Eusparassus arabicus Moradmand 2013, spec. nov.
Creators: name: Moradmand, Majid
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Sparassidae
Eusparassus
Eusparassus arabicus

description: Eusparassus arabicus spec. nov.
Figs 7–8, 47d–e, 59e–f
Type material. Holotype: male, SAUDI ARABIA: Mintaqat ar Riyad: Wadi Mizbil [N 24˚ 30', E 46˚ 25'], 13 April 1977, W. Büttiker leg. (NMB-ARAN 20666).
Paratypes (4♂, 1♀): SAUDI ARABIA: 1♂, same data as for holotype (SMF); Mintaqat al Hail: 1♀, Wadi Naqben [in Jebel Aja Mountain], N 27˚ 41', E 41˚ 38', 1050 m, 27 May 1981, W. Büttiker leg. (NMB-ARAN 20667); Mintaqat Makkah: 1♂, Abha, Asir Mountains, 2200 m, April 1977, Dr. C. Lowe leg. (NHM); 1♂, Abulat Island, Red Sea, “Mission de la Calypso Mer Rouge 1952”, Cherbounier leg. (MNHN); UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Dubayy: 1♂, Barasti, Jumeriah, 1964, Peck leg. (AMNH).
Etymology. The specific name is taken from the type locality. Adjective.
Diagnosis. This is the only walckenaeri group member with PLE distinctly larger than AME (~1.2 times) (Figs 7d, 47d–e); male palp closely similar to that of E. walckenaeri (especially ET) but can be easily recognized by the more slender and longer dRTA and less developed vRTA (Figs.7a–b) [see also diagnosis for walckenaeri species group above].
Description. Male (ranges: n=5, single measurement: holotype):
Males medium-sized; total length 13.2, prosoma length 6.7, prosoma width 5.8, anterior width of prosoma 2.8, opisthosoma length 6.5, opisthosoma width 4.6. Eye diameters: AME 0.44, ALE 0.50, PME 0.46, PLE 0.53, eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.14, AME-ALE 0.02, PME-PME 0.30, PME-PLE 0.33, AME-PME 0.38, ALE-PLE 0.25, clypeus height at AME 0.35, clypeus height at ALE 0.40.
Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 3 to 4 posterior teeth, cheliceral furrow with intermarginal denticles (Fig. 7e).
Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 10.6 [3.6, 1.6, 2.2, 3.2], I 40.4 [10.7, 4.2, 11.2, 11.5, 2.8], II 44.9 [12.1, 4.2, 12.8, 12.7, 3.1], III 38.6 [11.1, 3.7, 10.9, 10.3, 2.6], IV 41.4 [12.0, 4.0, 11.4, 11.3, 2.7].
Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111; Legs: Femur I– III 323, IV 322; Patella I – IV 001 /101; Tibia I–IV 2124 /2224; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036.
Palp. As in diagnosis with generally elongated and slender palp, cymbium slightly longer than tibia, dRTA elongated, vRTA not pointed (Figs 7a–b); ET retrolaterad and twisted at its distal end, ET covered partially by conductor (Fig. 7c).
Female (n=1, paratype):
Large sized; total length: 21.3, prosoma length 8.5, prosoma width 7.6, anterior width of prosoma 4.3, opisthosoma length 12.8, opisthosoma width 8.5. Eye diameters: AME 0.51, ALE 0.56, PME 0.54, PLE 0.63. Eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.15, AME-ALE 0.01, PME-PME 0.41, PME-PLE 0.46, AME-PME 0.53, ALE-PLE 0.41, clypeus height at AME 0.42, clypeus height at ALE 0.55.
Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 3 posterior teeth; cheliceral furrow with 10 intermarginal denticles. Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 11.6 [3.5, 1.7, 2.3, 4.1], I 36.4 [10.2, 4.3, 9.4, 9.8, 2.7], II 40.4 [11.3, 4.6, 11.5, 1.3, 2.7], III 34.8 [10.5, 4.0, 9.3, 8.6, 2.4], IV 38.3 [11.0, 4.0, 10.2, 10.5, 2.6].
Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111, 1013; Legs: Femur I– III 323, IV 322; Patella I–II 000, III–IV 001; Tibia I–IV 2024; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036.
Epigyne/vulva. EF slightly longer than wide, EF fused anterioly with a bridge but AMLL not encircling MS entirely (Fig. 8a); CD membranous (Fig. 8b), TL spherical and robust (Fig. 8c).
Colouration [in ethanol]. Reddish to yellowish brown with darker W-shaped patches on prosoma, remains of cardiac mark on dorsal opisthosoma and legs with pale bands (Figs 47d, e).
Known geographical distribution and habitat. Endemic to Northern Arabian Peninsula collected from wadis and oases (Fig. 70a).
description: Published as part of Moradmand, Majid, 2013, The stone huntsman spider genus Eusparassus (Araneae: Sparassidae): systematics and zoogeography with revision of the African and Arabian species, pp. 1-108 in Zootaxa 3675 (1) on pages 19-24, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3675.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6422593