In addition to the genus diagnosis, the following features characterize the species:FEMALECephalothorax dark brown, with eye field blackish brown, covered with inconspicuous, short and adpressed whitish and colourless setae, more dense and more intensively white along edges of dorsal surface of thorax, which give appearance of two weak white streaks. Frontal aspect: face dark brown, with lower clypeus lighter yellowish brown; orbital setae around eyes I are longer dorsally, becoming shorter laterally and absent ventrally, dorsal ones over AME are fawn, over ALE consist of two bunches: white and fawn, and laterally fawn. Clypeus almost bald, with a few longer bristles and sparse, short and inconspicuous colourless setae. Chelicerae dark brown. Pedipalps and legs I dark brown, darker ringed. Abdomen appears greyish with indistinct irregular spots, which concentrate posteriorly into indistinct median streak, about 1/3 of abdomen width, consisting of thin white and brown chevrons, delimited laterally by darker brown spots, and centrally the streak is more prominently whitish, absent in the anterior part of abdomen. Ventral aspect: sternum brown, coxae lighter, yellowish brown. Abdomen ventrally with median area delimited by light yellowish lines and with two such lines running more medially, sides darker brown, anterior area around epigynum almost white. Epigynum with two prominent deep grooves, entirely encircled with dark brown sclerotized rims; the septum separating grooves narrows posteriorly and is distinctly narrower than in Ph. amitai. The anterior half of epigynum is sclerotized, light brown, with sparse brown bristles. Legs dark brown, ringed, legs III-IV more contrastingly ringed with lighter rings and spaces.Measurements (mm). Female. Length of cephalothorax: 2.94, length of abdomen: 3.40. Seasonal appearance of adult specimens. Females - II, III, VI. (c) PRÓSZYŃSKI 2003 Body: Markings: dark or bright vertical stripes. Eyes: AER: dorsal edge procurve. Labium: Length: wider than long. Distribution: Geographical Distribution: Middle East. COMMENTSDiagnosis. Legs black, epigynal depressions rimmed around, septum narrowing posteriorly.Remark. Male specimens of Phlegra, identified as Ph. particeps, were found in the same locality but that mutual occurrence is insufficient to consider both specimens conspecific, especially since female does not have the stripped pattern of the male. Etymology. Named for the late Vinc Roth, an American arachnologist and collector of valuable specimens from Israel. (c) PRÓSZYŃSKI 2003 |