Published June 5, 2025 | Version v1
Taxonomic treatment Open

Zodarion modestum

Description

Zodarion modestum (Simon)

(Figures 17, 24G–I, 25N, 26N, 27K)

Enyo modesta Simon, 1870: 145 (♂).

Zodarion modestum – Denis 1937: 32, pl. 6, figs 47–48 (♂). – Bosmans 1994: 136, figs 79– 80, 131–132 (♂ ♀).

Examined type material

Lectotype (♂) and paralectotype (♂): UNITED KINGDOM (IBERIA): Gibraltar; MNHN-AR1519, MNHN-AR1520.

Other material examined

SPAIN: 1 ♂; Zahara de los Atunes, Cádiz; 10 m a.s.l.; 9 April 1974; J. Murphy and F. Murphy leg.; wooded hillside; CJFM-677, G7572.686. 1 ♀; idem; 0 m a.s.l.; 14 April 1974; J. Murphy and F. Murphy leg.; sand dunes; CJFM-677, G7572.686. 2 ♀, 1 juv.; labelled as ‘ Málaga, Maro’; 100 m a.s.l.; May – April 1987; J. Murphy and F. Murphy leg.; stones, litter; CJFM-14343, G7572.14989. 1 ♂, 2 ♀; labelled as ‘Málaga, Frigiliana’; 20 m a.s.l.; 20 April 1987; J. Murphy and F. Murphy leg.; stones, litter; CJFM-14558, G7572.12808. 1 ♀; labelled as ‘Granada, Cádiz’; MNHN-AR1522. 3 ♂, 5 juv.; Rio Maitena, Granada; 28 May 2012; S. Pekár and S. Korenko leg.; CMU. 2 ♀, 1 juv.; Facinas, Cádiz; 36.145°N, 5.702°W; 2 December 2021; D. Ortiz and A. Avila leg.; urban grassland; CMU. 1 ♂; around pond of Western outskirt of Mont-Ras, Girona; 41.915°N, 3.141°W; 23 December 2021; D. Ortiz leg.; CMU. 4 ♂, 2 ♀; Casares, Málaga; 36.446°N, 5.279°W; 2 May 2024, S. Pekár and S. Shafaie leg.; CMU.

Diagnosis

Males of Z. modestum can be distinguished from the closely related Z. isabellinum by the absence of an embolar base (vs present; compare Figure 24H and Figure 24B) and the gradually narrowing embolus (vs a more slender embolus; compare Figure 24H and Figure 24B), while females can be distinguished by a sub-trapezoidal epigynal plate with a longitudinal, midline suture (vs epigynal plate sub-rectangular, with a longitudinal, concave median septum; compare Figures 25N, 27K and Figures 25L, 27I).

Description

For a detailed description of the habitus and male palp, refer to Bosmans (1994). Epigyne. (Figure 27K) Sub-trapezoidal epigynal plate, with a longitudinal, midline suture posteriorly. Epigynal plate edges sinuous in shape.

Molecular data

COI mitochondrial barcodes (GenBank accession): PQ119991, PQ119992.

Maximum intraspecific COI divergence (2): 6.4%. Minimum interspecific divergence (to Z. isabellinum): 6.3%. Consensus COI distance to the closest species (Z. isabellinum): 3.4%.

Distribution

Spain, United Kingdom (Gibraltar).

Notes

Published as part of Shafaie, Sepideh, Pekár, Stano & Ortiz, David, 2025, Zodarion spiders (Araneae: Zodariidae): morphology, molecular characterisation and reassessment of the elegans, italicum, and pusio groups from Iberia and the Canary Islands, pp. 1825-1875 in Journal of Natural History 59 (25 - 28) on pages 1851-1857, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2025.2498047, http://zenodo.org/record/17006654

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Linked records

Additional details

Biodiversity

Collection code
A
Event date
2012-05-28 , 2021-12-02 , 2021-12-23 , 2024-05-02
Verbatim event date
2012-05-28 , 2021-12-02 , 2021-12-23 , 2024-05-02
Scientific name authorship
Simon
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Order
Araneae
Family
Zodariidae
Genus
Zodarion
Species
modestum
Taxon rank
species
Type status
lectotype
Taxonomic concept label
Zodarion modestum (Simon, 1870) sec. Shafaie, Pekár & Ortiz, 2025

References

  • Simon E. 1870. Sur les araneides de la famille des Enydes: qui habitent l'Espagne et le Maroc. Revue et Magasin de Zoologie Pure et Appliquee, Series. 2 (22): 51-54 + 97 - 103 + 142 - 148.
  • Denis J. 1937. Contribution a l'etude des araignees du genre Zodarion Walckenaer. Festschrift Embrik Strand. 3: 1-50.
  • Bosmans R. 1994. Revision of the genus Zodarion Walckenaer, 1833 in the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic islands (Araneae, Zodariidae). Eos. 69: 115-142.
  • Bosmans R, Pantini P, Loverre O, Addante R. 2019. New species and new records of ant-eating spiders from Mediterranean Europe (Araneae: Zodariidae). Arachnol Mitt. 57: 8-20. doi: 10.30963 / aramit 5703.
  • Canestrini G. 1868. Nuove aracnidi italiani. Annuario della Societa dei Naturalisti in Modena. 3: 190-206.