Sitticus Simon 1901, sensu stricto
Creators: name: Prószyński, Jerzy
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Salticidae
Sitticus

description: Gen. Sitticus Simon, 1901, sensu stricto   
Figures 2 E-H, 3B  
 Type species Araneus terebratus Clerck, 1757 = Sitticus terebratus (Clerck, 1757).   
 Documentation studied. Original research published by Prószyński (1968) and literature data, summarized in Prószyński (2016a, b).   
 Diagnosis. Resembles other SITTICINES by comb like cheliceral tooth (Fig. 2E) and type of palps, with central loop of spermophor. Differs by lateral expansion of anterior tip of cymbium, bulbus round, encircled by embolus, tibial apophysis large (Fig. 2F). Copulatory ducts half encircling epigyne laterally and passing into central, entangled, very complicated knot (usually simplified on published drawings) (Figs 2 G- H), hiding spermatheca which also is not shown. Abdomen dark with whitish, irregular median streak, accompanied by irregular white dots (Fig. 3B).   
 Description. Male with bulbus round, or near round, typical loop of spermophor, embolus encircling bulbus and stretching in front of it inside prominent groove on expanded laterally tip of cymbium, tibial apophysis long, slightly bent, in S. terebratus robust. Epigyne with a pair of anterior openings, very close to each other, or fused, pocket simple. Copulatory ducts half encircling epigyne laterally and passing into central entangled, very complicated ducts, simplified on existing drawings. Spermathecae poorly visible among loops of ducts. Body coloration dark, with white, irregular streak on abdomen, expanded transversally by whitish spots and dots. For detailed measurements - see Prószyński (1968). Enclosed illustrations are integral part of description.   
 More diagnostic documentation of ALL recognizable species - see at: http://www.peckhamia.com/salticidae/q29-Sit-ter.html.   
 Distribution. Eurosiberian, one species occurring in cooler areas of Europe, two penetrated North America (of which S. fasciger arrived there around 1959).   
 Composition. The following species are included: Sitticus fasciger (Simon, 1880), S. finschi (Koch L., 1879), S. godlewskii (Kulczynski, 1895), S. tannuolana Logunov, 1991, S. terebratus (Clerck, 1757).   
 Corrections to list of synonyms:   
  Sitticus godlewskii (Kulczyński, 1895)    
 Attus godlewskii Kulczyński, 1895d: 74, pl. 2, f. 34;   
 Sitticus godlewskii Simon, 1901 a: 580, Prószyński, 1962a: 65, f. 1-4,   
 Sitticus fasciger Prószyński, 1968 c: 399, f. 3, 9-16.   
 Kulczyński described this species from a single, damaged specimen collected by either B. Dybowski or W. Godlewski (both prisoners of "katorga" - Imperial Russian labor camp) in Darasuń, East Siberia. Redescribed by Prószyński (1962a: 65, f. 1-4) it was later synonymized with Sitticus fasciger (Prószyński, 1968 c: 399, f. 3, 9-16) because of similarity of entangled ducts in epigyne. However, in an afterthought, degree of similarity may indicate rather affinity than identity. That dilemma may be solved only on fresh specimens collected and observed at the type locality. Reviving S. godlewskii as valid species may contribute to the solution. Therefore:   
 Sitticus fasciger (Simon, 1880) (in part) = Sitticus godlewskii (Kulczyński, 1895) (removal from   
synonymy, self-correction).
description: Published as part of Prószyński, Jerzy, 2017, Revision of the genus Sitticus Simon, 1901 s. l. (Araneae: Salticidae) *, pp. 35-50 in Ecologica Montenegrina 10 on pages 41-42, DOI: 10.37828/em.2017.10.7, http://zenodo.org/record/8027989