Zodarion modestum (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 : 1851-1857

Zodarion modestum (Simon)

( Figures 17 , 24G–I , 25N , 26N , 27K )

Enyo modesta Simon, 1870: 145 (♂).

Zodarion modestum – Denis 1937: 32, pl. 6, figs 47–48 (♂). – Bosmans 1994: 136, figs 79– 80, 131–132 (♂ ♀).

Examined type material

Lectotype (♂) and paralectotype (♂): UNITED KINGDOM (IBERIA): Gibraltar; MNHN-AR1519, MNHN-AR1520.

Other material examined

SPAIN: 1 ♂; Zahara de los Atunes, Cádiz ; 10 m a .s .l.; 9 April 1974; J . Murphy and F . Murphy leg.; wooded hillside; CJFM-677, G7572.686. 1 ♀; idem; 0 m a .s.l.; 14 April 1974; J . Murphy and F . Murphy leg.; sand dunes; CJFM-677, G7572.686. 2 ♀, 1 juv . ; labelled as ‘ Málaga , Maro’; 100 m a .s .l .; May – April 1987; J . Murphy and F . Murphy leg.; stones, litter; CJFM-14343, G7572.14989. 1 ♂, 2 ♀; labelled as ‘Málaga, Frigiliana’; 20 m a .s .l.; 20 April 1987; J . Murphy and F . Murphy leg.; stones, litter; CJFM-14558, G7572.12808. 1 ♀; labelled as ‘Granada, Cádiz’; MNHN-AR1522. 3 ♂, 5 juv . ; Rio Maitena, Granada ; 28 May 2012; S . Pekár and S . Korenko leg.; CMU. 2 ♀, 1 juv . ; Facinas, Cádiz ; 36.145°N, 5.702°W; 2 December 2021; D. Ortiz and A . Avila leg.; urban grassland; CMU. 1 ♂; around pond of Western outskirt of Mont-Ras, Girona ; 41.915°N, 3.141°W; 23 December 2021; D . Ortiz leg .; CMU. 4 ♂, 2 ♀; Casares, Málaga ; 36.446°N, 5.279°W; 2 May 2024, S . Pekár and S . Shafaie leg.; CMU.

Diagnosis

Males of Z. modestum can be distinguished from the closely related Z. isabellinum by the absence of an embolar base (vs present; compare Figure 24H and Figure 24B ) and the gradually narrowing embolus (vs a more slender embolus; compare Figure 24H and Figure 24B ), while females can be distinguished by a sub-trapezoidal epigynal plate with a longitudinal, midline suture (vs epigynal plate sub-rectangular, with a longitudinal, concave median septum; compare Figures 25N , 27K and Figures 25L , 27I ).

Description

For a detailed description of the habitus and male palp, refer to Bosmans (1994). Epigyne. ( Figure 27K ) Sub-trapezoidal epigynal plate, with a longitudinal, midline suture posteriorly. Epigynal plate edges sinuous in shape.

Molecular data

COI mitochondrial barcodes (GenBank accession): PQ119991, PQ119992.

Maximum intraspecific COI divergence (2): 6.4%. Minimum interspecific divergence (to Z. isabellinum ): 6.3%. Consensus COI distance to the closest species ( Z. isabellinum ): 3.4%.

Distribution

Spain, United Kingdom ( Gibraltar).

Figures

Figure 17. Habitus of Z. modestum (Simon, 1870). A–B, lectotype, male (MNHN-AR1519). C–D, female (CMU). 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.