Bastanius kermanensis sp. nov.

The genus name is a patronym, honouring the late emeritus professor of the University of Tehran Dr Mohammad Ebrahim Bastani Parizi (1924 – 2014), who was an Iranian historian, translator, poet, essayist and author of non-fiction books. His numerous publications are mostly popular reads on the history of Iran and the history of his hometown, Kerman. The gender is masculine.

Diagnosis

Bastanius gen. nov. can easily be distinguished from other genera of Hersiliidae occurring in the region (Deltshevia Marusik & Fet, 2009, Duninia Marusik & Fet, 2009, Hersiliola Thorell, 1870 and Ovtsharenkoia Marusik & Fet, 2009), by short spinnerets, ovoid tegulum (not round), thick seminal ducts, large tegular apophysis, and very short and thick embolus. Males of Bastanius gen. nov. well differ from Duninia and Deltshevia by the orientation of the tegular apophysis which is perpendicular to the cymbial axis (Figures 2A− C); in the other two genera it is almost parallel to the cymbial axis (Marusik and Fet 2009: 87, fig. 3.3−3.5). By the shape of the male palp, Bastanius gen. nov. is most similar to Hersiliola, from which it differs by its thick, straight, not tapering embolus (filamentous, coiled and tapering in Hersiliola) and massive tegular apophysis (Marusik and Fet 2009: 87, fig. 3.1−3.2). The epigyne in the new genus is also most similar to that of Hersiliola, and the two genera can easily be distinguished by the lack of coils of insemination ducts (the insemination duct makes more than one coil, or loop, in Hersiliola).

Small-sized, body 5 – 7, carapace 2.2 – 2.4 long, 2.3 – 2.35 wide; carapace slightly longer than wide in females or wider than long in males; leg length formula 2 1 4 3. Cephalic region not elevated; eyes arranged in two rows; posterior median eyes (PME) strongly re-curved; anterior median eyes (AME) larger than other eyes; anterior lateral eyes (ALE), posterior lateral eyes (PLE) and PME subequal in size. Abdomen ovoid in both sexes. Anterior lateral spinnerets shorter than abdomen. Male palp as described in B. kermanensis sp. nov. Epigyne without windows, septum wide and high; height of septal lateral arms subequal to septal stem. Insemination duct short, not coiled but only bent, receptacles oval, fertilisation duct as long as receptacle length or longer; accessorial gland large, wider than fertilisation duct.

So far, only two species are considered in the new genus: Bastanius foordi (Marusik and Fet 2009) and B. kermanensis sp. nov.