Arachnologische Mitteilungen 54

54 J. Lissner with a hooked median apophysis . Terminal apophysis con­ sists of a large sclerite with two hook-like outgrowths. Em­ bolus appears to arise from a broadened base, becoming thin and straight toward apex. The embolus is nearly hidden by a membranous conductor in ventral view, in retrolateral view it is invisible. Comments . The new species belongs to the Echemus group of gnaphosid genera due to a plain-coloured opisthosoma and presence of a scutum in the male. Among the Echemus group genera it fits best within Scotophaeus Simon, 1893.This genus is characterized by a procurved PER, a palp with a hook-like median apophysis and without a broadened embolar base , endites narrowed in the middle and concave retrolaterally, a sternum with short sclerotized extensions to and between the coxae and absence of brachiate setae (Almquist 2006, Mur­ phy 2007, Platnick & Shadab 1977) . The new species meets these requirements except for the embolar base which appears broadened and for the reduced sclerotized extensions to the middle of the coxa, only the ones between the coxae are dis­ tinct . The species may need transfer to another genus, but this should await description of the female.The broadened embo­ lar base, the indistinct sclerotized extensions to the coxae, the compact eye group and the presence of a long seta originating near base of the fang may prevent this species from being encompassed by Scotophaeus . Conspecificity with the following species can be excluded based solely on the shape of the tibial apophysis and extent of scutum. Scotophaeus blackwalli (Thorell, 1871), S. blackwalli isabellinus (Simon, 1873) , S. scutulatus (L. Koch, 1866) and S. nanoides Wunderlich, 2011 possess a single pointed tibial apophysis, as opposed to the three-pointed one in the new species . Regarding other European species, the tibial apo­ physis also differs from that of S . musculus (Simon, 1878) the latter having parallel sides and terminating in a small, sharp point curved at the apex like a crochet hook (Simon 1914: fig. 269, Schenkel 1938: fig. 1) . Scotophaeus musculus is known from Madeira and France (World Spider Catalog 2017) , but also mainland Portugal (Silva 2017) and the Selvagens Islands (= Savage Islands) (Crespo et al. 2009) . Scotophaeus validus (Lucas, 1846) is widely distributed in the Mediterra­ nean region.This species has a single pointed tibial apophysis and quite different palp structures according to illustrations in Simon (1914). Also the scutum of the male covers nearly the anterior half of the opisthosoma in this species (Simon 1914), much longer than in the male described here. Scotophaeus wes- tringi Simon, 1914 is known from France only (World Spider Catalog 2017), the male has a different, single pointed tibial apophysis (Simon 1914). The new species also differs from the four species known to occur in the Macaronesian archi­ pelagos by the shape of the tibial apophysis or the extent of the abdominal scutum. Scotophaeus bifidus Schmidt & Krause, 1994 is known from the Cape Verde Island of Sal has a dis­ tinct Y-shaped bifurcate tibial apophysis (Schmidt & Krause 1994), S . insularis Berland, 1936 and S . jacksoni Berland, 1936 are also known from the Cape Verde Islands, males of both species with a single-pointed tibial apophysis (Berland 1936) . Scotophaeus hierro Schmidt, 1977 known from the Canary Is­ lands has a very long scutum (Schmidt 1977) , while that of the new species described here is very short.The genus holds several additional but poorly described species some of which only known from females (World Spider Catalog 2017). Scotophaeus validus (Lucas, 1846) (Gnaphosidae) (Figs 6-8) Drassus validus Lucas 1846: 213, pl. 12, f. 10 . Material examined. PORTUGAL: Beja, Moura, Sobral da Adiça (N37°58’40’’, W7°17’39’’), 1 ♀ , forest steppe/maquis (350 m), 27.III.2013, Jan Dolanský leg., CJL-8794; SPAIN: Majorca, La Palma, Castillo de San Carlos (N39°32’47’’, W2°37’17’’), 1 ♀ , pine grove, 16 m a.s.l., 29.IV.2014, J. Lis­ sner leg., CJL-9872 . Comments. Scotophaeus validus is known from Southern Eu­ rope,Morocco and Algeria (World Spider Catalog 2017), but is new to Portugal. Illustrations and photographs of the epi­ gyne and vulva are presented in Figs. 6-8 and are compared to a specimen from Majorca. The epigyne of the Portuguese specimen is larger and more strongly sclerotized than that of the Majorcan specimen. The vulva has spermathecae bearing terminal bulbs (Fig. 8) characteristic of Scotophaeus females (Platnick & Shadab 1977) . The build of the vulva and epi­ Fig. 8: Scotophaeus validus (Lucas, 1846), vulva in dorsal view. a. specimen from Majorca; b. specimen from Portugal. Scale bar 0.2 mm Fig. 7: Scotophaeus validus (Lucas, 1846). a. epigyne in ventral view (speci- men from Majorca); b. specimen from Portugal. Scale bar 0.2 mm Fig. 6: Scotophaeus validus (Lucas, 1846). a. epigyne in ventral view (speci- men from Majorca); b. specimen from Portugal. Scale bar 0.2 mm