Aelurillus galinae

Wesolowska, W. & van Harten, A., 2010, Order Araneae, Arthropod fauna of the UAE, Abu Dhabi: Dar Al Ummah, pp. 27-69 : 28

Aelıırillııs galinae Wesolowska & van Harten nov. spec. Plates 1 —2, Figures 1 7

Specimens examined: Holotype: ♂, United Arab Emirates, Sharjah Desert Park , 25 ° 17'N 55 °42'E, 1- 30. xi. 2008, in pitfall leg. A. Harten (Paratypes: 2♂ ‘, 1♀, data IQ, trap, van MRAC). same as holotype . locality but 1 12. ii. 2009, PT ; 1♂ ‘, l 6. iii. 2009, WT, leg. C. Schmid-Egger. same

Diagnosis: The species is easily distinguished by shape of anterior edge of carapace, with retreating anterior median eyes. The male is distinguishable by the presence of bended dorsal apophysis of palpal tibia. The female is difficult to recognise from congeners, but ventral structure of epigyne may be characteristic (long entrance ‘ bowls’ of seminal ducts, simple structute of receptacles).

Description: Measurements (male/female). Cephalothorax length 1.5—1.6/ 1.7-1.8, Width 1.2 1.4/ 1.3 1.4, height 0.8-0.9/O. 8-l. 0. Abdomen length l. 4-l.6/1.9 2.2, width l.0 — l. l /l. 9 2.2. Eye field length O.6-0.7/0.7-0.8, anterior Width 0.8 0.9/ 1.0, posterior width 0.7—0.8/0.9. Male. Small spider with short eye field ( Plate 1). Carapace brown, eye field blackish. White hairs form four thin lines on eye field, merging in two wider streaks on thoracic part (Fig. l), remaining part of ocular area covered with yellowish fawn hairs. Anterior eyes surrounded by whitish scales. Anterior lateral eyes placed clearly above anterior median ones (Fig. 2), they protrude beyond contour of carapax (when seen fiom above as in Figure 1). Clypeus brown, laterally white hairs on ‘ face’ (Fig. 2). Chelicerae light brown with line composed of dark' hairs (Fig. 2). Labium and sternum light brown, gnathocoxae brown with yellow tips. Abdomen yellow with wide median brown band, venter light. Spinnerets greyish. Legs yellow, first tibia slightly darker with blackish hairs on ventral surface, light hairs on tibia and metatarsus. Spines long. Pedipalps light, clothed in dense white hairs. Palp structure as in Figures 3 5, two short tibial apophyses, dorsal one weakly sclerotised, slightly bent to retrolateral side (Fig. 5).

Female. General appearance as in Plate 2. Cephalothorax as in male, but white stripes poorly contrasted. Position of eyes of first row as in male ( Plate 4). Abdomen swollen, spherical, covered by mosaic of greyish and fawn patches. Dorsum of abdomen clothed in delicate short brown and grey hairs, among them sparse longer brown bristles. Legs yellow with brown spots. Epigyne typical for the genus, weakly sclerotised (Fig. 6), with copulatory openings shielded by ‘ wings’ receptacles composed of two parts (Fig. 7).

Etymology: The species is dedicated to Dr Galina Azarkina, eminent salticid specialist, who has revised numerous species of the genus Aeluríllus .