Walckenaeria stylifrons and Spiracme mongolica (Araneae, Linyphiidae, Thomisidae), two new species to Slovakia

Pavol Purgat,Ľubomír Volnár,Natália Hurajtová,Katarína Krajčovičová,Peter Gajdoš,Adrián Purkart

doi:10.15560/17.6.1601

Abstract

The spiders Walckenaeria stylifrons (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1875) and Spiracme mongolica (Schenkel, 1963) are reported from Slovakia for the first time. These new records are based on adult males found in Western Slovakia in xerothermic habitats. The occurrence of W. stylifrons in Slovakia fills the gap in its distribution in Pannonian Basin and between Austria and Ukraine. Spiracme mongolica has been known only from the Balkans and south-eastern part of Europe to central Asia, this is the first record for Central Europe. We suggest Spiracme mongolica (Schenkel, 1963)&nbsp;new combination for Xysticus mongolicus Schenkel, 1963. Characteristic features, photographs of habitus and copulatory organs, and habitats of the new records are presented.&nbsp;

Highlights

Central Europe is one of the best-studied areas in the world in respect of spiders, from both a faunistic and a taxonomic point of view
We provide information on the first records of W. stylifrons and S. mongolica in Slovakia and improve the knowledge of their distribution in Central Europe
We suggest Spiracme mongolica (Schenkel, 1963) new combination for Xysticus mongolicus Schenkel, 1963, in consideration of this species’ male copulatory organs, which are typical of the genus Spiracme

Summary

Introduction

Central Europe is one of the best-studied areas in the world in respect of spiders, from both a faunistic and a taxonomic point of view. With over 958 recorded species, is among the best-studied countries of Central Europe (cf Hungary 809, Poland 847, and Czech Republic 902) (Gajdoš et al 2018; Nentwig et al 2021). Despite of this fact, the spider fauna of Slovakia is still not completely studied. Our research of spider assemblages in xeromorphic habitats in Western Slovakia has revealed two species new to the country. Pickard-Cambridge, 1875) and Spiracme mongolica (Schenkel, 1963)

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