Prodidomus trihelicoides Seropian, Bulbulashvili, Makharadze & Baznikin, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Seropian, Armen
name: Bulbulashvili, Natalia
name: Makharadze, Giorgi
name: Baznikin, Andrei
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Prodidomidae
Prodidomus
Prodidomus trihelicoides

description: Prodidomus trihelicoides sp. nov.
Figs 26–28
Type material.
Holotype. ♀ (CaBOL-ID 1037720); Georgia, Kakheti, Dedoplistskaro mun., Chachuna MR, Osiaskheoba; N 41.2314 °, E 46.1473 °; semidesert, in soil cracks; 20 May 2024; leg. Bulbulashvili N. Paratype. ♀ (CaBOL-ID 1037833); Georgia, Kakheti, Vashlovani NP, Mijniskure; N 41.1245 °, E 46.6456 °; semidesert, under rocks; 22 May 2024; leg. Makharadze G. Both specimens are deposited in the scientific collections of ISU.
Diagnosis.
The new species resembles P. redikorzevi Spassky, 1940 (Marusik 2009: figs 1–4, 6; Kunt et al. 2012: figs 9 a-e), from which it can be distinguished by transparent insemination ducts (Id) with three coils (vs. five coils) (Fig. 28).
Description.
Female (holotype / paratype). Total length 3.46 / 4.44. Carapace ovoid, 1.46 / 1.50 long, 1.18 / 1.23 wide. Sternum 1.16 / 1.11 long, 0.82 / 0.85 wide. Carapace, sternum, labium, chelicerae, and maxillae orange, without any pattern, covered with light yellow setae. Abdomen light yellow-orange without any pattern, dorsally covered with light yellow setae and dark brown setae posteriorly. Ocular area triangular. Chelicerae without teeth. Legs the same color as carapace, without annulations. Eyes: AME 0.12 / 0.13, ALE 0.11 / 0.12, PME 0.14 / 0.15, PLE 0.13 / 0.14. Leg measurements: I 4.67 / 4.76 (1.16 / 1.18 + 0.93 / 0.94 + 0.98 / 1.01 + 0.84 / 0.85 + 0.76 / 0.78), II 3.89 / 4.02 (0.96 / 0.98 + 0.74 / 0.77 + 0.84 / 0.86 + 0.69 / 0.73 + 0.66 / 0.68), III 3.41 / 3.53 (0.88 / 0.91 + 0.62 / 0.65 + 0.71 / 0.73 + 0.61 / 0.63 + 0.59 / 0.61), IV 4.25 / 4.33 (0.85 / 0.87 + 0.79 / 0.81 + 1.28 / 1.30 + 0.71 / 0.72 + 0.62 / 0.63). Epigyne and endogyne as in Figs 27–28: septum (S) with a pair of apical hoods (Lh) (insemination duct openings) and unpaired well-sclerotized basal hood (Bh); insemination ducts (Id) wide, long, and transparent, forming a single wide loop at the entrance, then forming three closely located smaller coils (Ic); receptacula (Re)> - shaped, divided into several chambers.
Male. Unknown.
Etymology.
The specific epithet is an adjective referring to the three coils of insemination ducts.
Habitat.
Two females were collected in soil cracks and under rocks in semideserts of Chachuna MR and Vashlovani NP (Figs 49–52).
Distribution.
Known from two localities in Georgia only.
Comments.
In his paper, Al-Khazali (2021) depicts a Prodidomus female from Iraq with three insemination duct coils, probably belonging to the herein-described species, and erroneously assigns it to P. redikorzevi. Moreover, P. trihelicoides sp. nov. and females from Iraq may belong to the species recently described by a male from Iran - P. inexpectatus Zamani, Chatzaki, Esyunin & Marusik, 2021 (Zamani et al. 2021). Until proven otherwise, we consider P. trihelicoides sp. nov. a separate species.
description: Published as part of Seropian, Armen, Bulbulashvili, Natalia, Makharadze, Giorgi & Baznikin, Andrei, 2024, New and interesting spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) from Vashlovani National Park and Chachuna Managed Reserve (Georgia), pp. 183-213 in Caucasiana 3 on pages 183-213, DOI: 10.3897/caucasiana.3.e132501