Heterotheridion nigrovariegatum
Creators: name: Knoflach, Barbara
name: Rollard, Christine
name: Thaler, Konrad
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Theridiidae
Heterotheridion
Heterotheridion nigrovariegatum

description: <i>Heterotheridion nigrovariegatum</i> (Simon, 1873) Figs 32-33, 44, 59 <i>Achaearanea xinjiangensis</i> Hu &amp; Wu, 1989: 119, male, female, figs 92.1-5, type region: China, Xinjiang, <b>syn. n.</b> <i>Theridion xinjiangensis</i>: – Zhu 1998: 187, figs 121A-F, male, female. <i>Theridion xinjiangensis</i>: – Song et al. 1999: 148, figs 82E-F, I-J, male, female. <i>Heterotheridion nigrovariegatum</i>: – Wunderlich 2008: 388, 460, figs 510-516, male, female, transfer from <i>Theridion</i>. For additional synonyms see Platnick (2008). <b>Material examined. Uzbekistan: Vil. Tashkent, T. Bostanlyk, Tschatkal mountains, Mt. Surenatra, 1550-1700 m, SSE Karamosov, 2 &amp;male;, 15.6.- 17.6.1997, leg. H. and R. Rausch [97-23]</b> . Vil. Kashka Darja, Hissar mountains W, Kukbulok surroundings, 1500 m, 1 &amp;male;, 6.6.1997, leg. H. and R. Rausch [97-15]. Ibidem, 2000-2100 m, 1 &amp;male;, 6.6.1997, leg. H. and R. Rausch [97-16]. Vil. Surchan Darja, 4 km SW Shurob, 14-1500 m, 2 &amp;male;, 26.5.- 27.5.1997, leg. H. and R. Rausch [97-8]. Vil. Dzhizak, T. Farish, Nuratau mountains, Hayat-Saj, S Hayat, 950-1100 m, 1 &amp;male; 1 subadult &amp;male;, leg. H. and R. Rausch [97-4]. <b>Iran:</b> Prov. Golestan, Tangegol, E Gonbad-e Qabus, 37°22’N / 55°56’E, 800 m, 1 &amp;male;, 22.5.- 24.5.2001, leg. E. Heiss. <b>Turkey:</b> Adapazari 12 km SSW, branch-off to Sapanca, ca. 100 m, beating at edge of oak forest, 1 male (NMW), 14.6.1967, leg. J. Gruber. <b>Greece:</b> Corfu, W of Spartilas, above Pirgi, in olive grove and scrub, beat catches, 1 &amp;male;, 29.5.1996, leg. B. Knoflach and K. Thaler [TH260 Ko96-5]. Corfu, Pantokrator, above Spartilas-Taxiarkhis, 650 m, beat catches around chapel, 1 &amp;female;, 31.5.1996, leg. B. Knoflach and K. Thaler [TH-263 Ko96- 8]. <b>Italy:</b> Calabria, Catanzaro, Bosco di Stilo, S Paso d. Pietra Spada, 38°29’40’’N, 16°21’06’’E, 1300 m, 4 &amp;male;, 16.6.2003, leg. H. and R. Rausch [2003-19]. Toscana, Le Regine, Popiglio 800 m, 1 &amp;female;, 15.10.1975, leg. K. Thaler. Molise, Matese, Campitello, 1500-1900 m, 1 &amp;male;, 10.8.1989, leg. G. Osella. Friuli, Trieste, Aurisina, beating from <i>Juniperus</i>, 1 &amp;female;, 13.7.1993, leg. F. Bertrandi. Ibidem, 1 &amp;male;, 4.5.1994, 1 &amp;female;, 2.6.1994, 1 &amp;male; 7 &amp;female;, 17.6.1994, leg. F. Bertrandi. Lombardia, Lago di Garda, Rocca die Manerba, 1 &amp;male; 1 &amp;female;, 16.6.1964, leg. K. Thaler. Lago di Garda, Riva, Monte Brione, 7 &amp;male; 1 &amp;female;, 13.6.1964, leg. K. Thaler. South Tyrol / Alto Adige, Klausen, Säben, beat catches, 2 &amp;male; 4 &amp;female;, 19.6.2004, leg. B. Knoflach and K. Thaler. <b>Austria:</b> Northern Tyrol, Oetz, 850-900 m, 2 &amp;male; 6 &amp;female;, 9.6.2007, leg. Knoflach. Innsbruck surroundings, 700 m, from rolled leaf of <i>Corylus avellana</i>, 1 &amp;female;, 27.7.2008, leg. B. Knoflach. Voucher specimens deposited in CTh, MHNG, MHNP, NHMB, NMW if not specifically indicated. <b>Description, identification.</b> Wiehle (1937), Miller (1971), Zhu (1998; sub <i>Theridion xinjiangensis</i>), Jäger et al. (2000), Deltshev (2003), Nentwig et al. (2003), Wunderlich (2008), for additional citations see Platnick (2008). <b>Generic placement.</b> Wunderlich (2008) established a new monotypic genus <i>Heterotheridion</i> for this strikingly coloured species (Figs 32-33) owing to its genital characters, such as the palpal tibia being elongated into a slender outgrowth, the cymbium with an apical, scaly bulge and a distal embolus directed clockwise (Fig. 59). Furthermore, the anterior median eyes are smaller than the posterior medians, the posterior eye row is procurved and the legs are rather long (Wunderlich 2008). According to its mating behaviour, <i>H. nigrovariegatum</i> does not correspond to representatives of the genus <i>Theridion</i> (Knoflach 2004). Time and duration of sperm induction and number of insertions are clearly different. Sperm induction takes place independently of copulation and lasts correspondingly longer. Copulation usually consists of two insertions only (Knoflach 2004). <b>Synonymy.</b> <i>Theridion xinjiangensis</i> (Hu &amp; Wu, 1989) is synonymised with <i>H. nigrovariegatum</i> from the literature (figs 121 in Zhu 1998) because of the following distinct characters: Conformation of male palp and epigynum very similar (Figs 44, 59). Tibial and cymbial outgrowth typical, bulbus genitalis fully corresponding; conductor characteristically pointed, embolus clockwise, sperm duct highly convoluted within voluminous subtegulum and tegulum, median apophysis inconspicuous and hidden by cymbium (Fig. 59). Epigynum and vulva of <i>Theridion xinjiangensis</i> largely resemble those of <i>H. nigrovariegatum</i> in shape of copulatory orifices, coiled course of copulatory ducts and relatively large receptacula (Fig. 44). The only apparent morphological difference concerns the opisthosoma, which ends in a small tubercle in <i>T. xinjiangensis</i> (see fig. 121B in Zhu 1998). Specimens examined from Uzbekistan strengthen this synonymy. Also the type province Xinjiang is not so far distant from the hitherto known eastern records in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. <b>Distribution.</b> <i>Heterotheridion nigrovariegatum</i> shows a wide distribution range within the Palaearctic, reaching its easternmost limits in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan (Mikhailov 1997), W-China (Zhu 1998, Song et al. 1999, sub <i>T. xinjiangensis</i>) and Siberia (Simon 1914: 294, without exact locality), and northernmost in the Russian plain (Mikhailov 1997). This distinctive species has also been reported from a few localities in North Africa, Algeria (Denis 1937) and Libya (Bonnet 1959: 4495; Caporiacco 1936a, Ghat). In Europe it has been assigned as Mediterranean-expansive (Thaler 1981; Knoflach and Thaler 1998). Further records come from several districts in Turkey (Türke&amp;scedil; and Mergen 2007). In Central Europe a preference for xerothermic habitats is evident (Buchar 1975; Thaler 1981; Jäger et al. 2000). <i>H. nigrovariegatum</i> lives on vegetation. Females hide in rolled leaves where they guard their egg sacs (Kubcová and Buchar 2005).
description: Published as part of <i>Knoflach, Barbara, Rollard, Christine &amp; Thaler, Konrad, 2009, Notes on Mediterranean Theridiidae (Araneae) – II, pp. 227-264 in ZooKeys 16 (16)</i> on pages 238-240, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.16.237, http://zenodo.org/record/576484
description: {"references": ["Simon E (1873 a) Araneides nouveaux ou peu connus du midi de l'Europe (2 e memoire). Memoires de la Societe royale des sciences de Liege (2) 5: 1 - 174, 3 pl.", "Hu JL &amp; Wu WG (1989) Spiders from agricultural regions of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Shandong Univ. Publ. House, Jinan, 435 pp.", "Zhu M (1998) Fauna Sinica. Arachnida, Araneae, Theridiidae. Academia Sinica, Science Press, Beijing, 11 + 436 pp, 2 photos.", "Song D, Zhu M, Chen J (1999) The spiders of China. Hebei Science and Technology Publishing House, Shijiazhuang, 640 pp, 4 pl.", "Wunderlich J (2008) Fossil and extant spiders (Araneae). Fossile und heutige Spinnen. Beitraege zur Araneologie 5: 1 - 870.", "Platnick NI (2008) The world spider catalogue, Version 9.5, American Museum of Natural History. - online at: http: // research. amnh. org / entomology / spiders / catalog / INTRO 1. html (Theridiidae updated 13. Dec. 2008).", "Wiehle H (1937) 26. Familie: Theridiidae oder Haubennetzspinnen (Kugelspinnen). Tierwelt Deutschlands (Fischer, Jena) 33: 119 - 222.", "Miller F (1971) Rad Pavouci-Araneida. In: Daniel M, Cerny V (ed.), Klic Zvireny CSSR, Academia, Praha 4: 51 - 306.", "Jager P, Staudt A, Schwarz B, Busse C (2000) Spinnen (Arachnida: Araneae) von Weinbergen und Weinbergsbrachen am Mittelrhein (Rheinland-Pfalz: Boppard, Oberwesel). Arachnologische Mitteilungen 19: 28 - 40.", "Deltshev C (2003) A critical review of the spider species (Araneae) described by P. Drensky in the period 1915 - 1942 from the Balkans. Berichte des naturwissenschaftlich-medizinischen Vereins in Innsbruck 90: 135 - 150.", "Nentwig W, Hanggi A, Kropf C, Blick T (2003) Spinnen Mittteleuropas - Bestimmungsschlussel. Version 8.12. 2003. Online: http: // www. araneae. unibe. ch /", "Knoflach B (2004) Diversity in the copulatory behaviour of comb-footed spiders (Araneae, Theridiidae). Denisia (Linz) 12: 161 - 256.", "Mikhailov KG (1997) Catalogue of the spiders of the territories of the former Soviet Union (Arachnida, Aranei). Zoological Museum of the Moscow State University, Moscow, 1 - 416.", "Simon E (1914) Les Arachnides de France 6 (1). Roret, Paris, 308 pp.", "Denis J (1937) On a collection of spiders from Algeria. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 4, 1936: 1027 - 1060, pl. I-V.", "Bonnet P (1959) Bibliographia araneorum, Douladoure, Toulouse 2 (5): 4231 - 5058.", "Caporiacco L di (1936 a) Aracnidi fezzanesi raccolti dal prof. G. Scortecci nel 1934 - XII (Missione della Reale Societa Geografica). Atti della Societa Italiana die Scienze Naturali 75: 67 - 93.", "Thaler K (1981) Bemerkenswerte Spinnenfunde in Nordtirol (Osterreich) (Arachnida: Aranei). Veroffentlichungen des Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum (Innsbruck) 61: 105 - 150.", "Knoflach B, Thaler K (1998) Kugelspinnen und verwandte Familien von Osterreich: Okofaunistische Ubersicht (Araneae: Theridiidae, Anapidae, Mysmenidae, Nesticidae). Stapfia (Linz) 53: 667 - 712.", "Turkes T, Mergen O (2007) The comb-footed spiders fauna of the central Anatolia region and new records for the Turkish fauna (Araneae: Theridiidae). Serket 10 (4): 112 - 119.", "Buchar J (1975) Arachnofauna Bohmens und ihr thermophiler Bestandteil. Vestnik Ceskoslovenske Spolecnosti Zoologicke 39 (4): 241 - 250.", "Kubcova L, Buchar J (2005) Biologische Beobachtungen an Spinnen der Waldsteppe. Linzer biologische Beitrage 37 (2): 1325 - 1352."]}