#ZooKeys

ZooKeys 1172: 117-130 (2023)
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1172.107112

Research Article

Notes on Dysderidae (Arachnida, Araneae) of Armenia and Iran,
with new species and records

Armine Kosyan™®, Alireza Zamani2®, Yuri M. Marusik?4©

&e wo NY -—

Faculty of Biology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia

Zoological Museum, Biodiversity Unit, Fl-20014 University of Turku, Finland

Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
Altai State University, Lenina Pr., 61, Barnaul, RF-656049, Russia

Corresponding author: Alireza Zamani (zamani.alireza5@gmail.com)

OPEN ro | ACCESS

Academic editor: Shugiang Li
Received: 28 May 2023
Accepted: 27 June 2023
Published: 25 July 2023

ZooBank: https://zoobank.org/
C8B5DE1C-0482-491D-A61C-
ABFB55C93A13

Citation: Kosyan A, Zamani A, Marusik
YM (2023) Notes on Dysderidae
(Arachnida, Araneae) of Armenia and
Iran, with new species and records.
ZooKeys 1172: 117-130. https://doi.
org/10.3897/zookeys.1172.107112

Copyright: © Armine Kosyan et al.

This is an open access article distributed under
terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License (Attribution 4.0 International -

CC BY 4.0).

Abstract

New data are provided on dysderid spiders of Armenia and Iran. Dysdera haykana
sp. nov. is described based on male specimens collected in Kotayk and Lor provinces,
central and northern Armenia. The female of Dysdera nakhchivanica Beydizade, Shafaie
& Guseinov, 2018 is described for the first time, and the species is newly recorded from
Armenia. Furthermore, new distribution data are provided for Harpactea armenica Dunin,
1989, including the first record of the species from Iran. Photographs and a distribution
map are provided for all three species.

Key words: Aranei, Caucasus, red devil spiders, woodlouse spiders

Introduction

The spider family Dysderidae C.L. Koch, 1837 currently comprises 612 extant
species in 25 genera distributed in the Western Palaearctic (WSC 2023). The dys-
derid fauna of the Caucasus is relatively well studied thanks to the publication of
several large-scale, family-level revisions and smaller taxonomic contributions
(e.g., Charitonov 1956; Dunin 1982, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992). However, the Arme-
nian dysderids, with only 11 currently known species (Otto 2022), remain poorly
documented, especially when compared to adjacent countries of Azerbaijan (30
species; Otto 2022), Georgia (33 species; Otto 2022), Iran (15 species; Zamani
et al. 2023), and Turkey (69 species; Danisman et al. 2023). This paper aims to
contribute to the knowledge of dysderid diversity in this region by providing new
taxonomic and faunistic data on three species occurring in Armenia and Iran.

Materials and methods

Photographs of specimens and their copulatory organs were obtained using an
Olympus Camedia E-520 camera attached to an Olympus SZX16 stereomicro-
scope, and a JEOL JSM-5200 scanning electron microscope. Digital images of dif-
ferent focal planes were stacked with Helicon Focus™ v. 8.1.1. Illustrations of inter-
nal genitalia were made after digesting tissues off ina 10% KOH aqueous solution.

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

Body measurements exclude the chelicerae and spinnerets. Leg segments were
measured on the dorsal side. Measurements and characters of the palp used in
the diagnoses are based on the retrolateral view. Measurements of legs are listed
as: total length (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus). All measurements are giv-
en in millimetres. The map was prepared using SimpleMappr (Shorthouse 2010).

Abbreviations: Eyes: AME - anterior median eye, PLE — posterior lateral eye,
PME - posterior median eye. Spination: d — dorsal, Fe — femur, Mt — metatar-
sus, Pa — patella, pl — prolateral, rl — retrolateral, Ti — tibia, v - ventral.

Depositories: MHNG - Muséum drhistoire naturelle, Geneve, Switzerland
(P.J. Schwendinger, L. Monod); ZMMU — Zoological Museum of the Moscow
State University, Russia (K.G. Mikhailov).

Taxonomy

Family Dysderidae C.L. Koch, 1837
Subfamily Dysderinae C.L. Koch, 1837
Genus Dysdera Latreille, 1804

Dysdera haykana sp. nov.
https://zoobank.org/F47E0340-1B68-488A-8B19-4291 FADF47F7
Figs 1A, 2A-D, 3A, B

Type materials. Holotype <3 (ZMMU), ARMENIA: Lori Province: Mets Parni,
40°49'15.4'N, 44°04'33.2"E, 30.04.2022 (A. Kosyan). Paratypes: 1 (ZMMU),
same data as for the holotype; 14’ (ZMMU), Kotayk Province: env. of Solak Vill.,
40°28'34'N, 44°42'57"E, 14.05.2021 (Y.M. Marusik).
Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjective referring to Hayk Nahapet (in
Armenian: ul), the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation.
Diagnosis. The new species belongs to the asiatica species-group and is most
similar to D. asiatica Nosek, 1905 (see Deeleman-Reinhold and Deeleman 1988:
figs 226, 227) and D. ukrainensis Charitonov, 1956 (as illustrated by Charitonov
1956: fig. 16) in possessing a spine-like median process (Mp) (vs either lacking
or of a different shape (with 2 or more teeth) in other species). Dysdera haykana
sp. nov. can be distinguished from both species by the almost indistinct spine-
like outgrowth (So) on the median crest (vs distinct). From D. ukrainensis, it also
differs by having median crest (Mc) ca 2.5 times longer than high (vs as long as
high), the median process extending the median crest (vs not extending), and the
relatively larger posterior apophysis (Pa) (cf. Fig. 2A and Charitonov 1956: fig. 16).
Description. Male (Holotype). Habitus as in Fig. 1A. Total length 9.22. Cara-
pace 4.16 long, 3.33 wide. Eye sizes: AME 0.22, PME 0.16, PLE 0.19. Carapace
and chelicerae dark reddish; carapace slightly lighter posteriorly. Sternum, labi-
um, and maxillae reddish. Legs yellowish orange. Abdomen light beige, without
any pattern. Spinnerets uniformly beige. Measurements of legs: |: 11.00 (3.09,
2.11, 2.59, 2.49, 0.72), Il: 10.91 (3.13, 1.90, 2.52, 2.69, 0.67), Ill: 8.23 (2.48, 1.34,
1.52, 2.26, 0.63), IV: 10.85 (3.16, 1.80, 2.23, 2.91, 0.75). Spination: I, Il: no spines;
Il: Ti: 2pl, Trl, 2v; Mt: 3pl, 3rl, 6v. IV: Fe: 1d; Ti: 2pl, 2rl, 2v; Mt: 2d, 3pl, 3rl, 4v.
Palp as in Figs 2A-D, 3A, B; bulb 3 times longer than its maximal width;
psembolus 1.5 times longer than tegulum; tegulum 1.27 times longer than
wide; median crest (Mc) elongate, ca 2.5 times longer than high, with almost

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

2mm

Figure 1. Habitus of the holotype male of Dysdera haykana sp. nov. (A) and the female of D. nakhchivanica (B), dorsal.

indistinct spine-like outgrowth (So), middle part of psembolus with spine-like
process (Mp), its tip extending dorsal margin of median crest.

Female. Unknown.

Note. The record of D. ukrainensis in central Georgia (cf. Otto 2022) may belong
to this species. Kovblyuk et al. (2008) redescribed the types of D. ukrainensis, al-
though their figures of the lectotype male differs from those provided in Chariton-
ov (1956) in the shape of the median process. Moreover, according to Kovblyuk et
al. (2008), the median process can vary in shape and may be bifurcated on the tip.

Distribution. Known only from the listed localities in Kotayk and Lori provinc-
es, central and northern Armenia (Fig. 10).

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

Figure 2. Male of Dysdera haykana sp. nov., bulb. A retrolateral B prolateral C dorsal D ventral. Abbreviation: Mc — median
crest, Mp — median process, Pa — posterior apophysis, So — spine-like outgrowth. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

Figure 3. Male of Dysdera haykana sp. nov., bulb. A prolateral B dorso-prolateral. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

—

Dysdera nakhchivanica Beydizade, Shafaie & Guseinov, 2018
Figs 1B, 4A-D, 5A, B, 6A-D, 7

Dysdera nakhchivanica Beydizade et al., 2018: 1112, figs 1-4, 7-9 (3).

Material examined. ARMENIA: Vayots Dzor Province: 1319 2 juv. (ZMMU), env.
of Gnishik Vill., 39°40'18"N, 45°17'40"E, ca 2030 m, 11.05.2021 (Y.M. Marusik);
34 39 6 juv. (ZMMU), Shatin, 39°50'N, 45°19'E, 9.05.2021 (Y.M. Marusik).
Diagnosis. For the male, see Beydizade et al. (2018). The female of D. nakh-
chivanica is most similar to that of D. collucata Dunin, 1991, a species restricted

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

.

Figure 4. Male of Dysdera nakhchivanica, bulb. A retrolateral B prolateral C dorsal D ventral. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

ZooKeys 1172: 117-130 (2023), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1172.107112

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

Figure 5. Male of Dysdera nakhchivanica, bulb. A dorsal B retrolateral. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

to southernmost Armenia. The two species have tips of receptacular lateral
edges (R/) bent posteriorly (vs not bent or directed anteriorly in other species)
and have membranous posterior diverticula (Pd) unknown in other Dysdera
species in the Caucasus or adjacent regions. The female of D. nakhchivanica
differs from that of D. collucata by the relatively longer (i.e., three times wider
than long) and distinctly trapezoidal dorsal arch (Da).

Description. Male. See Beydizade et al. (2018).

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

Figure 6. Males of Dysdera nakhchivanica, bulbs of four specimens in retrolateral view, showing variations. Abbreviation:
Mp - median process. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

Figure 7. Female of Dysdera nakhchivanica, endogyne, dorsal. Abbreviations: Da — dorsal arch, Pd — posterior diverticu-
lum, Re - receptacle, Ri - receptacular lateral edge, Tb — transverse bar. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Female. Habitus as in Fig. 1B. Total length 11.87. Carapace 4.12 long, 3.10
wide. Eye sizes: AME 0.16, PME 0.15, PLE 0.17. Carapace and chelicerae dark
reddish; carapace slightly lighter posteriorly. Sternum, labium, and maxillae red-
dish. Legs yellowish orange. Abdomen light beige, without any pattern. Spin-
nerets uniformly beige. Measurements of legs: I: 12.10 (3.41, 2.20, 3.00, 2.90,
0.59), Il: 10.90 (3.06, 1.93, 2.60, 2.65, 0.66), Ill: 7.87 (2.27, 1.25, 1.67, 2.05, 0.63),
IV: 11.05 (3.24, 1.65, 2.43, 2.96, 0.77). Spination: |, Il: no spines. Ill: Ti: 2pl, 2rl,
2v; Mt: 3pl, 2rl, 6v. IV: Fe: 3d; Ti: 2rl, 2v; Mt: 3pl, 3rl, 6v.

Endogyne as in Fig. 7; receptacle (Re) with posteriorly bent lateral edges (RI), ca
8 times longer than wide and as wide as transverse bar (Tb); dorsal arch (Da) ca
2.5 times wider than long, with rounded anterior edges; transverse bar (Tb) long
and thin, ca 15 times longer than wide; posteriorly with pair of diverticula (Pd).

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

Note. The holotype of D. nakhchivanica has four teeth on the median process
(Mp), while Armenian specimens have 5-7. We have tentatively considered this
as an intraspecific variation. Certain variations in the male palp, some of which
depend on the photography angle, are illustrated in Figs 4A and 6A-D.

Distribution. Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan) and Armenia (new record) (Fig. 10).

Subfamily Harpacteinae Cooke, 1965
Genus Harpactea Bristowe, 1939

Harpactea armenica Dunin, 1989
Figs 8A, B, 9A-D

Harpactea armenica Dunin, 1989: 142, figs 1-3 (49).
Harpactea armenica: Dunin 1992: 68, fig. 13 (3).

Materials examined. ARMENIA: Aragatsotn Province: 243 349 29 juv. (ZMMU),
foothills of Aragates Mt., 40°23'N, 44°13'E, 2200 m, 16.05.2021 (Y.M.

Figure 8. Habitus of Harpactea armenica, male (A) and female (B), dorsal.

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

Figure 9. Copulatory organs of Harpactea armenica A-C bulb, prolateral, retrolateral and ventral D endogyne, dorsal.
Abbreviations: Ad — anterior diverticulum, Eb — base of embolus, Re — receptacle. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

(triangles). Type localities are marked with red.

Marusik); Ararat Province: 13° (ZMMU), env. of Urtsadzor Vill., 39°55'26'N,
44°48'53"E, 1040 m, 6.05.2021 (Y.M. Marusik); 14 29 (ZMMU), env. of
Urtsalanj Vill., 39°49'N, 44°59'E, 1800 m, 11.05.2021 (Y.M. Marusik); 53 19
(ZMMU), Garni gorge, Azat river, 40°06'32"N, 44°43'57"E, 1240 m, 17.05.2021
(Y.M. Marusik); Kotayk Province: 33 22 (ZMMU), env. of Geghadir, 40°09'N,
44°38'E, 15.05.2021 (Y.M. Marusik); 24 42 (ZMMU), env. of Solak Vill.,
40°28'24'"N, 44°42'57"E, 14.05.2021 (Y.M. Marusik); 14 12 (ZMMU), env. of
Aghveran Vill., 40°29'54"N, 44°35'24"E, 7-8.05.2021 (Y.M. Marusik); 54 79 4
juv. (ZMMU), same locality, 7.05.2021 (Y.M. Marusik); Vayots Dzor Province:
214149 (ZMMU), Shatin, 39°50'N, 45°19'E, 9.05.2021 (Y.M. Marusik); 24 39
(ZMMU), Shatin, 39°50'N, 45°19'E, 9.05.2021 (Y.M. Marusik); Yerevan: 7)
99 (ZMMU), Yerevan, botanical garden, 40°12'43'"N, 44°33'21"E, 17.05.2021
(Y.M. Marusik). IRAN: East Azerbaijan Province: 1¢ 392 (MHNG), NE of Sofi-
an, 38°21'N, 45°50'E, 5.06.1975 (A. Senglet); Gilan Province: 13° 32. (MHNG),
Asalem, 37°45'N, 48°57'E, 11.06.1975 (A. Senglet); 12 39 (MHNG), Lahi-
djan, 37°11'N, 49°54'E, 5.07.1973 (A. Senglet); Mazandaran Province: 13 39
(MHNG), road to Djavaherdeh, 36°55'N, 50°33'E, 1200 m, 7.08.1974 (A. Sen-
glet); West Azerbaijan Province: 13 39 (MHNG), Qara Kelisa, 39°04'N, 44°38'E,
31.05.1975 (A. Senglet).

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

Comments. This species is most similar to H. secunda Dunin, 1989, a species
restricted to northern Armenia, but can be differentiated from it by the base of em-
bolus (Eb) (slightly and roundly bent, vs sharply bent to about 70°). It is possible
that this small difference is only an intraspecific variation; in order to verify this, it
is necessary to collect additional material from northern Armenia or examine the
type specimens of H. secunda. Furthermore, it is likely that the female illustrated by
Dunin (1989, 1992) belongs to another species. All females collected in Armenia
and Iran examined here have a longer receptacle, longer than anterior diverticulum
(Ad) sensu Dunin (1992), and lack bulbous thickening of the receptacle (Re, Fig. 9D).

Distribution. This species was previously known from only two localities in
Armenia: Yerevan and the southernmost part of Kotayk Province. The new re-
cords slightly extend the known range of the species to the north, approximate-
ly 5° to the east, and around 4° to the south. Additionally, this species is newly
recorded from Iran (Fig. 10).

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Shugiang Li (the subject editor) and Dragomir Dimitrov,
Mikhail Omelko, and an anonymous reviewer for the valuable comments on the
manuscript. Furthermore, we thank Peter J. Schwendinger and Lionel Monod
for arranging a loan of the material deposited in MHNG. YM is thankful to
Noushig Zarikian (Yerevan, Armenia) for providing assistance with arranging
his expedition to Armenia. We express our gratitude to Prof. Marine Arakelyan
(Yerevan, Armenia) for providing assistance in collecting material.

Additional information

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Ethical statement

No ethical statement was reported.

Funding

This work was supported by the Science Committee of the Republic of Armenia within
the frames of the research projects 21AG-1F033, 22AA-1F018.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: AZ, YM. Material - collection: AK, YM. Material - sorting and identifi-
cation: AZ, AK. Funding acquisition: AK. Writing - original draft: AZ, YM. Writing - review
and editing: AZ, YM, AK.

Author ORCIDs

Armine Kosyan © https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5692-5369
Alireza Zamani © https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8084-9666
Yuri M. Marusik © https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4499-5148

Data availability

All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text.

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Armine Kosyan et al.: On Dysderidae of Armenia and Iran

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ZooKeys 1172: 117-130 (2023), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1172.107112 130