Notes on Mediterranean Theridiidae (Araneae) – II

Abstract

Taxonomic and faunistic amendments are provided for 15 species and one subspecies of comb-footed spiders (Theridiidae) of the Mediterranean region, in the genera Anatolidion, Episinus, Heterotheridion, Theridion and Theridula. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: Anatolidion osmani Wunderlich, 2008 and Theridion crinigerum Simon, 1881 are synonymised with T. gentile Simon, 1881, making it the type species of the monotypic genus Anatolidion Wunderlich, 2008. Episinus albescens Denis, 1965 is synonymised with E. algiricus Lucas, 1846, Theridion xinjiangense (Hu & Wu, 1989) with Heterotheridion nigrovariegatum (Simon, 1873). Theridion aelleni Hubert, 1970 is removed from synonymy of Theridion spinitarse O. P.-Cambridge, 1876 and transferred to Theridula. The recent transfer of Theridion pinicola Simon, 1873 and T. genistae Simon, 1873 into Paidiscura has to be rejected. Theridion genistae turanicum Charitonov, 1946 from Uzbekistan is raised to species level. New faunistic records are presented for Theridion pinicola from North Africa, Anatolidion gentile, Theridion genistae and T. hemerobium from Greece. Several poorly known (sub-)species are redescribed: Anatolidion gentile, Episinus maculipes numidicus Kulczynski, 1905, Theridion genistae, T. glaucinum Simon, 1881, T. musivum Simon, 1873, T. pinicola, T. pyrenaeum Denis, 1944, T. semitinctum Simon, 1914 and T. spinitarse O. P.-Cambridge, 1876.