Langona pallida Proszynski, 1993

Wesolowska, W. & van Harten, A., 2010, Order Araneae, Arthropod fauna of the UAE, Abu Dhabi: Dar Al Ummah, pp. 27-69 : 37

Langona pallida Proszynski, 1993 Plates 9-11, Figs 25 30

examined: N ofAjman , 1♂ ‘, 2 ♀, 16. ix l 2..2006, WT ; 1♂, l 19. ix. 2007, WT . Fujairah , 1♂ ‘, Specimens x 2 ~ 30. i. 2006, LT . Khor al-Khwair , 4♂, 7- l 4. iv.2007, LT ; 1♂, 2 I 3. v.2007, LT . Near Mahafiz, 1♂, 21- 281112006, LT . Sharjah Desert Park , 10♂, 3♀, 6 2861112006, PT ; 4♂, 2♀, 21.1 17.11.2008, PT ; 1♂, 4♀, 1-30.xi.2008, PT ; 5♂, 2 ♀, l 12. ii. 2009, PT ; 1♂, 1♀, 16. iii.2009, WT, leg. C. Schmid-Egger . Near Urn 1♂ ‘, l 1 3 iii 2009 WT . Wadi ‘, 9 11 iii 2009 WT . Wadi Shawkah 31. al-Quwain, —l.., Maidaq , 1♂ ..,, 1♀, x 27. xi. 2006, WT ; 2♂, 2(P 26. iii.2007, WT ; 19♂, 1 ♀, 1 9. iv. 2007, WT ; 11♂, 5 12.v.2007, WT ; 22♂, 1 ♀, 9~ 24. Vi. 2007, WT ; 75♂, 15 ♀, 30. vi 2.Viii. 2007, WT ; 4♂, 1 ♀, 28.x ~ 15.xi. 2007, WT ; 2♂, 1 ♀, 19 28.xi. 2007, WT ; 1♂, 20. i l 8. ii. 2008, WT ; 15♂, 2 ♀, 2 l. i l 7.ii.2008, PT ; 2♂, 1 ♀, 3 -18. ii.2008, WT ; 23♂, 7 ♀, 11.viii ll. ix. 2008, WT ; 1♂, 24. ii. 2009, HC . Al-Wathba wetland reserve , 1♂, 23.Viii. 2004, HC .

Description: Measurements (male/female). Cephalothorax length 2.7 3.4/3.2-4.0, width 2.1 2.2/2.3-2.5, height 1.0 1.1/1.3-1.5. Abdomen length 2.6 31/3340, width 1.7 1.8/ 1.9 2.8. Eye field length 1.0 1.2/ 1.3-1.4, anterior and posterior width 1.5 1.6/ 1. 8—2.2.

Male. Medium-sized, light coloured spiders, lighter than other Langona spp. ( Plate 9). Eye field black, two light streaks of white hairs extend to thoracic part, anterior eyes encircled by whitish hairs. Thoracic region yellowish orange with two light streaks, between and laterally from them brown areas composed of dark hairs. Lateral surfaces of carapace yellow. Numerous light hairs on whole carapace. Clypeus With white hairs. Chelicerae orange, with large black spot on dorsal surfaces ( Plate 10). Labium, gnathocoxae and sternum orange. Abdomen oval, light with two dark streaks composed of brown hairs, on anterior edge long bristles, venter whitish. Spinnerets yellow, covered with brown hairs. Legs yellow, first ones with black ventral surfaces of femora, patellae and tibiae, whole metatarsi and tarsi dark. Spines light, leg hairs brownish. Pedipalps yellow, cymbiurn flattened, its dorsal surface densely covered with black, metallic shining scales ( Fig. 27 ), only tip of cyrnbium lighter. Tibial apophysis with hooked tip, tuft of long strong setae accompanies the apophysis ( Fig. 26 ). Embolus long, spirally coiled on tip of bulb, hidden in cymbial pocket ( Figs 25, 28 ).

Female. Larger than male. General appearance as in Plate 11. Carapace similar to that of male in general but contrasted. Below anterior lateral ‘ face’ short whitish pattern, poorly eyes, on band. Abdomen uniformly light brown with sparse brown setae. Legs yellowish orange with brown small patches. Epigyne with deep oval depression, its posterior edge very strongly sclerotised ( Fig. 29 ). Seminal ducts form loops, receptacles very strongly sclerotised, multi- chambered, last chamber spherical ( Fig. 30 ).

Distribution. So far known from Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. New to the UAE.

Figures

Figures 25 — 30. Langona pallida Prészynski. 25: Palpal organ in ventral view; 26: Same in lateral view; 27: Same in dorsal view; 28: Bulb in dorsal view (cymbium removed); 29: Epigyne; 30: Internal structure of epígyne eplšyne.