Arachnologische Mitteilungen 56

Arachnologische Mitteilungen / Arachnology Letters 56: 36-39 Karlsruhe, September 2018 Currently, the genus Histopona Thorell, 1869 includes 21 valid species (van Helsdingen 2018, WSC 2018). Most of them inhabit south-eastern Europe and 13 species are pre- sently known only from the Balkan Peninsula, primarily in caves (Deeleman-Reinhold 1983, Deltshev 1978, Deltshev & Petrov 2008, Gasparo 2005). In the present paper, Histopona kurkai sp. nov. is described and illustrated from the Shebe- nik-Jabllanicë national park of Albania and the Shar Moun- tains of RNMacedonia, where it was collected in beech forest habitats. The new species has somatic characters that corres- pond well to those of the genus Histopona . The descriptions are based on detailed examination of morphological charac- ters of the genital structures which were found to be discre- te, allowing a clear separation of the species. Also, Histopona vignai Brignoli, 1980 is newly established for the spider fauna of Albania (Hotova national park) and RN Macedonia (Shar Mountains). Material and methods Specimens from Albania were collected by hand and these from RN Macedonia using pitfall traps. Coloration is descri- bed from 80% alcohol preserved specimens. Male palps were examined and illustrated after they were dissected from the spiders’ bodies. Photos were taken with a Lumix digital ca- mera mounted on a Wild M5A stereomicroscope. Measure- ments of the legs were taken from the dorsal side.Total length of the body includes the chelicerae. All measurements used in the description are in millimeters. Abbreviations used in the text and figure legends include: C = conductor; CO = copulatory opening; E = embolus; RBP = retrolateral basal process; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; S = spermatheca. The material is deposited in the collection of National Museum – Natural History Museum, Praha (NMP) (holo- type, paratypes, Albania), National Museum of Natural His- tory, Sofia (NMNHS) (male and female paratypes, Albania and all three paratypes from RN Macedonia), Museum für Naturkunde, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (ZMB) (male and female paratypes, Albania) and Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt am Main (SMF) (male and female paratypes, Al- bania), Naturhistorisches MuseumWien (NMW) (male and female paratypes, Albania). Agelenidae C. L. Koch, 1837 Histopona Thorell, 1869 Histopona kurkai sp. n. (Figs 1–7, 11–17) Type material. Holotype ) , Albania, Shebenik – Jabllan- icë NP, beech forest (N 41.3166, E 20.4191, 1300 m a.s.l.), 1.07.2017, leg. A. Kůrka (NMP: P6A-6896). Paratypes: 41 ) , 13 ( , (NMP: P6A-6897), 1 ) , 1 ( (NMNHS), 1 ) , 1 ( (NMW), 1 ) , 1 ( (SMF), 1 ) , 1 ( (ZMB), same data as ho- lotype; 3 ) , RN Macedonia, Shar Mt., Jelak hut, 1850 m, 10.–19.07.1995 (pitfall traps) (NMNHS); 1 ) , 1 ( , Shar Mt., Studena place, 1730 m, 10.–19.07.1995 (pitfall traps) (NMNHS), leg. G. Blagoev. Etymology. The species is dedicated to the Czech arachnolo- gist Antonín Kůrka, collector of type material from Albania. Diagnosis. The new species has somatic characters (notched trochanters, patellae with dorsal spines only) that correspond well to those of the genus Histopona , and belongs to torpida species group according to Deeleman-Reinhold (1983) and Bolzern et al. (2013). Among species of this group, it bears close resemblance to H. vignai Brignoli, 1980, but the male of Histopona kurkai sp. n. can be easily separated by the thinner conductor, narrowing apically and almost merging with the embolus (Figs 6, 14), while in H. vignai , it is rounded and protruding above the embolus (Fig. 9). A significant differ- ence is the presence of a thumb-like process (RBP) retrolat- erally-basally on the palpal tibia in H. kurkai sp. n. (Figs 6–7, 14–15) which is absent in Histopona vignai (Figs 9–10). Also, the distal RTA in both species are different: in Histopona kur- kai sp. n., the two sclerites of the distal RTA are rectangular and the base of the RTA does not protrude ventrally (Figs 6–7, 14–15), while in Histopona vignai , the inner sclerite has Description of Histopona kurkai sp. n . with new data for the genus from the Balkan Peninsula (Arachnida, Araneae: Agelenidae) Christo Deltshev & Simeon Indzhov doi: 10.30963/aramit5606 Abstract. Histopona kurkai sp. nov. ( ) ( ) is described and illustrated from Albania (Shebenik, Jabllanicë national park) and RN Macedonia (Shar Mountains), where it was collected in beech forest habitats. The new species has somatic characters that correspond well to those of the genus Histopona ( torpida group). Also, Histopona vignai Brignoli, 1980 is newly established for the spider fauna of Albania (Hotova national park) and RN Macedonia (Shar Mountains). Keywords: Albania, faunistics, Histopona , Macedonia, taxonomy Zusammenfassung. Beschreibung von Histopona kurkai sp. n. mit neuen Daten der Gattung auf der Balkanhalbinsel (Arachni- da, Araneae: Agelenidae) . Histopona kurkai sp. nov. ( ) ( ) wir aus Albanien (Shebenik, Nationalpark Jabllanicë) und Mazedonien (Shar Mountains), wo sind Buchenwäldern vorkommt, beschrieben und abgebildet. Die neue Art gehört morphologisch eindeutig in die Gat- tung Histopona und gehört zur torpida -Gruppe. Weiterhin wird Histopona vignai Brignoli, 1980 erstmals für die Spinnenfauna Albaniens (Hotova Nationalpark) und Mazedoniens (Shar Mountains) gemeldet. Christo DELTSHEV& Simeon INDZHOV, National Museum of Natural History, Bulgari- an Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria; E-mails: deltshev@gmail.com, sinjov@abv.bg submitted 10.7.2018, accepted 4.8.2018, online 6.12.2018