Zodarion zonsteini Shafaie & Pekár, 2025

Zodarion zonsteini Shafaie & Pekár sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:

Figs 103–104 View Fig View Fig , 106 View Fig

Diagnosis

The copulatory organ details of Z. zonsteini sp. nov. are almost identical to those of Z. lutipes but the new species can be distinguished by (1) a different carapace/cymbium length ratio (1.36 vs 1.95), (2) a different bulb length/median apophysis width ratio (4.2 vs 3.4), and (3) a darker carapace and legs (cf. Fig. 103A–B View Fig and Fig. 74A–B View Fig ).

Etymology

The specific name is dedicated to Sergei Lev Zonstein, an Israeli arachnologist.

Type material

Holotype

ISRAEL • ♂; Eliakim ; 32.64° N, 35.066° E; 31 Mar. 2023; S. Pekár and V. Opatová leg.; NMP P6A 7510 View Materials . GoogleMaps

Other material examined

CYPRUS • 1 ♂ (subadult), 2 juv.; Agios Georgios ; 34.822° N, 32.897° E; 840 m a.s.l.; 29 Apr. 2022; S. Pekár, S. Shafaie, V. Šoltýsová and O. Michálek leg.; CMU GoogleMaps .

ISRAEL • 16 juv.; same collection data as for holotype; CMU GoogleMaps • 7 juv.; Geshur ; 32.816° N, 35.718° E; 30 Mar. 2023; S. Pekár leg.; CMU GoogleMaps • 1 ♂, 8 juv.; Kadarim ; 32.894° N, 35.478° E; 31 Mar. 2023; S. Pekár and V. Opatová leg.; CMU GoogleMaps • 1 juv.; Har Heron ; 32.996° N, 35.410° E; 3 May 2023; M. Řezáč leg.; CMU GoogleMaps .

Description

Male ( holotype NMP P6A 7510)

HABITUS ( Fig. 103A–B View Fig ). Carapace reddish-brown companied by a lighter, butterfly-like mark on behind of fovea; clypeus, chelicerae reddish-brown; labium and gnathocoxae brownish, with lighter tips. Sternum yellow at the middle and slightly darker at borders. Cx I and Fe I and II entirely dark, Cx II dark on lateral sides, Cx III and IV yellowish, Fe III and IV light brown proximally and darker distally, with a pair of longitudinal, light stripes. Pa and Ti of all legs yellow, with greyish laterals, other segments entirely yellow. Palpal segments yellow, with pale cymbium. Abdomen dorsum entirely dark, venter dark except for lighter parts around the epiandrous and PVS. Spinnerets pale, with dark basal part.

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 4.49; carapace 2.16 long, 1.76 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.11, PME=PLE 0.08, AME–AME 0.1, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.36, PME–PME 0.23, PLE–PLE 0.4, PME–PLE 0.03. Legs: I 9.59 (2.6, 0.8, 2.26, 2.53, 1.4), II 9.19 (2.53, 1, 2.13, 2.4, 1.13), III 8.38 (2.26, 0.73, 1.66, 2.6, 1.13), IV 10.06 (3, 1, 2.53, 3.33, 1.2). Palp: 3.26 (1, 0.46, 0.2, 1.6).

PALP ( Fig. 104A–C View Fig ). Palp entirely similar to that of Z. lutipes but markedly larger (for a detailed description, refer to Levy 1992: cf. figs 67–69 and Bosmans 2009: cf. figs 184–185).

Remarks

Although no structural differences were detected in the copulatory organs of Z. zonsteini sp. nov. and Z. lutipes , the two representatives exhibit notable disparities in overall body and copulatory organ dimensions. Particularly, the carapace and cymbium of Z. zonsteini are 1.31 and 1.76 times longer, respectively, than those of Z. lutipes . Such divergence in absolute copulatory organ dimensions may lead to mechanical incompatibility between sexes, potentially impeding successful copulation ( Ramos et al. 2005). For instance, the relatively large palpal organs of Z. zonsteini might not be effectively paired with the smaller, heavily sclerotized epigyne of Z. lutipes . Moreover, the two species differ in somatic morphology, with Z. lutipes exhibiting a distinct bicolored carapace and lighter legs compared to Z. zonsteini . Similar patterns of morphological divergence have previously been observed in Z. nitidum and Z. nicki (refer to Pekár et al. 2022 and corresponding comments in this study). Based on these consistent morphological differences, we treat Z. zonsteini and Z. lutipes as separate species. Nevertheless, further examination of additional material will be necessary to fully resolve issues of species delimitation and taxonomic consistency.

Distribution

At present, known only from Israel and Cyprus.