Drassodex simoni, Hervé, Christophe, Roberts, Michael J. & Murphy, John A., 2009

Hervé, Christophe, Roberts, Michael J. & Murphy, John A., 2009, A taxonomic revision of the genus Drassodex Murphy, 2007 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae), Zootaxa 2171, pp. 1-28 : 14-15

Drassodex simoni sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 16–17 , 20–23

Drassodes heeri Simon, 1914: 133 , 207, figs 219–222 (in part, figs 220–221); Grimm, 1985: 109, figs 122, 130–131 (in part, fig. 130c).

Drassodex heeri Murphy, 2007: 41 , 55, figs p. 234–235.

Type material: Holotype: female from France, Alpes-Maritimes, Entraunes, Lac des Garrets, 2620 m, Aug. 17, 2004, C. Hervé ( MNHN ARM 034a, AR 14595).

Paratypes: 1 Ƥ and 2 3, same data as holotype ( MNHN ARM 034b, AR 14596).

Other material examined. FRANCE. Mixed tube: “ Alpes, Pyrénées-Orientales ” and “ Tré-La-Tête (août 1913)”, 20 Ƥ and 4 3, Simon collection n° 23825 ( MNHN AR 9167). Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: 5 Ƥ and 2 3, Lac d’Allos, Col de Valgelaye, Jul. 1914, Simon collection n° 24757 ( MNHN AR 9165); 1 Ƥ and 1 3, Col de la Cayolle, 2300 m, Aug. 23, 1934, L. Berland, Berland collection ( MNHN AR 9169); 1 Ƥ, same locality, Aug. 13, 2006, C. Rollard ( MNHN); 4 Ƥ, Uvernet-Fours, l’Eschillon, 2270–2350 m, Jul. 0 2, 2005, C. Hervé ( MNHN ARM 121/122/123); 1 3, Allos, Lac du Trou de l’Aigle, 2676 m, Jul. 16, 2005, F. Breton ( MNHN ARM FB1). Alpes-Maritimes: 1 Ƥ, Belvédère, Lac Autier, 2280 m, Aug. 12, 2004, C. Hervé ( MNHN ARM 015); 1 Ƥ and 1 3, same locality and date, 2590 m, O. Gargominy ( MNHN ARM 019); 2 Ƥ, Entraunes, Lac des Garrets, 2680 m, Aug. 17, 2004, C. Hervé ( MNHN ARM 035); 2 Ƥ, same locality, 2640 m, Jul. 0 3, 2005, C. Hervé ( MNHN ARM 124). Haute-Savoie: 1 Ƥ and 1 3, Refuge Albert 1er, E. Dresco, Dresco collection ( MNHN). SWITZERLAND. No specific locality: 1 3, 6 Ƥ and 1 immature Ƥ, 1899, Nicholson, O. P.-Cambridge collection ( HECO B. 236).

Etymology. This species is dedicated to the famous French arachnologist Eugène Simon, who was the first to define the hypocrita -group ( Simon 1893, 1914), and described several species belonging to the group.

Diagnosis. This species belongs to the heeri -complex, along with D. heeri and D. drescoi sp. nov., but can be identified by some differential characters such as the very blunt inferior prong of the RTA ( Fig. 23 ), the short and narrowed embolar coil tip ( Fig. 22 ), and the egg-shaped to subpentagonal epigynal atrium ( Figs 16 , 20 ), which is smaller than that of the two others species ( Table 1 ).

Description. Male dimensions (paratype): total length 12.86. Carapace 5.45 long, 4.19 wide. Leg I: femur 5.06, patella 2.91, tibia 5.40, metatarsus 4.32, tarsus 2.23, total 19.92. Leg II: femur 4.36, patella 2.47, tibia 3.88, metatarsus 3.30, tarsus 1.93, total 15.94. Leg III: femur 3.93, patella 2.11, tibia 3.06, metatarsus 2.96, tarsus 1.82, total 13.88. Leg IV: femur 4.93, patella 2.40, tibia 4.41, metatarsus 4.46, tarsus 2.11, total 18.31. Leg spination: femora: I, II d11-0; I p0-0(1)-1; III r0-1-1; IV p0-0-1; tibiae: I v1 p(0)-2-0; II v0-2-1p(0); III, IV p1-1-1; III v2-2 (1p)-2, r1-1-1(1-1); IV r1-1-1-1(1-1-1); metatarsi: III p2(1)-2-2, r1(2)-2-2; IV v2-1 p-2. RTA bifid, superior prong short and strongly curved, slightly longer than the blunt inferior prong ( Fig. 23 ); median apophysis pointing inwards; embolar coil twice looped, spiralling upwards along one axis, without terminal apophysis, and enlarged before its short, narrowed tip ( Figs 22–23 ).

Female dimensions (holotype): total length 14.29. Carapace 5.78 long, 4.48 wide. Leg I: femur 4.48, patella 2.63, tibia 3.81, metatarsus 3.30, tarsus 2.02, total 16.24. Leg II: femur 4.28, patella 2.44, tibia 3.42, metatarsus 3.10, tarsus 1.90, total 15.14. Leg III: femur 4.02, patella 2.23, tibia 2.96, metatarsus 2.83, tarsus 1.73, total 13.77. Leg IV: femur 5.06, patella 2.45, tibia 4.23, metatarsus 4.30, tarsus 2.15, total 18.19. Leg spination: femora: I, II d1-1-0; I p0-0(1)-1; III r0-1-1; IV p0-0-1; tibiae: I v0(1p)-2-0(1p); II v0-2-1p(0); III p1-1-1, v2-2 (1p)-2, r1-1-1(1-1); IV p1-1-1(1-1-1-1), r1-1-1-1(1-1-1); metatarsi: III, IV r1(2)-2-2; III p2(1)-2- 2; IV v2-1 p-2. Atrium small, egg-shaped ( Fig. 20 ) to subpentagonal ( Fig. 16 ), slightly higher than wide to slightly wider than high (0.28–0.44 wide, 0.33–0.46 high, ratio 0.80–1.14); anterior arch strongly sclerotized, usually curved forwards ( Fig. 16 ), but sometimes almost straight ( Fig. 20 ); copulatory openings narrow, only visible in posterior view, clearly separated; membranous coils looped more than twice, with internal contour followed by spiral-column shaped coiled ducts ( Figs 17 , 21 ).

Distribution. Western Alps.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Drassodex simoni sp. nov. Spinnerets and spigots of adult female (left) and male (right), showing position of the anterior lateral (ALS), posterior median (PMS), and posterior lateral (PLS) spinnerets, along with the distribution of spigots presumed to serve the major ampullate (MA), piriform (P), minor ampullate (mA), cylindrical (C) and aciniform (A) glands. The position of the annular crescent (AC) is indicated by an arrow (after Murphy 2007: fig. p. 235).

FIGURES 10 – 19. 10 – 15 Drassodex heeri (Pavesi, 1873) (10 – 13 SMF 22517 / 3; 14 – 15 MNHN AR 9166). 10 – 11, 14 – 15 epigyne (10, 14 ventral view; 11, 15 dorsal view); 12 – 13 left male palp (12 ventral view, 13 retrolateral view). 16 – 17 Drassodex simoni sp. nov. (MNHN ARM 034 a, holotype). 16 – 17 epigyne (16 ventral view, 17 dorsal view). 18 – 19 Drassodex aff. drescoi (MNHN AR 9167). 18 – 19 epigyne (18 ventral view, 19 dorsal view). (A = atrium; AA = anterior arch; B = bursa; CD = coiled duct; CO = copulatory opening; EC = embolar coil; FLS = flattened lanceolate structure; IP = inferior prong of the RTA; MA = median apophysis; MC = membranous coil; S = socket; SP = superior prong of the RTA).

FIGURES 20 – 27. 20 – 23 Drassodex simoni sp. nov. (Ledoux collection, after Murphy 2007: figs p. 235). 20 – 21 epigyne (20 ventral view, 21 dorsal view); 22 – 23 left male palp (22 ventral view, 23 retrolateral view). 24 – 27 Drassodex drescoi sp. nov. (24 – 25 Dresco collection, MNHN AR 14598, holotype; 26 – 27 MNHN AR 9167). 24 – 25 epigyne (24 ventral view, 25 dorsal view); 26 – 27 left male palp (26 ventral view, 27 retrolateral view).