Evolution of nuptial-gift-related male prosomal structures: taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of the genus Oedothorax (Araneae: Linyphiidae: Erigoninae) Author Lin, Shou-Wang Author Lopardo, Lara Author Uhl, Gabriele text Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 2022 2021-11-20 195 417 584 journal article 115951 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab033 75b10efe-a17d-4d10-b46e-094c6a7ebf01 0024-4082 6967774 BE2B3859-8F6A-4543-8A69-91840F82377B OEDOTHORAX MERIDIONALIS TANASEVITCH, 1987 ( FIGS 7U , 8G , 9G , 10 ; SUPPORTING INFORMATION, FIG. S1F ) Oedothorax meridionalis Tanasevitch, 1987: 355 , figs 107–110 (Dmf). Oedothorax meridionalis Tanasevitch, 1990: 102 , figs 23.6, 24.3, 28.3 (mf). Oedothorax meridionalis Tanasevitch, 2015: 382 , figs 3–6 (m). Type material: Holotype : Georgia : Caucasus , Adjaria , Keda District , Magutseti , Platanus forest, litter, ♂ 9.x.1981 , leg. S. Golovatch ( ZMMU , not examined) . Paratypes : Georgia : Abkhazia , Sukhumi District , Verkhnyaya Kelasuri Village , deciduous forest, 1♀ 27.x.1981 ( ZMMU , not examined) ; Abkhazia , Sukhumi Dim., near Kclasuri Cave , litter, 1♀ 11.iv.1983 , leg. S. Golovatch ( ZMMU , not examined) . Azerbaidjan : Shemakha Dim., Pirkuli State Reserve , bank of river, 1200–1400 m , 1♂ 4♀ ( ZMMU , examined), 1♂ 2♀ ( SMF 33815, not examined), 3♀ ( Zoological Institute of the USSR Academy of Science , Leningrad , not examined) 19.ix.1984 , leg. D. Logunov. Additional Examined material: Georgia : Caucasus , Algeti National Park , west of Manglisi , Fagus, Picea, Acer etc. forest, 1400–1450 m , litter and under bark, 2♂ 16.–18.v.1987 , leg. S. Golovatch & K. Eskov , Tanasevitch (Tanasevitch personal collection) . Diagnosis: Males: Can be identified from all other Oedothorax species by the following combination of features: a post-ocular elevation without lateral suici and pits, and without transverse groove ( Fig. 7U ); two sub-AME setae (one in Oe. gibbosus , Oe. trilobatus , Oe. apicatus , Oe. retusus , Oe. gibbifer and Oe. paludigena ). Figure 16. Oedothorax retusus ( Westring, 1851 ) . A–D, male left palp. A, retrolateral view. B, prolateral view. C, dorsal view. D, ventral view. E–G, epigyne. E, ventral view. F, dorsal view. G, external morphology. H, male right spinnerets. Scale bar 0.1 mm. Females: Similar to females of other species in the Oedothorax s.s. , but can be identified by the posterior location of copulatory openings (more anterior in species except Oe. trilobatus ) and the presence of wide, membranous chambers at the entrance of copulatory ducts (absent in other species). Description: Male (Tanasevitch personal collection): Total length: 2.13. Prosoma: 0.90 long, 0.73 wide, postocular region with hump ( Fig. 7U ). Eyes: AME-AME: 0.03, AME width: 0.05, AME-ALE: 0.02, ALE width: 0.08, ALE-PLE: 0.01, PLE width: 0.07, PLE-PME: 0.05, PME width: 0.07, PME-PME: 0.11. Clypeus: not hirsute, two sub-AME setae. Sternum: 0.53 long, 0.56 wide. Chelicerae: mastidia absent; stridulatory striae scaly, rows widely and evenly spaced ( Fig. 8G ). Legs: dorsal proximal macroseta on tibia I, II, III and IV 1.23, 1.36, 1.46 and 1.69 times diameter of tibia, respectively; Tm I: 0.47. Pedipalp: TPA rod-like, distal part scaly; BT absent; several tiny denticles retrolateral and prolateral to TPA ( Fig. 10C ); PC distal setae at median position ( Fig. 10A ); T papillae scale-like, long-palpillae-bearing region extend from protegulum until retrolateral side of TS; TS short ( Fig. 10D ); DSA tip round ( Fig. 10A ); EM median-long, cylindrical, distally oriented, with long papillae; TP with several small protuberances ( Fig. 10B ); E not broadened at basal part. Opisthosoma: brown, evenly coloured ( Fig. 9G ). Female (ZMMU): Total length: 2.82. Prosoma: 1.09 long, 0.89 wide. Eyes: AME-AME: 0.03, AME width: 0.05, AME-ALE: 0.02, ALE width: 0.09, ALE-PLE: 0, PLE width: 0.08, PLE-PME: 0.03, PME width: 0.08, PME-PME: 0.07. Clypeus: not hirsute, two sub-AME setae. Sternum: 0.58 long, 0.64 wide. Legs: dorsal proximal macroseta on tibia I, II, III and IV 1.72, 1.81, 2.25 and 2.42 times diameter of tibia, respectively; Tm I: 0.74. Epigyne: Clade 13 characteristic morphology, borders between dorsal and ventral plates converging anteriorly; CO posterior to spermathecae, with membranous chamber; copulatory duct short ( Fig. 10F, G ). Opisthosoma: brown, evenly coloured. Variation: The measurements are based on examined material. Males ( N = 3, means in parentheses): Total length 1.83–2.13 (1.95). Prosoma: 0.89–0.95 (0.91) long, 0.71– 0.74 (0.73) wide. Legs: dorsal proximal macroseta on tibia I, II, III and IV 0.97–1.64 (1.28), 1.21–1.36 ( N = 2), 1.46–2.22 (1.82) and 1.69–2.41 (1.97) times diameter of tibia, respectively; Tm I: 0.65–0.71 (0.69). Females ( N = 4, means in parentheses): Total length 2.36–3.06 (2.76). Prosoma: 1.09–1.16 (1.13) long, 0.89–0.92 (0.90) wide. Legs: dorsal proximal macroseta on tibia I, II, III and IV 1.73–1.94 (1.82), 1.81–1.94 (1.88), 1.95–2.29 (2.16) and 2.28–2.6 (2.44) times diameter of tibia, respectively; Tm I: 0.65–0.74 (0.70). Distribution: Russia (Caucasus, Central Asia), Iran . Habitat: See type material and examined material. Remarks: This species, like other true Oedothorax species , does not have a lateral extension of the radix. The lateral extension of convector (termed lateral extension of radix in the current study) illustrated in figs 4–6 in Tanasevitch (2015) might be a misinterpretation of the distal suprategular apophysis.