Drassyllus cyprius Russell-Smith 2017, sp. n.
Creators: name: Russell-Smith, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Gnaphosidae
Drassyllus
Drassyllus cyprius

description: Drassyllus cyprius sp. n.
Figs 16, 18–20, 23, 25 ̄26
Diagnosis. The species possesses the distinctive characteristics of the genus Drassyllus, including the bifid medially situated terminal apophysis of the male palp and the T-shaped septum of the epigyne, in addition to the dark brown unicoloured body, the lighter Ta/Mt and the closely situated, oblique PME. It bears a close morphological resemblance to Drassyllus sur Tuneva & Esyunin, 2003 but differs from it by the different shape of all tegular components of the male palp (embolus of D. cyprius sp.n. almost straight, projection of embolar radix and terminal apophysis more pointed, median apophysis large and prominent at the ventral side of tegulum, shape of embolar haematodocha different) and of the female epigyne and vulva (wider anterior margin, longer anterior ducts, wider median ducts). Figures of D. sur males by Tuneva & Esyunin (2003) (p. 223, Figs 3 ̄4) or Kovblyuk et al. (2009) (p. 177, Figs 27 ̄28) are somewhat misleading, especially in the way the terminal apophysis is illustrated. For this reason, we examined paratypes of this species (Figs 17, 21 ̄22, 24) and we confirmed its resemblance to, but clear distinction from, the newly described species.
Holotype: male, Cyprus, Kinousa, 28.III.1998, leg. M. Askins. Paratypes: 8 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ same locality, date and collector.
Comparative material examined. Drassyllus sur Tuneva & Esyunin, 2003 – 2 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ paratypes, South Urals, Orenburg area, Sol-Iletsk district, Chybynda, 12.VI.2000 [ZMMU].
Etymology. The specific name refers to Cyprus, the island of the type locality of the species.
Description. Male (holotype). Medium sized, uniformly dark-brown gnaphosid spider. Measurements: TL 5.373; CL 2.331; CW 1.85; AL 2.981. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.071, PME 0.084x0.114, PLE 0.099, ALE 0.09 AME-AME 0.0.0 74, AME-ALE 0.037, PME-PME (min/max) 0.032/0.113, PME-PLE 0.049. Distance between AME almost their own diameter. PER slightly procurved to straight, AER straight. Chelicera promargin armed with 5 teeth and retromargin with 1-2 denticles. Labium 0.464 long, 0.333 wide at its base. Sternum 1.480 long, 0.905 wide. Cephalothorax widening at thoracic region. Scutum triangular, covering about Ḣ of abdominal dorsal surface. Legs dark brown except for Ta/Mt which are orange to yellow. Legs size are IV>I>II>III. Leg spination: Leg I: Fe 2d Mt 2v; Leg II: Fe 2d Ti 2v Mt 2v; Leg III: Fe 6d Pa 1rl Ti/Mt spinose; Leg IV: Fe 4d Ti/Mt spinose. Palp (Figs 16, 18–20). Tibial apophysis almost straight with bent tip, ca ¼ of cymbium’s length. Terminal apophysis fused prolaterally to embolar base, with retrolaterally pointed tip. Embolar projection (or projection of embolar radix sensu Senglet (2004)) robust, tapering at the end, almost covered by embolar heamatodocha. Embolus filiform and long, starting from the mid-point of the tegulum retrolaterally and with retrolateral angle, rising straight towards the central line of the cymbium, slightly curved terminally (Fig. 19). Median apophysis expanded to about half tegular length.
Female (the largest paratype). Habitus, colouration and eye configuration as in male. Measurements: TL 5.377; CL 2.203; CW 1.542; AL 4.053. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.064, PME 0.08x0.110, PLE 0.086, ALE 0.094 AME-AME 0.074, AME-ALE almost touching, PME-PME (min/max) 0.039/0.110, PME-PLE 0.057. Chelicera promargin armed with 5 teeth and retromargin with 3 denticles. Labium 0.360 long, 0.302 wide at its base. Sternum 1.426 long, 1.093 wide. Legs size are IV>I>II>III. Leg spination: Leg I: Fe 2d Mt 2v; Leg II: Fe 2- 3d Ti 1v Mt 2v; Leg III: Fe 6d Pa 1rl Ti/Mt spinose; Leg IV: Fe 4d Ti/Mt spinose. Epigyne (Figs 23, 25) with broad continuous anterior margin distally surrounding Ḣ of the lateral epigynal margins. Copulatory orifices at posterior end of lateral epigynal margins. T-shaped septum forming a small midpiece and wide lateral chambers. Vulva (Fig.
26). Spermathecae oval, opening to wide posterior ducts, inflated median ducts and anterior ducts almost as long as medians, with long glandular heads. Upper part of anterior ducts at same level as anterior margin. Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Cyprus.
description: Published as part of Russell-Smith, Anthony, 2017, New species and new records of ground spiders (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) from Cyprus, pp. 237-255 in Zootaxa 4329 (3) on pages 244-247, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4329.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/1002542