Dysdera aculeata, Kroneberg, 1875

Fomichev, Alexander A. & Marusik, Yuri M., 2021, Notes on the spider genus Dysdera Latreille, 1804 (Araneae: Dysderidae) in Central Asia, Zootaxa 5006 (1), pp. 73-89 : 82

Dysdera aculeata group

The aculeata group, sensu Deeleman-Reinhold & Deeleman (1988: 231).

Diagnosis. The group can be distinguished by the following characters: hexagonal carapace, leg femora equipped with spines, psembolus distinctly longer than tegulum, psembolus with a median crest and acuminate apex ( Deeleman-Reinhold & Deeleman 1988).

Composition. Eleven species are assigned to this species group: D. aculeata Kroneberg, 1875 (Central Asia, probably Iran, introduced to Croatia), D. afghana Denis, 1958 ( Afghanistan) , D. arabica Deeleman-Reinhold, 1988 ( Oman) , D. concinna L. Koch, 1878 ( Azerbaijan) , D. dushengi Lin, Chang et Li, 2020 ( Kazakhstan and Xinjiang), D. dysderoides (Caporiacco, 1947) ( Ethiopia) , D. limitanea Dunin, 1985 ( Turkmenistan) , D. pamirica Dunin, 1992 ( Tajikistan) , D. pococki Dunin, 1985 ( Iran and Turkmenistan), D. tartarica Kroneberg, 1875 (Central Asia) and D. zarudnyi Charitonov, 1956 (Central Asia and Afghanistan).

Comments. Deeleman-Reinhold & Deeleman (1988) did not examine D. pamirica and therefore this species was not assigned to any of the species groups proposed by them. D. pamirica is here considered a member of the aculeata group based on the proportions and the shape of its bulb: viz., psembolus significantly longer than tegulum, having a median crest and a pointed apex; see figs 7–9 in Dunin (1992).

FIGURES 37–40. Bulb (37–38) and psembolus (39–40) of Dysdera subcylindrica (37, 39) and D. arnoldii (38, 40). 37–40— posterior. Scale bars: 37–38= 0.2 mm, 39–40= 0.15 mm. Abbreviations: Ap –posterior apophysis, Ax –apex.