Agroeca parva Robert Bosmans 2011, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Bosmans, Robert
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Liocranidae
Agroeca
Agroeca parva

description: <i>Agroeca parva</i> sp. nov. (Figs. 11-14) <b>Type material:</b> Holotype male, 2 male paratypes 1 female paratype from Greece, Lesbos, Polichmtos, Aghios Pavlos E. (N 39°07’38” E 26°14’03”), 10 m, pitfalls in <i>Juncus</i> marsh, 11.X.2007, R. Bosmans leg. Deposited in KBIN. <b>Etymology:</b> The name refers to the small size ol the new species. <b>Diagnosis</b> <i>i Agroeca parva</i> sp. nov. is recognised by its small size and its contrasting colour. The male palp and female epigyne suggest the species is <i>closely</i> related to <i>Agroeca annulipes</i> Simon, 1878 and <i>A. maghrebensis</i> Bosmans, 1999, both from the western Mediterranean. Males differ by the truncate palpal tibial apophysis, more pointed in the species from the Maghreb, females by the concave lateral margins of the epigynal depression, straight in the species from the Maghreb. <b>Description</b> <b>Colour:</b> Prosoma yellowish brown with narrow margin and submedian stripe greyish black. Abdomen grey black, median denticulate stripe grey brown, venter yellowish brown with few grey black spots in posterior half. Legs yellowish brown, femora with 2 broad grey annulations, patellae I I- ill with basal half grey. <b>Measurements</b> (males: n =3, females n = 6): Male: Total length 3.6-3.8; prosoma 1.84-2.12 long, 1.44- 1.71 wide. Female: Total length 4.1-4.5; prosoma 1.83-2.16 long, 1.51-1.64 wide. Leg measurements as in Table 5, leg spination as in Table 6. <b>Male palp</b> (Figs. 11, 12): Tibia with thick, straight apophysis, terminally truncate at dorsal margin. Median apophysis reversed L-shaped, with distinct anterior concavity and terminally pointed. Embolus gradually narrowing terminally curved towards the median apophysis. <b>Epigyne and vulva</b> (Figs. 13-14): With large median depression, concave lateral margins and a posteriorly narrowing median septum. Further material examined Agiasos: Megali Limni W., Steni Klidi, (N 39°06’47” E 26°18’30”), 400 m, 2 females, pitfalls in <i>Pinus</i> forest, 3.IV.2008 (CJVK, CRB); - Kalloni: Skala Kalloni (N 39°12’28” E 26°12’01”), 10 m, 1 female, litter in vegetable garden of hotel, 6.X.2007 (CRB); - Polichnitos: Polichnitos salt works (N 39°06’37” E 26°10’50”), 5 m, stones in <i>Salicornia</i> salt marsh, 2 females, 31.III.2008 (CRB); Vatera (N 39°01’00” E 26°13’59”), 30 m, 1 male, litter in garden of hotel, 9.X.2007 (CRB). <b>Ecology:</b> Males of this species were only collected in October, females in October and March. It was found in salt marshes, pine forests and even in a vegetable garden, so there seem to be no particular habitat preferences. <b>Distribution:</b> Currently, only known from Lesbos, but as all other <i>Agroeca</i> species have large distribution areas, it probably occurs in a much wider area.
description: Published as part of <i>Robert Bosmans, 2011, On some new or rare spider species from Lesbos, Greece (Araneae: Agelenidae, Amaurobiidae, Corinnidae, Gnaphosidae, Liocranidae), pp. 15-22 in Arachnologische Mitteilungen 40 (1)</i> on pages 19-20, DOI: 10.5431/aramit4003, http://zenodo.org/record/814865