.4’’N 09°03’39.9’’E, at sea shore, 5 m, beating shrubs, Juniperus , 2 ♀, 3.5.2001, leg. B. Knoflach and K. Thaler [Th-410 Co-01/9] . Gabas (Br.), 18 ♂ 4 subadult ♂ 40 ♀ 16 juveniles ( MHNP AR 2244 sub T. varians ) . Vaucluse, Vaison , 1 ♂ ( MHNG), 18.5.1953, leg. A. Comellini . Spain: Mallorca, Palma, Camp de Mar, Castillo de Bellver , 1 ♀ ( CTh), April 1974 . Tunisia: Kairouan – Ouesslatia, 35°49’5.7’’N 9°45’8.9’’E, 288 m, beating Juniperus and Pinus , 1 ♂ ( CTh), 26.4.2007, leg. C. Muster . Kebili, Zaafrane , 15 km W Douz, palm grove, tamarisk, 33°26’44.2’’N 8°54’7.6’’E, 50 m, 3 ♂ 1 subadult ♂ ( CM), 21.4.2007, leg. C. Muster . Hammamet, coastal garden, beating scrub, 1 ♀, 27.2.1997, leg. B. Knoflach and K. Thaler [TH-293 Tun97-2] .

Voucher specimens deposited in CTh, MHNG, MHNP, NHMB, NMW if not specifically indicated.

Description, identification. Wiehle (1960), Levy and Amitai (1982), Levy (1998), see also Platnick (2008).

Measurements. Males (n=5, min-max): Total length 1.5-1.7, carapace length 0.6- 0.7, width 0.6-0.7, length femur I 1.0-1.1, tibia I 0.6-0.7 mm. Females (n=5, minmax): Total length 1.8-2.3, carapace length 0.7-0-8, width 0.7-0.8, length femur I 0.9- 1.0, tibia I 0.5-0.6 mm.

Somatic features, colouration ( Figs 63-64 ). Overall colouration of carapace, sternum, gnathocoxae and chelicerae bright red in living specimens. This striking colour fades in specimens preserved in alcohol. Legs and palps lighter, with distal femora, patellae and distal tibiae reddish, but no dark annulations. Abdomen uniformly dark brown to ruby coloured. Male epigaster sclerotised, seminal vesicle (part of male genital system) conspicuously dark, translucent.

Male palp ( Figs 60-62 ). Tibia very short, wider than long, with one retrolateral trichobothrium. Embolar base with anchoring process for tegular notch, as in other Theridion species. Distal part of embolus rather short (0.2 mm long) and stout. Conductor covered with minute scales. Theridiid tegular apophysis straight and pointed, closely adjoining conductor. Median apophysis sickle-shaped.

Epigynum /vulva ( Fig. 43 ). Entrance of copulatory ducts distinctly sclerotised, visible through integument. Ducts 0.46 mm long, forming several overlapping, short coils. Receptacula seminis globular.

Distribution. Mediterranean region, most records coming from Southwest Europe and North Africa: France ( Simon 1914; Denis 1934; type locality Corsica “commun en Corse sur les buissons” Simon 1873a), Spain ( Simon 1914), Portugal ( Cardoso 2009), Italy ( Caporiacco 1922, 1936b), Croatia (present paper), Morocco ( Simon 1909, 1914), Algeria ( Simon 1914) and Tunisia ( Pavesi 1884). More recently, Theridion musivum has also been shown to occur in Sinai, Egypt ( Levy 1998).

Figures

Figures 41-44. Theridion glaucinum Simon from France (41-42), Theridion musivum Simon from Sardinia, Isola San Pietro (43) and Heterotheridion nigrovariegatum Simon from Northern Italy, Trieste (44). Epigynum/vulva, ventral (41, 43, 44), dorsal view (42). 41-42 drawn at same scale. Scale lines: 0.10 mm.

Figures 57-62. Theridion hemerobium Simon from Peloponnese (57-58). Heterotheridion nigrovariegatum (Simon) from Uzbekistan, Surchan Darja (59). Theridion musivum Simon from France, Vaucluse (60) and Gabas (61-62). Male palp, ventral (57, 59, 60, 61), prolateral view (58, 62). 57-58 and 61-62 drawn at same scale. Scale lines: 0.2 (57-59) and 0.1 (60-62) mm.

Figures 63-68. Theridion musivum Simon (63-64), female from Corsica (63), female guarding egg-sac from Sardinia (64). T. pinicola Simon from Corsica (65-67), male (65-66), copulating pair (67). T. semitinctum Simon from Northern Italy, female vulva, dorsal view (68).