Zodarion jakubi Shafaie & Pekár, 2025

Zodarion jakubi Shafaie & Pekár sp. nov.

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Figs 56–58 View Fig View Fig View Fig , 106 View Fig

Diagnosis

Closely related to Zodarion simplex Jocqué, 2011 by similar median and tibial apophyses, but differs by a stouter retrolateral tibial apophysis (cf. Fig. 57C, F View Fig and Jocqué 2011: fig. 8), and the embolar tip gently curved distally (vs not curved, cf. Fig. 57B, 57E View Fig and Jocqué 2011: fig. 7). The female specimen can be distinguished from other species by simple, fusiform atria of epigyne ( Fig. 58A–B View Fig ).

Etymology

The specific name is dedicated to Jakub Pekár, the second author’s son, who co-collected the material of this new species.

Type material

Holotype

OMAN • ♂; Wadi Bani Habib ; 23.069° N, 57.604° E; 652 m a.s.l.; 31 Jan. 2023; J. Pekár leg.; NMP P6A 7506 View Materials . GoogleMaps

Paratypes

OMAN • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; NMP P6A 7507 View Materials , NMP P6A 7508 View Materials GoogleMaps .

Other material examined

OMAN • 14 juv.; same collection data as for holotype; CMU GoogleMaps • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Wadi Ghul ; 23.205° N, 57.213° E; 1031 m a.s.l.; 13 Feb. 2022; S. Pekár leg.; CMU GoogleMaps • 1 ♀, 4 juv.; Misfah ; 23.228° N, 57.135° E; 1000 m a.s.l.; 28 Jan. 2023; S. Pekár leg.; CMU GoogleMaps .

Description

Male ( holotype NMP P6A 7506)

HABITUS ( Fig. 56A–B View Fig ). Carapace, chelicerae, sternum, labium, gnathocoxae and spinnerets pale, with no pattern except for a dark ocular area on carapace; ocular area almost slender. Legs uniformly yellow. Palpal segments pale except cymbium, cymbium light brown anteriorly and pale posteriorly. Abdomen crumpled; dorsum white anteriorly and dark posteriorly, venter pale; PVS present.

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 2.35; carapace 1.2 long, 0.9 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.13, ALE = PME= PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.3, PME–PME 0.15, PLE–PLE 0.32, PME–PLE 0.03. Legs: I 6.03 (1.45, 0.76, 1.48, 1.04, 1.3), II 5.8 (1.3, 0.72, 1.34, 1.45, 0.99), III 5.02 (1.3, 0.67, 1.01, 1.04, 1), IV 6.9 (1.65, 0.76, 1.56, 1.61, 1.32). Palp: 1.24 (0.42, 0.22, 0.1, 0.5).

PALP ( Fig. 57A–F View Fig ). RTA triangular, with a dentate tip. Cymbium elongated, cymbial tip as long as bulb. Tegulum simple, without any posterior process. Median apophysis sickle-shaped. Embolus simple, embolar tip slightly curved distally.

Female ( paratype NMP P6A 7507)

HABITUS ( Fig. 56C–D View Fig ). Prosoma entirely similar to that of male. Abdomen light brown dorsally and pale ventrally; PVS present.

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 2.63; carapace 1.24 long, 0.93 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.14, ALE=PME = PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.33, PME–PME 0.17, PLE–PLE 0.37, PME–PLE 0.03. Legs: I (1.76, 0.38, 1.33, 1.52, tarsus missing), II (1.6, other segments missing), III 5.36 (1.47, 0.29, 1.26, 1.56, 0.78), IV (2.02, other segments missing). Palp: 1.12 (0.43, 0.16, 0.1, 0.56).

EPIGYNE ( Fig. 58A–D View Fig ). Epigyne with fusiform atria. Posterior margin of epigyne distinctly incised and covered by a medium-sized hood; spermathecae small, divergent and separated by 5.46 times their diameter. Vulva very simple, comprising a pair of large and fusiform wings, situated obliquely downward to each other and ended to spermathecal heads.

Size variation

Total body length 2.35–2.66 in males (N =2) and 2.63–3.53 in females (N=4). Carapace length/width 1.2/ 0.86–0.9 in males and 1.24–1.66/ 0.93–1.26 in females.

Distribution

At present, known only from Oman. This is the first report of the family Zodariidae in Oman.