Acanthinozodium cirrisulcatum Denis, 1952

Shafaie, Sepideh, Pekár, Stano, Korba, Jan, Doumandji, Salaheddine & Berretima, Wahiba, 2025, Contribution to the zodariid spider fauna (Araneae: Zodariidae) of Algeria, Journal of Natural History 59 (25 - 28), pp. 1895-1916 : 1896-1898

Acanthinozodium cirrisulcatum Denis

( Figures 1 (A), 2(A), 3(A,G))

Acanthinozodium cirrisulcatum Denis 1952, p. 59 , figs. 1–2 (♀); Jocqué and Henrard

2015: 20.

Material examined

ALGERIA: 1♀, Béchar Province, Igli Town , 30.5077°N, − 2.3035°W, 14 April 2023 (J. Korba) ( CMU) .

Diagnosis

The female of A. cirrisulcatum can be distinguished from the other Algerian species of the genus, A. sahariense Denis, 1959 , by a median plate with sinuous margins (vs slightly curved; compare Figure 3 (A) herein and fig. 1 in Denis 1959) and lateral extensions that extend anterolaterally (vs lacking extensions; compare Figure 3 (A) herein and fig. 1 in Denis 1959).

Redescription

Female. Total length 5.92, carapace 2.46 long, 1.86 wide. Habitus ( Figures 1 (A), 2(A)): Prosoma. Carapace, clypeus and chelicerae dark brown; mouthparts grey apically and yellow basally. Eyes. AME 0.2, ALE 0.1, PME 0.09, PLE 0.06. Abdomen dorsum dark, venter white-yellow at centre, brown along outer sides and surrounding epigyne. Spinnerets yellow apically, brown basally. Leg segments predominantly yellow, with white coxae and dark femora I–IV on distal-lateral sides, femora I–II darker, particularly along proximal-lateral sides. Leg lengths: I 6.59 (2.1, 0.6, 1.27, 1.58, 1.04), II 6.491 (1.79, 0.69, 1.44, 1.73, 0.84), III 6.05 (1.73, 0.63, 1.14, 1.59, 0.96), IV 8.05 (2.7, 0.74, 1.79, 1.68, 1.14). Copulatory organ ( Figure 3 (A,G)): Epigyne heavily sclerotised around median plate; median plate (Mp) trapezoidal with moderately sinuous margins, broadened posteriorly with lateral extensions (L), supported posteriorly by transverse epigynal pedestal (Ep). Vulva>1.5 times wider than long; a pair of triangular atria (A) separated by slender median septum (S); spermathecae (Sp) small, spaced>2 times their diameter apart, anteromesally accompanied by bladder-like structures (B), separated by ≥1.5 times spermathecal width.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution

The previous studies have documented the presence of this species in northern Mauritania and southern Morocco. This is the first recorded occurrence of the species in Algeria.

Figures

Figure 1. Female habitus in dorsal view (A–F). (A) Acanthinozodium cirrisulcatum; (B) Zodarion algiricum; (C) Z. bicoloripes; (D) Z. dispar; (E) Z. kabylianum; (F) Z. mesranense. Abbreviations: Lb – lateral band; Mb – median band. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Figure 3. Female copulatory organs in ventral view (A–L). Epigyne (A–F), vulva (G–L). (A) G Acanthinozodium cirrisulcatum; (B) H Zodarion algiricum; (C) I Z. bicoloripes; (D) J Z. dispar; (E) K Z. kabylianum; (F) L Z. mesranense. Abbreviations: A – atrium; Ap – antero-median process of the median plate; B – bladder-like structure; Cd – copulatory duct; Ep – epigynal pedestal; L – lateral extension of the median plate; Mp – median plate; W – epigynal wing; S – median septum; Sp – spermathecae. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.