Zodarion pseudoelegans Denis, 1934

Shafaie, Sepideh, Pekár, Stano & Ortiz, David, 2025, Zodarion spiders (Araneae: Zodariidae): morphology, molecular characterisation and reassessment of the elegans, italicum, and pusio groups from Iberia and the Canary Islands, Journal of Natural History 59 (25 - 28), pp. 1825-1875 : 1840-1841

Zodarion pseudoelegans Denis

( Figures 11 , 20M–O , 25E , 26E , 27D )

Zodarion marginiceps pseudoelegans Denis, 1934: 555 (♂ ♀).

Zodarion berlandi – Denis 1935a: 62; figs 9–10, 15 (♂ ♀). – Ledoux and Canard 1981: 19, fig. 38 (♀).

Zodarion pseudoelegans – Bosmans 1994: 124; figs 22–26, 95–96 (♂ ♀). – Bosmans 1997: 270; figs 8–9, 83–84 (♂ ♀). – Pekár et al. 2011: 29 (♂ ♀). – Canard and Cruveillier 2016: 34.

Examined type material

Lectotype (♂) and paralectotypes (♂, 2 ♀, 3 juv.) of Z. marginiceps pseudoelegans Denis, 1934 : FRANCE: labelled as ‘ Pyrénées Orientalis , La Tour de Carol, Amelie’; MNHN-AR9910 . Lectotype (♂) and paralectotypes (2 ♀) of Z. berlandi Denis, 1935 : FRANCE: labelled as ‘ Pyrénées Orientalis , Banyuls sur mer’; MNHN-AR9912 .

Other material examined

SPAIN: 1 ♀; together with paralectotype of Zodarion diatretum ; labelled as ‘ Cartagena, Alicante’; MNHN-AR1513 . 2 ♀; Platja d’en Bossa , Ibiza; 0 m a .s.l.; 11 April 1980; J . Murphy and F . Murphy leg.; sand dunes; CJFM-8713, G7572.7798. 1 ♂; Puig de Sabina, Ibiza ; 200 m a .s .l.; 16 April 1980; J . Murphy and F . Murphy leg.; dry scrub, hillside; CJFM-8788, G7572.7888. 1 ♂; Pinus forest at Parc Natural del Garraf , Barcelona; 17 May 2006; W . Nentwig leg .; CMU. 2 ♀; Parc Natural del Montseny , Barcelona; 9 September 2006; S . Pekár leg .; CMU. 1 ♀; idem; 10 September 2006; J . Dolanský leg .; CMU. 1 ♀, 2 juv . ; idem; 15 April 2009; E . Líznarová leg .; CMU. 4 juv.; Barranc de la Galera, Tarragona; 15 April 2009; L . Sentenská leg .; CMU. 1 ♂, 2 ♀; Paratge Natural de Poblet , Tarragona; 15 April 2009; L . Sentenská leg .; CMU. 1 ♀; Parc Natural del Garraf , Barcelona; 15 April 2009; E . Líznarová leg .; CMU. 1 ♀; Navarrete , La Rioja; 42.426°N, 2.565°W; 510 m a .s .l.; 13 June 2018; D . Ortiz and E . Líznarová leg.; CMU. 1 ♀; 6 km Southeast Morella, Castellón ; 40.568°N, 0.039°W; 980 m a .s .l.; 15 June 2018; D . Ortiz and E . Líznarová leg.; CMU. 4 ♀, 1 juv . ; Vilaplana, Tarragona ; 41.225°N, 1.039°W; 380 m a .s .l.; 15 June 2018; D . Ortiz and E . Líznarová leg.; CMU. 1 ♀; Barracas, Castellón ; 40.016°N, 0.695°W; 980 m a .s .l.; 16 June 2018; D . Ortiz and E . Líznarová leg.; CMU. 2 ♀, 1 juv . ; El Pont De Vilomara, Barcelona ; 40.708°N, 1.894°W; 250 m a .s .l.; 2 April 2024; Ľ . Černecká leg .; CMU.

Diagnosis

For diagnosis, refer to Z. mallorca .

Description

For a detailed description of the habitus and male palp, refer to Bosmans (1994). Epigyne. ( Figure 27D ) Epigyne similar to that of Z. mallorca , but significantly wider ( Figures 25E , 27D vs Figure 25D ). Epigyne with a large, bracket-shaped epigynal plate, accompanied by a relatively large, transverse, bean-shaped cavity anteriorly.

Comment

The tubes containing the type series of Z. marginiceps and Z. berlandi were initially assumed to have four and one paralectotype individuals, respectively ( Bosmans 1994). However, we found six Z. marginiceps and two Z. berlandi specimens instead.

Molecular data

COI mitochondrial barcodes (GenBank accession): MT370081, MW760707 , PQ119985, PQ119986, PQ119987, PQ119988, PQ119989.

Maximum intraspecific COI divergence (7): 5.5%. Minimum interspecific divergence (to Z. murphyorum ): 7.0%. Consensus COI distance to the closest species ( Z. styliferum ): 1.6%.

Distribution

France, Spain.

Figures

Figure 11. Habitus of Z. pseudoelegans Denis, 1934. A–B, lectotype, male (MNHN-AR9910). C–D, paralectotype, female (MNHN-AR9910). A, C, dorsal view. B, D, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

Figure 20. Comparison of palp shape among males of the elegans group. A–C, Z. affine (MNHN- AR1521). D–F, Z.valentii (CMU). G–I, Z. marginiceps (MNHN-AR9900, 22549). J–L, Z. mallorca (CJFM- 4583, G7572.2929). M–O, Z. pseudoelegans (MNHN-AR9910). A, D, G, J, M, prolateral view. B, E, H, K, N, ventral view. C, F, I, L, O, retrolateral view. Scale bar = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: C = conductor; Em = embolus; Es = subterminal tooth of embolus; MA = median apophysis; Rt = retrolateral tooth of the tibial apophysis; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; T = tegulum.

Figure 25. Comparison of epigyne shape among females of the elegans, italicum, and pusio groups in ventral view. A–K elegans group members. A, Z. affine (MNHN-AR1523). B, Z. valentii (CMU). C, Z. marginiceps (MNHN-AR9900, 22549). D, Z. mallorca (CJFM-4583, G7572.2929). E, Z. pseudoelegans (MNHN-AR9910). F, Z. beticum (MNHN-AR9950). G, Z. diatretum (MNHN-AR1513). H, Z. maculatum (MNHN-AR1512). I, Z. murphyorum (CJFM-18452, G7572.14697). J, Z. vanimpei (CJFM-18557, G7572.15251). K, Z. elegans (MNHN-AR2853). L–O italicum group members. L, Z. isabellinum (MNHN- AR1522). M, Z. italicum (MNHN-AR2866). N, Z. modestum (CMU). O, Z. nesiotes (MNHN-AR9949, 22556). P, pusio group member, Z. cesari (CMU). Scale bar = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Ep = Epigynal plate; Ms = median septum.

Figure 26. Comparison of endogyne shape among females of the elegans, italicum, and pusio groups in ventral view. A–K elegans group members. A, Z. affine (MNHN-AR1523). B, Z. valentii (CMU). C, Z. marginiceps (MNHN-AR9900, 22549). D, Z. mallorca (CJFM-4583, G7572.2929). E, Z. pseudoelegans (MNHN-AR9910). F, Z. beticum (MNHN-AR9950). G, Z. diatretum (MNHN-AR1513). H, Z. maculatum (MNHN-AR1512). I, Z. murphyorum (CJFM-18452, G7572.14697). J, Z. vanimpei (CJFM-18557, G7572.15251). K, Z. elegans (MNHN-AR2853). L–O italicum group members. L, Z. isabellinum (MNHN- AR1522). M, Z. italicum (MNHN-AR2866). N, Z. modestum (CMU). O, Z. nesiotes (MNHN-AR9949, 22556). P, pusio group member, Z. cesari (CMU). Scale bar = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: A = atrium; Sp = spermatheca.

Figure 27. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the epigyne among females of the elegans, italicum, and pusio groups, in ventral view. A–H elegans group members. A, Z. affine (CMU). B, Z. valentii (CMU). C, Z. marginiceps (CMU).D, Z. pseudoelegans (CMU).E, Z. beticum (CMU).F, Z.maculatum (CMU). G, Z. murphyorum (CMU). H, Z. elegans (MNHN-AR2853). I–K italicum group members. I, Z. isabellinum (CMU). J, Z. italicum (CMU). K, Z. modestum (CMU). L, pusio group member, Z. cesari (CMU). Scale bar = 40 µm. Abbreviations: CO = copulatory opening; Ei = incision of the epigynal plate; Ep = epigynal plate; Ml = midline suture of the septum; P = pit; Pb = posterior borders of the copulatory openings; Se = septum; Si = incision of the septum.