Persilena, Zamani & Marusik, 2020

Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2020, A review of Agelenini (Araneae: Agelenidae: Ageleninae) of Iran and Tajikistan, with descriptions of four new genera, Arachnology 18 (4), pp. 368-386 : 385

Persilena gen. n.

Type species: Persilena sengleti sp. n. from western Iran .

Etymology:Acombination of Persia and lena referring to similarity with the genus Agelena . The gender is feminine.

Diagnosis: The new genus differs from all other Old World Agelenini by lacking an epigynal fovea (atrium) ( v. present ) and the slit-like copulatory openings ( v. copulatory openings located in fovea) ( Figs. 14 I–L).

Description: As for the species.

Remarks: Even though, according to the standards currently considered in the modern spider taxonomy, it is not advisable to describe new genera solely on the basis of the female sex, due to the peculiar lack of a fovea on the epigyne, a character so distinct that disabled us from assigning the species to any other genera (even tentatively), we place this species in a separate, monotypic genus. Of course, more spider sampling in Central Asia and the Middle East is desirable, but unfortunately this has long been (and still is) difficult due to political issues, and there is a chance that this species (and especially, its male) will not be collected in near future, if ever.

Included species: The type species only.

Figures

Fig. 14: Epigynes. A Gorbiscape gorbachevi sp. n., intact, ventral view; B same, macerated, dorsal view; C, D same, posterior views; E, F Asiascape parthica sp. n., intact, ventral views; G same, macerated, dorsal view; H same, posterior view; I Persilena sengleti sp. n., posterior view; D same, intact, ventral view; K same, antero-ventral view; L same, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm. Abbreviation: Cd = copulatory duct.