Taxonomic revision of the huntsman spider genus Eusparassus Simon, 1903 (Araneae: Sparassidae) in Eurasia

Abstract

The huntsman spider genus Eusparassus Simon, 1903 in Eurasia is revised to include 13 valid species. The type species is redescribed, and additional diagnostic characters are presented for the genus. Neotypes are designated for Eusparassus dufouri Simon, 1932 from Portugal, and Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826) from Egypt to establish their identity. Consequently, Eusparassus kronebergi stat. nov. Denis, 1958 from Afghanistan and Eusparassus doriae stat. nov. (Simon, 1874) from central Iran, which were considered junior synonyms of E. walckenaeri, are re-established as valid species. Three new combinations are proposed: Eusparassus xerxes (Pocock, 1901) comb. nov. from Makran coast in Pakistan and Iran, E. maynardi (Pocock, 1901) comb. nov. from Baluchistan in Pakistan and E. pearsoni (Pocock, 1901) comb. nov. from Ghats in India (all transferred from the genus Olios Walckenaer, 1805). The latter two species are proposed as valid species and are removed from junior synonymy with E. xerxes comb. nov. Lectotypes and paralectotypes are designated for: E. kronebergi stat. nov., Eusparassus maynardi (Pocock, 1901) comb. nov. and Eusparassus pearsoni (Pocock, 1901) comb. nov. A new synonymy is proposed: Eusparassus nanjiangensis (Hu and Fu, 1985) as junior synonym of Eusparassus potanini (Simon, 1895) from Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region in China. One new species is described: Eusparassus mesopotamicus sp. nov. (male and female) from Iraq and Iran. New geographical records are presented: Eusparassus pontii Caporiacco, 1935 and E. kronebergi stat. nov. are recorded for the first time from India. Eusparassus fuscimanus Denis, 1958, Eusparassus oculatus (Kroneberg, 1846) and Eusparassus levantinus Urones, 2006 are redescribed using new material. Eusparassus lilus Strand, 1907, described from Java, is proposed as nomen dubium because the type material could not be found and no longer seems to exist. Misplaced Olios flavovittatus comb. nov. (Caporiacco, 1935) from Karakoram is transferred from the genus Eusparassus. Almost all the species are redescribed for the first time and illustrations of male and female copulatory organs including intraspecific variations are provided using a large number of specimens.