Palpimanus Dufour 1820

Palpimanus Dufour, 1820

Palpimanus Dufour, 1820: 364; Simon 1893: 407; Kulczyński 1909: 667; Platnick, 1981: 171.

Type species. Palpimanus gibbulus Dufour, 1820 from Spain, by monotypy.

Composition. Palpimanus currently includes 38 nominal species distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa (21 species), the Mediterranean (11), Western India (2), Central Asia (2) and Iran (2) (WSC 2023). Judging from the illustration of the male palp of P. argentinus known from Argentina (Mello-Leitão 1927: fig. 1), this species is undoubtedly misplaced in Palpimanus and seems most likely collected somewhere in the Western Mediterranean (see Zonstein & Marusik 2017).

Diagnosis. Palpimanus differs from the second palpimanine genus, Ikuma, in the shape of the carapace (roundoval and steeply edged in the former vs. anteriorly narrowed, ovoidal and gently elevated from the edges to the domed central part in the latter), of the clypeus (vertical vs. inclined, respectively), and in the shape of the sternum (longer and visually narrower, ending posteriorly behind coxae IV in Ikuma vs. shorter, subrounded in appearance, and ending posteriorly at the axes of coxae IV in Palpimanus). The whitish adpressed pubescence on the dorsal and lateral surface of the carapace is much shorter and sparser in Palpimanus (where a similar pubescence is confined only to the carapace) than in Ikuma (where it is longer, denser and present also on the dorsal abdomen). In Palpimanus spp. the embolus is relatively large, branched and with partially sclerotized structures, while in I. larseni Zonstein & Marusik, 2022, the only congener known from the adult specimens, it is small, fragile and membranous. The adult females of these genera can be distinguished by the structure of the endogyne, either possessing (Palpimanus) or lacking (I. larseni) heavily sclerotized parts.

Description. The genus, in its current composition, includes predominantly medium-sized to large palpimanids (TL 4–12 mm). Carapace and sternum coarsely to moderately granulate; other body sclerites, including abdominal scuta, more finely granulated. Clypeus relatively short (mostly twice as long as AME) (Figs 11–16). Eight eyes: AME largest, in most species at least ca. twice as large as ALE; PME and PLE subequal to each other and usually slightly smaller than ALE (Figs 11–16). Thoracic fovea longitudinal, deep and narrowly trapezoidal, located on sharply inclined posterior slope of carapace. Endites small triangular (Figs 2, 4, 6, 8, 10). Labium shortly notched anteriorly. Sternum ends posteriorly close to axes of coxae IV (Figs 2, 4, 6, 8, 10). Leg formula variable: most often 1423, but in some species 4123, 1432 or 4132. Tibia and metatarsus I with prolateral scopula, weakly modified or armed with teeth. Leg tarsi with claw tufts; two tarsal claws provided with several short to long teeth. Number and shape of abdominal scuta and structure of male and female copulatory organs highly variable (see Comments and Discussion below). Other distinctive characters of Palpimanus spp. as listed above.

Comments. According to Platnick (1981), only Mediterranean and Asian members of the genus share an undivided dorsal abdominal scutum with no exceptions. Hence, in his opinion, they can be undoubtedly assigned to the genus, while the Sub-Saharan species possess either an entire or a subdivided dorsal abdominal scutum and can thus belong to different palpimanine genera. We can provisionally confirm this assumption, because in the species occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa the shape of the abdominal sclerites, proportions of the leg segments, their clasping structures and details of the copulatory organs seem to differ from those in the generotype and other Palaearctic Palpimanus spp. (see Pocock 1898: fig. 11; Lessert 1936: figs 15–18; Lawrence 1947: fig. 6a, b, 1952: figs 18–21; Benoit 1974: figs 16–17; Zonstein & Marusik 2019: figs 6, 12–16, 19, 23–29, 35–37). It is worth noting that the palp of the type species has never been properly illustrated in detail. Platnick (1981) recognized three species groups among the Palaearctic species based on the number, size and level of sclerotization of the palpal ‘prongs’ (=bulbal sclerites): - gibbulus, - maroccanus and - vultuosus. In the latter group he considered three easternmost species: P. vultuosus Simon, 1897 (Western India) and two species described from Uzbekistan P. sogdianus Charitonov, 1946 and P. wagneri Charitonov, 1946. The vultuosus group was diagnosed as having only two ‘prongs’, although only in P. sogdianus were male and female known, while the other two species are still known only from females (WSC 2023). Palpimanus sogdianus was not examined by Platnick, and this species remains to be known from a very brief textual description provided with two small and schematic figures (Charitonov 1946: figs 12–13).

Key to the Palpimanus species studied here

Males

1. Embolus fused with tegulum without a seam, tegular hump presence (Fig. 51)........................ P. logunovi sp. n.

- Embolus not fused with the tegulum, tegular hump absent..................................................... 2

2. Palpal tibia twice large than bulb (Fig. 26), embolic trench absent, apex of the embolus without teeth (Fig. 50)................................................................................................. P. rakhimovi sp. n.

- Palpal tibia and bulb approximately equal in size (Fig. 23), embolic trench present (Fig. 48), apex of embolus bears two teeth (Fig. 47)................................................................................... P. sogdianus

Females

1. Receptacles divided into membranous anterior and heavily sclerotized kidney-shaped posterior parts (Fig. 58).................................................................................................. P. logunovi sp. n.

- Receptacles not divided, ovoid........................................................................... 2

2. Grape-shaped glands connected with receptacles by long stalks (Fig. 57)........................... P. rakhimovi sp. n.

- Grape-shaped glands without distinct stalks (Fig. 56)................................................ P. sogdianus