Rudakius Proszynski 2016, gen. n.
Creators: name: Prószyński, Jerzy
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Salticidae
Rudakius

description: Gen. Rudakius Prószyński, 2016, gen. n.   
Figures 8F–J  
 Type species. Menemerus cinctus Pickard-Cambridge O., 1885.   
 Documentation studied. The survey of diagnostic drawings in Prószyński (2016a) and original literature.   
 Etymology. Named in honor of great Persian poet Rudaki (850- 940 n. e.) who lived in the Samanid court in Buchara (present day Uzbekistan) - in the area of occurrence of this genus. Name combines words Rudaki and Pseudicius, grammar gender assumed masculine.   
 Diagnosis. Share mutual diagnostic characters of PSEUDICIINES: lateral, subocular row of about 10 short bristles on protuberances (Fig. 8J), modified tibia of robust leg I, flattened body and characteristic color pattern (Figs. 8G–H). At first glance epigyne and palps appear entirely different from other genera of this group, however, in spite of different appearance, all parts of these structures appear homologous.   
 Female. Epigyne has two large grooves, separated by a septum, but without visible external pair of pockets. Copulatory openings are distinctly visible in the middle part of medium septum, sclerotized and followed by broad, sclerotized ducts running posteriorly, then making a full circle tight loop, near branching off point of the scent opening armature. From that spot follows an obliquely sclerotized duct, unusually narrow, to postero-medially located spermathecae, small in comparison with the size of the epigyne (Fig. 8F). In Rudakius afghanicus (Andreeva, Heciak & Prószynski, 1984), comb. n. spermatheca is different, intermediary to the state in Afraflacilla: elongate vessel, running medially, parallel to the main body axis and much larger, about half the length of epigyne.   
Male palp is very special, with the anterior edge of bulbus truncated transversally, with robust embolus arising antero-laterally and the posterior part of bulbus expanded diagonally, postero-laterally. Tibial apophysis large, consisting of two long, pointed rami, widely spaced, in some species, however, dorsal ramus is distinctly shorter (Fig. 8I).  
 More diagnostic documentation – see at: http://www.peckhamia.com/salticidae/q27-Ruda.html.   
 Distribution. Rudakius is a central Central Asian genus, occuring also in China, Ethiopia, India, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia.   
 Composition. The following species are transferred from the genus Pseudicius Simon, 1885: Rudakius afghanicus (Andreeva, Heciak, Prószynski, 1984), comb. n., R. cinctus (Pickard-Cambridge O., 1885), comb. n., R. delesserti (Caporiacco, 1941), comb. n., R. maureri (Prószynski, 1992), comb. n., R. rudakii (Prószynski, 1992), comb. n., R. spasskyi (Andreeva, Heciak, Prószynski, 1984), comb. n., R. wenshanensis (He, Hu, 1999), comb. n. Species Rudakius citri (Sadana, 1980), comb. n. was originally misidentified as Phlegra citri Sadana, 1980: 229, Figs 1–5; Rudakius ludhianaensis (Tikader, 1974 - nec Sadana et Kaur, 1974), comb. n. was originally misidentified as Marpissa ludhianaensis Tikader, 1974: 205, Figs 1-3.   
  Removed from the genus Pseudicius Metaphidippus  [?]  siticulosus (Peckham, Peckham, 1909) comb. n.    
 Synonyms: Pseudicius siticulosus Peckham & Peckham, 1909: 495, pl. 39, Fig. 11.   
 Pseudicius siticulosus Maddison, 1996: 154 (4): 229, 241, 333, Figs 43, 119, Richman, Cutler & Hill 2012: 65.   
 Remarks. Transfer to DENDRYPHANTINES is based on diagnostic drawings by W.P. Maddison (http://www.peckhamia.com/salticidae/q8-Metap.html#met-sit), published in 1996, but unfortunately the crucial drawing of internal structures of epigyne was not published. Owing to the kindness of Dr. W.P. Maddison I have seen that drawing in 1986, but I have no permission to display it. Maddison, informed on misplacement of this species, has told me that he has been aware of that since many years, but he doubts that genus Metaphidippus Pickard-Cambridge F. O., 1901 is correct placement.   
 Comment. Removal from Pseudicius is necessary for understanding the evolution of that genus, which has never reached Western Hemisphere, however, records in World Spider Catalog are not updated yet.
description: Published as part of Prószyński, Jerzy, 2016, Delimitation and description of 19 new genera, a subgenus and a species of Salticidae (Araneae) of the world, pp. 4-32 in Ecologica Montenegrina 7 on pages 23-25, DOI: 10.37828/em.2016.7.1, http://zenodo.org/record/13224403