In addition to the genus diagnosis, the following features characterize the species:FEMALE(holotype). Cephalothorax brown with dense adpressed whitish setae, posterior and lateral borders of eye field with more conspicuously whitish setae ; getting lighter ventrally, lower sides light yellow; light brownish median thoracic streak ending at the posterior border of the eye field. Abdomen: white with darker, light brownish yellow median serrated streak (apparently black on alive specimen) not delimited by any contour; that streak ends before reaching the anterior edge of adomen. White dorsal surface passes into greyish-white sides, without any delimiting darker lines or spots. Frontal aspect: eyes I surrounded with white setae, clypeus very densely covered with long adpressed white setae, some of them overhanging blackish brown chelicerae; pedipalps and legs I yellow. Legs: yellow with femora lighter, spines darker. Ventral aspect: light yellow to whitish. Epigynum weakly sclerotized, without distinct furrows with sclerotized edges, characterized by pattern of pigmented areas and shadows of internal structures in form of a pair of dark parallel lines, bent and more closely spaced in the posterior half of epigynum, corresponding with various parts of internal structures, but bear little relation to their real shape. Openings in form of a pair of small oval dark spots in anterior half of epigynum (Fig. 433), in studied specimens plugged by waxy stoppers, which fell out after maceration in KOH. The internal structures consist of membranous and almost transparent copulatory channels, usually very broad, often balloon-shaped, with a small, bent and poorly visible channel on their median surfaces, passing into very small sclerotized spermathecae; all these details are apparently similar in several species of this group, which I have seen. The specific differences are minute terminal parts of spermatheca, especially position and shape of accessory gland openings.Measurements (mm). Female. Length of cephalothorax 3.25; length of abdomen 4.00. © PRÓSZYŃSKI 2003 Eyes: AER: dorsal edge recurve. Labium: Length: longer than wide. Distribution: Geographical Distribution: Afrika. Middle East. COMMENTSDiagnosis. Epigynum closely resembling M. fulvovittatus, from which it differs by spermatheca folded only at its distal, posterior end, and prominent accessory gland at the anterior end. Median abdominal streak white contoured.Remarks. Conspecificity of Saudi Arabian and Sinai specimens tentative, based on similarities in spermatheca and some resemblance in colour pattern, assuming that they have changed differently in both specimens. Seasonal appearance of adult specimens. Females - V. © PRÓSZYŃSKI 2003 |