Enyo nitida Audouin, 1826.

Most Zodarion species are active at night and hide during the day in self-made retreats. Jocqué (1991) provided a generic diagnosis: the number of spinnerets reduced to two in males and six in females, the dense cover of flattened incised hairs on the tegument, and no more than one dorsal femoral spine. Bosmans (1994, 1997, 2009) revised the European Zodarion and classified them into 12 groups. Large AME are widely distributed among the taxa in the femoral organ clade, though species of the Z. thoni-group have small AME, which is one of the diagnostic characters of Zodariellum. Z. apertum and Z. planum are close to Central Asian spiders considered by Marusik and Koponen (2001) in Zodariellum, all these species have similar RTA and bulb. Therefore, the genus Zodarion needs to be carefully examined and revised in the future.

Holotype ♂ (Z-Xinjiang-200905-11), Luntai County (41°22'N, 84°11'E), Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, 27 May 2009, Dong Sun leg. Paratype: 1 ♀ (Z-Xinjiang-200905-12), same data as holotype.

The male of Z. apertum sp. n. is very similar to that of Z. mongolicum (Marusik & Koponen, 2001) in having a fold on the apical tegular apophysis, a relatively wider bulb, and the wide and flat apical part of the retrolateral tibial apophysis enlarged. However, it can be distinguished from Z. mongolicum by the posteriorly downward direction of the embolic base (down-retrolaterally in Z. mongolicum), the retrolateral tibial apophysis with aclinal apical margin in ventral view (flat in Z. mongolicum), and the posterior tip of the conductor being at the 6-o’clock-position (5-o’clock-position in Z. mongolicum) (Figs 2A–C, 3A–C). The female of this new species resembles that of Z. zebra Charitonov, 1946, Z. spasskyi Charitonov, 1946, and Z. proszynskii Nenilin & Fet, 1985 in having a straight margin of the pocket and closer apices of the two spermathecae, though the spiracles of the spermathecae are smaller than in the latter three species (Figs 2D, E, 3D, E).

The specific name is from the Latin apertum, in reference to the uncovered terminal of the retrolateral tibial apophysis; adjective.

Male (holotype): total length 3.65; carapace 1.79 long, 1.37 wide; opisthosoma 2.02 long, 1.33 wide. Carapace (Fig. 1A) declining, yellow-brown, furnished with black net-like stripes, flat thorax, and smooth tegument. Longitudinal fovea black. Clypeus 0.16 high, yellow brown. Anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior eye row strongly procurved in dorsal view. Ocular area black. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.18, ALE 0.12, PME 0.08, PLE 0.10, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.55, AME–PME 0.07, PME–PME 0.24, PME–PLE 0.04, PLE–PLE 0.52, ALE–PLE 0.03. MOQ 0.32 long, anterior width 0.41, posterior width 0.40. Mouthparts (Fig. 1B): chelicerae yellow-brown, with two anterior and one posterior teeth on margins of fang furrows, terminal part with row of black hairs; endites yellowish, apices paler and provided with dense black scopula; labium triangular, 0.23 long, 0.29 wide, yellow-brown, apices paler. Sternum (Fig. 1B) 0.90 long, 1.04 wide, yellowish, lateral margin dark, provided with sparse black setae, its lateral margin with inter- and intra-coxal triangles. Legs (Fig. 1A, B) yellow-brown. Leg measurements: leg I 5.39 (1.05 + 0.51 + 1.47 + 1.66 + 0.70), II 4.47 (0.90 + 0.46 + 1.54 + 1.00 + 0.57), III 5.85 (1.68 + 0.48 + 1.53 + 1.52 + 0.64), IV 6.24 (1.57+ 0.58 + 1.31 + 1.70 + 1.08). Opisthosoma covered with pale short hairs. Dorsum of opisthosoma gray, covered with large irregular black patches; venter gray, with small black patches. Spinnerets gray (Fig. 1A, B).

Figure 1. 

Zodarion apertum sp. n., habitus (A, C dorsal view B, D ventral view) A, B Male holotype C, D Female paratype.

Palp (Figs 2A–C, 3A–C). Coxae of palps white, other sections yellow; length to width ratio of femur 3.0, length to width ratio of patella 1.2; retrolateral tibial apophysis enlarged, about 3 times the tibial length, apical part wide and flat, apical margin aclinal, with thin hook-shaped dorsolateral terminal; cymbium with terminal spine, tutaculum obvious; tegular apophysis wide and strong, apical part with a fold, retrolaterally with long and beak shaped extension, tegular apophysis hook S-shaped in prolateral view, extends to basal embolus; membranous conductor long, lamellate and running almost along whole course of the embolus; base of embolus almost triangular.

Female. Total length 4.65: carapace 1.73 long, 1.12 wide; opisthosoma 2.96 long, 1.92 wide. Carapace yellow-brown. Clypeal height 0.21. Eye diameters: AME 0.19, ALE 0.11, PME 0.08, PLE 0.08. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.51, AME–PME 0.08, PME–PME 0.22, PME–PLE 0.04, PLE–PLE 0.48, ALE–PLE 0.04. MOQ 0.32 long, front width 0.36, back width 0.33. Mouthparts (Fig. 1D): labium 0.23 long, 0.31 wide. Sternum 0.83 long, 0.97 wide. Leg measurements: I 4.78 (1.28 + 0.55+ 1.06 + 1.30 + 0.59), II 4.58 (1.30 + 0.42 + 0.93 + 1.23 + 0.70), III 4.73 (1.24 + 0.45 + 1.02 + 1.28 + 0.74), IV 6.14 (1.62 + 0.53 + 1.39 + 1.62 + 0.98). Dorsum of opisthosoma black; venter white. Other colors as in male (Fig. 1C, D).

Epigyne (Figs 2D, E, 3D, E). Posterior part with central hood, which is bathingcap-shaped, 0.6 long, 0.13 wide, posteromedian margin straight, copulatory openings situated in posterior part of epigyne; long and spiraled spermathecae visible through integument, apices of two spermathecae converging and touching each other, base of two spermathecae distant (about 4 times the spermathecal diameter), brown spermathecae with 5 coils.

Figure 2. 

Zodarion apertum sp. n., male holotype left palp (A–C) and female paratype (D, E) A Prolateral view B Ventral view C Retrolateral view D Epigynum, ventral view E Vulva, dorsal view.

Figure 3. 

Zodarion apertum sp. n., male holotype (A–C) and female paratype (D, E) A–C Left male palp (A prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view) D Epigynum, ventral view E Vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: C, conductor; DLH, dorsolateral hook; E, embolus; EH, epigynal hood; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; S, spermatheca; TA, tegular apophysis; TAH, tegular apophysis hook; TU, tutaculum.

China (Xinjiang).

Holotype ♂ (Z-Shaanxi-198606-22), Baoji City (34°22'N, 107°09'E), Shaanxi Province, China, 22 June 1986, Mingsheng Zhu leg.

The male of Z. planum is very similar to those of Z. sytchevskajae Nenilin & Fet, 1985, Z. chaoyangense Zhu & Zhu, 1983, and Z. furcum Zhu, 1988, as all have dorsolateral processes extending from the middle part of the retrolateral tibial apophysis, though Z. planum can be distinguished from the others by the wide and fluent margins of the dorsolateral process (obviously curving in the other three species) (Figs 4C–E, 5A–C).

Figure 4. 

Zodarion planum sp. n., male holotype (A–E) A, B Habitus (A dorsal view B ventral view) C–E Left male palp (C prolateral view D ventral view E retrolateral view).

Figure 5. 

Zodarion planum sp. n. A–C Left male palp of male holotype (A prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view). Abbreviations: C, conductor; DLH, dorsolateral hook; E, embolus; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; TA, tegular apophysis; TAH, tegular apophysis hook; TU, tutaculum.

The specific name is from the Latin planum, in reference to the dorsolateral hook-shaped process of the retrolateral tibial apophysis; adjective.

Male (holotype): total length 2.22; carapace 1.20 long, 1.00 wide; opisthosoma 1.02 long, 0.74 wide. Carapace (Fig. 4A) declining, longer than wide, yellow-brown, furnished with inconspicuous black netlike stripes. Clypeus 0.16 high, yellow-brown. Anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior eye row strongly procurved in dorsal view. Ocular area black. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.13, ALE 0.08, PME 0.07, PLE 0.07, AME–AME 0.04, AME–ALE 0.06, ALE–ALE 0.42, AME–PME 0.08, PME–PME 0.16, PME–PLE 0.02, PLE–PLE 0.42, ALE–PLE 0.02. MOQ 0.26 long, anterior width 0.28, posterior width 0.29. Mouthparts (Fig. 4B): chelicerae yellow-brown, with two anterior and one posterior teeth on margins of fang furrows, terminal part with row of black scopulae, fangs short; endites yellowish, apices paler and provided with dense black scopula; labium triangular, 0.16 long, 0.25 wide, yellow-brown. Sternum (Fig. 4B) 0.70 long, 0.64 wide, white, lateral margin dark, provided with sparse black setae, its lateral margin with inter- and intra-coxal triangles. Legs (Fig. 4A, B) yellow-brown; femora with dorsal spines. Leg measurements: leg I 5.32 (0.98 + 0.51 + 1.47 + 1.66 + 0.70), II 2.78 (0.78 + 0.38 + 0.65 + 0.59 + 0.38), III 4.41 (0.92 + 0.38 + 1.54 + 1.00 + 0.57), IV 5.79 (1.12+ 0.58 + 1.31 + 1.70 + 1.08). Opisthosoma (Fig. 4A, B) covered with black short setae. Dorsum of opisthosoma black; venter white, median part with wide dark gray band. Spinnerets (Fig. 4B) white, laterally with blackish patches.

Palp (Figs 4C, D, 5A–C). Coxae of palps white, other sections yellow; length to width ratio of femur 2.7, length to width ratio of patella 1.2; retrolateral tibial apophysis about 2.5 times the tibial length, thin apex finger-shaped, dorsolateral hook-shaped apophysis long and flat; cymbium with terminal spine, tutaculum obvious; tegular apophysis of moderate size, retrolaterally with flat and wide extension, tegular apophysis hook nearly straight in prolateral view; membranous conductor long, lamellate, and running almost along whole course of embolus; basal embolus almost triangular.

Female unknown.

China (Shaanxi).

The two new species Z. apertum sp. n. and Z. planum sp. n., together with most known East Asian and Central Asian species of the Zodarion (i.e. Z. asiaticum Tyschchenko, 1970, Z. bekuzini Nenilin, 1985, Z. chaoyangense Zhu & Zhu, 1983, Z. continentale Andreeva & Tyschchenko, 1968, Z. furcum Zhu, 1988, Z. mongolicum (Marusik & Koponen, 2001), Z. nenilini Eskov, 1995 (also distributed in European area and Urals of Russia), Z. proszynskii Nenilin & Fet, 1985, Z. schmidti (Marusik & Koponen, 2001), Z. spasskyi Charitonov, 1946, Z. hunanense Yin, 2012, Z. sytchevskajae Nenilin & Fet, 1985, Z. volgouralensis (Ponomarev, 2007) (also distributed in Astrakhan of Russia), and Z. zebra Charitonov, 1946) appear to comprise an undescribed group with the following common characters: the long and thin embolus rising at the prolateral or basal part of the tegulum; tegular apophysis wide and strong, with a downwardly-directed hook; a modified apical portion of the retrolateral tibial apophysis turning dorsally; cymbium with tutaculum; epigyne with incised posteromedian margin and median hood; apical parts of spiraled spermathecae converging. They are different from the lutipes group (Bosmans 2009) in having a long conductor, the tutaculum of the cymbium, and the converging apex of the spermathecae.

Zodarion hunanense was described based only on a female specimen from Hunan province of China. The possibility exists that Z. planum sp. n. is conspecific with Z. hunanense.

Holotype ♂ (Z-Yunnan-200505-18), Yuanmou County (25°51'N, 101°45'E), Yunnan Province, China, 26 May 2005, collector unknown. Paratypes: 71 ♂ (Z-Yunnan-200505-19 - Z- Yunnan-200505-89) and 33 ♀ (Z- Yunnan-200505-90 - Yunnan-200505-122), same data as holotype.

The males of Z. ovatum sp. n. are similar to those of Zodarion nitidum (Audouin, 1826), Z. christae Bosmans, 2009, Z. deltshevi Bosmans, 2009, and Z. samos Bosmans, 2009 because of the flagelliform embolus rising at the basal part of the tegulum, the small tegular apophysis and the retrolateral tibial apophysis terminally pointed in ventral view, though it can be distinguished from the others by the small oval base of the embolus (triangular in the other three species), and the lack of a gland in the base of the cymbium (present in the other three species). The females of Z. ovatum sp. n. are similar to female Z. soror (Simon, 1873) in having swollen copulatory ducts, and also to Z. ludibundum Simon, 1914 and Z. nigriceps (Simon, 1873) by the oblique lateral margines of epigyne, but the copulatory ducts of Z. ovatum sp. n. are longitudinally arranged (Figs 7A–E, 8A–E) rather than oblique in the three other species.

The specific name is from the Latin ovatum, in reference to the oval shape of the swollen copulatory ducts; adjective.

Male (holotype): total length 1.85; carapace 0.99 long, 0.68 wide; opisthosoma 0.88 long, 0.64 wide. Carapace (Fig. 6A) longer than wide, yellow-brown, median part with faint black patch in front of black fovea, thorax flat, tegument smooth and shiny. Clypeus 0.09 high, yellow-brown. Anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior eye row strongly procurved in dorsal view. Ocular area black. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.03, PME 0.04, PLE 0.04, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.33, AME–PME 0.07, PME–PME 0.16, PME–PLE 0.03, PLE–PLE 0.33, ALE–PLE 0.01. MOQ 0.21 long, anterior width 0.24, posterior width 0.25. Mouthparts (Fig. 6B): chelicerae yellow-brown, with two anterior and one posterior teeth on margins of fang furrows, terminal part with row of black scopulae, fangs short; endites yellow, apices paler and provided with dense black scopula; labium triangular, 0.11 long, 0.18 wide, yellow-brown, median part with semi-orbicular brown band. Sternum (Fig. 6B) 0.52 long, 0.55 wide, white, lateral margin dark, provided with sparse black setae, its lateral margin with inter- and intra-coxal triangles. Legs (Fig. 6A, B) brown. Leg measurements: leg I 2.83 (0.75 + 0.26 + 0.59 + 0.78 + 0.45), II 2.54 (0.62 + 0.24 + 0.45 + 0.79 + 0.44), III 2.62 (0.71 + 0.20 + 0.46 + 0.80 + 0.45), IV 3.56 (0.79 + 0.31 + 0.80 + 1.01 + 0.65). Opisthosoma (Fig. 6A, B) oval, covered with black short setae. Dorsum of opisthosoma gray, covered by many dark patches; venter white. Spinnerets (Fig. 6B) pale yellow.

Figure 6. 

Zodarion ovatum sp. n., male holotype (A, B) and female paratype (C, D) Habitus (A, C dorsal view B, D ventral view).

Palp (Figs 7A–C, 8A–C). Palps yellow brown; length to width ratio of femur 2.5, length to width ratio of patella 1.3; retrolateral tibial apophysis as long as tibia, thin and slightly curved in ventral view, but wide in retrolateral view, without dorsolateral process; tegular apophysis large and complex, tip turning gradually tapering, hook of tegular apophysis pointed posteriorly in prolateral view; membranous conductor short; base of embolus small and oval, connected to tegulum via white membrane.

Figure 7. 

Zodarion ovatum sp. n., male holotype left palp (A–C) and female paratype (D, E) A Prolateral view B Ventral view C Retrolateral view D Epigynum, ventral view E Vulva, dorsal view.

Figure 8. 

Zodarion ovatum sp. n., male holotype (A–C) and female paratype (D, E) A–C Left male palp (A prolateral view B ventral view C retrolateral view) D Epigynum, ventral view E Vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: C, conductor; CD, copulatory ducts; CO, copulatory opening; E, embolus; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; S, spermatheca; TA, tegular apophysis; TAH, tegular apophysis hook.

Female. One of the specimens (Z-Laos-11–25) measured: total length 2.65; carapace 1.20 long, 0.84 wide; opisthosoma 1.48 long, 1.05 wide. Carapace yellow-brown. Clypeal height 0.09. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.13, ALE 0.09, PME 0.05, PLE 0.08, AME–AME 0.04, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.41, AME–PME 0.06, PME–PME 0.21, PME–PLE 0.02, PLE–PLE 0.38, ALE–PLE 0.02. MOQ 0.60 long, front width 0.70, back width 0.26. Mouthparts (Figure 1D): labium 0.17 long, 0.21 wide. Sternum 0.83 long, 0.97 wide. Leg measurements: I 2.66 (0.71 + 0.22 + 0.59 + 0.50 + 0.64), II 2.37 (0.81 + 0.17 + 0.47 + 0.64 + 0.28), III 2.54 (0.72 + 0.23+ 0.34 + 0.79+ 0.46), IV 3.79 (1.07 + 0.27 + 0.63 + 1.18 + 0.64). Dorsum of opisthosoma black; venter gray-brown. Other coloration as in male (Fig. 6C, D).

Epigyne with two oblique chitinous sutures, copulatory openings situated almost in the central part of epigyne; anterior part of copulatory ducts swollen, visible through integument; spermathecae small, situated posteriorly and well separated (Figs 7D, E, 8D, E).

China (Yunnan).

The males of species Z. ovatum sp. n. belong to the lutipes group with their long embolus rising at the posterior part of the tegulum; tibial apophysis short, robust and without lateral process. The females of Z. ovatum sp. n. resemble the species of the italicum group (Bosmans 1997) with their parallel or converging chitinous sutures on the epigyne and swollen copulatory ducts.

1♂ and 1♀, Zanhuang County (37°65'N, 114°35'E), Hebei Province, China, time and collector unknown.

See Zhu and Zhu (1983).

Figure 9. 

Zodarion chaoyangense Zhu & Zhu, 1983, male holotype (A, B) and female paratype (C, D) Habitus (A, C dorsal view B, D ventral view).

Figure 10. 

Zodarion chaoyangense Zhu & Zhu, 1983, male holotype left palp (A–C) and female paratype (D, E) A Prolateral view B Ventral view C Retrolateral view D Epigynum, ventral view E Vulva, dorsal view

China (Liaoning, Hebei).

1♂ and 1♀, Shijiazhuang City (38°15'N, 114°12'E), Hebei Province, China, 17 May 1985, Mingsheng Zhu leg.

See Zhu (1988).

Figure 11. 

Zodarion furcum Zhu, 1988, male holotype (A, B) and female paratype (C, D) Habitus (A, C dorsal view B, D ventral view).

Figure 12. 

Zodarion furcum Zhu, 1988, male holotype left palp (A–C) and female paratype (D, E) A Prolateral view B Ventral view C Retrolateral view D Epigynum, ventral view E Vulva, dorsal view.

China (Hebei).

See Yin (2012).

China (Hunan).

Figure 13. 

Records of Zodarion species in China. ① Zodarion apertum sp. n. ② Zodarion planum sp. n. ③ Zodarion ovatum sp. n. ④ Zodarion chaoyangense Zhu & Zhu, 1983 ⑤ Zodarion furcum Zhu, 1988 ⑥ Zodarion hunanense Yin, 2012.