Synaphosus palearcticus Ovtsharenko, Levy & Platnick 1994
Creators: name: Marusik, Yuri M.
name: Fomichev, Alexander A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Gnaphosidae
Synaphosus
Synaphosus palearcticus

description: Synaphosus palearcticus Ovtsharenko, Levy & Platnick, 1994
Figs 4, 28‒30, 36‒42, 51
Synaphosus palearcticus Ovtsharenko et al. 1994: 6, f. 3–5, 21–29 (♂♀); Chatzaki et al. 2002: 621, f. 50–52, 57–58 (♂♀), Namaghi et al. 2016: 19, f. 1d, 2g –h (♂).
Types examined. KAZAKHSTAN: paratype 1♂ (ZISP), Mangyshlak (= Mangistau) Province, 18 km from Kuibyshevo, near Chaira (= Shaiyr), 21.05.1985 (S. Deryugin). Dzhambul (= Zhambyl) Province: holotype ♂ (ZISP), 40 km NE Ulanbel, Betpak-Dala desert, Shengeldy spring, 4.06.1990 (A.A. Zyuzin, A.A. Fedorov); paratype 1♂ (ZISP), Moiynkum Distr, 124th km of Akkol'-Ulabel Rd, Muyunkum Desert, 16‒ 17.05.1991 (S.I.
Ibraev, A.A. Zyuzin); paratype 1♀ (ZISP), Saysuk Distr., 76 km NE of Ulanbel', Betpak-Dala Desert, clay plain, 6.06. 1990 (A.A. Fedorov, A.A. Zyuzin).
Other material examined: TAJIKISTAN: Dushanbe Province: 1♂ (ZMMU), Hissar Mt. Range, 48th km of Varzob Hwy, 38°55.531'N, 68°48.292'E, 1530 m, S exposed slope with Juglans litter & under stones, 7.05.2015 leg. (Y.M. Marusik & M. Saidov). Khatlon Province: 1♂ 1♀ (ZMMU) env. of Pyandzh Town, road along reed stand, 37°14.045'N, 69°05.450'E, 351 m, 5.05.2015 (YM); 1♂ (ZMMU), Dangara Distr, Sanglogh (= Sanglok) Mt. Range, above Shar-Shar Pass, 38°17.937'N, 69°13.598'E, 1700–2060 m, 29.04.2015 (Y.M. Marusik); 1♂ (ZMMU), Sanglok Mt. range, Sebiston, 3.05.1991 (S.V. Ovtchinnikov); 1♂ (ZMMU) Pyandzh Karatau, Astana Mt, 1700 m, 13.04.1991 (S.V. Ovtchinnikov); 1♂ (ISEA), Garauty, Vakhsh, ca. 37°34'N, 68°27'E, 9.04.1973 (A.Kononenko); 1♂ (ISEA), Garauty, Aktau, ca. 37°34'N, 68°27'E, 12.04.1973 (A. Kononenko); Gorno- Badakhshan Area: 2♀ (ZMMU), Yazgulem River, 18.07.1988 (S.V. Ovtchinnikov).
Remark. The species was described by Ovtsharenko et al. (1994). It is well different from other species known in the Central Asia by the well developed abdominal pattern (Figs 4), although some specimens may have uniformly coloured abdomen. Among the material studied, a sample from Astana has two males, one with pattern and another without. Although the holotype has uniformly coloured abdomen, one of the examined paratypes from Western Kazakhstan have distinct abdominal pattern. It is worth mentioning that the course of the insemination ducts in this species is highly variable, while the shape and position of copulatory openings and pockets are almost the same in all examined females.
Distribution. The species was known from Crete to eastern Kazakhstan, namely from Crete, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Although it is widespread in Central Asia, it was never been reported from Tajikistan before.
description: Published as part of Marusik, Yuri M. & Fomichev, Alexander A., 2016, A survey of East Palaearctic Gnaphosidae (Araneae). 5. On Synaphosus from Central Asia, pp. 428-442 in Zootaxa 4178 (3) on pages 437-438, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4178.3.7, http://zenodo.org/record/272510