Oecobius pasargadae sp. n.

(Figures 1C, D, 6A–F)

Type material

Holotype ♂ (MMUE), IRAN: Fars Province: Shiraz, 29.6°N, 52.516667°E, 18‒26 May 2000 (Y. M. Marusik). Paratypes: 1♂ 4♀ (ZMMU), 4♀ (MMUE), same data as for the holotype.

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the capital of the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus the Great, which is nowadays an archaeological site approximately 90 km north-east of Shiraz; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis

In the habitus, the new species differs from all of the congeners occurring in the region by lacking a carapace pattern in combination with lacking leg annulations. Its male can be easily distinguished from the congeners occurring in the region by having a tegular bump (Tb), almost equally long longitudinal terminal (Ta) and radical (Ra) apophyses (vs different in length or not elongate), and by having a kind of tooth (Rt) on the tip of radical apophysis. The female of the new species differs from all other species known in the region by having an arch-shaped notch of the plate (Pc), with the plate bearing copulatory openings (vs plate with extension (‘scape̍) bearing copulatory openings).

Description

Male (holotype). Habitus as in Figure 1C. Total length 2.00. Carapace 0.80 long, 0.95 wide. Eye sizes: AME: 0.07, ALE: 0.08, PLE: 0.05, PME: 0.11. Carapace light yellowish brown. Chelicerae, sternum, labium, and maxillae pale brown. Legs coloured as carapace, without annulations. Abdomen greyish brown and mottled with small guanine patches. Spinnerets light greyish brown. Measurements of legs: I: 3.12 (0.90, 0.32, 0.68, 0.68, 0.54), II: 3.18 (0.90, 0.31, 0.72, 0.70, 0.55), III: 3.10 (0.83, 0.31, 0.68, 0.74, 0.54), IV: 3.29 (0.94, 0.29, 0.74, 0.81, 0.51).

Palp as in Figure 6A–C; tibia with a kind of retrolateral apophysis (arrowed in Figure 6A); bulb subtriangular in ventral view; tegulum with ‘bump̍ (Tb) in anterior part; sperm duct with small loop (Lo) in anterior part of tegulum; terminal apophysis (Ta) gutter-shaped in retrolateral view, with transverse wrinkles; radix (Rx) with broad radical apophysis (Ra) bearing kind of tooth (Rt) at mesal part.

Female. Habitus as in Figure 1D. Total length 2.80. Carapace 0.74 long, 0.83 wide. Eye sizes: AME: 0.06, ALE: 0.08, PLE: 0.05, PME: 0.09. Colouration as in male. Measurements of legs: I: 2.93 (0.86, 0.30, 0.61, 0.63, 0.53), II: 3.02 (0.82, 0.31, 0.66, 0.69, 0.54), III: 2.89 (0.78, 0.31, 0.62, 0.72, 0.46), IV: 3.18 (0.88, 0.32, 0.73, 0.79, 0.46).

Epigyne as in Figure 6D–F; epigynal plate ca 1.3 times wider than long; posterior part with arched notch occupied by kind of plate with copulatory openings (Pc); copulatory ducts terminally fused; sclerotised capsules (Cs) oval, diverging; receptacles (Re) oval transversal (not clearly visible on Figure 6F).

Distribution

Known only from the type locality in Fars Province, south-central Iran (Figure 9).