Abstract
The first lowland species of the alpine genus Parasyrisca, Parasyrisca arrabonica Szinetár & Eichardt, sp. n., is described from the sandy grasslands of Hungary. The genus was hitherto known only from Western Europe (Pyrenees and Western Alps) and Eastern Europe (Crimea), and although records from Slovenia and Romania were known, these are listed in check-lists in both cases as doubtful since no voucher specimens are available. Thus this species is not only the first representative of Parasyrisca in the Hungarian fauna and in the Pannonian region, but is the first verified record of the genus in Central Europe too. Parasyrisca arrabonica seems to belong to the speciose potanini group (of which this is the first European record and the westernmost occurrence to date), and is especially similar to P. turkenica Ovtsharenko, Platnick & Marusik, 1995 and P. songi Marusik & Fritzén, 2009. Detailed descriptions of the species’ ecological characteristics (habitat, co-occurring species) are provided, as its habitat preference is unusual and unique within the genus. This species is quite rare: only eight specimens have been found among 20700 captured spiders. Adult specimens have been collected exclusively in late autumn and early spring (so practically outside the major collecting period), which might explain why this species was not discovered earlier.
Highlights
The alpine ground spider genus Parasyrisca Schenkel, 1963 is among the “well-known” gnaphosid genera of the Holarctic (Ovtsharenko et al 1995; Marusik and Fritzén 2009)
This was the case for Alopecosa psammophila Buchar, 2001, a large wolf spider recently found, but as collecting periods have been modified to its phenology it has been found in larger quantities in many localities (Szinetár et al 2005; Esyunin et al 2007)
The epigyne of P. arrabonica Szinetár & Eichardt, sp. n. (Fig. 4) is similar to that of P. turkenica but the shape of the anterior hood differs, being twice as wide as high, with the epigynal plate depressed at the posterior end as a posterior ridge of a flat U shape, with two pointing tips on the sides (Fig. 4)
Summary
The alpine ground spider genus Parasyrisca Schenkel, 1963 is among the “well-known” gnaphosid genera of the Holarctic (Ovtsharenko et al 1995; Marusik and Fritzén 2009). The most comprehensive habitat assessment of the Pannonian sandy grasslands to date was started within the framework of the project “Monitoring dry grasslands” NBmR, in 2000 (Szinetár et al 2005; Vörösházi 2006) In this project, collections were carried out in three main regions of Hungary: in Kiskunság, in Nyírség and in the Kisalföld sandy grasslands, the three major sandy areas of the Carpathian Basin. Collections were carried out in three main regions of Hungary: in Kiskunság, in Nyírség and in the Kisalföld sandy grasslands, the three major sandy areas of the Carpathian Basin During this monitoring program about 155 species have been found, represented by 20700 specimens, among which eight belong to a new gnaphosid taxon found at three separate localities (Bugac, Orgovány and Győrszentiván). Besides the unusual habitat choice, this species belongs to a different group, the potanini group, compared to the remaining European species Parasyrisca vinosa (Simon, 1878) and P. marusiki Kovblyuk, 2003 (which belongs to the vinosa group sensu Kovblyuk 2003)
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