Echemus caspicus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: CFBF122D-F516-4D05-B4F9-85AD591F4511

Fig. 9

Diagnosis

The new species is most similar to the generotype E. angustifrons (Westring, 1861) by having an S-shaped septum (rather than rectangular as in, e.g., E. kaltsasi Chatzaki, 2019 and E. levyi Kovblyuk & Seyyar, 2009) but differs by the much narrower anterior part (or stalk), giving a bell-shaped form to the septum (widened part of septum/stalk of stem ratio>2, vs <1.5 in E. angustifrons, cf. Fig. 9B and Chatzaki & Van Keer 2019: fig. 9). Also, the anterior epigynal margin is equally sclerotized, round and reaches the lateral sides of the plate in the new species (vs extending anteriorly and forming a triangular sclerotization in E. angustifrons).

Etymology

The specific epithet is an adjective and refers to the Caspian region, in which the type locality of the new species in located.

Type material

Holotype IRAN • ♀; Golestan Province, Shast Kalateh; 36°46′ N, 54°11′ E; 523 m a.s.l.; Jul. 2017; R. Rafiei-Jahed leg.; MHNG.

Description

Female

Habitus as in Fig. 9D. Total length 5.29. Carapace 1.87 long, 1.26 wide. Eye sizes and interdistance of PMEs: AME = 0.14, ALE = 0.13, PME = 0.12, PLE = 0.11, PME–PME = 0.07. Carapace, sternum, labium, chelicerae and maxillae dark brown, without any pattern. Chelicerae (Fig. 9C) with 3 pro- and 1 retromarginal teeth. Legs the same color as carapace, without annulations. Abdomen and spinnerets gray, without any pattern. Spinnerets uniform in color and slightly lighter in the apical segment. Measurements of legs: I: 4.59 (1.34, 0.91, 0.98, 0.76, 0.60), II: 4.26 (1.31, 0.83, 0.93, 0.66, 0.53), III: 4.04 (1.12, 0.73, 0.76, 0.78, 0.65), IV: 5.48 (1.47, 0.86, 1.11, 1.35, 0.69).

Epigyne as in Fig. 9A–B. Atrium large (ca 1.8 times as wide as long), wider than epigynal plate’s length, lateral margins distinct; septum thin, stalk 4.6 times thinner than atrium’s width; accessorial gland transverse and as long as receptacles, parallel to copulatory ducts; copulatory ducts transverse, moderately coiled, connected to oval receptacles posteriorly and to accessorial glands.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality in Golestan Province, northern Iran. This is the first record of the genus Echemus in Iran.