Cheiracanthium C. L. Koch, 1839

Hamid, Majeed Shafi & Al-Khazali, Azhar Mohammed, 2025, Hersiliola babilinus sp. nov. and New Spider Records (Arachnida: Araneae) from Babil Province, Iraq, Ecologica Montenegrina 83, pp. 33-46 : 38

Genus Cheiracanthium C. L. Koch, 1839

Cheiracanthium mildei L. Koch, 1864 (Figs.6,7).

For the list of references see the WSC (2025).

Identification. Özkütük et al. (2019), Urones (2023).

Material examined. 3♀♀ ( CBEUS), IRAQ: Babil Province, Saddat Al-Hindiya district , orchard, 32°42'37.45"N, 44°16'51.81"E, 1 November 2024. Leg. M.S. Hamid .

Description. Female. Overall appearance as in Fig. 6 A-C. Measurements: Total length 6.54; carapace 1.92 long, 1.41 wide; opisthosoma 3.92 long, 2.61 wide. Leg measurements: I: 9.21, II: 8.42, III: 7.26, IV: 9.98. Carapace yellowish-white without a distinctive pattern, anterior part of the cephalic region light brown, Chelicerae, Endite, and labium brown. Legs and coxa uniformly yellowish-white. Opisthosoma oval, dorsally yellowish-white with a darker, sword-like pattern, covered by fine umber setae, ventrally yellowish-white. Spinnerets light yellow.

Habitat. This species was found in an orchard containing citrus, fig, and pear trees.

Distribution. Azores, Europe, North Africa, Turkey, Middle East, Caucasus, Russia (Europe) to Central Asia. Introduced to North America, Argentina (World Spider Catalog, 2025), and now in Iraq (Current study).

Comments. According to Zamani et al. (2024), the Cheiracanthiidae family was recently reported from Iraq based on the male of the C. montanum collected from Sulaymaniyah province, Koch, 1877. Thus, the latest record is the second species identified in Iraq from this genus and family.

Figures

Figure 6. Cheiracanthium mildei L. Koch, 1864, female. A. habitus, dorsal view; B. same, ventral view; C. same, lateral view.