New taxonomic considerations in Zodariellum Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968 (Araneae: Zodariidae), with notes on the presence of cymbial diverticulum in different zodariid genera

Abstract

New taxonomic considerations in the zodariid spider genus Zodariellum Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968 are proposed. On the basis of male specimens collected in Turkmenistan, Z. turanicum sp. n. and Z. turkmenicum sp. n. are described as new to science. Six species, namely Z. hunanense (Yin, 2012) comb. n., Z. planum (Zhang & Zhang, 2019) comb. n., Z. spasskyi (Charitonov, 1946) comb. n., Z. tadzhikum (Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968) comb. n., Z. testaceofasciatum (Spassky, 1941) comb. n. and Z. zebra (Charitonov, 1946) comb. n., are newly transferred from Zodarion Walckenaer, 1826 to Zodariellum. Two new synonymies are proposed: Zodarion apertum Zhang & Zhang, 2019 syn. n. is synonymized with Zodariellum mongolicum Marusik & Koponen, 2001, and Zodarion martynovae Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968 syn. n. is synonymized with Z. continentale (Andreeva & Tyshchenko, 1968). Additionally, illustrations are provided for three poorly known Central Asian species, namely Z. asiaticum (Tyshchenko, 1970), Z. bactrianum (Kroneberg, 1875) and Z. nenilini (Eskov, 1995). A deep and conical diverticulum of unknown function, located on the retrodorsal side of the cymbium is documented in Zodariellum for the first time; the presence of similar structures in different zodariid genera is discussed.