In addition to the genus diagnosis, the following features characterize the species:MALECephalothorax in preserved specimen:tegument black, covered uniformly with adpressed, small and narrow whitish scales, except anterior slope of eye field which is bald, intensively black and light reflecting. There is a line of intensively white setae beneath ventral edge of carapace. Frontal aspect: face black with intensively white setae on clypeus, dense and long, overhanging cheliceral bases; group of these setae is triangular – narrower dorsally (to the width of AME), expanding ventrally. Eyes I – rim of AME consist of intensively white scales ventrally, less intensively whitish laterally, colourless scales dorsally on black background give dark appearance. Rims of ALE whitish, space beneath ALE – intensively black tegument. Chelicerae dark brown covered with sparse, long, black bristles. Abdomen with dark brown tegument, covered uniformly with dense, silver whitish scales, resembling those on cephalothorax, there is anterior median streak of darker bald tegument. Spinnerets yellow. Ventral aspect. Coxae and mouth parts greyish yellow, sternum blackish brown with white setae. Abdomen ventrally greyish yellow with short white setae. Pedipalps. Cymbium blackish brown, covered with short whitish setae, apically lighter brown with grey setae. Bulbus brown. Tibia yellow with dark brown apophysis. Pedipalps. Apical tip of pedipalpal femur, patella and tibia yellow, covered with intensively white long setae, these are particularly long on tibia, making a white fan in front of black cymbium. Legs. Leg I anteriorly yellowish brown, with patella lighter and covered with adpressed whitish setae, tibia and metatarsus gradually darker, tarsus dark brown with black bristles. Femur I with narrow dark brown ring basally, with yellow ventral and posterior 1/3rd of retrolateral surface, which are covered with dense longer and apparently softer setae, apical half of retrolateral surface brown with longer and stiff darker, greyish brown setae, extending beyond ventral edge of femur. Remaining parts of femur surface covered with short adpressed whitish setae, resembling those on other femora. Apical tip of dorsal surface of femur I light yellow. Femora II–IV light brown to yellow, covered densely with short adpressed whitish setae. Remainig segments of legs II–IV yellow, with tarsus and metatarsus slightly darker. Measurement of male – holotype (in mm and % of length of cephalothorax): length of cephalothorax 3.10 mm = 100%, length of eye field 1.12 = 36%, width of eye field at eyes I 1.62 = 52%, width of eye field at eyes III 1.50 = 48%, height of cephalothorax 1.50 = 48%, length of abdomen 2.80 = 90%. Measurement of 5 segments of legs (tarsus to femur, in mm and % of leg I): I 0.81+0.81+1.06+1.00+1.62 = 5.30 – 100%, II 0.87+0.87+1.00+1.00+1.69 = 5.43 – 102%, III 1.08+1.44+1.25+1.25+ 2.12 = 7.23 – 136%, IV 1.00+1.25+1.00+ 1.00+1.87 = 6.12 – 115%. Leg order: III –136%, IV – 115%, II –102%, I – 100%.© PRÓSZYŃSKI, 2003 Body: Markings: dark or bright vertical stripes. Eyes: AER: dorsal edge procurve. Labium: Length: longer than wide. Legs: Leg formula: 3-4-1-2. Distribution: Geographical Distribution: Middle East. FEMALECephalothorax has black tegument, covered with rather uniform, elongated adpressed scales, more whitish on anterior eye field, with blackish, upright bristles on eye field, denser anteriorly.Abdomen dorsally grey, covered with whitish longer scales, arranged in transverse rows, and with sparse short blackish bristles. Frontal aspect: blackish tegument entirely hidden under dense white setae which gives almost white appearance; orbitals of AME dorsally and ventrally white, with a few fawn setae laterally being an extension of a somewhat darker spot between the intense white line immediately beneath ALE and clypeal setae under ALE. Orbital setae of ALE dorsally fawn or pale orange, ventrally and laterally white, diagonal line under ALE very prominently white; clypeus under AME strikingly white owing to dense long white setae growing horizontally, partially overhanging cheliceral bases. ALE located 1/2 of their diameter above rim of AME; pedipalps whitish yellow with whitish setae. Ventral aspect: sternum blackish with lighter margins, sparse but long white setae, coxae yellow, abdomen grey with dense whitish scales. Epigynum transversely broader than in Ae. aeruginosus, short. Legs: yellow with darker lateral spots instead of annuli on some segments; femora I–IV lighter – whitishyellow. Femur III and IV – lateral surfaces brown, with lighter area in mid-length, near ventral edge, dorsal surfaces with two yellow longitudinal stripes, separating median narrow darker brown stripe. Measurement of female – allotype (in mm and % of length of cephalothorax): length of cephalothorax 3.20 mm = 100%, length of eye field 1.19 = 37%, width of eye field at eyes I 1.75 = 55%, width of eye field at eyes III 1.62 = 51%, height of cephalothorax 1.50 = 47%, length of abdomen 3.80 = 119%. Measurement of 5 segments of legs (tarsus to femur,in mm and in % of leg I): I 0.75+0.62+1.00+1.25+ 1.62 = 5.24 – 100%, II 0.75+0.69+0.94+1.06+1.56 = 5.00 – 95.42 %, III 0.87+1.44+1.25+1.25+2.19 = 7.10 – 135.50%, IV 0.87+1.50+1.31+1.00+2.12 = 6.80 – 129.77%. Leg order: III – 135.50%, IV – 129.77%, I – 100%, II – 95.42%.© PRÓSZYŃSKI, 2003 Body: Markings: dark or bright vertical stripes. Eyes: AER: dorsal edge procurve. Labium: Length: longer than wide. Distribution: Geographical Distribution: Middle East. COMMENTSDiagnosis.Preserved specimens have cephalothorax covered by small white scales, contrasting with black or dark brown cephalothorax, with anterior slope of eye field bald and black; it has striking white setae beneath large anterior eyes, above chelicerae in both males and females. Female abdomen smooth, silver whitish, without any dark dots. The nearest species is Ae. kochi, which is larger and has striking fur of black setae on tarsus I. Remark. Males and females are by far most numerous species found in Sede Boker area. The conspecificity of both sexes seems probable because similarity in their external appearance, the second common species around Sede Boker – Ae. aeruginosus has male distinctly different, and females to some extent different. Etymology. Name derived from locality Sede Boker, where collected. © PRÓSZYŃSKI, 2003 |