Integrating museum collections and molecules reveals genus-level synonymy and new species in red devil spiders (Araneae, Dysderidae) from the Middle East and Central Asia

Abstract

<p> This paper reviews little-known species of the dysderid spider genera <em>Dysdera</em> Latreille, 1804, and <em>Dysderella</em> Dunin, 1992 based on specimens collected in the Caucasus, Middle East, and Central Asia. After combining molecular phylogeny of five mitochondrial and three nuclear genes with morphological evidence, <em>Dysderella</em> is proposed as a junior synonym of <em>Dysdera</em>. In addition, three species are described as new to science: <em>D. jaegeri</em> Bellvert & Dimitrov sp. nov., <em>D. naouelae</em> Bellvert & Dimitrov sp. nov., and <em>D. kouros</em>h Bellvert, Zamani & Dimitrov sp. nov. Four combinations are proposed: <em>Dysdera caspica</em> Dunin, 1990 comb. rev., <em>Dysdera transcaspica</em> Dunin & Fet, 1985 comb. rev., <em>Dysdera elburzica</em> (Zamani, Marusik & Szűts, 2023) comb. nov. and<em> Dysdera sancticedri</em> (Brignoli, 1978) comb. nov. (ex. Dasumia Thorell, 1875). Furthermore, we report a first record of <em>D. festai</em> Caporiacco, 1929 in Turkey and its male cheliceral polymorphism. Our results illustrate the deficiencies that undermine the current taxonomy of this genus. For example, many species are described based on only one or few specimens or limited locality data. The advancements in DNA sequencing technologies applied to museum specimens reduce the need for fieldwork collection and export of fresh specimens. This highlights the significance of museum collections for improving research in this field. <br></p>