Genus Spariolenus Simon, 1880

Type species: Spariolenus tigris Simon, 1880, by original designation from Calcutta (India), redescribed and illustrated by Jäger (2001, 2006a).

Spariolenus Simon 1880: 281 –282. Simon 1897a: 56; Simon 1897b: 253; Gravely 1931: 257, figs.13C–D; Sethi & Tikader 1988: 7, figs. 19–24; Jäger 2001: 9, figs. 2e, m–p, 14d, 15a–b; Jäger 2002: 58 –59; Jäger 2006a: 310, f. 12–15.

Extended diagnosis. Spariolenus spp. can be distinguished from all other Heteropodinae by the number of ventral tibial spines: I–II 10, III 8 and IV 6 (usually I–IV 6 in other Heteropodinae, exception Heteropoda cyperusiria Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 I–II 12, III 8, IV 6). Moreover, they can be recognized by a combination of characters of copulatory organs: male palp with blunt and short RTA in ventral view, conductor membranous (sheath-like in Heteropoda spp.). Female epigynes are characterized by two spirally coiled copulatory openings (similar to those of Martensopoda Jäger, 2006) but lacking posterior pit. The openings form two large semicircular rims (Figs 1, 11, 20, 31). In dorsal view, vulvae show three distinct windings parts. Glandular pores are situated on the third coils (Figs 3, 12, 22, 32).

Description. Medium to very large Heteropodinae (body length 8.5–31.0 mm), prosoma slightly longer than wide; leg length formula: 2143; eyes arranged in two rows and slightly recurved, lateral eyes larger than median eyes, PME larger than AME, PLE slightly larger or equal to ALE (Fig. 6); chelicerae with three anterior and four to seven (S. tigris) posterior teeth, intermarginal denticles present (Figs 7, 26); strong male embolus running in prolateral loop partially within groove of tegulum (Figs 8, 27), membranous conductor small to well developed, cymbium longer than tibia, cymbium with retrolateral-basal bulge; RTA short and divided in a dorsal and ventral branch, dRTA and vRTA arising from broad conjoint base (Figs 9, 28); female palpal claw with primary tooth distinctly longer than secondary teeth, 4–8 secondary teeth present; epigyne as in diagnosis with epigynal fields roundish or oval, with or without anterior bands, slit sense organs present, vulva as in diagnosis; colour is generally cream-brown or olive-brown with dark patterns on prosoma and opisthosoma and dark bands on the legs.

Species included: Spariolenus tigris Simon, 1880; S. secundus Jäger, 2006; S. aratta spec. nov.; S. iranomaximus spec. nov.; S. manesht spec. nov.; S. zagros spec. nov. It should be noted that Platnick (2011) listed three other species for which Jäger (2002) ascertained uncertain taxonomic status, they cannot be clearly assigned to the genus Spariolenus. For more details see Jäger (2002).

Distribution. Indian Peninsula (Calcutta), North-eastern Arabian Peninsula (Oman), Iranian Plateau (Zagros Mountains, Iran)