Zodarion isabellinum (Simon)

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 : 1844-1846

Zodarion isabellinum (Simon)

( Figures 15 , 24A–C , 25L , 26L , 27I )

Enyo isabellina Simon, 1870: 104 (♂). Enyo isabellina – Simon 1873: 66, pl. 2; fig. 11 (♂). Zodarion isabellinum – Denis 1935b: 104, pl. 1; figs 7–9 (♂ ♀). – Bosmans 1994: 136, figs

77–78, 129–130 (♂ ♀). – Bosmans et al. 2019: 16; figs 6c–f (♂). – Benhalima and Bosmans

2020: 96; figs 1–6, 15–18 (♂ ♀).

Examined type material

Paralectotypes (♂, ♀): SPAIN: labelled as ‘ Granada , Cádiz’; MNHN-AR1522 .

Other material examined

PORTUGAL: 1 ♂; 1.3 km North of Bordeira, Aljezur ; 37.204°N, 8.872°W; 30 May 2018; S . Pekár and D . Ortiz leg.; CMU. 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 juv . ; 4 km north-east of Moura , Moura; 38.165°N, 7.42°W; 1 June 2018; S . Pekár and D . Ortiz leg.; CMU. SPAIN: 2 ♀; Las Águillillas Park , Jerez de la Frontera; 16 June 2010; I . Sanchez leg .; CMU. 5 ♂, 7 ♀, 3 juv . ; Punta Entinas , Almería; 26 May 2012; S . Pekár and M . Cárdenas leg.; CMU. 1 ♀, 1 juv . ; Salobreña , Granada; 27 May 2012; S . Pekár leg .; CMU. 1 ♀, 1 juv . ; Málaga , Casabermeja; 29 May 2012; S . Korenko leg .; CMU. 6 ♂, 6 ♀, 2 juv . ; Granada , Granada; 29 May 2012; S . Pekár and S . Korenko leg.; CMU. 4 ♂; Fuengirola , Málaga; 5 July 2012; S . Korenko leg .; CMU. 1 ♂; no further data; CMU . 1 ♂, 1 ♀; West outskirt of Jaén, Jaén; 37.785°N, 3.812°W; 510 m a .s .l.; 17 June 2018; D . Ortiz and E . Líznarová leg.; CMU. 7 ♂, 6 ♀, 3 juv . ; Torrecera , Cádiz; 36.607°N, 5.941°W; 16 November 2022; S . Pekár leg .; CMU.

Diagnosis

Specimens of Z. isabellinum can be distinguished from other members of the italicum group by an embolus with a broad base in males ( Figure 24B ), and a sub-rectangular epigynal plate with a longitudinal, concave median septum in females ( Figures 25L , 27I ).

Description

For a detailed description of the habitus and male palp, refer to Bosmans (1994). Epigyne. ( Figures 25L , 27I ) Epigynal plate sub-rectangular, with a longitudinal, concave median septum. Epigyne antero-laterally with a pair of copulatory openings.

Comment

Denis (1935b, fig. 9) and Bosmans (1994, fig. 129) both provided drawings of the female paralectotype specimen. However, these illustrations do not fully depict the concave septum as shown in Figure 25L .

Molecular data

COI mitochondrial barcodes (GenBank accession): MW760706 , PQ119990.

Maximum intraspecific COI divergence (2): 1.1%. Minimum interspecific divergence (to Z. modestum ): 6.3%. Consensus COI distance to the closest species ( Z. modestum ): 3.4%.

Distribution

Italy, Morocco, Spain.

Figures

Figure 15. Habitus of Z. isabellinum (Simon, 1870). A–B, paralectotype, male (MNHN-AR1522). C–D, paralectotype, female (MNHN-AR1522). A, C, dorsal view. B, D, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

Figure 24. Comparison of palp shape among males belonging to the italicum and pusio groups. A–O, italicum group members. A–C, Z. isabellinum (MNHN-AR1522). D–F, Z. italicum (MNHN-AR2866). G–I, Z. modestum (MNHN-AR1519). J–L, Z. nesiotes (CMU). M–O, pusio group member, Z. cesari (CMU). A, D, G, J, M, P, prolateral view. B, E, H, K, N, Q, ventral view. C, F, I, L, O, R, retrolateral view. Scale bar = 0.2 mm. Abbreviation: B = base of embolus. Arrow indicates the tooth at the base of the tibial apophysis.

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.