The first record of Dysdera armenica Charitonov, 1956 (Araneae: Dysderidae) in Azerbaijan

Бюллетень науки и практики / Bulletin of Science and Practice

Dysdera Latreiile, 1804 is the largest genus within the spider family Dysderidae C. L. Koch, 1837 comprising over 325 described species [8]. Except for the cosmopolitan Dysdera crocata C. L. Koch, 1838 and two erroneously placed species from South America [6], the genus is confined to the West Palearctic and with it is major diversity center is located in the Mediterranean region [2, p.141-269].

In the fauna of the Caucasus Dysdera is among the most speciose spider genera with 30 species and 2 subspecies currently known [5, 7]. Most of these taxa have been included in Dunin’s revision of the Caucasian Dysderidae [3].

Currently, 16 species belonging to the genus Dysdera have been recorded in the spider fauna of Azerbaijan.

During the course of a study of the spider fauna of western Azerbaijan we found a male specimen D. armenica Charitonov, 1956, a species new for the fauna of this country that is reported, redescribed and illustrated in the present paper. Dysdera armenica Charitonov, 1956 was previously known in Armenia [1] and Georgia (Figure) [4].

Materials and methods

The specimen was hand collected from the leaf litter in mid-mountain forests in western Azerbaijan. It was preserved in 75% ethanol and brought back to the laboratory, where it was examined, using a Nikon SMZ 1270 stereomicroscope. All measurements used in the descriptions

(ос) CD are given in mm. The specimen is deposited in the collection of Institute of Zoology of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Baku, Azerbaijan).

The following abbreviations are used in the text. Male palp: AD – dorsal arch of anterior diverticle, MA – median apophysis, PA – posterior apophysis, SP – spermatheca, TB – transverse bar of posterior diverticle. Eyes: AER – anterior eye row, AME – anterior median eyes; PER – posterior eye row, PLE – posterior lateral eyes, PME – posterior median eyes. Leg segments: Fe – femur, Mt – metatarsus, Pt – patella, Ta – tarsus, Ti – tibia. Leg spination: Pd – prodorsal, Pl – prolateral, Rd – retrodorsal, Rl – retrolateral, V – ventral.

Results

Family Dysderidae C. L. Koch, 1837

Genus Dysdera Latreille, 1804

Dysdera armenica Charitonov, 1956 (Figure).

Figure. Male of Dysdera armenica , bulb. 1 retrolateral 2 prolateral Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

Material examined. 1♂, Azerbaijan, Gedabey District, Novo-Saratovka vil. (40°37′18″N 45°38′50″E) , 19.04.2016, E. F. Huseynov.

Diagnosis. According to leg spination and conformation of the copulatory organs Dysdera armenica belongs to the azerbajdzhanica species-group sensu Dunin [3].

Description. Male. Total body length 10.0. Carapace dark red 4.0 long, maximum width 3.0, anterior margin width 1.7. AME diameter 0.19, PME diameter 0.16, PLE diameter 0.17. AER 0.5, distance between AME approximately their diameter. PER 0.65, PME almost touching, distance between PME and PLE less than half their diameter. Sternum, labium and maxillae orange.

Chelicerae dark red, basal segment (lateral external view) 1.8 long, fang 1.3 long. Legs dark yellow, formula I > II > IV > III. Segment lengths are shown in Table 1. Legs I and II spineless. Legs III and IV only with tibiae and metatarsi armored with spines. Leg spination is given in Table 2. Abdomen cylindrical, greyish white 6.0 long.

Male palp as in Figure. Posterior apophysis with broad sclerotized proximal margin. Laterial margin of lateral sheet broadly bifurcated either with three median teeth between two lateral ones.

Ecology. The specimen was found in the leaf litter in mid-mountain deciduous forests.

Distribution. The specimen was previously known from Armenia and Georgia. Thus, the material represents a new record for Azerbaijan.

Table 1

LEG MEASUREMENTS OF Dysdera armenica MALE

Legs	Fe	Pt		Ti	Mt		Ta	Total
I	3.3	2		3	2.7		0.7	11.7
II	2.9	1.8		2.7	2.65		0.65	10.7
III	2.25	1		1.5	2.1		0.6	7.45
IV	3	1.35		2.2	2.65		0.7	9.9
		LEG SPINATION OF Dysdera armenica MALE						Table 2
Leg segment	Pr		Rd		Pl	Rl		V
Ti III	---		---		1.1	0.1		0.0.2
Ti IV	---		---		0.1	1.1		0.0.2
Mt III	1.1.1		1.1.0		1	---		1. 2.0
Mt IV	1.1.1		1.1.1		---	---		2.2.2

Acknowledgements

The author is sincerely grateful to Dr.Y.M. Marusik (Russia, Magadan) for taking photographs of the male of D. armenica for this paper.

Also, author deeply thankful to the Dr. Alireza Zamani for editing on an earlier draft of the manuscript.