Figs 57 –62, 67–69, 76–78, 95– 96, Map 2.
Gnaphosa similis Kulczyński, 1926: 42, pl. 2, figs 6 (♀); Marusik & Koponen 2000: 59, figs 9, 12– 13 (♂♀); Marusik & Kovblyuk 2011: 40, figs 2.6, 17.21 (♂).
Gnaphosa muscorum: Wesołowska, 1988: 411, figs 24–28 (illustrated syntype ♂ of Pterotricha adspersa Grube, 1861); Ovtsharenko et al. 1992: 42, figs 149–150 (♂♀; figs 149–150 refer to G. s.); Ovtsharenko & Marusik 1996: 116, pl. 3, 9, 17 (misidentified, ♂♀); Namkung 2002: 477, figs 37.18 a –b (misidentified, ♂♀); Namkung 2003: 480, figs 37.18 a –b (misidentified, ♂♀).
Material examined. RUSSIA: Buryatia: 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( ISEA), Kyakhta Distr., Chikoi River valley (ca 5 km SSE of Ust’-Kiran), Khilgantui boundary ( 50 ° 221 N 106 ° 51 ’E), dry meadows and Salix stands, ca. 920 m, summer 1991 (D.V. Logunov); 1 ♂ ( ZMUT), Djirga, 11.07. 1996 (S. Koponen). Yakutia: 5 ♂, 5 ♀ ( IBPN), Kolyma River mouth from 68 ° 40 ’ to 69 ° 15 ’N, June –July 1999 (A. Alfimov). Magadan Area: 4 ♀ ( IBPN), env. of Magadan, Klyopka Vil., 59 ° 45 ’N, 151 ° 30 ’E, August 1994 (N.N. Shumadbayeva); 95 ♂, 70 ♀ ( IBPN), Kolyma River upper reaches, “Aborigen” Field Station, ca. 61 ° 58 ’N 149 ° 40 ’E, 1985–1986 (Y.M. Marusik). Chukotka: 12 ♂, 7 ♀ ( ZMMU), Pevek, 69 ° 41 ’N 170 ° 24 ’E, Summer 2011 (O. Khrulyova). Amur Area: 1 ♀ ( ZMMU), Selemdzhinskiy District, Norskiy Reserve, Nora River below Maltsevskiy cordon, leaf litter under Salix spp. and Alnus sp. on narrow, partly submerged, split between the river and the lake, 10.06. 2005 (E.M. Veselova, A.B. Ryvkin). Maritime Prov.: 5 ♂ ( IBPN), Sikhote-Alinsky Reserve, Blagodatnoe kordon, 44 ° 55 ’ 45 ”N 136 ° 32 ’ 36 ”E, 7 – 12.07.1999 (Yu. Sundukov).
Notes. Grube ( 1861) described Drassus adspersus on the basis of syntypes from Yakutia and Cisamuria. Wesołowska ( 1988) redescribed a syntype male and considered it as a senior synonym of G. m u s c o r u m. Because of the lack of usage, the senior name was suppressed. To us, the syntype male of Drassus adspersus actually belongs to G. similis. Ovtsharenko et al. ( 1992) found that syntype females belonged to two different species, G. similis and G. kompirensis. A specimen conspecific with G. kompirensis was chosen as a lectotype, and the species name adspersus was suppressed again “for lack of usage”.
Gnaphosa similis was described on the basis of a single female from Kamchatka Peninsula. Kulczyński ( 1926) compared details G. similis and G. muscorum to support the validity of his species. Two names, G. muscorum and G. similis, were synonymised by Ovtsharenko et al. ( 1992) after examination of the holotype of G. similis.
Comments. While studying of Siberian Gnaphosa, the senior author recognised small differences in the position and shape of the spur ( Sp) located on the base of the embolus. The spur had two different modifications (cf. Figs 58 & 64). Study of many specimens (over 200 males) of Gnaphosa thought to be G. muscorum from various parts of the Magadan Area, Chukotka and Maritime Province reveals no variation in shape and position of the spur. Examination of all available specimens from Finland, Middle Siberia, Tuva, Western Mongolia and Yukon Territory also revealed lack of variation, but a different type of spur. Only in Eastern Buryatia were males found with both types of spurs. However, males having different spurs have been found exclusively in different habitats, and never together ( Logunov & Marusik 2004). Differences in comparative figures and brief arguments were provided by Marusik & Koponen ( 2000). Arguments and figures provided by Marusik & Koponen ( 2000) were not accepted by Platnick ( 2014). Therefore we provide more data in support of the independence of the two species. We regard Gnaphosa lesserti Schenkel, 1963, which was described from a female from Inner Mongolia and synonymised with G. m u s c o r u m, as a synonym of G. similis.
Diagnosis. Besides distinct differences in spur location, shape and direction (cf. Figs 57 –58, 63–64, 67– 72), females differ in the width of the scape and its pocket (wider in G. muscorum), the scape is always concave in G. muscorum displaying pocket as in Figs 65, 73, 74 (seldom concave and pocket never visible in G. similis). The pocket of the scape in G. similis is subdivided in the upper part ( Ps), while in G. muscorum it is solid. Females differ also in the shape of that receptacles, which are spread more horizontally in G. similis than in G. m u s c o r u m and in the position of the glands of the receptacles: reaching scape in G. muscorum and lower than scape in G. similis ( cf. Figs 59–62 and 65 66, or 75 and 78). Endogynes differ in relative length of glands and copulatory ducts (cf. Figs 60, 62 and 66), ducts are longer in G. similis and glands are longer in G. muscorum. Two sibling species vary in size, but despite an overlap, G. similis generally has longer carapace ( Figs 95, 96).
Distribution. The species is restricted to Far East Palaearctic and occurs in Transbaikalia, Yakutia, and from Chukotka to Korea (Map 2).