Trachyzelotes

Abstract: Gnaphosid spiders from Israel of the genera Setaphis, Trachyzelotes, the species-rich Zelotes, and Drassyllus have been revised. Thirty-six species, more than in the whole of Central Europe, are recognized, including 16 species new to science and six that have never before been recorded from this region. All types and pertinent non-type material deposited in a great number of European collections have been re-examined, and the systematics, ecology, and the Zoogeographie distribution of all taxa treated are discussed. Many species have never been adequately described, and detailed illustrations of diagnostic characters along with updated records are provided for each species. The following new synonyms are defined: Zelotes longestylus (Caporiacco, 1936), Z. caporiaccoi Roewer, 1951, and Z. stylus Di Franco, 1992 = Setaphis fuscipes (Simon, 1885); Zelotes costatus Denis, 1952 = Trachyzelotes bardiae (Caporiacco, 1928) new combination; Zelotes inauratus (O.P.-Cambridge, 1872) and Z. tristiculus (O.P...

Abstract: Ground-dwelling spider assemblages comprise one of the most representative predatory groups to be found in many crops. There is some evidence of the role that ground-dwelling spiders play in controlling certain citrus pests; however, there are almost no studies about the abundance and composition of this predatory group in citrus orchards. A three-year survey conducted using pitfall traps in three citrus orchards in Eastern Spain yielded more than five-thousand ground-dwelling spiders belonging to more than 50 species and 20 families. Wandering families such as Lycosidae, Gnaphosidae and Zodariidae were the most numerous in terms of captures. The generalist predator Pardosa cribata Simon (Araneae: Lycosidae) was the most common species, representing a quarter of all captures, followed by Zodarion cesari Pekar. (Araneae: Zodariidae) and Trachyzelotes fuscipes (Koch) (Araneae: Gnaphosidae). Spiders were active throughout the year with a peak population in summer. The species abundance data for the three spider assemblages sampled fitted a log normal statistical model which is consistent with a well-established community. The presence of a cover crop provided higher abundance of alternative prey and consequently higher abundance and diversity of ground-dwelling spiders. This work demonstrates that the citrus-orchard ground harbours a diverse and abundant ground-dwelling spider fauna, which is also active throughout the year. A challenge for future studies will be to establish conservation management strategies for these predators, that will improve biological control of those citrus pests that inhabit or spend part of their life cycle on the orchard floor. Additional key words: conservation strategies; cover crops; generalist predators; prey; species richness spider assemblage.

Abstract: In this paper six of the least or poorly known zelotine species from Greece belonging to the genera Trachyzelotes (2) and Zelotes (4) are presented Following the examination of material from several islands in the East Mediterranean Sea, Trachyzelotes stubbsi Platnick & Murphy, 1984 is critically distinguished from T adriaticus (Caporiacco, 1953) The examination of old material lead to the taxonomic re-evaluation of several poorly known species in the area of Greece and adjacent regions Based on these studies, three new synonymies are proposed: Z ilotarum Simon, 1884 as a new synonym of Z cingarus (O PCambridge, 1874) and Z balcanicus Deltshev, 2006 and Z baram Levy, 2009 as new synonyms of Z argoliensis (CL Koch, 1839) Furthermore, a species from Crete closely associated to Z ilotarum is represented and considered as a new species, Z helicoides nsp Among the species listed above, T stubbsi is a new record for the Greek territory, while Z olympi (Kulczynski, 1903) is excluded from the Greek list of spiders based on the present knowledge of its distribution

Abstract: Karyotypes, sex chromosome systems and meiotic characteristics are reported for ten spider species belonging to the families Gnaphosidae, Philodromidae, Salticidae, Oxyopidae and Sicariidae by using standard Giemsa staining. The male diploid numbers (2n) and sex chromosome systems are as follows: Berinda hakani 2n = 22 (X1X2), Berinda ensigera 2n = 22 (X1X2), Trachyzelotes lyonneti 2n = 22 (X1X2), Trachyzelotes malkini 2n = 22 (X1X2), Zelotes caucasius 2n = 22 (X1X2) (Gnaphosidae); Thanatus pictus 2n = 28 (X1 X2), Tibellus macellus 2n = 24 (X1 X2) (Philodromidae); Neon reticulatus 2n = 21 (X0) (Salticidae); Peucetia virescens 2n = 28 (X1X2) (Oxyopidae) and Loxosceles rufescens 2n = 21 (X1 X2Y) (Sicariidae). All species have monoarmed chromosomes with the exception of L. rufescens that has biarmed (metacentric and submetacentric) chromosomes. The obtained data are the first results for the genera Berinda, Trachyzelotes and Neon. Additionally, with the exception of L. rufescens, all species are being chromosomally analyzed for the first time.