Dysderella caspica (Dunin, 1990)

Zamani, Alireza, Marusik, Yuri M. & Szűts, Tamas, 2023, A survey of Dysderella Dunin, 1992 (Araneae, Dysderidae), with a new species from Iran, Zoosystematics and Evolution 99 (2), pp. 337-344 : 337

Dysderella caspica (Dunin, 1990)

Figs 1A-F , 2A-C , 3A-F

Dysdera kollari : Dunin 1984: 53 (as per Dunin 1992: 71).

Dysdera caspica Dunin, 1990: 143, figs 4.1-4 (♂♀).

Dysderella caspica : Dunin 1992: 67, fig. 12 (♂♀); Ponomarev and Alieva 2010: 12.

Material.

Azerbaijan: Baku Region: 1♂ (ZMMU), environs of Baku, Dyubendy , (40°29'N, 50°13'E), 18.05, 8.06.2003 (Y.M. Marusik); 1♂ 1♀ 2j. (ZMMU) , Gobustan, (40°07'N, 49°23'E), 17- 31.05.2003 (Y.M. Marusik) .

Diagnosis.

Male palp of D. caspica is most similar to that of D. transcaspica , but differs by the relatively shorter psembolus (Ps) (i.e. length/width ratio ca. 5, vs. 5.4) and the presence of a membranous outgrowth (Mo). Female of D. caspica differs from that of D. transcaspica by the relatively wider anterior diverticulum (Ad) (i.e. almost twice broader than long, vs. 1.5 times broader than long). Males of the two species differ also in spination (i.e. 1 spine on metatarsus III and 2 spines on leg IV in D. caspica , vs. 2 spines on metatarsus III and 3 spines on leg IV).

Description.

Male. Habitus as in Fig. 1A-C . Total length 3.91. Carapace 1.62 long, 1.26 wide. Eye sizes: AME 0.07, PME 0.08, PLE 0.08. Carapace, sternum, chelicerae, labium and maxillae light reddish. Legs yellowish orange. Abdomen light beige, without any pattern. Spinnerets uniformly beige. Measurements of legs: I: 4.14 (1.23, 0.76, 0.89, 0.84, 0.42), II: 3.68 (1.10, 0.67, 0.78, 0.76, 0.37), III: 2.89 (0.81, 0.51, 0.53, 0.76, 0.28), IV: 3.90 (1.10, 0.61, 0.86, 0.97, 0.36). Spination: III: Ti: 1pl, 1v; Mt: 1pl. IV: Ti: 1pl; Mt: 1pl.

Palp as in Fig. 2A-C ; tibia twice longer than wide, slightly shorter than cymbium; bulb ca. 3 times longer than wide, tegular part ca. 2 times longer than wide; psembolus ca. as long as tegular part, margins almost parallel, stylus short, shorter than width of psembolus; middle part of bulb with triangular membranous outgrowth (Mo).

Female. Habitus as in Fig. 1D-F . Total length 5.44. Carapace 1.83 long, 1.36 wide. Eye sizes: AME 0.11, PME 0.06, PLE 0.05. Colouration and spination as in male. Measurements of legs: I: 6.88 (1.96, 1.07, 1.53, 1.73, 0.59), II: 6.05 (1.69, 1.13, 1.34, 1.37, 0.52), III: 4.83 (1.38, 0.84, 0.84, 1.27, 0.50), IV: 6.69 (1.81, 1.29, 1.48, 1.53, 0.58).

Endogyne as in Fig. 3A-F ; dumbbell-shaped ‘spermatheca’ well visible through integument; anterior diverticulum (Ad) almost 2 times broader than long, heads of spermatheca (Hs) globular, spaced by ca. 2.5 diameters.

Habitats.

A xerophilous species that inhabits wormwood ( Artemisia absinthium L.) and ephemeroid semi-deserts and can be found under stones, in soil cracks and within rodent burrows ( Dunin 1992).

Distribution.

Azerbaijan (Baku, Ganja and Goygol), North Caucasus (Dagestan) (Fig. 8 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Male (A-C) and female (D-F) of Dysderella caspica: A, D. Habitus, dorsal view; B, E. Same, ventral view; C, F. Same, lateral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figure 2. Male palp of Dysderella caspica: A. Prolateral view; B. Retrolateral view; C. Anterior view. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Mo - membranous outgrowth; Ps - psembolus; St - stylus.

Figure 3. Endogynes of Dysderella caspica (A-F) and D. transcaspica (G): A. Intact, ventral view; B-D, F, G. Macerated, dorsal view; E. Same, ventral view; F. Reproduced from Dunin (1990); G. Reproduced from Dunin and Fet (1985). Scale bars: 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Ad - anterior diverticulum; Hs - head of ' spermatheca'.

Figure 8. Distribution records of Dysderella spp.: circles - D. caspica; star - D. elburzica sp. nov.; square - D. transcaspica. Yellow symbols refer to the type localities.