Robert Bosmans

On the endemic spider species of the genus Savigniorrhipis Wunderlich, 1992 (Araneae: Linyphiidae) in the Azores (Portugal), with description of a new species

Savigniorrhipis topographicus new species is described from the Azores. The synapomorphies of Savigniorrhipis are discussed along with the affinities of the genus within the Savignia-group. Given the extremely restricted and increasingly disturbed habitat, S. topographicus new species should be classified as Critically Endangered and its single forest habitat at Topo (São Jorge Island) should increase its current protection level to a strict nature reserve.

The spider family Dysderidae in the Balearic Islands

The spider family Dysderidae in the Balearic Islands counts 6 species, which have all been revised. Dysdera arnedoi Lissner n. sp. and Parachtes riberai Bosmans n. sp. are newly described species from Majorca, where they seem to be confined. A neotype is designated for Dysdera balearica Thorell, 1873 and D. mordax L. Koch, 1882 is considered a junior synonym of the former. Dysdera lata Reuss, 1834 is cited for the first time in Majorca. Dysdera crocata C. L. Koch, 1838 and Harpactea dufouri (Thorell, 1873) occur on all the main Balearic Islands. Harpactea corticalis (Simon, 1882) and H. hombergi (Scopoli, 1763) were misidentified in the past and are deleted from the Balearic Islands list.

A new species of Scytodes from Algeria (Araneae: Scytodidae), with a review of the species from the Maghreb

Four spitting spider species in the genus Scytodes are recorded from the Maghreb: Scytodes annulipes Simon, 1907, stat. n. (elevated to species rank), S. major Simon, 1885, S. velutina Heineken & Lowe, 1832 and Scytodes seppoi Bosmans & Van Keer, sp. n. The male and female of the latter are described and illustrated. No recent records of the commonly cited S. thoracica (Latreille, 1804) can be provided, so earlier citations are considered to be erroneous. Images, illustrations and new distribution data of the other three known species in the Maghreb are given.

The genus Haplodrassus Chamberlin, 1922 in the Mediterranean and the Maghreb in particular (Araneae: Gnaphosidae)

The Haplodrassus species of the the Maghreb are revised. Six new species are described: H. dentifer Bosmans Abrous, sp. n. (♂♀, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Spain), H. longivulva Bosmans Hervé, sp. n. (♂♀, Algeria, Morocco), H. lyndae Abrous Bosmans, sp. n. (♂♀, Algeria, Morocco, Spain), H. ovatus Bosmans Hervé, sp. n. (Tunisia, Algeria), H. securifer Bosmans Abrous, sp. n. (♂♀, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Belgium) and H. triangularis Bosmans, sp. n. (♂♀, Morocco, Tunisia). The following new synonyms are proposed. Drassus corticalis Lucas, 1846, syn. n. and Drassus similis C.L. Koch, 1866, syn. n. were found to be junior synonyms of Drassus rufipes Lucas, 1846. Drassus parvulus L. Koch 1882, Drassodes acrotirius Roewer, 1928, Drassodes seditiosus Caporiacco, 1928, Drassodes parvicorpus Roewer, 1951 and Haplodrassus maroccanus Denis, 1956 are junior synonyms of Drassus omissus O.P.-Cambridge, 1872 syn. n. and this species is transferred to Haplodrassus comb. n. (taken out of the synonymy with H. morosus (O.P.-Cambridge, 1872, contra Levy, 2004). Drassodes nigroscriptus deminutus Simon, 1909 and Drassodes nigroscriptus Simon, 1909 are synonyms and the species is transferred to Haplodrassus comb. n. Haplodrassus isaevi Ponomarev Tsvetkov, 2006 is a junior synonym of Haplodrassus orientalis (L. Koch), 1866 syn. n. comb. n. H. macellinus hebes (O.P.- Cambridge, 1874) is a synonym of Haplodrassus macellinus (Thorell, 1871) syn. n. Haplodrassus vignai Di Franco, 1996 is a synonym of H. macellinus (Thorell, 1871) (taken out of the synonymy of H. invalidus O.P.-Cambridge, 1872, contra Levy, 2004). H. gridellii Caporiacco, 1949 is taken out of the synonymy with H. pugnans (Simon, 1880) and synonymized with H. rufipes (Lucas, 1846) syn. n. (contra Levy, 2004). The following new combinations are proposed. Drassodes rhodanicus Simon, 1914 = Haplodrassus rhodanicus (Simon, 1914), comb. n. Drassus crassipes Lucas, 1846 = Haplodrassus crassipes (Lucas, 1846) comb. n. The following new status is proposed: Haplodrassus typhon (Simon, 1878) is removed from the synonymy of H. macellinus Thorel, 1871, is declared a valid species, a female lectotype is designated and the unknown male is described. Drassodes severus L. Koch, 1839 and Drassodes spinicrus Caporiacco, 1928 are declared nomina dubia. The female of H. rhodanicus is described for the first time, and the male illustrated for the first time. All Haplodrassus species occurring in the Maghreb are redescribed as well as Haplodrassus macellinus (Thorell, 1871), only occurring in S.W. Europe and deleted from the North African list. New distribution data and photos of other European Haplodrassus species are presented.

On two cases of male dimorphism in dwarf spiders (Araneae: Linyphiidae)

Abstract. Diplocephalus cristatus (Blackwall, 1833) is confirmed as a dimorphic species, having two morphs: cristatus and foraminifer. This view was first proposed by Georgescu (1969), but not supported in the literature. Diplocephalus foraminifer (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1875), D. bicephalus (Simon, 1884), D. rectilobus (Simon, 1884), D. foraminifer thyrsiger (Simon, 1884) and D. arvernus (Denis, 1948) are here considered junior synonyms of D. cristatus (Blackwall, 1833). Diplocephalus bicephalus belongs to the morph cristatus, D. rectilobus, D. thyrsiger and D. arvernus to the morph foraminifer. A lectotype (♂) is designated for Diplocephalus bicephalus Simon, 1884; the paratype female of D. bicephalus was incorrectly identified and actually belongs to Dicymbium nigrum (Blackwall, 1834). Savignia harmsi Wunderlich, 1980 is another dimorphic species, with the two strongly differing male morphs: typica and cor.

Figures103–110. Clubiona Pseudosimilis Mikhailov,1990 In The Genus Clubiona Latreille, 1904 (Araneae: Clubionidae) In The Maghreb, With Notes On The Genevensis Group And New Records From The Mediterranean Region

FIGURES103–110. Clubiona pseudosimilis Mikhailov,1990, male and female (from Portugal:103 male habitus, dorsalview; 104 female habitus, dorsal view; 105 male palp, retrolateral view; 106 same, ventral view; 107 RTA, retrolateral view; 108 epigyne, ventral view; 109 vulva, ventral view; 110 same, dorsal view. Scale bars:103, 104 = 1 mm; 105, 106, 108 – 110 = 0.2 mm; 107 = 0.1 mm.

Figures 52–67 In The Genus Clubiona Latreille, 1904 (Araneae: Clubionidae) In The Maghreb, With Notes On The Genevensis Group And New Records From The Mediterranean Region

FIGURES 52–67. Clubiona spp., male palp: 52–55 Clubiona diniensis Simon, 1878 (from Algeria); 56–59 C. genevensis L. Koch, 1866 (from Greece); 60–63 C. leucaspis Simon, 1932 (from Spain); 64–67 C. vegeta Simon, 1918 (from Tunisia). 52, 56, 60, 64 leftpalp, retrolateral view; 53, 57, 58, 61, 62, 65, 66 detail of RTA and base of cymbium, retrolateral view (65, white arrow, RTA needle-like extension present; 66, black arrow, RTA needle-like extension absent, probably broken); 54, 59, 63, 67 detail of bulbus and basolateral extension of cymbium (stars), retrolateral view; 55 same, ventral view. Scale bars: 52, 56, 60, 64 = 0.1 mm; 53, 57, 59, 61, 63, 67 = 50 µm; 54, 55, 58, 62, 65, 66 = 20 µm.

An introductory study of house spiders (Araneae) in Belgium

Summary More than 800 spiders were collected in 43 houses heated in winter, distributed mainly in the northern part of Belgium. Information required for the collections to be eligible for the project was: address, construction year, type of house, and surroundings. The spiders were qualified as ‘house spiders’ or ‘garden spiders’. Of the 93 species collected, 19 could be defined as house spiders. Pholcus phalangioides was the most common, followed by Eratigena atrica and Steatoda triangulosa. Garden spiders enter the house much more often in houses in a rural environment than in those situated in clusters, and mainly in spring. The spiders are most common in autumn when many of them are breeding. The common house spiders colonize houses shortly after their construction.

Description of a New Ground Spider from Majorca, Spain, with the Establishment of a New Genus Chatzakia n. gen. (Araneae: Gnaphosidae)

Summary During surveys of the Majorcan spider fauna, some gnaphosid spiders belonging to a yet undescribed species were collected. The combination of characters allowed identification to group-level only (Gnaphosa-group), but prevented determination to genus level. A new genus, Chatzakia Lissner & Bosmans, n. gen. is described, with C. balearica Lissner, n. sp. as the single known species, occurring on the Balearic islands of Majorca and Ibiza. Pterotrichina Dalmas, 1921 and Minosia Dalmas, 1921 are considered the closest related genera.

Description of a new Gibbaranea (Araneae: Araneidae) from the Western Mediterranean

A new humped orb-weaver, Gibbaranea bruuni Lissner spec. nov., is described from specimens collected in Majorca, Spain. The new species is most closely related to two other western Palaearctic species, Gibbaranea gibbosa (Walckenaer, 1802) and Gibbaranea occidentalis Wunderlich, 1989. Araneus dromedarius cuculliger Simon, 1909 (= Gibbaranea bituberculata cuculliger) is synonymized with Gibbaranea bituberculata (Walckenaer, 1802), syn. nov.