Yuri M. Marusik

DIVERSITY OF SPIDERS IN BOREAL AND ARCTIC ZONES

Abstract During the last two decades a great number of studies dealing with arctic and boreal spiders have been published, both in the Palaearctic and the Nearctic. Such an increase in information makes it possible to analyze basic patterns of spider diversity in the North as well as to show areas where further studies are still necessary. The number of species found in faunas of larger areas north of 60°N varies from 620 (Finland) to 250 (Polar Urals) and 300 (Yukon), when island faunas are excluded. Two areas, divided by the Bering Strait, Northeastern Siberia and north-western North America have marked proportion of endemic taxa (ca. 8 %) belonging to several spider families. Considerable number of endemic spiders are known also in Middle Siberia. The number of spiders in local faunas of the boreal zone varies around 300 species. Study of species composition in more than 20 local northern faunas reveals that proportion of Lycosidae species in each local fauna varies in smallest range (7–12 % of all species found) in comparison to other families. Thus Lycosidae can be used as an indicator group of general species diversity of spiders in local faunas.

On the spider genus Amaurobius (Araneae, Amaurobiidae) in India and Nepal

Abstract A new species, Amaurobius koponeni sp. n., is described from Himachal Pradesh on the basis of a male specimen. A key to all five genera of Amaurobiidae that occur in Asia is provided. Four species from India and Nepal incorrectly assigned to Amaurobius are transferred to three genera of Titanoecidae: Anuvinda milloti (Hubert, 1973), comb. n., Pandava andhraca (Patel & Reddy, 1990), comb. n., Pandava nathabhaii (Patel & Patel, 1975), comb. n., and Titanoeca sharmai (Bastawade, 2008), comb. n.

A survey of East Palaearctic Gnaphosidae (Araneae). 2. Two new Gnaphosa Latreille, 1804 species from Western Mongolia

Abstract Two new species: Gnaphosa khovdensis sp. n. (♂) and G. esyunini sp. n. (♂♀) are described from Khovd Aimag of Mongolia. Descriptions, figures, diagnosis and map of the records are provided. The new species are assigned to a monophyletic group together with the recently described G. ustyuzhanini Fomichev et al., 2013.

First description of the male of Cryptothele verrucosa L. Koch, 1872 (Araneae), the type species of the genus.

Abstract The male of Cryptothele verrucosa L. Koch, 1872, the type species of Cryptothele L. Koch, 1872, known from Fiji and Samoa, is described for the first time. It is compared with the male of C. alluaudi Simon, 1893, the single properly described species of the genus.

A survey of east palaearctic lycosidae (Araneae). 7. A new species of acantholycosa Dahl, 1908 from the Russian far east

Abstract Acantholycosa azarkinae sp. n. is described from the Maritime Province of Russia on the basis of both sexes. Acantholycosa norvegica (Thorell, 1872) is reported from the Maritime Province for the first time. A key and illustrations to all six species that occur in Far East Asia are provided.