A new ladybird spider from hungary (Araneae, Eresidae)

Abstract

According to the most recent taxonomic literature, three species of the genus Eresus are known in Central Europe, E. kollari, E. sandaliatus and E. moravicus. We recognized a fourth distinctive species from Hungary, which is described as Eresus hermani sp. n. Eresus hermani has an early spring copulation period, females have a light grey (grizzled) cephalothorax due to a heavy cover of lightly colored setae, and an epigyne with large flat areas posterior to the epigynal pit, while males are distinguished by a broad and blunt terminal tooth of the conductor. An updated and modified comparative table of Řezáč et al. (2008) to include all four Central European Eresus species, and a simple key to the species group’s species are given. Habitus, epigyne, vulva and conductor of E. kollari, E. moravicus and E. sandaliatus are also illustrated. An annotated list of papers illustrating E. hermani due to misidentifications is presented.