© ARTHROPODA SELECTA, 2016Arthropoda Selecta 25(3): 279–282
ABSTRACT. The male palp of the poorly known,
ground spider, Pterotricha strandi Spassky, 1936 is
described in detail. Several features of the palp have
not been documented before in the Gnaphosidae, nor
the entire Dionycha: 1) presence on stylus on the em-
bolus, 2) embolus composed of embolus proper and
“paraembolus”, and 3) presence of an opening inside
tibial apophysis.
РЕЗЮМЕ. Описана в деталях пальпа самца
Pterotricha strandi Spassky, 1936. В структуре паль-
пы обнаружены признаки, ранее не отмеченные в
пальпе Gnaphosidae и вообще среди Dionycha, а
именно: 1) наличие стилюса эмболюса, 2) основная
часть эмболюса состоит и собственно эмболюса и
«параэмболюса» и 3) наличие полости в отростке
голени.
Introduction
Pterotricha strandi Spassky, 1936 was described
based on both sexes collected at Akhal-Teke, Turk-
menistan [Spassky, 1936]. Since then it has not been
treated in taxonomic publications except by Marusik et
al. [2013], who reproduced figures made by Spassky to
to differentiate it from P. loeffleri (Roewer, 1955) from
adjacent Iran. During study of material from Central
Asia, one sample from Kara-Kala (=Garrygala, cur-
rently Makhtumkuli) was found that contained over a
dozen males of P. strandi. Although the material is
poorly preserved (bad alcohol concentration) and dis-
articulated, some almost complete terminal parts of the
palp, and palpal tibia were recovered. These structures
were studied with a scanning electron microscope and
several features not documented before were found.
The goal of this paper is to provide illustrations of the
male palp and to record interesting characters previ-
ously unknown in the Gnaphosidae.
Material and methods
Specimens were photographed using a JEOL JSM-
5200 Scanning Electron Microscope at the Zoological
Museum, University of Turku. Specimens studied be-
long to Zoological Museum of the Moscow State Uni-
versity (ZMMU). All measurements are given in milli-
meters.
Pterotricha strandi Spassky, 1936
Figs 1–14.
Pterotricha strandi Spassky, 1936: 37, f. 1–3 (#$); Marusik et
al., 2013: 350, f. 17 (#$, figures reproduced from Spassky [1936]).
MATERIAL EXAMINED. 14 ## in poor condition (ZMMU),
TURKMENISTAN, SW Kopetdagh Mts, 12 km W of Kara-Kala,
valley of Su River, 38°24′N, 56°07′E, mountain slope, 24.04.1991
(V.V. Dubatolov).
DIAGNOSIS. Pterotricha strandi is most similar
to P. loeffleri, a species known from northern Iran.
Males of these species differ by the proportions of the
cymbium, twice longer than wide in P. strandi and 1.7
longer than wide in P. loeffleri (cf. Fig. 5 and fig. 11 in
Marusik et al. [2013]). Palpal tibia in Iranian species is
more bent in ventral view and ventral lobe of tibial
apophysis is larger (more extended ventrally) in P.
loeffleri.
NOTE. Because all specimens are in poor condi-
tion, all parts disassembled, description of size, colour
and pattern is impossible.
DESCRIPTION. Described in detail (including leg
length, spination and pattern) by Spassky [1936]. Male
carapace 2.6 long, 2.2 wide. Female 2.5 long,1.9 wide.
Male palp as in Figs 1–13: tibia more than 2 times
longer than wide (without RTA), slightly bent; retrolat-
eral apophysis large, width of terminal part of tibia
almost equal tibial length (Fig. 9); tibial apophysis
complex with 3 distinct parts, ventral lobe (Vl), and
two arms anterior (Aa) and dorsal (Da); arms with
Redescription of the male of Pterotricha strandi (Aranei:
Gnaphosidae) with special emphasis on the structure of the palp
Ïåðåîïèñàíèå ñàìöà Pterotricha strandi (Aranei: Gnaphosidae)
è ñòðîåíèå åãî ïàëüïû
Yuri M. Marusik
Þ.Ì. Ìàðóñèê
Institute for Biological Problems of the North, Portovaya Street 18, Magadan 685000, Russia. E-mail: yurmar@mail.ru
Институт биологических проблем Севера ДВО РАН, ул. Портовая, 18, Магадан 685000 Россия.
Zoological Museum, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland.
KEY WORDS: Araneae, ground spider, Gnaphosinae, Turkmenistan, Central Asia, embolus, stylus.
КЛЮЧЕВЫЕ СЛОВА: Araneae, гнафозиды, Gnaphosinae, Туркмения, Средняя Азия, эмболюс, стилюс.
280 Marusik Yu.M.
Figs 1–8. Macerated bulb and cymbium of Pterotricha strandi: 1 — bulb, ventral, tegular apophysis lose; 2 — bulbus, prolateral;
3–4 — cymbium and bulb, ventral and retrolateral; 5 — cymbium with removed bulb and haematodocha; 6 — partly expanded bulb,
prolateral; 7 — cymbium and partly expanded bulb, ventral; 8 — bulb, anterior. Scale 0.1 mm.
Abbreviations: Cf — cymbial furrow; Co — “conductor”; Eb — embolic base; Em — embolus proper; Eo — embolic opening; Pe —
paraembolus; Sl — stylus; St — subtegulum; Ta — tegular apophysis.
Рис. 1–8. Мацерированный бульбус и цимбиум Pterotricha strandi: 1 — бульбус, снизу, без тегулярного отростка; 2 — бульбус
и цимбиум, пролатерально; 3–4 — цимбиум и бульбус, снизу и ретролатерально; 5 — цимбиум без бульбуса и гематодохи; 6 —
бульбус, пролатерально; 7 — цимбиум и частично вздутый бульбус, снизу; 8 — бульбус, спереди. Масштаб 0,1 мм.
Сокращения: Cf — складка цимбиума; Co — “кондуктор”; Eb — основание эмболюса; Em — собственно эмболюс; Eo —
отверстие эмболюса; Pe — параэмболюс; Sl — стилет; St — субтегулюм; Ta — тегулярный отросток.
281Redescription of the male of Pterotricha strandi
Figs 9–13. Macerated tibia of Pterotricha strandi: 9 — ventral; 10 — anterior-retrolateral; 11 — retrolateral; 12 — anterior-ventral;
13 — anterior. Scale 0.1 mm.
Abbreviations: Aa — anterior arm; Bs — base of seta ? (or trichobothria); Da — dorsal arm; Fu — furrow of the Po; Po — pocket
(hollow); Vl — ventral lobe.
Рис. 9–13. Мацерированная голень пальпы Pterotricha strandi: 9 — снизу; 10 — спереди-ретролатерально; 11 — ретролате-
рально; 12 — спереди-снизу; 13 — спереди. Масштаб 0,1 мм.
Сокращения: Aa — передний вырост; Bs — основание щетинки ? (или трихоботрии); Da — дорзальный вырост; Fu — щель
кармана; Po — карман (полость); Vl — нижняя лопасть.
triangle tips; internal part of apophysis with large pocket
(Po), ventral side of pocket with furrow (Fu); baso-
retrolateral and dorsal parts of tibia with strong setae,
bases of these setae (Bs) are visible on internal side of
tibia. Cymbium (Figs 5, 7) elongate, 2 times longer
than wide, with distinct furrow (Cf) about 1/4 of cym-
bial length. Subtegulum (St) large, envelops base of
tegulum. Tegulum of complex shape, membranous parts
in specimens studied rotted out; terminal part with
triangular well sclerotized extension, likely serving as
a conductor (Co); tegular (=median) apophysis (Ta)
simple, droplet shaped, with claw-like tip directed ven-
trally. Embolus complex, with large and flat base (Eb),
free part of embolus composed of 2 filamentous parts,
embolus proper (Em) and “paraembolus” (Pe); embo-
lus proper with fine ridges (visible on Figs 4, 6) com-
posed by fine spines, “paraembolus” lacks microsculp-
turing; embolic opening (Eo) located near tip of con-
ductor at fused junction of embolus proper and paraem-
bolus; tip of embolus with filamentous coiled stylus
(Sl).
COMMENT. Based on the illustrations of P. loef-
fleri in Marusik et al. [2013] and SEM images (herein)
of P. strandi, it is possible that the two names can be
synomyms.
DISTRIBUTION. So far, the species is known from
four localities in Southern Turkmenistan [Mikhailov,
Fet, 1994] (Fig 14).
Discussion
While studying the palp of this species, several
features were recognized that have not been previously
documented in the Gnaphosidae or Dionycha [cf.
Ramirez, 2014]. First, there is the presence of a stylus
of the embolus (extension of embolus over opening).
Such a structure is well known in some other families,
such as the Scytodidae [e.g. Scytodes thoracica (La-
282 Marusik Yu.M.
Fig. 14. Collecting localities of Pterotricha strandi.
Рис. 14. Места сборов Pterotricha strandi.
treille, 1802)], Oonopidae [e.g. Oonops pulcher Tem-
pleton, 1835; Spinestis nikita Saaristo et Marusik, 2009,
Oonopinus angustatus (Simon, 1882), see Saaristo et
Marusik, 2009: f. 1–3, 28], or less well known and
much shorter in the Linyphiidae (e.g Kikimora palus-
tris Eskov, 1988, see Koponen et al., 2002: f. 3G). The
stylus was known in Pterotricha, but it was considered
as the tip of embolus and called “filament” [Levy,
1995]. Only some Pterotricha have a stylus: P. lesserti
Dalmas, 1921, P. chazaliae (Simon, 1895), P. schaef-
feri (Audouin, 1826), P. parasyriaca Levy, 1995, P.
kochi (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) and P. loeffleri
[cf. Levy, 1995; Marusik et al., 2013]. Other species
has normal (gradually tapering) embolus or embolus
with widened tip, like in P. cambridgei (L. Koch, 1872).
The second feature not documented before in the
Gnaphosidae is a complex embolus composed of two
filamentous parts, the embolus proper, and “paraembo-
lus”. Thirdly, the structure documented here as the
“conductor” is unknown in other Gnaphosinae and
seems not to be homologous to that known in the Dras-
sodinae (Drassodes Westring, 1851 and Haplodrassus
Chamberlin, 1922) which is a weakly sclerotized or
membranous sclerite. In other Pterotchicha species it is
a wide, flat, well sclerotized, anterior extension of the
tegulum.
Fourthly, the feature not documented in Gnaphosi-
dae is internal structure of the tibial apophysis. It was
found to be not a solid sclerite but hollow sclerite with
complex cavity.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. I thank S. Koponen (Turku,
Finland) for providing institutional facilities and Kirill G.
Mikhailov (Moscow, Russia) for giving material used in this
study and information about records of P. strandi in Turk-
menistan. Mykola M. Kovblyuk (Simferopol, Crimea), and
Seppo Koponen provided valuable comments on versions of
this manuscript. English of the earlier draft was kindly
checked by James Cokendolpher (Lubbock, Texas).
References
Koponen S., Hoffmann J., Marusik Y.M. 2002. Kikimora palustris
Eskov, 1988 (Araneae: Linyphiidae) found in Europe // Ento-
mologica Fennica. Vol.13. P.129–133.
Levy G. 1995. Revision of the spider subfamily Gnaphosinae in
Israel (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) // Journal of Natural History.
Vol.29. P.919–981.
Marusik Y.M., Omelko M.M., Koponen S. 2013. Redescription of
Pterotricha loeffleri (Roewer, 1955) (Aranei: Gnaphosidae:
Gnaphosinae) // Arthropoda Selecta. Vol.22. No.4. P.349–352.
Mikhailov K.G., Fet V. 1994. Fauna and zoogeography of spiders
(Aranei) of Turkmenistan // V. Fet, K.I. Atamuradov (eds.).
Biogeography and ecology of Turkmenistan. Kluwer Acad.
Publ. P.499–524.
Ramírez M.J. 2014. The morphology and phylogeny of dionychan
spiders (Araneae: Araneomorphae) // Bulletin of the American
Museum of Natural History. No.390. P.1–374.
Saaristo M.I., Marusik Y.M. 2009. A new genus and species of
oonopid spider (Araneae, Oonopidae) from Ukraine // ZooK-
eys. Vol.24. P.63–74.
Spassky S.A. 1936. Araneae palaearcticae novae // Festschrift zum
60. Geburstage von Professor Dr. Embrik Strand. Riga. Bd.1.
P.37–46.
Responsible editor K.G. Mikhailov