A new species of Hersiliola Thorell, 1870 (Araneae, Hersiliidae) from Turkey

Abstract

A new species Hersiliola turcica sp. n. is described on the basis of both sexes from Southeast Turkey. Males of the new species have an extraordinarily long embolus and females have very long insemination ducts.

The spider family Hersiliidae Thorell, 1870 (Arachnida: Araneae) in Iran

“…Four species belonging to four genera Deltshevia, Duninia, Hersiliola and Ovtsharenkoia were known from that country (Marusik & Fet, 2009). Fewer species have been recorded from other countries: three species in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, two species in Afghanistan and Israel and only one species in Turkey (Marusik & Fet, 2009;Marusik et al, 2010). Taking into account the described species and the new records presented here, the number of hersiliids in Iran increases to five species (Figure 6), which is the highest species diversity of this taxon in the Palaearctic.…”

“…All members of this taxon are medium-sized ecribellate species characterised by their elongated posterior lateral spinnerets, presence of "accessory glands" associated with fertilization ducts, and long legs I, II and IV (Marusik, Kunt, & Yağmur, 2010). The geographic distribution of most hersiliids is restricted to the tropical and subtropical regions, and only a few species has been found north of 40˚N (Marusik & Fet, 2009;Marusik et al, 2010).…”