A review of Agelenini (Araneae: Agelenidae: Ageleninae) of Iran and Tajikistan, with descriptions of four new genera

Abstract

Agelenini occurring in Iran and Tajikistan are reviewed. As a result, four new genera are established: Persiscapegen. n., to include P. caspicasp. n. (♂♀, Mazandaran, northern Iran), P. ecbatanasp. n. (♂♀, Hamedan, western Iran), P. nassirkhaniisp. n. (♂, Lorestan, southwestern Iran), P. zagrosensissp. n. (♂, Ilam, western Iran), P. caucasica (Guseinov, Marusik & Koponen, 2005) comb. n. (♀, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan), P. gideoni (Levy, 1996) comb. n. (♂♀, Turkey to Israel, Iran), and P. levyi (Guseinov, Marusik & Koponen, 2005) comb. n. (♂♀, Azerbaijan) (all three comb. n. ex. Agelescape). Extreme morphological variation occurs in the copulatory organs of females of this genus leading us to synonymize Agelescape duniniGuseinov, Marusik & Koponen, 2005syn. n. (♂♀, Azerbaijan) with P. gideoni and A. talyshicaGuseinov, Marusik & Koponen, 2005syn. n. (♀, Azerbaijan) with P. levyi, recorded in Iran for the first time. AgelescapeLevy, 1996 is redefined to include only two species: A. livida (Simon, 1875) and A. affinis (Kulczynski, 1911); Gorbiscapegen. n., to include G. gorbachevisp. n. (♂♀, Dushanbe, Khatlon, western Tajikistan) and G. agelenoides (Walckenaer, 1841) comb. n. (♂♀, Western Mediterranean, ex. Agelena); Asiascapegen. n., to include A. parthicasp. n. (♂♀, Golestan, North Khorasan, northeastern Iran); Persilenagen. n., to include P. sengletisp. n. (♀, Ilam, western Iran). In addition, Agelena tadzhikaAndreeva, 1976 (♂♀, Tajikistan and northern Ciscaspian region) is transferred to BenoitiaLehtinen, 1967 (= Benoitia tadzhika (Andreeva, 1976) comb. n.).