Dysdera persica sp. nov.

Figs 15A-F, 16A-D, 17A, B

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (ZMUT), Iran: Golestan Province: Shast Kalateh, 36°45'N, 54°21'E, 2017 (R. Rafiei-Jahed). Paratypes: 7♂5♀ (ZMUT), same data as the holotype; 1♂ (ZMUT), Mazandaran Province: Polur, 35°50'N, 52°03'E, 10.2015 (A. Zamani); 1♂ (MHNG), Kiyasar, 36°14'N, 53°33'E, 1500 m, 11.07.1975 (A. Senglet).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is an adjective, referring to the historical region of the Middle East, located in eastern Mesopotamia, which is now Iran.

Diagnosis.

The male of this species differs from those of the other species of the Dysdera aculeata group occurring in Iran by the extremely long bulb (especially psembolus, i.e., twice longer than tegulum), and by the tegulum with posterior margin 1.3 × longer than anterior margin (vs. equal or shorter in length). The female of D. persica sp. nov. differs from those of its congeners by having the broadest dorsal arch, bearing almost angled anterior corners (vs. rounded).

Description.

Male (Holotype). Habitus as in Fig. 15D-F. Total length 9.06. Carapace 4.19 long, 3.20 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.14, PME 0.16, PLE 0.17. Carapace, sternum, chelicerae, labium, and maxillae reddish brown. Legs orange. Abdomen greyish, without any pattern. Spinnerets uniformly dark yellowish. Measurements of legs: I: 13.98 (3.96, 2.36, 3.43, 3.52, 0.71), II: 12.87 (3.60, 2.11, 3.07, 3.27, 0.82), III: 9.38 (2.74, 1.51, 1.84, 2.70, 0.59), IV: 12.37 (3.54, 1.95, 2.66, 3.40, 0.82). Spination: I: Fe: 2pl. II: Fe: 1pl. III: Fe: 1pl; Ti: 5pl, 3rl, 4v; Mt: 5d, 9pl, 5rl, 3v. IV: Fe: 4d; Ti: 4pl, 6rl, 1v; Mt: 5d, 6pl, 7rl, 6v. Ti III-IV with a row of thin rigid ventral setae.

Palp as in Fig. 16A-D; bulb ca. 2.3 × longer than wide; tegulum bell-shaped, almost as long as wide; psembolus 2 × longer than tegulum; median crest triangular, ca. 2 × shorter than length of psembolus, ca. 2.4 × wider than high; posterior apophysis broad; incision between tegulum and psembolus present; retrolateral crest gradually rounded.

Female. Habitus as in Fig. 15A-C. Total length 11.0. Carapace 4.25 long, 3.16 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.17, PME 0.18, PLE 0.15. Carapace and chelicerae dark reddish violet; sternum, labium, and maxillae reddish brown. Leg reddish brown. Abdomen greyish, without any pattern. Spinnerets uniformly greyish. Measurements of legs: I: 11.02 (3.15, 1.98, 2.59, 2.51, 0.79), II: 9.61 (2.72, 1.76, 2.32, 2.14, 0.67), III: 8.07 (2.27, 1.33, 1.62, 2.14, 0.71), IV: 10.54 (3.02, 1.66, 2.15, 2.89, 0.82). Spination: I: Fe: 3pl. II: Fe: 1pl. III: Fe: 1d; Ti: 4pl, 4rl; Mt: 12pl, 5rl, 4v. IV: Fe: 4d; Ti: 5pl, 4rl, 1v; Mt: 14pl, 9rl, 3v. Ti III-IV with a row of thin rigid ventral setae.

Endogyne as in Fig. 17A, B; length/width ratio ca. 1.9; receptacle 3.5 × longer than wide, 1.2 × wider than transverse bar; anterior angles rounded; dorsal arch trapezoidal; transverse bar straight, ca. 1.8 × longer than receptacle; lateral edges with almost horizontal anterior margins, as long as width of receptacle; posterior diverticulum rectangular.

Distribution.

Known only from listed localities in Golestan and Mazandaran provinces, northern Iran (Fig. 35).