Holotype ♂ (SMF) Antalya Province, Alanya District, Taşatan Plateau [36°38'33.20"N, 32°4'44.40"E], 09.I.2010, leg. K.B.Kunt. Paratypes: 1♀ (abdomen heavily damaged during dissection) (SMF), 1♂ (cKBK) same data as holotype.

The male palp of Hygrocrates deelemanus sp. n. is most similar to that of Hygrocrates lycaoniae. Bulbal apophyses are shorter than the embolus in both species. However, the transition between the bulbus and distal continuation is more abrupt in Hygrocrates deelemanus sp. n., clearly curved over 90°, whereas it is more gradual in Hygrocrates lycaoniae. In the vulva, the proximalmost part of the spermathecae is larger and wider than in Hygrocrates lycaoniae.

The specific name is given in honour of Dr. Christa L. Deeleman-Reinhold, a prominent Netherlander arachnologist who described the genus Hygrocrates.

AL 3.84 / ?; CL 2.76 / 3.04; CWmax 2.28 / 2.40; CWmin 1.40 / 1.76; AMEd 0.16 / 0.19; PLEd 0.12 / 0.14; PMEd 0.10 / 0.11; ChF 0.77 / 0.82; ChG 0.46 / 0.52; ChL 1.20 / 1.50. Leg measurements are given in Table 1.

Carapace hexagonal-shaped, reddish brown, surface of carapace with small dark shallow depressions. Cephalic region dark brownish, narrow and clearly higher than thoracic region (Figs 2, 3, 5, 7, 9). Chilum triangular-shaped, distinct, coloured as carapace and chelicerae and broader in females (Figs 4, 8). Fovea short, straight and longitudinal (Figs 2, 3, 7). AME, PLE and PME closely grouped. Distance of AME-PLE shorter than PLE-PME. AME separated (Figs 4, 8). Labium, gnathocoxae and chelicerae brown. Labium and gnathocoxae covered with dark hairs; more densely so on gnathocoxae. Labium wider at the base. Gnathocoxae rounded laterally, with inwardly notched tips and blackish along the margins. Sternal border of gnathocoxae pentagonal-shaped, cheliceral region arrow-shaped with blunt tip (Figs 6, 10).

Chelicerae brownish with darker tubercules; basally broader in females and laterally swollen (Figs 4, 8). Cheliceral groove with four teeth: retromargin with four teeth, including one small and one large tooth at the base of the groove (Fig. 11). Sternum and abdomen yellowish brown, with thin blackish hairs over the entire surfaces. Legs yellowish brown. Palps and legs I and II darker than legs III and IV. Leg length formula: Leg I > Leg IV > Leg II > Leg III. Tarsi with two claws and claw tufts. All tarsi with fine tarsal scopulae. Legs III and IV with metatarsal scopulae (Figs 12–15). Coxae without spines. Details of leg spination are given in Table 2.

Palpal organ with pyriform bulbus and hook-shaped (tapering towards the tip) embolus. Bulbal apophyses are more strongly sclerotized than the embolus (Figs 16–19). Vulva with two parts: anterior diverticulum and posterior diverticulum (Fig. 20). Anterior diverticulum consists of a dorsal arch with spermathecae which have two parts (distalmost and proximalmost parts), a large membranous sac (clearly visible in dorsal view) and widened twisted lateral membranes (Fig. 21). Posterior diverticulum consists of a central valve with a transverse bar, a wide membranous sac and a couple of small lateral membranous pockets (Fig. 20).

1 ♂, 1 ♀ (SMF) (abdomen heavily damaged during dissection) Burdur Province, Yeşilova District, side of Salda Lake [37°30'32.78"N, 29°41'56.66"E], 14.VII.2010, leg. E.A.Yağmur & M. Elverici.

Hygrocrates lycaoniae can be distinguished from Hygrocrates caucasicus by the pyriform shape of the bulbus (bulbus smooth and cylindrical in Hygrocrates caucasicus) (see Dunin 1992); and from Hygrocrates georgicus by having apically oval-shaped spermathecae (see Mcheidze 1972).

Hygrocrates caucasicus was originally described on the basis of two males by Dunin (1992). The females of this species have not been collected yet, but the bulbal structures of the male palp were well illustrated by Dunin (1992). However, the information of Hygrocrates georgicus is still insufficient. The following information was given by Dunin (1992: p. 60) in his review of the Caucasian Dysderidae (our translation!): “H. georgicus was described on the basis of the female holotype from Georgia: the vicinity of Tbilisi, Kodzhori, Udzho. The holotype was lost. The species was tentatively placed in Hygrocates by Deeleman-Reinhold and Deeleman (1988). To confirm their placement addition material is required. This species is absent from my collection.” During the preparation of this paper, as a result of our correspondence with the Tbilisi Janashia Museum (Georgia) which retains the spider collection of Tamara Mcheidze, it is obvious that the holotype of this species is lost (S. Otto pers. comm.). Thus, we could not examine it, but on the basis of the original illustrations of the vulva by Mcheidze (1972), Hygrocrates georgicus can be distinguished from the Turkish members of the genus by the linear distalmost part of spermathecae.

AL 3.36 / ?; CL 2.40 / 3.00; CWmax 2.20 / 2.44; CWmin 1.52 / 1.76; AMEd 0.14 / 0.16; PLEd 0.13 / 0.15; PMEd 0.11 / 0.12; ChF 0.77 / 0.79; ChG 0.45 / 0.50; ChL 1.30 / 1.46. Leg measurements are given in Table 3.

General features of the body of Hygrocrates lycaoniae closely resemble the new species (Figs 22–29), Hygrocrates deelemanus sp. n., but the two are easily differentiated by their different body sizes and by structures of the male and female genitalia (Figs 30–33, 35–38). The males of the two species are easily distinguished in ventral view (90° angle) by the terminal part of the bulbus having the following characteristics:

1. Embolic base is pear-shaped in the two species, but the tip of the embolic base located at 12 o’clock in Hygrocrates deelemanus sp. n. (Fig. 37) and at 10 o’clock in Hygrocrates lycaoniae (Fig. 38).

2. apophysis_a and apophysis_b are short and blunt in Hygrocrates deelemanus sp. n. (Fig. 37), but long in Hygrocrates lycaoniae (Fig. 38).

3. apophysis_b originates near the tip of the embolic base in Hygrocrates deelemanus sp. n. (Fig. 37), but originates from the central part of the tip of the embolic base in Hygrocrates lycaoniae (Fig. 38).

4.Embolus is curved between apophysis_a and apophysis_b in Hygrocrates deelemanus sp. n. (Fig. 37), but is raised from the embolic base and separated from apophysis_a and apophysis_b in Hygrocrates lycaoniae (Fig. 38).

The females of the two species are easily distinguished by the form of the proximalmost part of the spermathecae which is oval in Hygrocrates deelemanus sp. n. (Figs 20–21) and circular in Hygrocrates lycaoniae (Fig. 34). Details of leg spination are given in Table 4.